Preliminary estimates reported by the Labor Market Information Services division of the Kansas Department of Labor and the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics show a&nbsp;<a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/admin/gsipub/htmlarea/uploads/LR%20Nov2020%20SA%20Rate%20Chart%20File.pdf">seasonally adjusted unemployment rate</a>&nbsp;of 5.6 percent in November. This was an increase from 5.0 percent in October and an increase from 3.1 percent in November 2019. 
			“Following months of decline, the unemployment rate in Kansas 
increased to 5.6 percent in November with over 86,000 unemployed,” said 
Acting Secretary Ryan Wright. “The Extended Benefits (EB) program ended 
on December 12th in Kansas. In addition, two federally funded CARES Act 
programs, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program and 
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program, are 
currently scheduled to end on December 26th, unless Congress acts to 
extend them."&nbsp;

The unemployment rate in Ellis County jumped more than a full percentage point — from 2.9 percent in October to 4 percent in November. 
			Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs decreased by 2,900 from October.&nbsp;<a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/admin/gsipub/htmlarea/uploads/LR%20Nov2020%20SA%20PrivateEmpl%20Chart%20File.pdf">Private sector jobs</a>, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, decreased by 2,600 from the previous month, while government decreased by 300. 
			“Nonfarm job growth has slowed in Kansas in recent months,” said 
Labor Economist Emilie Doerksen. “In November, total nonfarm jobs 
declined by 2,900, with the majority of this decline in the leisure and 
hospitality and professional and business services industries. The U.S. 
has also seen a slower rate of job growth." 
			Since November 2019, Kansas <a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/admin/gsipub/htmlarea/uploads/LR%20Nov2020%20Seasonally%20Adj%20PR%20Packet.pdf">seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs</a>&nbsp;have declined by 58,300. This change is due to a decrease of 45,800&nbsp;private sector jobs and 12,500 government jobs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566490509.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Preliminary estimates reported by the Labor Market Information Services division of the Kansas Department of Labor and the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics show a&nbsp;<a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/admin/gsipub/htmlarea/uploads/LR%20Nov2020%20SA%20Rate%20Chart%20File.pdf">seasonally adjusted unemployment rate</a>&nbsp;of 5.6 percent in November. This was an increase from 5.0 percent in October and an increase from 3.1 percent in November 2019. 
			“Following months of decline, the unemployment rate in Kansas 
increased to 5.6 percent in November with over 86,000 unemployed,” said 
Acting Secretary Ryan Wright. “The Extended Benefits (EB) program ended 
on December 12th in Kansas. In addition, two federally funded CARES Act 
programs, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program and 
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program, are 
currently scheduled to end on December 26th, unless Congress acts to 
extend them."&nbsp;The unemployment rate in Ellis County jumped more than a full percentage point — from 2.9 percent in October to 4 percent in November. 
			Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs decreased by 2,900 from October.&nbsp;<a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/admin/gsipub/htmlarea/uploads/LR%20Nov2020%20SA%20PrivateEmpl%20Chart%20File.pdf">Private sector jobs</a>, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, decreased by 2,600 from the previous month, while government decreased by 300. 
			“Nonfarm job growth has slowed in Kansas in recent months,” said 
Labor Economist Emilie Doerksen. “In November, total nonfarm jobs 
declined by 2,900, with the majority of this decline in the leisure and 
hospitality and professional and business services industries. The U.S. 
has also seen a slower rate of job growth." 
			Since November 2019, Kansas <a href="https://klic.dol.ks.gov/admin/gsipub/htmlarea/uploads/LR%20Nov2020%20Seasonally%20Adj%20PR%20Packet.pdf">seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs</a>&nbsp;have declined by 58,300. This change is due to a decrease of 45,800&nbsp;private sector jobs and 12,500 government jobs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566508570.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Jobless rate jumps to 4 percent in Ellis Co. 

