SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged attempted kidnapping in Salina.

On Tuesday afternoon,&nbsp; a 22-year-old woman was at her mailbox along the street in the 600 block of South Front Street in Salina when an older light blue or turquoise pickup pulled up, according to Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus.

The woman told police the driver opened the passenger door, showed a small black handgun to her and told her to get in the pickup. The woman fled back to her residence, he said.

The driver was described as having a dark complexion and short brown or black hair, and was thought to be taller was in his late 40s, and a wearing a black t-shirt and a blue bandana across his face, according to Hanus.

There are no suspects at this time and police are actively looking for surveillance video from the area.

Persons with information about this case are asked to contact the Salina Police Department Detective Division at 785-826-7210 or contact Crimstoppers at 825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637, or visit www.pd.salina.org and follow Crimestoppers link to submit a web tip.

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged attempted kidnapping in Salina.On Tuesday afternoon,&nbsp; a 22-year-old woman was at her mailbox along the street in the 600 block of South Front Street in Salina when an older light blue or turquoise pickup pulled up, according to Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus.The woman told police the driver opened the passenger door, showed a small black handgun to her and told her to get in the pickup. The woman fled back to her residence, he said.The driver was described as having a dark complexion and short brown or black hair, and was thought to be taller was in his late 40s, and a wearing a black t-shirt and a blue bandana across his face, according to Hanus.There are no suspects at this time and police are actively looking for surveillance video from the area.Persons with information about this case are asked to contact the Salina Police Department Detective Division at 785-826-7210 or contact Crimstoppers at 825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637, or visit www.pd.salina.org and follow Crimestoppers link to submit a web tip.

Police: Woman reported attempted kidnapping in Salina

WICHITA– A retired financial adviser was sentenced to 38 months in prison Tuesday for taking more than $800,000 out of two trust funds&nbsp; belonging to a retired widow, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Walter "Bud" Hollis, 73 of Wichita, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of felony theft for embezzling the money between 2014 and 2018. Hollis managed the trust funds for the 75-year-old victim who had been his client for several years.

The victim stated in court Tuesday that she trusted Hollis to manage her estate after her husband died. She told the judge the theft destroyed her sense of security in retirement and denied her children and step children their inheritance.

Hollis read a statement to the judge asking for probation and blaming the theft on a difficult upbringing and a gambling addiction. Hollis said probation would be more appropriate due to his age and medical issues.

In denying the request for probation, the judge stated that prison was appropriate because Hollis destroyed the financial security of someone who trusted him to protect her money. The judge also ordered Hollis to pay $822,322.15 to the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583321220991.png" alt="Hollis photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Hollis photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA– A retired financial adviser was sentenced to 38 months in prison Tuesday for taking more than $800,000 out of two trust funds&nbsp; belonging to a retired widow, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Walter "Bud" Hollis, 73 of Wichita, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of felony theft for embezzling the money between 2014 and 2018. Hollis managed the trust funds for the 75-year-old victim who had been his client for several years.The victim stated in court Tuesday that she trusted Hollis to manage her estate after her husband died. She told the judge the theft destroyed her sense of security in retirement and denied her children and step children their inheritance.Hollis read a statement to the judge asking for probation and blaming the theft on a difficult upbringing and a gambling addiction. Hollis said probation would be more appropriate due to his age and medical issues.In denying the request for probation, the judge stated that prison was appropriate because Hollis destroyed the financial security of someone who trusted him to protect her money. The judge also ordered Hollis to pay $822,322.15 to the victim.

Kan. financial adviser sentenced for embezzling from widow

LOS ANGELES (AP)— Billionaire Mike Bloomberg ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden. It was a stunning collapse for the former New York City mayor, who had his 2020 hopes on the Super Tuesday states and pumped more than $500 million of his own fortune into the campaign.

Bloomberg announced his departure from the race after a disappointing finish on Super Tuesday in the slate of states that account for almost one-third of the total delegates available in the Democratic nominating contest. He won only the territory of American Samoa and picked up several dozen delegates elsewhere. Biden, meanwhile, won big in Southern states where Bloomberg had poured tens of millions of dollars and even cautiously hoped for a victory.

Two of his former Democratic rivals, Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg, dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden as the moderate alternative to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders just the day before Super Tuesday.

Bloomberg ran an unprecedented campaign from the start. His late entrance into the race in November prompted him to skip campaigning in the first four voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. He hung his success on Super Tuesday, spending at least $180 million on advertising in those states, but had planned to continue deep into the primary calendar, already spending millions on advertising in states like Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Before results poured in on Tuesday, he projected confidence while campaigning in Florida, only to have his aides say the campaign would reassess the next day.

Voters ultimately rejected Bloomberg's argument that he was the candidate best poised to take on Republican President Donald Trump. The president, for his part, had paid close attention to the Democratic nominating contest and had been especially fixated on Bloomberg. Trump regularly railed against his fellow New Yorker on Twitter, mocking his short stature by calling him “Mini Mike" and claiming Bloomberg was the candidate he wanted to run against. On Tuesday, he called the results a “complete destruction” of Bloomberg's reputation.

Bloomberg, 78, is one of the world's richest men, worth an estimated $61 billion. His fortune flows from the financial data and media company that bears his name, which he started in the 1980s. In addition to serving 12 years as New York mayor, he endeared himself to progressive groups by pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into fighting climate change and curbing gun violence.

In the early weeks of his campaign, he used his vast fortune to introduce himself to voters outside New York on his own terms, and his rivals accused him of trying to buy the party's nomination and the White House. As voting drew closer, the former Republican was forced to confront his Democratic rivals head on by appearing alongside them on a debate stage. His first performance was shaky and uneven and caused voters to view him with a more critical eye.

He proved unable to overcome consistent criticism of New York's use of the stop-and-frisk police practice under his tenure as mayor, which disproportionately targeted young black and Latino men for searches aimed at finding weapons. The practice ended after a federal judge declared it unconstitutional, and Bloomberg apologized for using it weeks before announcing his presidential run.

He similarly faced pointed criticism — primarily from rival Elizabeth Warren — about the treatment of women at his company, Bloomberg LP. Under pressure from Warren, he said in mid-February he would release three women who sued him for harassment or discrimination complaints from confidentiality agreements. Women who worked for Bloomberg were featured in a commercial praising Bloomberg's and the company's treatment of women, and his longtime partner Diana Taylor defended him as a champion of women.

Bloomberg was dogged by accusations he was trying to buy the Democratic presidential nomination. His vast fortune proved a perfect foil for Sanders, who has said billionaires should not exist at all. Indeed, Bloomberg had a vast circle of influence from his spending on key causes like gun control as well as his philanthropic efforts to boost American cities and provide leadership training for mayors. Dozens of prominent mayors rallied behind his candidacy.

That, combined with Biden's resurgence in South Carolina and the rallying of the party's moderate wing behind him, doomed Bloomberg's case that he was the best candidate to take on both Sanders and Trump.

What's next for Bloomberg is unclear. He'd pledged to keep campaign offices open in key general election battleground states to help the Democrats defeat Trump even if he lost the party's nomination. But Sanders' campaign has said they do not want the help.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583335103649.png" alt="Mike Bloomberg speaking to supporters Tuesday night-photo courtesy Bloomberg for president." />
 <figcaption>Mike Bloomberg speaking to supporters Tuesday night-photo courtesy Bloomberg for president.</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP)— Billionaire Mike Bloomberg ended his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination on Wednesday and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden. It was a stunning collapse for the former New York City mayor, who had his 2020 hopes on the Super Tuesday states and pumped more than $500 million of his own fortune into the campaign.Bloomberg announced his departure from the race after a disappointing finish on Super Tuesday in the slate of states that account for almost one-third of the total delegates available in the Democratic nominating contest. He won only the territory of American Samoa and picked up several dozen delegates elsewhere. Biden, meanwhile, won big in Southern states where Bloomberg had poured tens of millions of dollars and even cautiously hoped for a victory.Two of his former Democratic rivals, Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg, dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden as the moderate alternative to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders just the day before Super Tuesday.Bloomberg ran an unprecedented campaign from the start. His late entrance into the race in November prompted him to skip campaigning in the first four voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. He hung his success on Super Tuesday, spending at least $180 million on advertising in those states, but had planned to continue deep into the primary calendar, already spending millions on advertising in states like Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Before results poured in on Tuesday, he projected confidence while campaigning in Florida, only to have his aides say the campaign would reassess the next day.Voters ultimately rejected Bloomberg's argument that he was the candidate best poised to take on Republican President Donald Trump. The president, for his part, had paid close attention to the Democratic nominating contest and had been especially fixated on Bloomberg. Trump regularly railed against his fellow New Yorker on Twitter, mocking his short stature by calling him “Mini Mike" and claiming Bloomberg was the candidate he wanted to run against. On Tuesday, he called the results a “complete destruction” of Bloomberg's reputation.Bloomberg, 78, is one of the world's richest men, worth an estimated $61 billion. His fortune flows from the financial data and media company that bears his name, which he started in the 1980s. In addition to serving 12 years as New York mayor, he endeared himself to progressive groups by pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into fighting climate change and curbing gun violence.In the early weeks of his campaign, he used his vast fortune to introduce himself to voters outside New York on his own terms, and his rivals accused him of trying to buy the party's nomination and the White House. As voting drew closer, the former Republican was forced to confront his Democratic rivals head on by appearing alongside them on a debate stage. His first performance was shaky and uneven and caused voters to view him with a more critical eye.He proved unable to overcome consistent criticism of New York's use of the stop-and-frisk police practice under his tenure as mayor, which disproportionately targeted young black and Latino men for searches aimed at finding weapons. The practice ended after a federal judge declared it unconstitutional, and Bloomberg apologized for using it weeks before announcing his presidential run.He similarly faced pointed criticism — primarily from rival Elizabeth Warren — about the treatment of women at his company, Bloomberg LP. Under pressure from Warren, he said in mid-February he would release three women who sued him for harassment or discrimination complaints from confidentiality agreements. Women who worked for Bloomberg were featured in a commercial praising Bloomberg's and the company's treatment of women, and his longtime partner Diana Taylor defended him as a champion of women.Bloomberg was dogged by accusations he was trying to buy the Democratic presidential nomination. His vast fortune proved a perfect foil for Sanders, who has said billionaires should not exist at all. Indeed, Bloomberg had a vast circle of influence from his spending on key causes like gun control as well as his philanthropic efforts to boost American cities and provide leadership training for mayors. Dozens of prominent mayors rallied behind his candidacy.That, combined with Biden's resurgence in South Carolina and the rallying of the party's moderate wing behind him, doomed Bloomberg's case that he was the best candidate to take on both Sanders and Trump.What's next for Bloomberg is unclear. He'd pledged to keep campaign offices open in key general election battleground states to help the Democrats defeat Trump even if he lost the party's nomination. But Sanders' campaign has said they do not want the help.