Crude oil prices settled above $49 on Friday, but reversed course on Monday on news that a new strain of the coronavirus could once again stop a lot of international travel. In late morning trading Monday, the benchmark Nymex contract was down nearly four percent to $47.31 per barrel. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson was fetching $39.25 per barrel. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports the rig count is up slightly in eastern Kansas, where there were eleven active rigs, and down slightly in Western Kansas, where there were eight rigs on the active list. Baker Hughes reported 346 active drilling rigs across the U.S. last week. The count in New Mexico was up six rigs, while Texas was up three. Regulators in Kansas approved 20 new drilling permits in Kansas last week. Eighteen of them were in eastern Kansas. There have been 468 new permits filed so far this year. Operators completed eleven wells in Kansas last week including two in Barton County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service says the total so far this year is 776 completed wells. Contrary inventory reports highlighted an unusual week in the oil patch. The Energy Information Administration reported a drawdown in U.S. crude inventories, even as the American Petroleum Institute reported increasing stockpiles. API on Tuesday reported an increase in U.S. crude-oil inventories of nearly two million barrels. Analysts had expected a drawdown of nearly two million barrels. But EIA on Wednesday said U.S. stockpiles dropped by more than three million barrels to just over five hundred million. EIA says inventories are about ten percent above the five year average for this time of year. U.S. crude production is slowing down, but remained above 11 million barrels per day for a third straight week. For the week ending December 11, output was down more than 100,000 barrels from the week before at 11.1 million barrels per day. The government reported U.S. crude imports of 5.4 million barrels per day, down more than a million barrels from the week before. Average imports for the last four weeks were 12 percent lower than the same four weeks last year. Tribal leaders in Oklahoma are sending out a slew of new tax bills to oil-and-gas operators in the state, and the Attorney General is not happy about it. Members of the so-called "Five Tribes" are asserting civil jurisdiction in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling which held that the Creek Reservation was never disestablished. The territory in dispute covers about one third of Oklahoma. One local lawmaker says the tribes are asking for what amounts to another eight percent gross production tax. AG Mike Hunter says the tribes have no jurisdiction to levy taxes and fees, and is urging tribal leaders to stop. A state judge in Texas says the state's oil regulator cannot waive environmental rules and fees. In a rare rebuke, the Railroad Commission of Texas was barred from enforcing a series of emergency rule-waivers announced in May to help Texas drillers cope with low prices. A District Court Judge faulted the agency for failing to give adequate public notice.&nbsp; A sporting-goods company is taking heat in the Lone Star State for refusing to produce jackets for an oil-and-gas company. Innovex Downhole Solutions says it was recently denied an order of jackets by The North Face because they are in the oil and gas business, even though they've done business in the past. The story is escalating statewide on the air and online. Some are comparing the state's largest industry to porn or tobacco. Others are pointing out the irony of a recreation company badmouthing the industry that creates and delivers their products. Production in America's number-two crude-producing state has declined slightly. The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources reports output of over 1.2 million barrels per day in October, the latest numbers available. The tally is down 236 barrels per day from the September total. The state continues to exceed its gas-capture goals, topping 93% for the second month in a row. That means operators are burning or venting only seven percent of the natural gas produced at oil wells. The government says total fuel consumption for the week of Thanksgiving was down 11 percent from the holiday period a year earlier. Jet fuel use was down by about half. The Energy Information Administration says we used two million barrels per day of jet fuel for the holiday week in 2019, but that dropped by more than 900,000 barrels per day this year. Analysts say the number of flights departing U.S. airports dropped 37% compared to Thanksgiving week 2019. Weekly oil-by-rail shipments are down. The Association of American Railroads reports 11,485 tanker cars hauling petroleum and petroleum products during the week that ended December 12th. That's down 225 cars from a week earlier, and a decline of more than 16 percent year-over-year. Year-to-date totals indicate a decline of about 14% in total U.S. oil-by-rail shipments.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBARCrude oil prices settled above $49 on Friday, but reversed course on Monday on news that a new strain of the coronavirus could once again stop a lot of international travel. In late morning trading Monday, the benchmark Nymex contract was down nearly four percent to $47.31 per barrel. Kansas Common crude at CHS in McPherson was fetching $39.25 per barrel. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports the rig count is up slightly in eastern Kansas, where there were eleven active rigs, and down slightly in Western Kansas, where there were eight rigs on the active list. Baker Hughes reported 346 active drilling rigs across the U.S. last week. The count in New Mexico was up six rigs, while Texas was up three. Regulators in Kansas approved 20 new drilling permits in Kansas last week. Eighteen of them were in eastern Kansas. There have been 468 new permits filed so far this year. Operators completed eleven wells in Kansas last week including two in Barton County. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service says the total so far this year is 776 completed wells. Contrary inventory reports highlighted an unusual week in the oil patch. The Energy Information Administration reported a drawdown in U.S. crude inventories, even as the American Petroleum Institute reported increasing stockpiles. API on Tuesday reported an increase in U.S. crude-oil inventories of nearly two million barrels. Analysts had expected a drawdown of nearly two million barrels. But EIA on Wednesday said U.S. stockpiles dropped by more than three million barrels to just over five hundred million. EIA says inventories are about ten percent above the five year average for this time of year. U.S. crude production is slowing down, but remained above 11 million barrels per day for a third straight week. For the week ending December 11, output was down more than 100,000 barrels from the week before at 11.1 million barrels per day. The government reported U.S. crude imports of 5.4 million barrels per day, down more than a million barrels from the week before. Average imports for the last four weeks were 12 percent lower than the same four weeks last year. Tribal leaders in Oklahoma are sending out a slew of new tax bills to oil-and-gas operators in the state, and the Attorney General is not happy about it. Members of the so-called "Five Tribes" are asserting civil jurisdiction in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling which held that the Creek Reservation was never disestablished. The territory in dispute covers about one third of Oklahoma. One local lawmaker says the tribes are asking for what amounts to another eight percent gross production tax. AG Mike Hunter says the tribes have no jurisdiction to levy taxes and fees, and is urging tribal leaders to stop. A state judge in Texas says the state's oil regulator cannot waive environmental rules and fees. In a rare rebuke, the Railroad Commission of Texas was barred from enforcing a series of emergency rule-waivers announced in May to help Texas drillers cope with low prices. A District Court Judge faulted the agency for failing to give adequate public notice.&nbsp; A sporting-goods company is taking heat in the Lone Star State for refusing to produce jackets for an oil-and-gas company. Innovex Downhole Solutions says it was recently denied an order of jackets by The North Face because they are in the oil and gas business, even though they've done business in the past. The story is escalating statewide on the air and online. Some are comparing the state's largest industry to porn or tobacco. Others are pointing out the irony of a recreation company badmouthing the industry that creates and delivers their products. Production in America's number-two crude-producing state has declined slightly. The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources reports output of over 1.2 million barrels per day in October, the latest numbers available. The tally is down 236 barrels per day from the September total. The state continues to exceed its gas-capture goals, topping 93% for the second month in a row. That means operators are burning or venting only seven percent of the natural gas produced at oil wells. The government says total fuel consumption for the week of Thanksgiving was down 11 percent from the holiday period a year earlier. Jet fuel use was down by about half. The Energy Information Administration says we used two million barrels per day of jet fuel for the holiday week in 2019, but that dropped by more than 900,000 barrels per day this year. Analysts say the number of flights departing U.S. airports dropped 37% compared to Thanksgiving week 2019. Weekly oil-by-rail shipments are down. The Association of American Railroads reports 11,485 tanker cars hauling petroleum and petroleum products during the week that ended December 12th. That's down 225 cars from a week earlier, and a decline of more than 16 percent year-over-year. Year-to-date totals indicate a decline of about 14% in total U.S. oil-by-rail shipments.

News From the Oil Patch: New virus strain halts oil price rally

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — One in every five state and federal prisoners in the United States has tested positive for the coronavirus, a rate more than four times higher than the general population. In some states, more than half of prisoners have been infected, according to data collected by The Associated Press and The Marshall Project.

As the pandemic enters its 10th month — and as the first Americans begin to receive a long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine — at least 275,000 prisoners have been infected, more than 1,700 have died and the spread of the virus behind bars shows no sign of slowing. New cases in prisons this week reached their highest level since testing began in the spring, far outstripping previous peaks in April and August.

“That number is a vast undercount,” said Homer Venters, the former chief medical officer at New York’s Rikers Island jail complex.

Venters has conducted more than a dozen court-ordered COVID-19 prison inspections around the country. “I still encounter prisons and jails where, when people get sick, not only are they not tested but they don’t receive care. So they get much sicker than need be,” he said.