Bloomberg drops out of presidential race, endorses Biden

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects for a series of burglaries that involve 26 felony counts and 28 misdemeanor counts.

Just after 2:30p.m. February 11, police were investigating the theft of a backpack from a vehicle at a business in the 3700 Block of North Woodlawn, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Officers located the car in an apartment complex in the 400 Block of West Central in Wichita. As they approached, Everett fled on foot along with another suspect identified as 33-year-old James Fulfer of Wichita.&nbsp; After a brief chase, police arrested both of them.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Everett was in possession of a window punch and Fulfer had property from the thefts on North Woodlawn. 

Through several days of compiling information, speaking to victims and reviewing video evidence, investigators tied the two suspects to twenty police investigations involving theft from vehicles, according to Davidson.

Everett was formally charged Tuesday with 9 counts of burglary to auto, theft, 7 counts of criminal damage to property, 7 counts of unlawful use of a financial card, 2 counts of attempted unlawful use of a financial card and an aggravated weapons violation, according to Davidson. He has previous convictions that include criminal damage to property, burglary, theft, criminal trespass and theft by deception, according to Davidson.

Fulfer was formally charged Tuesday with 5 counts of burglary to auto, one count of felony theft, 4 counts of theft, 5 counts of criminal damage to property, possession of drug paraphernalia, meth and unlawful use of a&nbsp; financial card. He has previous convictions that include possession of narcotics and criminal possession of a weapon, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583330386635.png" alt="Everett- photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Everett- photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects for a series of burglaries that involve 26 felony counts and 28 misdemeanor counts.Just after 2:30p.m. February 11, police were investigating the theft of a backpack from a vehicle at a business in the 3700 Block of North Woodlawn, according to officer Charley Davidson.Officers located the car in an apartment complex in the 400 Block of West Central in Wichita. As they approached, Everett fled on foot along with another suspect identified as 33-year-old James Fulfer of Wichita.&nbsp; After a brief chase, police arrested both of them.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583257812551.png" alt="Fulfer " />
 <figcaption>Fulfer </figcaption>
 </figure>Everett was in possession of a window punch and Fulfer had property from the thefts on North Woodlawn. Through several days of compiling information, speaking to victims and reviewing video evidence, investigators tied the two suspects to twenty police investigations involving theft from vehicles, according to Davidson.Everett was formally charged Tuesday with 9 counts of burglary to auto, theft, 7 counts of criminal damage to property, 7 counts of unlawful use of a financial card, 2 counts of attempted unlawful use of a financial card and an aggravated weapons violation, according to Davidson. He has previous convictions that include criminal damage to property, burglary, theft, criminal trespass and theft by deception, according to Davidson.Fulfer was formally charged Tuesday with 5 counts of burglary to auto, one count of felony theft, 4 counts of theft, 5 counts of criminal damage to property, possession of drug paraphernalia, meth and unlawful use of a&nbsp; financial card. He has previous convictions that include possession of narcotics and criminal possession of a weapon, according to Davidson.

2 Kansas felons connected with 20 police investigations

WASHINGTON (AP) — A resurgent Joe Biden scored victories from Texas to Massachusetts on Super Tuesday, revitalizing a presidential bid that was teetering on the edge of disaster just days earlier. But his rival Bernie Sanders seized the biggest prize with a win in California that ensured he — and his embrace of democratic socialism — would drive the Democrats’ nomination fight for the foreseeable future.

And suddenly, the Democratic Party’s presidential field, which featured more than a half-dozen candidates a week ago, transformed into a two-man contest.

Biden and Sanders, lifelong politicians with starkly different visions for America’s future, were battling for delegates as 14 states and one U.S. territory held a series of high-stakes elections that marked the most significant day of voting in the party’s 2020 presidential nomination fight.

It could take weeks — or months — for the party to pick one of them to take on President Donald Trump in the November general election. But the new contours of the fight between Biden and Sanders crystallized as the former vice president and the three-term Vermont senator spoke to each other from dueling victory speeches delivered from opposite ends of the country Tuesday night.

“People are talking about a revolution. We started a movement,” Biden said in Los Angeles, knocking one of Sanders’ signature lines.

Without citing his surging rival by name, Sanders swiped at Biden from Burlington, Vermont.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Less than a month ago, Joe Biden’s campaign was in free fall. Even after he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b9872b58b495fd17044f359338ab3f2a">mounted a comeback in South Carolina</a>, he confronted the reality of competing in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7e64410893844bcaf438e11b194c35ce">crucial Super Tuesday contests</a>&nbsp;with little money and no discernible campaign infrastructure.

The former vice president swept to victory in Democratic primary contests across the country, from New England to the Atlantic seaboard swing states, from the Upper Midwest to the Deep South. His coalition was broad, with black voters, women, older and college-educated voters all drawn to his campaign.

Biden’s stunning performance cemented a remarkable turnabout, remaking the Democratic presidential primary with head-spinning speed. A candidate once on the brink of collapse, Biden is now a favorite for his party’s nomination.

“I’m here to report, we are very much alive,” Biden declared at a raucous rally in Los Angeles.

California, the night’s biggest prize, was one of the few states Biden lost to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. But Biden picked off Texas, the second-biggest state up for grabs, as well as eight other contests. His victories in Virginia and North Carolina, two crucial general-election states, were particularly decisive.

Biden’s show of force puts him on a collision course with Sanders that will test who Democrats view as more electable in November. Sanders, a liberal firebrand, has spent decades calling for sweeping overhauls of economic and health care systems, while Biden, a moderate, is running less as an ideologue and more as a candidate who can reset the nation after President Donald Trump’s divisive administration.

Sanders’ fast start in this primary season — he won in New Hampshire and Nevada and effectively tied in Iowa — rattled centrist Democrats who fear he is out of step with vast swaths of the electorate and would not only cost the party the White House, but also the House and the Senate.

Many in the party quickly recognized that Sanders was benefiting from a crowded field of more moderate candidates who were dividing up the rest of the Democratic electorate. But it wasn’t until Biden’s commanding victory in South Carolina on Saturday that they began to see him as the best alternative.

The speed at which Biden’s standing has shifted is virtually unprecedented in recent memory.

In the days since South Carolina, high-profile Democrats have flocked to Biden’s campaign with dizzying speed, including several former rivals whose campaigns once appeared promising. Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Beto O’Rourke all endorsed Biden on Monday in a forceful show of party unity.

Much-needed money is also pouring in, including from some wealthy donors who have fretted for months about Biden’s vulnerabilities coming off the sidelines. That influx of cash will allow Biden to build out the kind of campaign operations in upcoming states that he lacked in the Super Tuesday contests.

Indeed, the resource gap between Biden and some of his rivals on Tuesday was staggering, making his successes all the more striking.

In Minnesota and Massachusetts, billionaire Mike Bloomberg plunged roughly $17 million into TV. Biden carried both states without spending a dollar, according to TV advertising data released late last week.

In Virginia, a key general-election state where Biden won by more than 25 percentage points, the former vice president spent a paltry $291,000 to Bloomberg’s $12 million, the data shows.

A similar pattern emerged in Texas, where Bloomberg spent $47.8 million to Biden’s $291,000, and in North Carolina, where Bloomberg outspent Biden 28 times over.

Bloomberg ended the night without winning a single state, though he picked up a smattering of delegates. He planned to huddle with advisers in New York on Wednesday to reassess whether to press on with his campaign.