Now the rollout of vaccines poses difficult decisions for politicians and policymakers. As the virus spreads largely unchecked behind bars, prisoners can’t social distance and are dependent on the state for their safety and well-being.

Donte Westmoreland, 26, was recently released from Lansing Correctional Facility in Kansas, where he caught the virus while serving time on a marijuana charge. Some 5,100 prisoners have become infected in Kansas prisons, the third-highest COVID-19 rate in the country, behind only South Dakota and Arkansas.

“It was like I was sentenced to death,” Westmoreland said.

Westmoreland lived with more than 100 virus-infected men in an open dorm, where he woke up regularly to find men sick on the floor, unable to get up on their own, he said.

“People are actually dying in front of me off of this virus,” he said. “It’s the scariest sight.” Westmoreland said he sweated it out, shivering in his bunk until, six weeks later, he finally recovered.

Half of the prisoners in Kansas have been infected with COVID-19 — eight times the rate of cases among the state’s overall population. Eleven prisoners have died, including five at the prison where Westmoreland was held. Of the three prison employees who have died in Kansas, two worked at Lansing Correctional Facility.

In Arkansas, where more than 9,700 prisoners have tested positive and 50 have died, four of every seven have had the virus, the second-highest prison infection rate in the U.S.

Among the dead was 29-year-old Derick Coley, who was serving a 20-year sentence at the Cummins Unit maximum security prison. Cece Tate, Coley’s girlfriend, said she last talked with him on April 10 when he said he was sick and showing symptoms of the virus.

“It took forever for me to get information,” she said. The prison finally told her on April 20 that Coley had tested positive for the virus. Less than two weeks later, a prison chaplain called on May 2 to tell her Coley had died.

The couple had a daughter who turned 9 in July. “She cried and was like, ‘My daddy can’t send me a birthday card,’” Tate said. “She was like, ‘Momma, my Christmas ain’t going to be the same.’”

Nearly every prison system in the country has seen infection rates significantly higher than the communities around them. In facilities run by the federal Bureau of Prisons, one of every five prisoners has had coronavirus. Twenty-four state prison systems have had even higher rates.

Prison workers have also been disproportionately affected. In North Dakota, four of every five prison staff has gotten coronavirus. Nationwide, it’s one in five.

Not all states release how many prisoners they’ve tested, but states that test prisoners broadly and regularly may appear to have higher case rates than states that don’t.

<a href="https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/05/01/a-state-by-state-look-at-coronavirus-in-prisons" target="_blank">Infection rates as of Tuesday were calculated by the AP and The Marshall Project,&nbsp;</a>a nonprofit news organization covering the criminal justice system,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/12/18/1-in-5-prisoners-in-the-u-s-has-had-covid-19" target="_blank">based on data collected weekly in prisons since March.</a>&nbsp;Infection and mortality rates may be even higher, since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-understanding-the-outbreak-prisons-health-lifestyle-9899b08a66a60f3106b563eb07c92c40">nearly every prison system has significantly fewer prisoners today</a>&nbsp;than when the pandemic began, so rates represent a conservative estimate based on the largest known population.

Yet, as vaccine campaigns get underway, there has been pushback in some states against giving the shots to people in prisons early.

“There’s no way it’s going to go to prisoners ... before it goes to the people who haven’t committed any crime,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis told reporters earlier this month after his state’s initial vaccine priority plans put prisoners before the general public.

Like more than a dozen states, Kansas’s vaccination plan does not mention prisoners or corrections staff, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, a non-partisan prison data think tank. Seven states put prisoners near the front of the line, along with others living in crowded settings like nursing homes and long-term care facilities. An additional 19 states have placed prisoners in the second phase of their vaccine rollouts.

Racial disparities in the nation’s criminal justice system compound the disproportionate toll the pandemic has taken on communities of color. Black Americans are incarcerated at five times the rate of whites. They are also disproportionately&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/mounting-u-s-deaths-reveal-an-outsize-toll-on-people-of-color#:~:text=As%20many%20as%20215%2C000%20more,higher%20than%20the%20official%20toll." target="_blank">likely to be infected and hospitalized with COVID-19,</a>&nbsp;and are more likely than other races to have a family member or close friend who has died of the virus.

The pandemic “increases risk for those who are already at risk,” said David J. Harris, managing director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School.

This week, a Council on Criminal Justice task force headed by former attorneys general Alberto Gonzalez and Loretta Lynch released a report calling for scaling back prison populations, improving communication with public health departments and reporting better data.

Prison facilities are often overcrowded and poorly ventilated. Dormitory-style housing, cafeterias and open-bar cell doors make it nearly impossible to quarantine. Prison populations are sicker, on average, than the general population and health care behind bars is notoriously substandard. Nationwide, the mortality rate for COVID-19 among prisoners is 45% higher than the overall rate.

From the earliest days of the pandemic, public health experts called for widespread prison releases as the best way to curb virus spread behind bars. In October, the National Academies of Science, Medicine, and Engineering released a report urging states to empty their prisons of anyone who was medically vulnerable, nearing the end of their sentence or of low risk to public safety.

But releases have been slow and uneven. In the first three months of the pandemic, more than 10,000 federal prisoners applied for compassionate release. Wardens denied or did not respond to almost all those requests, approving only 156 — less than 2%.

A plan to thin the state prison population in New Jersey, first introduced in June, was held up in the Legislature because of inadequate funding to help those who were released. About 2,200 prisoners with less than a year left to serve were ultimately released in November, eight months after the pandemic began.

California used a similar strategy to release 11,000 people since March. But state prisons stopped accepting new prisoners from county jails at several points during the pandemic, which simply shifted the burden to the jails. According to the state corrections agency, more than 8,000 people are now waiting in California’s county jails, which are also coronavirus hot spots.

“We call that ‘screwing county,’” said John Wetzel, Pennsylvania’s secretary of corrections, whose prison system has one of the lower COVID-19 case rates in the country, with one in every seven prisoners infected. But that’s still more than three times the statewide rate.

Prison walls are porous even during a pandemic, with corrections officers and other employees traveling in and out each day.