Also facing reality: Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who finished a disappointing third in her home state. Though she’s vowed to take her campaign to a contested convention, it was unclear how she would justify continuing with little to cling to out of the Super Tuesday results.

That leaves Biden and Sanders, two white men in their late 70s, to battle it out to become the standard-bearer for an increasingly diverse party.

The race has echoes of Sanders’ face-off in 2016 against Hillary Clinton, a more moderate candidate who was deemed a safer choice until her stunning loss to Trump in the general election. Sanders and his supporters are urging the party against taking a similar path this time around.

But Biden’s surge has underscored just how many Democrats fear the prospect of a Sanders nomination. If Bloomberg were to drop out in the coming days, it’s likely he would plunge his fortune into helping Biden and blasting Trump with millions of dollars in television advertising through the fall.

To be sure, Biden remains a candidate with risk. He has struggled to mobilize young voters and at times seems out of step with his party’s energized left flank. He has also proven to be an uneven campaigner, often delivering unwieldy, rambling speeches.

But his vastly improved prospects appear to have refocused Biden. He was visibly energized as he blitzed the Super Tuesday states, relishing an outpouring of support from voters and party leaders who had appeared ready to send him into retirement just days ago.

“They don’t call it Super Tuesday for nothing!” Biden exclaimed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583320328354.png" alt="Joe Biden celebrated with supporters in California late Tuesday-photo courtesy Biden for President" />
 <figcaption>Joe Biden celebrated with supporters in California late Tuesday-photo courtesy Biden for President</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A resurgent Joe Biden scored victories from Texas to Massachusetts on Super Tuesday, revitalizing a presidential bid that was teetering on the edge of disaster just days earlier. But his rival Bernie Sanders seized the biggest prize with a win in California that ensured he — and his embrace of democratic socialism — would drive the Democrats’ nomination fight for the foreseeable future.And suddenly, the Democratic Party’s presidential field, which featured more than a half-dozen candidates a week ago, transformed into a two-man contest.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583320506261.png" alt="Senator Bernie Sanders during a celebration rally in Vermont Tuesday night -photo courtesy Sanders for President." />
 <figcaption>Senator Bernie Sanders during a celebration rally in Vermont Tuesday night -photo courtesy Sanders for President.</figcaption>
 </figure>Biden and Sanders, lifelong politicians with starkly different visions for America’s future, were battling for delegates as 14 states and one U.S. territory held a series of high-stakes elections that marked the most significant day of voting in the party’s 2020 presidential nomination fight.It could take weeks — or months — for the party to pick one of them to take on President Donald Trump in the November general election. But the new contours of the fight between Biden and Sanders crystallized as the former vice president and the three-term Vermont senator spoke to each other from dueling victory speeches delivered from opposite ends of the country Tuesday night.“People are talking about a revolution. We started a movement,” Biden said in Los Angeles, knocking one of Sanders’ signature lines.Without citing his surging rival by name, Sanders swiped at Biden from Burlington, Vermont.---------------WASHINGTON (AP) — Less than a month ago, Joe Biden’s campaign was in free fall. Even after he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b9872b58b495fd17044f359338ab3f2a">mounted a comeback in South Carolina</a>, he confronted the reality of competing in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7e64410893844bcaf438e11b194c35ce">crucial Super Tuesday contests</a>&nbsp;with little money and no discernible campaign infrastructure.It didn’t matter.The former vice president swept to victory in Democratic primary contests across the country, from New England to the Atlantic seaboard swing states, from the Upper Midwest to the Deep South. His coalition was broad, with black voters, women, older and college-educated voters all drawn to his campaign.Biden’s stunning performance cemented a remarkable turnabout, remaking the Democratic presidential primary with head-spinning speed. A candidate once on the brink of collapse, Biden is now a favorite for his party’s nomination.“I’m here to report, we are very much alive,” Biden declared at a raucous rally in Los Angeles.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583320506261.png" alt="Senator Bernie Sanders during a celebration rally in Vermont Tuesday night -photo courtesy Sanders for President." />
 <figcaption>Senator Bernie Sanders during a celebration rally in Vermont Tuesday night -photo courtesy Sanders for President.</figcaption>
 </figure>California, the night’s biggest prize, was one of the few states Biden lost to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. But Biden picked off Texas, the second-biggest state up for grabs, as well as eight other contests. His victories in Virginia and North Carolina, two crucial general-election states, were particularly decisive.Biden’s show of force puts him on a collision course with Sanders that will test who Democrats view as more electable in November. Sanders, a liberal firebrand, has spent decades calling for sweeping overhauls of economic and health care systems, while Biden, a moderate, is running less as an ideologue and more as a candidate who can reset the nation after President Donald Trump’s divisive administration.Sanders’ fast start in this primary season — he won in New Hampshire and Nevada and effectively tied in Iowa — rattled centrist Democrats who fear he is out of step with vast swaths of the electorate and would not only cost the party the White House, but also the House and the Senate.Many in the party quickly recognized that Sanders was benefiting from a crowded field of more moderate candidates who were dividing up the rest of the Democratic electorate. But it wasn’t until Biden’s commanding victory in South Carolina on Saturday that they began to see him as the best alternative.The speed at which Biden’s standing has shifted is virtually unprecedented in recent memory.In the days since South Carolina, high-profile Democrats have flocked to Biden’s campaign with dizzying speed, including several former rivals whose campaigns once appeared promising. Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Beto O’Rourke all endorsed Biden on Monday in a forceful show of party unity.Much-needed money is also pouring in, including from some wealthy donors who have fretted for months about Biden’s vulnerabilities coming off the sidelines. That influx of cash will allow Biden to build out the kind of campaign operations in upcoming states that he lacked in the Super Tuesday contests.Indeed, the resource gap between Biden and some of his rivals on Tuesday was staggering, making his successes all the more striking.In Minnesota and Massachusetts, billionaire Mike Bloomberg plunged roughly $17 million into TV. Biden carried both states without spending a dollar, according to TV advertising data released late last week.In Virginia, a key general-election state where Biden won by more than 25 percentage points, the former vice president spent a paltry $291,000 to Bloomberg’s $12 million, the data shows.A similar pattern emerged in Texas, where Bloomberg spent $47.8 million to Biden’s $291,000, and in North Carolina, where Bloomberg outspent Biden 28 times over.Bloomberg ended the night without winning a single state, though he picked up a smattering of delegates. He planned to huddle with advisers in New York on Wednesday to reassess whether to press on with his campaign.Also facing reality: Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who finished a disappointing third in her home state. Though she’s vowed to take her campaign to a contested convention, it was unclear how she would justify continuing with little to cling to out of the Super Tuesday results.That leaves Biden and Sanders, two white men in their late 70s, to battle it out to become the standard-bearer for an increasingly diverse party.The race has echoes of Sanders’ face-off in 2016 against Hillary Clinton, a more moderate candidate who was deemed a safer choice until her stunning loss to Trump in the general election. Sanders and his supporters are urging the party against taking a similar path this time around.But Biden’s surge has underscored just how many Democrats fear the prospect of a Sanders nomination. If Bloomberg were to drop out in the coming days, it’s likely he would plunge his fortune into helping Biden and blasting Trump with millions of dollars in television advertising through the fall.To be sure, Biden remains a candidate with risk. He has struggled to mobilize young voters and at times seems out of step with his party’s energized left flank. He has also proven to be an uneven campaigner, often delivering unwieldy, rambling speeches.But his vastly improved prospects appear to have refocused Biden. He was visibly energized as he blitzed the Super Tuesday states, relishing an outpouring of support from voters and party leaders who had appeared ready to send him into retirement just days ago.“They don’t call it Super Tuesday for nothing!” Biden exclaimed.___

Biden gets Super Tuesday surge; Sanders wins California

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help in locating two individuals in regard to a domestic violence investigation.

Just after 8:30 p.m. Monday, officers responded to a disturbance at a house in the 3000 block of South Davidson in Wichita, according to a media release.

The disturbance occurred between Albert Cruz-Aviles and his ex-girlfriend Peggy Ott. 

Cruz-Aviles went to the house and dragged Ott away from the house against her will. A roommate tried to intervene, but Cruz-Aviles struck him&nbsp;on the head with a handgun and fired one shot from the gun. The gunshot did not strike anyone.

Ott and Cruz-Aviles have not been located, and Ott may be in danger. Ott has an attempt-to-locate and Cruz-Aviles is a suspect of aggravated battery and aggravated kidnapping.

If you have any information on their whereabouts, please call 911. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 316-267-2111

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583321521185.png" alt="Cruz-Aviles" />
 <figcaption>Cruz-Aviles</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help in locating two individuals in regard to a domestic violence investigation.Just after 8:30 p.m. Monday, officers responded to a disturbance at a house in the 3000 block of South Davidson in Wichita, according to a media release.The disturbance occurred between Albert Cruz-Aviles and his ex-girlfriend Peggy Ott. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583321560974.png" alt="Peggy Ott photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Peggy Ott photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Cruz-Aviles went to the house and dragged Ott away from the house against her will. A roommate tried to intervene, but Cruz-Aviles struck him&nbsp;on the head with a handgun and fired one shot from the gun. The gunshot did not strike anyone.Ott and Cruz-Aviles have not been located, and Ott may be in danger. Ott has an attempt-to-locate and Cruz-Aviles is a suspect of aggravated battery and aggravated kidnapping.If you have any information on their whereabouts, please call 911. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 316-267-2111

Police search for suspect who dragged Kansas woman from home

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — The Hope Medical Group for Women in northern Louisiana fields phone calls every day from anxious pregnant women who ask if abortion is still legal and if the clinic, one of only three that provides abortions in the state, is still open.

Despite the protesters who sometimes gather outside, the threats that forced the clinic to board up all the windows and the repeated restrictions put upon abortion providers in this staunchly anti-abortion state, the clinic stands. 

Abortion remains legal in Louisiana and elsewhere in the United States. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/cb3306b386904f5b8ff36f4351565cad">a Supreme Court case</a>&nbsp;set for arguments Wednesday could lead to the clinic’s closure and, more fundamentally, a retreat from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a67d78c73c32314bad82e493a2988c4a">protecting the right to abortion</a>&nbsp;that the high court first announced in 1973.

The case is just one in a series of high-stakes disputes the more conservative court, now with two appointees of President Donald Trump, is expected to decide by late June as the 2020 election campaign gathers steam.

“We’re fighting this as hard as we possibly can. And for now, all three clinics are still open. And for now, abortion is still legal in all 50 states,” said Hope’s administrator, Kathaleen Pittman.

Pittman tries to keep her focus on the women who come through the door every day — generally poor women who are forced to travel increasingly longer distances as other clinics in Louisiana and neighboring states have closed. Pittman estimates as many as 80% of the women who come in get financial assistance to help pay for the abortion.

They travel from 200 miles or even 300 miles away and from neighboring states to do a state-mandated counseling session and then return another day to have the abortion, Pittman said.

“I’ve been here for 27 years. And the constant refrain we hear regarding the reason for terminating a pregnancy has always been primarily lack of financial resources. People are broke,” she said. “It’s the women who have the least that are going to suffer the most.”

Anti-abortion groups, the Trump administration and members of Congress hope the court will take its first steps to roll back protections for abortion and uphold a Louisiana law that would require doctors at abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. “This case is about the health and safety of women,“ said state Sen. Katrina Jackson, a Democrat who sponsored the 2014 law.

More than 200 members of Congress, almost all Republican, suggest in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/18/18-1323/124086/20191202144301670_Brief.pdf" target="_blank">court filing</a>&nbsp;that the court could go further and overrule the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

States have passed dozens of abortion restrictions in recent years, including measures that would ban abortion as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Those laws have so far been blocked by courts.

The issue of abortion providers’ relationship with local hospitals is familiar to the high court because in 2016, the court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/654afc839388440f8a4efc2eb22ca41a/Texas-illegally-curbs-abortion-clinics,-Supreme-Court-rules">struck down a similar law</a>&nbsp;from Texas.

The only thing that has changed since then is the makeup of the Supreme Court, notably Trump’s appointment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to take the place of the retired Justice Anthony Kennedy. Trump pledged to appoint “pro-life justices” and his opposition to abortion has been crucial to his support among socially conservative voters.

The outcome, though, will likely come down to the vote of one man, Chief Justice John Roberts. Roberts has mainly voted in favor of abortion restrictions, including joining the dissent in 2016 that would have upheld the Texas law. But he cast the decisive vote a year ago to prevent the Louisiana law from being enforced while the legal case played out.

Roberts did not explain his vote. But it is extremely rare for a justice to cast the key vote in a case at a preliminary stage and then vote the other way later on.

A trial judge had said the law would not provide health benefits to women and would leave only one clinic open in Louisiana, in New Orleans. That would make it too hard for women to get an abortion, in violation of the Constitution, the judge ruled. But an appeals court upheld it in 2018. The clinic appealed to the Supreme Court.

As recently as 2011, there were seven abortion clinics in Louisiana, according to the New Orleans Abortion Fund, which raises money to pay for women who want to have an abortion.

Two doctors perform abortions at the hospital, Pittman said. One has admitting privileges and the other does not. A third doctor, who also does not have admitting privileges, rotates in as needed. If the law were to take effect, the one doctor with the admitting privileges has testified he would not continue as the lone doctor performing abortions in northern Louisiana, which would force Hope to close.

On a recent day in February, the clinic waiting room was filled with women — some alone and some who appeared to be accompanied by friends, partners or relatives. Oil paintings with occasional pieces of abortion rights artwork or signs covered the waiting room’s walls. A small sticker pasted to the receptionist’s window read “Mind Your Own Uterus.” Outside the clinic, a small sign read “Please do not feed (or speak to) the protesters.”

There were no protesters on this cold and rainy day but just a few blocks away a tall billboard, one of the many across the state, asks women to “Choose life” and gives them a number to call for help.

Two women at the Hope clinic who agreed to speak to The Associated Press said they did not want their names used because of the stigma around abortion. One was a pregnant woman who already has a year-old daughter. She said abortion is morally wrong, but that she cannot take care of another baby. She questioned why anyone would want to force a woman to have a baby she didn’t want and worried those children will be mistreated.

The other pregnant woman is 27 years old. She drove about three hours from southern Louisiana for her counseling session. She knew almost immediately when she found out she was pregnant that she wanted to have an abortion, she said, because she did not feel ready physically, emotionally or mentally for motherhood.

She feels strongly that women shouldn’t be forced to have children if they’re not prepared and able to give them all the love and attention that children deserve. If the Shreveport clinic and others in the state were to close, she worried about how she or others could access abortion.

“I think I’d find a way, but it would be much more difficult and much more just exhausting and stressful,” she said. “And I think women are going to do this no matter what. So ... why not help us?”

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — The Hope Medical Group for Women in northern Louisiana fields phone calls every day from anxious pregnant women who ask if abortion is still legal and if the clinic, one of only three that provides abortions in the state, is still open.Despite the protesters who sometimes gather outside, the threats that forced the clinic to board up all the windows and the repeated restrictions put upon abortion providers in this staunchly anti-abortion state, the clinic stands. Abortion remains legal in Louisiana and elsewhere in the United States. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/cb3306b386904f5b8ff36f4351565cad">a Supreme Court case</a>&nbsp;set for arguments Wednesday could lead to the clinic’s closure and, more fundamentally, a retreat from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a67d78c73c32314bad82e493a2988c4a">protecting the right to abortion</a>&nbsp;that the high court first announced in 1973.The case is just one in a series of high-stakes disputes the more conservative court, now with two appointees of President Donald Trump, is expected to decide by late June as the 2020 election campaign gathers steam.“We’re fighting this as hard as we possibly can. And for now, all three clinics are still open. And for now, abortion is still legal in all 50 states,” said Hope’s administrator, Kathaleen Pittman.Pittman tries to keep her focus on the women who come through the door every day — generally poor women who are forced to travel increasingly longer distances as other clinics in Louisiana and neighboring states have closed. Pittman estimates as many as 80% of the women who come in get financial assistance to help pay for the abortion.They travel from 200 miles or even 300 miles away and from neighboring states to do a state-mandated counseling session and then return another day to have the abortion, Pittman said.“I’ve been here for 27 years. And the constant refrain we hear regarding the reason for terminating a pregnancy has always been primarily lack of financial resources. People are broke,” she said. “It’s the women who have the least that are going to suffer the most.”Anti-abortion groups, the Trump administration and members of Congress hope the court will take its first steps to roll back protections for abortion and uphold a Louisiana law that would require doctors at abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. “This case is about the health and safety of women,“ said state Sen. Katrina Jackson, a Democrat who sponsored the 2014 law.More than 200 members of Congress, almost all Republican, suggest in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/18/18-1323/124086/20191202144301670_Brief.pdf" target="_blank">court filing</a>&nbsp;that the court could go further and overrule the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.States have passed dozens of abortion restrictions in recent years, including measures that would ban abortion as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Those laws have so far been blocked by courts.The issue of abortion providers’ relationship with local hospitals is familiar to the high court because in 2016, the court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/654afc839388440f8a4efc2eb22ca41a/Texas-illegally-curbs-abortion-clinics,-Supreme-Court-rules">struck down a similar law</a>&nbsp;from Texas.The only thing that has changed since then is the makeup of the Supreme Court, notably Trump’s appointment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to take the place of the retired Justice Anthony Kennedy. Trump pledged to appoint “pro-life justices” and his opposition to abortion has been crucial to his support among socially conservative voters.The outcome, though, will likely come down to the vote of one man, Chief Justice John Roberts. Roberts has mainly voted in favor of abortion restrictions, including joining the dissent in 2016 that would have upheld the Texas law. But he cast the decisive vote a year ago to prevent the Louisiana law from being enforced while the legal case played out.Roberts did not explain his vote. But it is extremely rare for a justice to cast the key vote in a case at a preliminary stage and then vote the other way later on.A trial judge had said the law would not provide health benefits to women and would leave only one clinic open in Louisiana, in New Orleans. That would make it too hard for women to get an abortion, in violation of the Constitution, the judge ruled. But an appeals court upheld it in 2018. The clinic appealed to the Supreme Court.As recently as 2011, there were seven abortion clinics in Louisiana, according to the New Orleans Abortion Fund, which raises money to pay for women who want to have an abortion.Two doctors perform abortions at the hospital, Pittman said. One has admitting privileges and the other does not. A third doctor, who also does not have admitting privileges, rotates in as needed. If the law were to take effect, the one doctor with the admitting privileges has testified he would not continue as the lone doctor performing abortions in northern Louisiana, which would force Hope to close.On a recent day in February, the clinic waiting room was filled with women — some alone and some who appeared to be accompanied by friends, partners or relatives. Oil paintings with occasional pieces of abortion rights artwork or signs covered the waiting room’s walls. A small sticker pasted to the receptionist’s window read “Mind Your Own Uterus.” Outside the clinic, a small sign read “Please do not feed (or speak to) the protesters.”There were no protesters on this cold and rainy day but just a few blocks away a tall billboard, one of the many across the state, asks women to “Choose life” and gives them a number to call for help.Two women at the Hope clinic who agreed to speak to The Associated Press said they did not want their names used because of the stigma around abortion. One was a pregnant woman who already has a year-old daughter. She said abortion is morally wrong, but that she cannot take care of another baby. She questioned why anyone would want to force a woman to have a baby she didn’t want and worried those children will be mistreated.The other pregnant woman is 27 years old. She drove about three hours from southern Louisiana for her counseling session. She knew almost immediately when she found out she was pregnant that she wanted to have an abortion, she said, because she did not feel ready physically, emotionally or mentally for motherhood.She feels strongly that women shouldn’t be forced to have children if they’re not prepared and able to give them all the love and attention that children deserve. If the Shreveport clinic and others in the state were to close, she worried about how she or others could access abortion.“I think I’d find a way, but it would be much more difficult and much more just exhausting and stressful,” she said. “And I think women are going to do this no matter what. So ... why not help us?”