“The interchange between communities and prisons and jails has always been there, but in the context of COVID-19 it’s never been more clear,” said Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, a professor of social medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill who studies incarceration and health. “We have to stop thinking about them as a place apart.”

Wetzel said Pennsylvania’s prisons have kept virus rates relatively low by widely distributing masks in mid-March — weeks before even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began recommending them for everyday use in public — and demanding that staff and prisoners use them properly and consistently. But prisoners and advocates say prevention measures on the ground are uneven, regardless of Wetzel’s good intentions.

As the country heads into winter with virus infections on the rise, experts caution that unless COVID-19 is brought under control behind bars, the country will not get it under control in the population at large.

“If we are going to end this pandemic — bring down infection rates, bring down death rates, bring down ICU occupancy rates — we have to address infection rates in correctional facilities,” said Emily Wang, professor at Yale School of Medicine and co-author of the recent National Academies report.

“Infections and deaths are extraordinarily high. These are wards of the state, and we have to contend with it.”

This story is a collaboration between The Associated Press and The Marshall Project exploring the state of the prison system in the coronavirus pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585707946815.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — One in every five state and federal prisoners in the United States has tested positive for the coronavirus, a rate more than four times higher than the general population. In some states, more than half of prisoners have been infected, according to data collected by The Associated Press and The Marshall Project.As the pandemic enters its 10th month — and as the first Americans begin to receive a long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine — at least 275,000 prisoners have been infected, more than 1,700 have died and the spread of the virus behind bars shows no sign of slowing. New cases in prisons this week reached their highest level since testing began in the spring, far outstripping previous peaks in April and August.“That number is a vast undercount,” said Homer Venters, the former chief medical officer at New York’s Rikers Island jail complex.Venters has conducted more than a dozen court-ordered COVID-19 prison inspections around the country. “I still encounter prisons and jails where, when people get sick, not only are they not tested but they don’t receive care. So they get much sicker than need be,” he said.Now the rollout of vaccines poses difficult decisions for politicians and policymakers. As the virus spreads largely unchecked behind bars, prisoners can’t social distance and are dependent on the state for their safety and well-being.Donte Westmoreland, 26, was recently released from Lansing Correctional Facility in Kansas, where he caught the virus while serving time on a marijuana charge. Some 5,100 prisoners have become infected in Kansas prisons, the third-highest COVID-19 rate in the country, behind only South Dakota and Arkansas.“It was like I was sentenced to death,” Westmoreland said.Westmoreland lived with more than 100 virus-infected men in an open dorm, where he woke up regularly to find men sick on the floor, unable to get up on their own, he said.“People are actually dying in front of me off of this virus,” he said. “It’s the scariest sight.” Westmoreland said he sweated it out, shivering in his bunk until, six weeks later, he finally recovered.Half of the prisoners in Kansas have been infected with COVID-19 — eight times the rate of cases among the state’s overall population. Eleven prisoners have died, including five at the prison where Westmoreland was held. Of the three prison employees who have died in Kansas, two worked at Lansing Correctional Facility.In Arkansas, where more than 9,700 prisoners have tested positive and 50 have died, four of every seven have had the virus, the second-highest prison infection rate in the U.S.Among the dead was 29-year-old Derick Coley, who was serving a 20-year sentence at the Cummins Unit maximum security prison. Cece Tate, Coley’s girlfriend, said she last talked with him on April 10 when he said he was sick and showing symptoms of the virus.“It took forever for me to get information,” she said. The prison finally told her on April 20 that Coley had tested positive for the virus. Less than two weeks later, a prison chaplain called on May 2 to tell her Coley had died.The couple had a daughter who turned 9 in July. “She cried and was like, ‘My daddy can’t send me a birthday card,’” Tate said. “She was like, ‘Momma, my Christmas ain’t going to be the same.’”Nearly every prison system in the country has seen infection rates significantly higher than the communities around them. In facilities run by the federal Bureau of Prisons, one of every five prisoners has had coronavirus. Twenty-four state prison systems have had even higher rates.Prison workers have also been disproportionately affected. In North Dakota, four of every five prison staff has gotten coronavirus. Nationwide, it’s one in five.Not all states release how many prisoners they’ve tested, but states that test prisoners broadly and regularly may appear to have higher case rates than states that don’t.<a href="https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/05/01/a-state-by-state-look-at-coronavirus-in-prisons" target="_blank">Infection rates as of Tuesday were calculated by the AP and The Marshall Project,&nbsp;</a>a nonprofit news organization covering the criminal justice system,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themarshallproject.org/2020/12/18/1-in-5-prisoners-in-the-u-s-has-had-covid-19" target="_blank">based on data collected weekly in prisons since March.</a>&nbsp;Infection and mortality rates may be even higher, since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-understanding-the-outbreak-prisons-health-lifestyle-9899b08a66a60f3106b563eb07c92c40">nearly every prison system has significantly fewer prisoners today</a>&nbsp;than when the pandemic began, so rates represent a conservative estimate based on the largest known population.Yet, as vaccine campaigns get underway, there has been pushback in some states against giving the shots to people in prisons early.“There’s no way it’s going to go to prisoners ... before it goes to the people who haven’t committed any crime,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis told reporters earlier this month after his state’s initial vaccine priority plans put prisoners before the general public.Like more than a dozen states, Kansas’s vaccination plan does not mention prisoners or corrections staff, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, a non-partisan prison data think tank. Seven states put prisoners near the front of the line, along with others living in crowded settings like nursing homes and long-term care facilities. An additional 19 states have placed prisoners in the second phase of their vaccine rollouts.Racial disparities in the nation’s criminal justice system compound the disproportionate toll the pandemic has taken on communities of color. Black Americans are incarcerated at five times the rate of whites. They are also disproportionately&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/mounting-u-s-deaths-reveal-an-outsize-toll-on-people-of-color#:~:text=As%20many%20as%20215%2C000%20more,higher%20than%20the%20official%20toll." target="_blank">likely to be infected and hospitalized with COVID-19,</a>&nbsp;and are more likely than other races to have a family member or close friend who has died of the virus.The pandemic “increases risk for those who are already at risk,” said David J. Harris, managing director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School.This week, a Council on Criminal Justice task force headed by former attorneys general Alberto Gonzalez and Loretta Lynch released a report calling for scaling back prison populations, improving communication with public health departments and reporting better data.Prison facilities are often overcrowded and poorly ventilated. Dormitory-style housing, cafeterias and open-bar cell doors make it nearly impossible to quarantine. Prison populations are sicker, on average, than the general population and health care behind bars is notoriously substandard. Nationwide, the mortality rate for COVID-19 among prisoners is 45% higher than the overall rate.From the earliest days of the pandemic, public health experts called for widespread prison releases as the best way to curb virus spread behind bars. In October, the National Academies of Science, Medicine, and Engineering released a report urging states to empty their prisons of anyone who was medically vulnerable, nearing the end of their sentence or of low risk to public safety.But releases have been slow and uneven. In the first three months of the pandemic, more than 10,000 federal prisoners applied for compassionate release. Wardens denied or did not respond to almost all those requests, approving only 156 — less than 2%.A plan to thin the state prison population in New Jersey, first introduced in June, was held up in the Legislature because of inadequate funding to help those who were released. About 2,200 prisoners with less than a year left to serve were ultimately released in November, eight months after the pandemic began.California used a similar strategy to release 11,000 people since March. But state prisons stopped accepting new prisoners from county jails at several points during the pandemic, which simply shifted the burden to the jails. According to the state corrections agency, more than 8,000 people are now waiting in California’s county jails, which are also coronavirus hot spots.“We call that ‘screwing county,’” said John Wetzel, Pennsylvania’s secretary of corrections, whose prison system has one of the lower COVID-19 case rates in the country, with one in every seven prisoners infected. But that’s still more than three times the statewide rate.Prison walls are porous even during a pandemic, with corrections officers and other employees traveling in and out each day.“The interchange between communities and prisons and jails has always been there, but in the context of COVID-19 it’s never been more clear,” said Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, a professor of social medicine at UNC-Chapel Hill who studies incarceration and health. “We have to stop thinking about them as a place apart.”Wetzel said Pennsylvania’s prisons have kept virus rates relatively low by widely distributing masks in mid-March — weeks before even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began recommending them for everyday use in public — and demanding that staff and prisoners use them properly and consistently. But prisoners and advocates say prevention measures on the ground are uneven, regardless of Wetzel’s good intentions.As the country heads into winter with virus infections on the rise, experts caution that unless COVID-19 is brought under control behind bars, the country will not get it under control in the population at large.“If we are going to end this pandemic — bring down infection rates, bring down death rates, bring down ICU occupancy rates — we have to address infection rates in correctional facilities,” said Emily Wang, professor at Yale School of Medicine and co-author of the recent National Academies report.“Infections and deaths are extraordinarily high. These are wards of the state, and we have to contend with it.”------This story is a collaboration between The Associated Press and The Marshall Project exploring the state of the prison system in the coronavirus pandemic.___

1 in 5 prisoners in the US has had COVID-19, 1,700 have died

NEWARK, Del. (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden on Monday received his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on live television as part of a growing effort to convince the American public the inoculations are safe.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?507490-1/president-elect-biden-receives-covid-19-vaccine">Click here to</a> watch Joe Biden get his vaccination

The president-elect took a dose of Pfizer vaccine at a hospital not far from his Delaware home, hours after his wife, Jill Biden, did the same. The injections came the same day that a second vaccine, produced by Moderna, will start arriving in states. It joins Pfizer’s in the nation’s arsenal against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has now killed more than 317,000 people in the United States and upended life around the globe.

“I’m ready,” said Biden, who was administered the dose at a hospital in Newark, Delaware, and declined the option to count to three before the needle was inserted into his left arm. “I’m doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it’s available to take the vaccine. There’s nothing to worry about.”

The president-elect praised the health care workers and said President Donald Trump’s administration “deserves some credit getting this off the ground.” And Biden urged Americans to wear masks during the upcoming Christmas holiday and not travel unless necessary.

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband are expected to receive their first shots next week.

Other top government officials have been in the first wave of Americans to be inoculated against COVID-19 as part of the largest largest vaccination campaign in the nation’s history.

Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-pence-wife-coronavirus-vaccine-0489a0b64d4353bc693ad1691ff5de1d">were given doses Friday.&nbsp;</a>They chose to publicize their injections as part of a campaign to convince Americans that the vaccines are safe and effective amid skepticism, especially among Republicans.

President Donald Trump is discussing with his doctors the timing for taking the vaccine, the White House has said. He tweeted earlier this month that he was “not scheduled” to take the vaccine but that he looked “forward to doing so at the appropriate time.”

The White House has offered another reason for waiting, saying Trump was showing support for the most vulnerable to get the vaccine first.

Trump was hospitalized with COVID-19 in October and given an experimental monoclonal antibody treatment that he credited for his swift recovery. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory board has said people who received that treatment should wait at least 90 days to be vaccinated to avoid any potential interference.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, and other experts have recommended that Trump be vaccinated without delay as a precaution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608585518239.png" alt="President-elect Joe Biden and&nbsp; Dr. Jill Biden took the Pfizer vaccine Monday afternoon-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President-elect Joe Biden and&nbsp; Dr. Jill Biden took the Pfizer vaccine Monday afternoon-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEWARK, Del. (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden on Monday received his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on live television as part of a growing effort to convince the American public the inoculations are safe.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?507490-1/president-elect-biden-receives-covid-19-vaccine">Click here to</a> watch Joe Biden get his vaccinationThe president-elect took a dose of Pfizer vaccine at a hospital not far from his Delaware home, hours after his wife, Jill Biden, did the same. The injections came the same day that a second vaccine, produced by Moderna, will start arriving in states. It joins Pfizer’s in the nation’s arsenal against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has now killed more than 317,000 people in the United States and upended life around the globe.“I’m ready,” said Biden, who was administered the dose at a hospital in Newark, Delaware, and declined the option to count to three before the needle was inserted into his left arm. “I’m doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it’s available to take the vaccine. There’s nothing to worry about.”The president-elect praised the health care workers and said President Donald Trump’s administration “deserves some credit getting this off the ground.” And Biden urged Americans to wear masks during the upcoming Christmas holiday and not travel unless necessary.Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband are expected to receive their first shots next week.Other top government officials have been in the first wave of Americans to be inoculated against COVID-19 as part of the largest largest vaccination campaign in the nation’s history.Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-pence-wife-coronavirus-vaccine-0489a0b64d4353bc693ad1691ff5de1d">were given doses Friday.&nbsp;</a>They chose to publicize their injections as part of a campaign to convince Americans that the vaccines are safe and effective amid skepticism, especially among Republicans.President Donald Trump is discussing with his doctors the timing for taking the vaccine, the White House has said. He tweeted earlier this month that he was “not scheduled” to take the vaccine but that he looked “forward to doing so at the appropriate time.”The White House has offered another reason for waiting, saying Trump was showing support for the most vulnerable to get the vaccine first.Trump was hospitalized with COVID-19 in October and given an experimental monoclonal antibody treatment that he credited for his swift recovery. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory board has said people who received that treatment should wait at least 90 days to be vaccinated to avoid any potential interference.Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, and other experts have recommended that Trump be vaccinated without delay as a precaution.___