Supreme Court to hear high-stakes abortion case

TOPEKA – The Kansas State Department of Commerce&nbsp;announces today that applications are being accepted for the second round of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect
 Program.

 ReConnect is a USDA program that furnishes loans and grants to fund the costs of construction, improvement or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas.

As with the first funding round, USDA scoring includes points for states which have a broadband plan, and commit to expediting certain processes. Commerce is working with
 the USDA to ensure Kansas applicants are as competitive as possible. 

Applications will be accepted until 6:00PM EST on March 16, 2020. Applications are made through the USDA, but Kansas applicants must obtain a state certification letter from
 the Kansas Department of Commerce to submit with their USDA application. The state certification letter can be obtained at
<a href="http://www.kansascommerce.gov/sign-up/" target="_blank">www.kansascommerce.gov/sign-up/</a>.

Telecommunications companies, rural electric cooperatives and utilities, internet service providers and municipalities may apply for funding through USDA’s broadband ReConnect
 Program to connect rural areas that currently have insufficient broadband service. 

Funds will be awarded to projects that have financially sustainable business models that will bring high-speed broadband to rural homes, businesses, farms, ranches and community
 facilities such as first responders, health care sites and schools.

Broadband constitutes critical infrastructure for the prosperity of all Kansans, especially in rural and non-competitive areas. 

The delivery of broadband connection and high-quality
 service will enable technologies critical to rural communities, such as precision agriculture, and will fuel long-term economic development opportunities in rural America.

For more information on obtaining a state certification letter, visit
<a href="http://www.kansascommerce.gov/the-kansas-edge/utilities/broadband-initiative/reconnect-for-rural-e-connectivity/" target="_blank">www.kansascommerce.gov/the-kansas-edge/utilities/broadband-initiative/reconnect-for-rural-e-connectivity/</a>.

To apply to the ReConnect Program, visit
<a href="http://www.usda.gov/reconnect" target="_blank">www.usda.gov/reconnect</a>.

KDCTOPEKA – The Kansas State Department of Commerce&nbsp;announces today that applications are being accepted for the second round of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect
 Program. ReConnect is a USDA program that furnishes loans and grants to fund the costs of construction, improvement or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas.As with the first funding round, USDA scoring includes points for states which have a broadband plan, and commit to expediting certain processes. Commerce is working with
 the USDA to ensure Kansas applicants are as competitive as possible. Applications will be accepted until 6:00PM EST on March 16, 2020. Applications are made through the USDA, but Kansas applicants must obtain a state certification letter from
 the Kansas Department of Commerce to submit with their USDA application. The state certification letter can be obtained at
<a href="http://www.kansascommerce.gov/sign-up/" target="_blank">www.kansascommerce.gov/sign-up/</a>.Telecommunications companies, rural electric cooperatives and utilities, internet service providers and municipalities may apply for funding through USDA’s broadband ReConnect
 Program to connect rural areas that currently have insufficient broadband service. Funds will be awarded to projects that have financially sustainable business models that will bring high-speed broadband to rural homes, businesses, farms, ranches and community
 facilities such as first responders, health care sites and schools.Broadband constitutes critical infrastructure for the prosperity of all Kansans, especially in rural and non-competitive areas. The delivery of broadband connection and high-quality
 service will enable technologies critical to rural communities, such as precision agriculture, and will fuel long-term economic development opportunities in rural America.For more information on obtaining a state certification letter, visit
<a href="http://www.kansascommerce.gov/the-kansas-edge/utilities/broadband-initiative/reconnect-for-rural-e-connectivity/" target="_blank">www.kansascommerce.gov/the-kansas-edge/utilities/broadband-initiative/reconnect-for-rural-e-connectivity/</a>.To apply to the ReConnect Program, visit
<a href="http://www.usda.gov/reconnect" target="_blank">www.usda.gov/reconnect</a>.

Federal funds available to bring high-speed broadband to rural areas

KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — A 75-year-old Missouri inmate who insists he did not kill his wife is clinging to hope that Missouri Gov. Mike Parson will heed his petition for clemency, despite three decades of unsuccessful legal efforts to secure his freedom.

Kathy Middleton died from a gunshot wound in her Blue Springs home on Feb. 20, 1990, and her husband, Ken, was sentenced to life and 200 years for first-degree murder. Middleton, his son and investigators who have studied his case allege corruption and the incompetence of police, defense attorneys and prosecutors landed him in jail and have kept him there.

Middleton says he and his wife were arguing the day she died; Kathy had just discovered Ken had an affair, which he said ended two or three years before that day. He says she grabbed a gun that he had been planning to clean and stormed into another room to call the other woman. Middleton says he didn't follow his wife, but he soon heard a gunshot. He realized his wife was dead and frantically called 911.

Prosecutors argued Middleton pushed his wife against a wall and shot her. They said he acted strangely after the shooting, feigned illness and told different stories about what had happened. Middleton acknowledges that he didn't tell police about the affair until this year.

Middleton's supporters believe the gun went off accidentally when Kathy Middleton dropped the gun, or that she tried to grab it as it fell and accidentally pulled the trigger.

Cliff Middleton has worked relentlessly to try to prove his father's innocence,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.free-kenmiddleton.com/">compiling a wealth of legal documents&nbsp;</a>that he and other supporters say point to a laundry list of problems in the case: Blue Springs police inexplicably undressed Kathy Middleton at the scene; no gunshot residue or blood spatter was found on Ken Middleton; the original crime scene photographs didn't turn out; and police messed up an attempt to restage the scene. Medical records support Middleton's claim that he suffered from conditions that explain what investigators called his strange behavior at the home.

Perhaps most important is the incomplete testing of gunshot residue on Kathy Middleton. Her right hand was tested and showed no residue, but prosecutors did not produce test results for her left hand. Middleton's supporters say she likely would have used her left hand to grab the gun as it fell. One report was changed with whiteout to show tests were done on only one hand and appears to block out a word saying the left hand was tested. A police department employee testified that testing on both hands is standard and couldn't explain why police reported testing only one of the victim's hands in Middleton's case.

In 2004, Middleton turned down an Alford plea, in which the defendant denies guilt but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him.

“I wasn't going to take that plea for something I didn't do,” Middleton said in a telephone interview from the Western Missouri Correctional Center.

“I didn't want people believing I killed my wife," he said.

Court records and interviews show Middleton's attorney, Bob Duncan, made no opening statement during his trial in 1991. Duncan also failed to interview or call any witnesses, did not have Middleton or his son testify, did not introduce Middleton's medical records and was unfamiliar with the prosecution's evidence. The jury deliberated for just over an hour before convicting him.

It later emerged that Duncan was involved in three capital murder cases at that time, and was under investigation for tax evasion, to which he pleaded guilty in 1992. Before his death in 1997, Duncan provided Middleton's new attorneys with affidavits acknowledging his lack of trial preparation.

A 1992 appeal hearing — granted based on Duncan's ineffective counsel — lasted less than two hours. His new attorney, Gerald Handley, also called no witnesses and didn't provide evidence to refute the prosecution.

A third attorney, Jonathan Laurens, filed an 81-page brief in 2002 outlining why Middleton deserved a new trial, citing sloppy police work, ineffective counsel and unusual actions by prosecuting attorney Pat Peters during the first two legal proceedings. They alleged Peters improperly influenced Blue Springs police, prevented witnesses from testifying at the appeal and had a conflict of interest because his father's firm was representing Kathy Middleton's sisters in a wrongful death lawsuit. Peters died in 2017.

Jennifer Brady, a spokeswoman for the Blue Springs Police Department, said recently that no one could comment on the case because so much time has passed.

Chuck Gay, of Rogers, Arkansas, a private investigator and retired police detective in Long Beach, California, was one of several expert witnesses who testified at another hearing in 2004. He says the entire case was built on sloppy police work.

“He's been in there for 30 years for something he didn't do," Gay said. “He was railroaded by incompetent police. I've studied hundreds of murders and this is the most innocent man I've ever seen.”

Robert Tressell, a forensic investigator specializing in crime scene analysis, also testified in 2004. He says his analysis indicates the shooter would have had to have been under the dining room table to shoot Kathy at the angle prosecutors suggested, which he called “preposterous."

He says he doesn't know if Middleton was guilty but “in my opinion, the truth about what happened at that house has not come out.”

The prosecutor's office in Jackson County, where Middleton was convicted, has reviewed the case three times and would do so again if it received new evidence, said Mike Mansur, a spokesman for prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

In May 2005, Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Edith Messina, who presided over the first trial, vacated Middleton's 1991 conviction. She ruled he had essentially been abandoned by his counsel and ordered a new trial. Six days later, her ruling was appealed, and in June 2006, the appeals court denied a new trial, ruling on procedural grounds and not addressing the evidence and competency of Middleton's attorneys.

Laurens tried but failed to have the case transferred to the Missouri Supreme Court, essentially ending Middleton's legal options and leaving his future in Parson's hands.

Parson's spokeswoman, Kelli Jones, said the office wouldn't comment on Middleton's request, one of more than 3,500 clemency petitions before him.

“When your life's on the line and you know what they done to you, you can't quit,” Middleton said. “All the documents show it, and that gives me courage to never give up."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583269648002.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Ken Middleton photo MDCKANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — A 75-year-old Missouri inmate who insists he did not kill his wife is clinging to hope that Missouri Gov. Mike Parson will heed his petition for clemency, despite three decades of unsuccessful legal efforts to secure his freedom.Kathy Middleton died from a gunshot wound in her Blue Springs home on Feb. 20, 1990, and her husband, Ken, was sentenced to life and 200 years for first-degree murder. Middleton, his son and investigators who have studied his case allege corruption and the incompetence of police, defense attorneys and prosecutors landed him in jail and have kept him there.Middleton says he and his wife were arguing the day she died; Kathy had just discovered Ken had an affair, which he said ended two or three years before that day. He says she grabbed a gun that he had been planning to clean and stormed into another room to call the other woman. Middleton says he didn't follow his wife, but he soon heard a gunshot. He realized his wife was dead and frantically called 911.Prosecutors argued Middleton pushed his wife against a wall and shot her. They said he acted strangely after the shooting, feigned illness and told different stories about what had happened. Middleton acknowledges that he didn't tell police about the affair until this year.Middleton's supporters believe the gun went off accidentally when Kathy Middleton dropped the gun, or that she tried to grab it as it fell and accidentally pulled the trigger.Cliff Middleton has worked relentlessly to try to prove his father's innocence,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.free-kenmiddleton.com/">compiling a wealth of legal documents&nbsp;</a>that he and other supporters say point to a laundry list of problems in the case: Blue Springs police inexplicably undressed Kathy Middleton at the scene; no gunshot residue or blood spatter was found on Ken Middleton; the original crime scene photographs didn't turn out; and police messed up an attempt to restage the scene. Medical records support Middleton's claim that he suffered from conditions that explain what investigators called his strange behavior at the home.Perhaps most important is the incomplete testing of gunshot residue on Kathy Middleton. Her right hand was tested and showed no residue, but prosecutors did not produce test results for her left hand. Middleton's supporters say she likely would have used her left hand to grab the gun as it fell. One report was changed with whiteout to show tests were done on only one hand and appears to block out a word saying the left hand was tested. A police department employee testified that testing on both hands is standard and couldn't explain why police reported testing only one of the victim's hands in Middleton's case.In 2004, Middleton turned down an Alford plea, in which the defendant denies guilt but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him.“I wasn't going to take that plea for something I didn't do,” Middleton said in a telephone interview from the Western Missouri Correctional Center.“I didn't want people believing I killed my wife," he said.Court records and interviews show Middleton's attorney, Bob Duncan, made no opening statement during his trial in 1991. Duncan also failed to interview or call any witnesses, did not have Middleton or his son testify, did not introduce Middleton's medical records and was unfamiliar with the prosecution's evidence. The jury deliberated for just over an hour before convicting him.It later emerged that Duncan was involved in three capital murder cases at that time, and was under investigation for tax evasion, to which he pleaded guilty in 1992. Before his death in 1997, Duncan provided Middleton's new attorneys with affidavits acknowledging his lack of trial preparation.A 1992 appeal hearing — granted based on Duncan's ineffective counsel — lasted less than two hours. His new attorney, Gerald Handley, also called no witnesses and didn't provide evidence to refute the prosecution.A third attorney, Jonathan Laurens, filed an 81-page brief in 2002 outlining why Middleton deserved a new trial, citing sloppy police work, ineffective counsel and unusual actions by prosecuting attorney Pat Peters during the first two legal proceedings. They alleged Peters improperly influenced Blue Springs police, prevented witnesses from testifying at the appeal and had a conflict of interest because his father's firm was representing Kathy Middleton's sisters in a wrongful death lawsuit. Peters died in 2017.Jennifer Brady, a spokeswoman for the Blue Springs Police Department, said recently that no one could comment on the case because so much time has passed.Chuck Gay, of Rogers, Arkansas, a private investigator and retired police detective in Long Beach, California, was one of several expert witnesses who testified at another hearing in 2004. He says the entire case was built on sloppy police work.“He's been in there for 30 years for something he didn't do," Gay said. “He was railroaded by incompetent police. I've studied hundreds of murders and this is the most innocent man I've ever seen.”Robert Tressell, a forensic investigator specializing in crime scene analysis, also testified in 2004. He says his analysis indicates the shooter would have had to have been under the dining room table to shoot Kathy at the angle prosecutors suggested, which he called “preposterous."He says he doesn't know if Middleton was guilty but “in my opinion, the truth about what happened at that house has not come out.”The prosecutor's office in Jackson County, where Middleton was convicted, has reviewed the case three times and would do so again if it received new evidence, said Mike Mansur, a spokesman for prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.In May 2005, Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Edith Messina, who presided over the first trial, vacated Middleton's 1991 conviction. She ruled he had essentially been abandoned by his counsel and ordered a new trial. Six days later, her ruling was appealed, and in June 2006, the appeals court denied a new trial, ruling on procedural grounds and not addressing the evidence and competency of Middleton's attorneys.Laurens tried but failed to have the case transferred to the Missouri Supreme Court, essentially ending Middleton's legal options and leaving his future in Parson's hands.Parson's spokeswoman, Kelli Jones, said the office wouldn't comment on Middleton's request, one of more than 3,500 clemency petitions before him.“When your life's on the line and you know what they done to you, you can't quit,” Middleton said. “All the documents show it, and that gives me courage to never give up."

KC-area man in prison for wife's 1990 death seeks clemency

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Tuesday formally announced the launch of the agency’s <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/">online resource center</a> for Kansans to learn more about COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, get answers to commonly asked questions about the virus and review other helpful information. The site is part of KDHE’s ongoing efforts to inform Kansans about the latest COVID-19 news and correct misinformation about the virus.

“The best thing Kansans can do is be informed,”&nbsp;Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “COVID-19 is a new virus and, as a result, many people have questions about it and how to keep their families safe. The COVID-19 resource center will provide a centralized location for Kansans to go to learn the most up-to-date information.”

The public can visit&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kdheks.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc88b3b6ac16441853ca08d7bfcc068d%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637188755303794120&amp;sdata=ONVhZgK4SWX0ks%2BSufTr5AnvJPJkwLFHUT%2BQF9wkzDc%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus</a>&nbsp;to learn more about the virus. The site contains detailed information, answers to frequently asked questions and updated videos from Secretary Norman. Information will also be shared on KDHE’s social media channels.

“KDHE is working closely with local and federal authorities to ensure that every effort is made to keep Kansans safe and healthy,” Norman said. “In addition to educating yourself about the virus, the public can also take precautions to prevent the spread of it by doing simple things like washing your hands, practicing good hygiene techniques and staying home if you’re sick. This is the best defense to COVID-19.”

The 2019 novel coronavirus infections were initially diagnosed in Wuhan City, China and have now been reported in 60 locations internationally, including cases in the United States.&nbsp;KDHE, along with its community partners, continue to investigate this illness.

If you have recently traveled to areas including China, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea and have developed fever with lower respiratory symptoms including cough and shortness of breath within 14 days of your travel or have had contact with someone with a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19, stay home and call your healthcare provider.