🎥  Pres.-elect, wife gets virus vaccinations

SALINE COUNTY —The Rolling Hills Zoo (RHZ) family is mourning the loss of Darius, their 18 year old Amur leopard.

According to a media release from the zoo, Darius has been treated for renal failure over the past year and while his kidney function was declining, it was within the last week that his blood work indicated he was in stage 4 kidney failure. 

Unfortunately kidney failure is relatively common in big cats as part of the aging process, as it is in domestic cats. While one can only “buy” a little more time with supportive care, chronic kidney failure is not reversible.

Once Darius became more lethargic and stopped eating, combined with the lab findings, it was decided that humanely euthanizing him was the kindest option available. Darius’ body has been transported to K-State for a necropsy.

Born at the Erie Zoo, Erie, Pa., on June 30, 2002, Darius moved to Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot, N.D., in October 2003. Then in June 2011, due to the floods in Minot, Darius was transferred to the Tanganyika Wild Animal Park before coming to Rolling Hills Zoo in December 2011.

At RHZ, Darius was a master artist who loved to play with the keepers. Darius did take his time in warming up to the keepers though, but once they earned his trust they saw a very different side of him. Since he was also a bit camera shy and didn’t like to be watched when eating or getting enrichment, he made getting great photos that much more special.

“Being solitary by nature, it was always a highlight of my day when Darius would come over and lay down in front of me or roll over and show me his stomach and reach his paws out toward me,” said Head Keeper Devney Olson-Bowen. “Many saw what they thought was a grumpy old man, but I saw a very sweet and good natured handsome boy. I will miss him running up to meet me, and his calls out to the other animals in the park every day. He always let everyone know he was there. He will forever hold a very dear place in my heart, and I am a better keeper and a better person for having worked with him."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608523925714.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Rolling Hills Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Rolling Hills Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —The Rolling Hills Zoo (RHZ) family is mourning the loss of Darius, their 18 year old Amur leopard.According to a media release from the zoo, Darius has been treated for renal failure over the past year and while his kidney function was declining, it was within the last week that his blood work indicated he was in stage 4 kidney failure. Unfortunately kidney failure is relatively common in big cats as part of the aging process, as it is in domestic cats. While one can only “buy” a little more time with supportive care, chronic kidney failure is not reversible.Once Darius became more lethargic and stopped eating, combined with the lab findings, it was decided that humanely euthanizing him was the kindest option available. Darius’ body has been transported to K-State for a necropsy.Born at the Erie Zoo, Erie, Pa., on June 30, 2002, Darius moved to Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot, N.D., in October 2003. Then in June 2011, due to the floods in Minot, Darius was transferred to the Tanganyika Wild Animal Park before coming to Rolling Hills Zoo in December 2011.At RHZ, Darius was a master artist who loved to play with the keepers. Darius did take his time in warming up to the keepers though, but once they earned his trust they saw a very different side of him. Since he was also a bit camera shy and didn’t like to be watched when eating or getting enrichment, he made getting great photos that much more special.“Being solitary by nature, it was always a highlight of my day when Darius would come over and lay down in front of me or roll over and show me his stomach and reach his paws out toward me,” said Head Keeper Devney Olson-Bowen. “Many saw what they thought was a grumpy old man, but I saw a very sweet and good natured handsome boy. I will miss him running up to meet me, and his calls out to the other animals in the park every day. He always let everyone know he was there. He will forever hold a very dear place in my heart, and I am a better keeper and a better person for having worked with him."

Rolling Hills Zoo mourns loss of Amur leopard

Rudolph DeWain Bergquist, age 78, passed away on Monday, December 14, 2020, at Heritage Gardens Nursing Home in Oskaloosa, KS. &nbsp;

DeWain was born on April 9th, 1942, in rural Greeley County, Kansas to E.R. “Rudy” Bergquist and Viola Rebecca Foos Bergquist.&nbsp; He attended school through the 12th grade in Greeley County and graduated from Greeley County High School in 1960.

After serving in the Army, he married Patricia Kay Donnelly on October 29, 1966, in Cheyenne Wells, CO.&nbsp; To this union, three children were born; Erick, Erin and Jodi.&nbsp; DeWain was a farmer in Greeley County, Kansas, and served as Post Commander in 1977 and 1978 at the Tribune VFW Post #7521.&nbsp; He was also a life member of the VFW.&nbsp; Dewain also had a love for horses, being outdoors, hunting and fishing, as well as going to his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events.

He was preceded in death by his parents Rudy and Viola Bergquist, his wife Pat, a brother Walt Bergquist, a sister Dorothy Randel, a nephew Kit Randel and a great niece Anna Bergquist.

Surviving family members include his son Erick and wife Connie Bergquist of Weskan, KS, son Erin and wife Jessie Bergquist of Cheyenne Wells, CO, a daughter Jodi and husband Mark Lackey of McLouth, KS, a brother Donnie and wife Deanna Bergquist of McCracken, KS, and a sister Karla and husband Mike Olds of Hudson, FL.&nbsp; He is also survived by 6 grandchildren; Alexia and husband Zach Hoobler of Grandview, MO, Evin Bergquist of Weskan, KS, Addie and husband Danny Hodge of Overland Park, KS and Thatcher, Jasper and Jaci Lackey of McLouth, KS.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 23, 2020, at 10:30 AM MT at the Tribune United Methodist Church in Tribune, KS.&nbsp; Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM MT at Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Sharon Springs, KS.