For more information about COVID-19, visit KDHE’s website and Frequently Asked Questions <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/">here </a>

at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kdheks.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc88b3b6ac16441853ca08d7bfcc068d%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637188755303804115&amp;sdata=fwnjjuUbRxXb2sL4b4iZzLikkIlMuZcHPIx1Y6ZYvdA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc88b3b6ac16441853ca08d7bfcc068d%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637188755303804115&amp;sdata=rYvh%2FeufH1CQeznk9UcprNdO4kD0mVJs2hvigGTAZ50%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.cdc.gov/coronavirus</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583198146602.jpeg" alt="Coronavirus&nbsp; -CDC image" />
 <figcaption>Coronavirus&nbsp; -CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Tuesday formally announced the launch of the agency’s <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/">online resource center</a> for Kansans to learn more about COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, get answers to commonly asked questions about the virus and review other helpful information. The site is part of KDHE’s ongoing efforts to inform Kansans about the latest COVID-19 news and correct misinformation about the virus.“The best thing Kansans can do is be informed,”&nbsp;Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “COVID-19 is a new virus and, as a result, many people have questions about it and how to keep their families safe. The COVID-19 resource center will provide a centralized location for Kansans to go to learn the most up-to-date information.”The public can visit&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kdheks.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc88b3b6ac16441853ca08d7bfcc068d%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637188755303794120&amp;sdata=ONVhZgK4SWX0ks%2BSufTr5AnvJPJkwLFHUT%2BQF9wkzDc%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus</a>&nbsp;to learn more about the virus. The site contains detailed information, answers to frequently asked questions and updated videos from Secretary Norman. Information will also be shared on KDHE’s social media channels.“KDHE is working closely with local and federal authorities to ensure that every effort is made to keep Kansans safe and healthy,” Norman said. “In addition to educating yourself about the virus, the public can also take precautions to prevent the spread of it by doing simple things like washing your hands, practicing good hygiene techniques and staying home if you’re sick. This is the best defense to COVID-19.”The 2019 novel coronavirus infections were initially diagnosed in Wuhan City, China and have now been reported in 60 locations internationally, including cases in the United States.&nbsp;KDHE, along with its community partners, continue to investigate this illness.If you have recently traveled to areas including China, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea and have developed fever with lower respiratory symptoms including cough and shortness of breath within 14 days of your travel or have had contact with someone with a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19, stay home and call your healthcare provider.For more information about COVID-19, visit KDHE’s website and Frequently Asked Questions <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/">here </a>at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kdheks.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc88b3b6ac16441853ca08d7bfcc068d%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637188755303804115&amp;sdata=fwnjjuUbRxXb2sL4b4iZzLikkIlMuZcHPIx1Y6ZYvdA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc88b3b6ac16441853ca08d7bfcc068d%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637188755303804115&amp;sdata=rYvh%2FeufH1CQeznk9UcprNdO4kD0mVJs2hvigGTAZ50%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.cdc.gov/coronavirus</a>.###

KDHE launches Coronavirus online resource center

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a pair of armed robberies and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 10p.m. Monday, police responded to an armed robbery call at Arby's restaurant in the 1100 Block of South Rock Road in Wichita,&nbsp;according to officer Charley Davidson.

A 20-year-old employee told police a teen entered the business wearing a clown mask, holding a knife and demanding cash.

The suspect took money and fled the business on foot. Witnesses said they saw the suspect leave in a Silver Chevy Impala. Officers located the Impala near the robbery. The suspect and a driver fled the car. Police caught and arrested the 16-year-old suspect but didn't find the driver. Police learned the car had been stolen in Derby.

Just before this armed robbery, police had responded to an armed robbery at a Burger King in the 200 Block of South Rock Road. Two employees told police a teen wearing a clown mask had entered the business wearing a clown mask, holding a knife and demanding cash. The suspect attempted to pry open the register with the knife. When he was unable to open the register, the suspect fled, according to Davidson.

The 16-year-old is being held on requested charges of aggravated robbery, kidnapping and assault, according to Davidson. Officers also located a knife and clown mask in the stolen car. The teen has previous arrests for aggravated robberies from 2019.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583339789197.png" alt="Security camera image Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera image Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a pair of armed robberies and have a suspect in custody.Just before 10p.m. Monday, police responded to an armed robbery call at Arby's restaurant in the 1100 Block of South Rock Road in Wichita,&nbsp;according to officer Charley Davidson.A 20-year-old employee told police a teen entered the business wearing a clown mask, holding a knife and demanding cash.The suspect took money and fled the business on foot. Witnesses said they saw the suspect leave in a Silver Chevy Impala. Officers located the Impala near the robbery. The suspect and a driver fled the car. Police caught and arrested the 16-year-old suspect but didn't find the driver. Police learned the car had been stolen in Derby.Just before this armed robbery, police had responded to an armed robbery at a Burger King in the 200 Block of South Rock Road. Two employees told police a teen wearing a clown mask had entered the business wearing a clown mask, holding a knife and demanding cash. The suspect attempted to pry open the register with the knife. When he was unable to open the register, the suspect fled, according to Davidson.The 16-year-old is being held on requested charges of aggravated robbery, kidnapping and assault, according to Davidson. Officers also located a knife and clown mask in the stolen car. The teen has previous arrests for aggravated robberies from 2019.

Police: Kansas teen wore clown mask during armed robberies

WABAUNSEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help to locate a wanted suspect.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Amy Jean Roth, 34, failed to appear for felony sentencing on Monday&nbsp; in the District Court of Wabaunsee County, according to the sheriff's department.

&nbsp;She is also a person of interest in a burglary and theft from a home where firearms were taken. 

At this time she should be considered armed and dangerous. Please contact local law enforcement or 911 if you have contact with her or know of her whereabouts.&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="Roth photo Kansas Department of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Roth photo Kansas Department of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>WABAUNSEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help to locate a wanted suspect.&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy Jean Roth, 34, failed to appear for felony sentencing on Monday&nbsp; in the District Court of Wabaunsee County, according to the sheriff's department.&nbsp;She is also a person of interest in a burglary and theft from a home where firearms were taken. At this time she should be considered armed and dangerous. Please contact local law enforcement or 911 if you have contact with her or know of her whereabouts.&nbsp; Roth has previous convictions for theft and forgery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Sheriff: Armed, dangerous Kan. woman skipped felony sentencing

WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) Tuesday discussed the severity of the novel coronavirus during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing titled, "An Emerging Disease Threat: How the U.S. Is Responding to COVID-19, the Novel Coronavirus."

Watch Senator Roberts' questioning, click&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUcrtNB7CPBc8YEmhVJLAUVy2ykWbRVtquCDATEzgVuK0R9CIp16Ya-2F8Bne0WMI7Q-2BIDA8xqWXuQXdxPWBemja20-3DCvV3_c9zV13Nw5Uuu4FuVj13NE9GhHB0M4rayiWxVXjx5lOh-2B6ykbeYg9tAkq48F4E1ONE3wtlF7Ee8WQYRVI7mkGSh2a8iBQ1tfOVeV1qRMg-2FnSveZ7kT7maPAzSgAvvu5cytj2cq2sfnd-2BU3hayE62eL9xhQFDSpU83TVnTHxeJh4fp3BCQjvT3e-2BiO54-2FNB2KVZv2yrMZPtGuxWHyF8v1rsxsvoTL3qMVpxbJB-2B2aYHz-2B5iAI-2BFSdL5dynyWtTJqYaS311BKeW8wJBrRUroslW71zTCt0kOciaYcMqzke3YZqU9WTnktNRVvNcstQvoB8jfNzgGqlViKKhCXlITu6qUJmE9NJhj4Gz2qzOi15OOpk-3D" target="_blank">here.</a>

"During the HELP Committee hearing we gained crucial insight into what it means when the CDC states the novel coronavirus is spreading,"&nbsp;said Sen. Roberts.&nbsp;"The terminology 'community spread' has caused panic to ensue across the country and it is critical we recognize the clarification made today that this term is meant to categorize the source of a case and not indicate a continued mass spread throughout communities in the United States. We need to take this situation seriously while avoiding overly alarmist rhetoric that does more harm than good."

The Senate HELP Committee's hearing was aimed at learning more about the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and the threat it presents to the country. Dr. Anne Schuchat, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Robert Kadlec and Dr. Stephen Hahn were the four witnesses brought before the full committee for questioning.

The Senator's remarks as prepared for delivery:

I would like to thank all of the witnesses for being here today and for all of the work you're doing to protect the American people during this public health crisis.

This virus is a serious threat to our nation's public health and biosecurity and we should treat it as such – not as an opportunity to inject even more partisan politics than what we typically deal with around here. It is very unfortunate that this kind of emergency has become a topic of partisan debate.

I'm concerned about how this outbreak will affect rural areas. On average rural populations tend to be older and with more health conditions – in other words they tend to be more at-risk for adverse health outcomes from COVID-19.

In addition, these communities do not have the same resources as urban areas, including close access to health care services.

Dr. Schuchat and Dr. Kadlec, can you give me an update on preparedness and response efforts in rural areas specifically? How are you working with local-level partners in these areas?

How should patients, their families, and health care providers in rural areas prepare for the spread of this disease? Especially those in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, after what we've seen happen in Washington in the last few days?

Dr. Schuchat, I would like you to clarify something for people who are seeing a lot of headlines and are concerned about the well-being of their families. There have been reports that CDC expects the virus to "spread throughout U.S. communities."

As I understand it, this is a way of referring to what is known as "community spread" – and I've heard from constituents who are confused by the terminology.

I recognize this is significant concern, but is it accurate that "community spread" has a specific definition and it does not necessarily mean that everyone in the community will contract the virus?

Is it correct that even when "community spread" occurs, that measures can still be taken to prevent additional infections?

It seems as though we're still in the beginning stages of dealing with this outbreak in the United States. I think we all have questions that there just aren't clear answers to at this moment.

Given that, Dr. Schuchat, what do you think is the most important thing for Americans to know as we face further spread of the virus in the coming weeks and months?

I heard from my state that the wait for CDC to confirm test results for a patient under investigation (P-U-I) took roughly five days – causing significant disruption in the community.

What is the current turnaround time for CDC to confirm diagnostic test results and communicate that to state and local partners, as well as patients and providers?

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583271304604.png" alt="Senator Roberts during Tuesday's hearing" />
 <figcaption>Senator Roberts during Tuesday's hearing</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON, D.C.&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) Tuesday discussed the severity of the novel coronavirus during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing titled, "An Emerging Disease Threat: How the U.S. Is Responding to COVID-19, the Novel Coronavirus."Watch Senator Roberts' questioning, click&nbsp;<a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUcrtNB7CPBc8YEmhVJLAUVy2ykWbRVtquCDATEzgVuK0R9CIp16Ya-2F8Bne0WMI7Q-2BIDA8xqWXuQXdxPWBemja20-3DCvV3_c9zV13Nw5Uuu4FuVj13NE9GhHB0M4rayiWxVXjx5lOh-2B6ykbeYg9tAkq48F4E1ONE3wtlF7Ee8WQYRVI7mkGSh2a8iBQ1tfOVeV1qRMg-2FnSveZ7kT7maPAzSgAvvu5cytj2cq2sfnd-2BU3hayE62eL9xhQFDSpU83TVnTHxeJh4fp3BCQjvT3e-2BiO54-2FNB2KVZv2yrMZPtGuxWHyF8v1rsxsvoTL3qMVpxbJB-2B2aYHz-2B5iAI-2BFSdL5dynyWtTJqYaS311BKeW8wJBrRUroslW71zTCt0kOciaYcMqzke3YZqU9WTnktNRVvNcstQvoB8jfNzgGqlViKKhCXlITu6qUJmE9NJhj4Gz2qzOi15OOpk-3D" target="_blank">here.</a>"During the HELP Committee hearing we gained crucial insight into what it means when the CDC states the novel coronavirus is spreading,"&nbsp;said Sen. Roberts.&nbsp;"The terminology 'community spread' has caused panic to ensue across the country and it is critical we recognize the clarification made today that this term is meant to categorize the source of a case and not indicate a continued mass spread throughout communities in the United States. We need to take this situation seriously while avoiding overly alarmist rhetoric that does more harm than good."The Senate HELP Committee's hearing was aimed at learning more about the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and the threat it presents to the country. Dr. Anne Schuchat, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Robert Kadlec and Dr. Stephen Hahn were the four witnesses brought before the full committee for questioning.The Senator's remarks as prepared for delivery:Thank you, Mr. Chairman.I would like to thank all of the witnesses for being here today and for all of the work you're doing to protect the American people during this public health crisis.This virus is a serious threat to our nation's public health and biosecurity and we should treat it as such – not as an opportunity to inject even more partisan politics than what we typically deal with around here. It is very unfortunate that this kind of emergency has become a topic of partisan debate.I'm concerned about how this outbreak will affect rural areas. On average rural populations tend to be older and with more health conditions – in other words they tend to be more at-risk for adverse health outcomes from COVID-19.In addition, these communities do not have the same resources as urban areas, including close access to health care services.Dr. Schuchat and Dr. Kadlec, can you give me an update on preparedness and response efforts in rural areas specifically? How are you working with local-level partners in these areas?How should patients, their families, and health care providers in rural areas prepare for the spread of this disease? Especially those in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, after what we've seen happen in Washington in the last few days?Dr. Schuchat, I would like you to clarify something for people who are seeing a lot of headlines and are concerned about the well-being of their families. There have been reports that CDC expects the virus to "spread throughout U.S. communities."As I understand it, this is a way of referring to what is known as "community spread" – and I've heard from constituents who are confused by the terminology.I recognize this is significant concern, but is it accurate that "community spread" has a specific definition and it does not necessarily mean that everyone in the community will contract the virus?Is it correct that even when "community spread" occurs, that measures can still be taken to prevent additional infections?It seems as though we're still in the beginning stages of dealing with this outbreak in the United States. I think we all have questions that there just aren't clear answers to at this moment.Given that, Dr. Schuchat, what do you think is the most important thing for Americans to know as we face further spread of the virus in the coming weeks and months?I heard from my state that the wait for CDC to confirm test results for a patient under investigation (P-U-I) took roughly five days – causing significant disruption in the community.What is the current turnaround time for CDC to confirm diagnostic test results and communicate that to state and local partners, as well as patients and providers?

🎥 Sen. Roberts discusses Coronavirus threat during hearing

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka and have made an arrest.

Just before 1:30 a.m. Friday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center began receiving reports of an individual that had been shot in the 1200 block of SW Washburn in Topeka, according to police Lt. Kelvin Johnson.

Upon arrival, officers located a victim identified as&nbsp;19-year-old Ja’Sean Alston Topeka, in a vehicle suffering from life-threatening injuries.

EMS transported the Alston to a local hospital where he died.&nbsp;

Just after 2p.. Monday, police arrested 18-year-old Dmario M. Valdivia of Topeka on requested charges of&nbsp;1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Kidnapping and Aggravated Robbery, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.&nbsp;No formal charges have been filed, and it wasn't immediately clear if Valdivia had an attorney.

It is the city’s second homicide of 2020.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka.

Upon arrival, officers located an adult male victim in a vehicle suffering from life-threatening injuries.

EMS transported the man to a local hospital where he died. Police have not released the victim's name.&nbsp; Police expected to have streets closed in the area until midday during the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583270055983.png" alt="Valdivia" />
 <figcaption>Valdivia</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka and have made an arrest.Just before 1:30 a.m. Friday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center began receiving reports of an individual that had been shot in the 1200 block of SW Washburn in Topeka, according to police Lt. Kelvin Johnson.Upon arrival, officers located a victim identified as&nbsp;19-year-old Ja’Sean Alston Topeka, in a vehicle suffering from life-threatening injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582896707874.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>EMS transported the Alston to a local hospital where he died.&nbsp;Just after 2p.. Monday, police arrested 18-year-old Dmario M. Valdivia of Topeka on requested charges of&nbsp;1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Kidnapping and Aggravated Robbery, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.&nbsp;No formal charges have been filed, and it wasn't immediately clear if Valdivia had an attorney.It is the city’s second homicide of 2020.-------------SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka.Just before 1:30 a.m. Friday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center began receiving reports of an individual that had been shot in the 1200 block of SW Washburn in Topeka, according to police Lt. Kelvin Johnson.Upon arrival, officers located an adult male victim in a vehicle suffering from life-threatening injuries.EMS transported the man to a local hospital where he died. Police have not released the victim's name.&nbsp; Police expected to have streets closed in the area until midday during the investigation.It is the city’s second homicide of 2020.

Update: Kan. teen arrested for kidnapping, murder 

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Two more Kansas State players are in legal trouble after being arrested.

Safety Wayne Jones, 19, and linebacker Daniel Green, 21, were arrested together Monday night on a charge of marijuana possession, Riley County police said. Green was also charged with driving while suspended, WIBW&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wibw.com/content/news/Two-more-K-State-football-players-arrested-overnight-568442951.html">reported</a>.

The players each were released after posting $1,000 bond.

Three other Wildcats football players were arrested during the weekend.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583265219202.png" alt="Daniel Green / photo KSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Daniel Green / photo KSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Two more Kansas State players are in legal trouble after being arrested.Safety Wayne Jones, 19, and linebacker Daniel Green, 21, were arrested together Monday night on a charge of marijuana possession, Riley County police said. Green was also charged with driving while suspended, WIBW&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wibw.com/content/news/Two-more-K-State-football-players-arrested-overnight-568442951.html">reported</a>.The players each were released after posting $1,000 bond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583265351759.png" alt="Wayne Jones / photo KSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Wayne Jones / photo KSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Three other Wildcats football players were arrested during the weekend.Freshman running back Jacardia Wright was arrested Sunday morning on an outstanding warrant for failing to show proof of insurance. Freshman linebacker DeMarrquese Hayes and sophomore linebacker Nick Allen were arrested separately Saturday night on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.Coach Chris Klieman said Tuesday he was “extremely disappointed in the poor choices made recently by some of our student-athletes.”“We have high expectations within our program, and when those expectations are not met, there are consequences,” he said. “The high standards and expectations within our football program will not change, and the character and integrity of the players on our team will not be compromised.”Kansas State said Klieman will handle all disciplinary action.