Memorial contributions may be designated to the DeWain Bergquist Memorial Fund and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.

Online condolences for the family may be left at <a href="http://www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com">www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com</a>.

Funeral services have been entrusted to Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Sharon Springs, KS.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608479020143.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Rudolph DeWain Bergquist, age 78, passed away on Monday, December 14, 2020, at Heritage Gardens Nursing Home in Oskaloosa, KS. &nbsp;DeWain was born on April 9th, 1942, in rural Greeley County, Kansas to E.R. “Rudy” Bergquist and Viola Rebecca Foos Bergquist.&nbsp; He attended school through the 12th grade in Greeley County and graduated from Greeley County High School in 1960.After serving in the Army, he married Patricia Kay Donnelly on October 29, 1966, in Cheyenne Wells, CO.&nbsp; To this union, three children were born; Erick, Erin and Jodi.&nbsp; DeWain was a farmer in Greeley County, Kansas, and served as Post Commander in 1977 and 1978 at the Tribune VFW Post #7521.&nbsp; He was also a life member of the VFW.&nbsp; Dewain also had a love for horses, being outdoors, hunting and fishing, as well as going to his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events.He was preceded in death by his parents Rudy and Viola Bergquist, his wife Pat, a brother Walt Bergquist, a sister Dorothy Randel, a nephew Kit Randel and a great niece Anna Bergquist.Surviving family members include his son Erick and wife Connie Bergquist of Weskan, KS, son Erin and wife Jessie Bergquist of Cheyenne Wells, CO, a daughter Jodi and husband Mark Lackey of McLouth, KS, a brother Donnie and wife Deanna Bergquist of McCracken, KS, and a sister Karla and husband Mike Olds of Hudson, FL.&nbsp; He is also survived by 6 grandchildren; Alexia and husband Zach Hoobler of Grandview, MO, Evin Bergquist of Weskan, KS, Addie and husband Danny Hodge of Overland Park, KS and Thatcher, Jasper and Jaci Lackey of McLouth, KS.Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 23, 2020, at 10:30 AM MT at the Tribune United Methodist Church in Tribune, KS.&nbsp; Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM MT at Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Sharon Springs, KS.Memorial contributions may be designated to the DeWain Bergquist Memorial Fund and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.Online condolences for the family may be left at <a href="http://www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com">www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com</a>.Funeral services have been entrusted to Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Sharon Springs, KS.

R. Dewaine Bergquist

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Ryan Bowser looked somber as he sat in his cramped Oregon apartment, worried whether he, his pregnant girlfriend and her 10-year-old daughter would have a roof over their heads in the new year. It may well depend on state lawmakers.

The family is three months behind on the $1,165 in rent they pay for their two-bedroom unit in the college town of Corvallis. Bowser, a custodian at Oregon State University, took eight weeks off because he was sick and couldn’t afford child care.

They’re among thousands hoping Oregon extends an eviction moratorium until July 1 in a special legislative session next week. The proposal also would create a $200 million fund mainly to compensate landlords. If passed, it would go further than a one-month extension of a federal eviction moratorium expected in a coronavirus relief package nearing consensus in Congress.

“We are forced to make decisions between which bills to pay — rent, car or groceries,” said Bowser, adding that they may have to sleep in their car, stay on friends’ couches or move to another state to crash with distant relatives. “We don’t know if we will have a home next year.”

The plight of Bowser and other renters on the edge foreshadows a national crisis that’s expected to grow next year, with states and cities that granted renters a reprieve amid the coronavirus-battered economy now wrestling with what comes next. While states like Oregon and California are trying to pass much longer moratoriums, some don’t have more protections in the works.

“This has the potential of being the biggest housing crisis of our lifetime,” said David Dworkin, president and CEO of the National Housing Conference, a nonprofit dedicated to affordable housing for all Americans.

About one-third of U.S. households say they’re behind on rent or mortgage payments and likely to face eviction or foreclosure in the next two months, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/hhp/#/?measures=EVR" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;collected by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Eyes are on congressional leaders who are closing in on a massive COVID-19 relief package, including an extension of the federal eviction moratorium until February and $25 billion in rental assistance as well as a new round of stimulus checks, bonus unemployment benefits and many other efforts to deliver aid.

Eviction moratoriums instituted by 44 states beginning in March have mostly expired. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the federal moratorium in September that broadly prevents evictions through the end of 2020. The nationwide directive was seen as the best hope to prevent more than 23 million renters from being displaced.

Now, some states want to extend eviction bans further than the federal government. Lawmakers in heavily Democratic California are proposing their moratorium last until 2022, as long as renters pay at least 25% of their rent and attest to financial hardship.

And a six-month extension is the top issue for the Democratic-led Oregon Legislature in a special session Monday. Its one of 15 states where eviction moratoriums are now in place through year’s end, according to the Eviction Lab at Princeton University.

“The consequences of not acting before the expiration of the eviction moratorium would be catastrophic,” said Rep. Julie Fahey, a Democrat from the city of Eugene who helped write the proposal.

A main sticking point is that for landlords to receive back rent through a proposed compensation fund, they must forgo 20% of past-due payments. A Republican leader called it “dramatically unfair.”

“It’s not right to tell (landlords) that they have to pay to get support when the government is the one who asked them to share this responsibility and bear this burden to keep renters housed, which they have done that,” said Rep. Christine Drazan, leader of the House Republican Caucus.

Democratic Senate President Peter Courtney said there will be “some concerns, but I am convinced that we will pass something.”

While moratoriums have helped people stay in their homes during the pandemic, experts warn that extending them isn’t a long-term solution.

“This is just kicking the can down the road, because it doesn’t actually pay the rent,” Dworkin said. “If a tenant cannot afford to pay three months of rent or one month of rent, then they are not going to be able to pay nine or 12 months of rent — and they are eventually going to get evicted unless we pay their rent.”

He suggests states fund efforts that cover both rent and back payments for landlords. Through October, the National Low Income Housing Coalition estimated states and cities have set aside over $4 billion for rental assistance — far less than what they say is needed.

Like Oregon, Hawaii, Nebraska and New Jersey are among those offering payments to landlords for missed rent.

But with states’ tax revenue shrinking during the pandemic and recession, expensive efforts to combat the eviction crisis are further straining resources.

“States are under severe stress themselves financially,” Dworkin said. “In many ways, the states are being put in the situation of robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

Bowser said delays by lawmakers, locally and nationally, have crippled his family.

“All (lawmakers) have to do right now in this situation is the bare minimum to keep people in their homes,” Bowser said.

He and his girlfriend, Taylor Wood, have closely followed updates on possible extensions to state and federal moratoriums as they debate which bills to pay that month and which necessities to sacrifice. They’re desperately developing a plan for what to do if they find an eviction notice tacked to their door in the new year.

“It’s frustrating, and I know we are not the only people in this situation — there are thousands like us,” Wood said. “I just keep thinking, ‘Well, (lawmakers) won’t just let us go homeless ... right?’”

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Ryan Bowser looked somber as he sat in his cramped Oregon apartment, worried whether he, his pregnant girlfriend and her 10-year-old daughter would have a roof over their heads in the new year. It may well depend on state lawmakers.The family is three months behind on the $1,165 in rent they pay for their two-bedroom unit in the college town of Corvallis. Bowser, a custodian at Oregon State University, took eight weeks off because he was sick and couldn’t afford child care.They’re among thousands hoping Oregon extends an eviction moratorium until July 1 in a special legislative session next week. The proposal also would create a $200 million fund mainly to compensate landlords. If passed, it would go further than a one-month extension of a federal eviction moratorium expected in a coronavirus relief package nearing consensus in Congress.“We are forced to make decisions between which bills to pay — rent, car or groceries,” said Bowser, adding that they may have to sleep in their car, stay on friends’ couches or move to another state to crash with distant relatives. “We don’t know if we will have a home next year.”The plight of Bowser and other renters on the edge foreshadows a national crisis that’s expected to grow next year, with states and cities that granted renters a reprieve amid the coronavirus-battered economy now wrestling with what comes next. While states like Oregon and California are trying to pass much longer moratoriums, some don’t have more protections in the works.“This has the potential of being the biggest housing crisis of our lifetime,” said David Dworkin, president and CEO of the National Housing Conference, a nonprofit dedicated to affordable housing for all Americans.About one-third of U.S. households say they’re behind on rent or mortgage payments and likely to face eviction or foreclosure in the next two months, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/hhp/#/?measures=EVR" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;collected by the U.S. Census Bureau.Eyes are on congressional leaders who are closing in on a massive COVID-19 relief package, including an extension of the federal eviction moratorium until February and $25 billion in rental assistance as well as a new round of stimulus checks, bonus unemployment benefits and many other efforts to deliver aid.Eviction moratoriums instituted by 44 states beginning in March have mostly expired. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the federal moratorium in September that broadly prevents evictions through the end of 2020. The nationwide directive was seen as the best hope to prevent more than 23 million renters from being displaced.Now, some states want to extend eviction bans further than the federal government. Lawmakers in heavily Democratic California are proposing their moratorium last until 2022, as long as renters pay at least 25% of their rent and attest to financial hardship.And a six-month extension is the top issue for the Democratic-led Oregon Legislature in a special session Monday. Its one of 15 states where eviction moratoriums are now in place through year’s end, according to the Eviction Lab at Princeton University.“The consequences of not acting before the expiration of the eviction moratorium would be catastrophic,” said Rep. Julie Fahey, a Democrat from the city of Eugene who helped write the proposal.A main sticking point is that for landlords to receive back rent through a proposed compensation fund, they must forgo 20% of past-due payments. A Republican leader called it “dramatically unfair.”“It’s not right to tell (landlords) that they have to pay to get support when the government is the one who asked them to share this responsibility and bear this burden to keep renters housed, which they have done that,” said Rep. Christine Drazan, leader of the House Republican Caucus.Democratic Senate President Peter Courtney said there will be “some concerns, but I am convinced that we will pass something.”While moratoriums have helped people stay in their homes during the pandemic, experts warn that extending them isn’t a long-term solution.“This is just kicking the can down the road, because it doesn’t actually pay the rent,” Dworkin said. “If a tenant cannot afford to pay three months of rent or one month of rent, then they are not going to be able to pay nine or 12 months of rent — and they are eventually going to get evicted unless we pay their rent.”He suggests states fund efforts that cover both rent and back payments for landlords. Through October, the National Low Income Housing Coalition estimated states and cities have set aside over $4 billion for rental assistance — far less than what they say is needed.Like Oregon, Hawaii, Nebraska and New Jersey are among those offering payments to landlords for missed rent.But with states’ tax revenue shrinking during the pandemic and recession, expensive efforts to combat the eviction crisis are further straining resources.“States are under severe stress themselves financially,” Dworkin said. “In many ways, the states are being put in the situation of robbing Peter to pay Paul.”Bowser said delays by lawmakers, locally and nationally, have crippled his family.“All (lawmakers) have to do right now in this situation is the bare minimum to keep people in their homes,” Bowser said.He and his girlfriend, Taylor Wood, have closely followed updates on possible extensions to state and federal moratoriums as they debate which bills to pay that month and which necessities to sacrifice. They’re desperately developing a plan for what to do if they find an eviction notice tacked to their door in the new year.“It’s frustrating, and I know we are not the only people in this situation — there are thousands like us,” Wood said. “I just keep thinking, ‘Well, (lawmakers) won’t just let us go homeless ... right?’”___

States grapple with next steps on evictions as crisis grows

Fort Hays State University’s Dr. Hendratta Ali continues to make her mark in the professional geosciences community. This semester, she received some of the highest honors from not just one, but two, professional organizations for creating and leading the “Call for a Robust Anti-Racism Plan for the Geosciences” petition drive.

Earlier this month, Ali – an associate professor of geosciences, was awarded the Presidential Citation for Science and Society from the American Geophysical Union (AGU). In October, she received the 2020 President’s Award for Professional Excellence from the Association for Women Geoscientists.

This past summer, Ali organized and led a team of 19 scientists to create a plan that calls for a more diverse and inclusive geoscience community. Geoscience is one of the least diverse STEM disciplines in the United States and other industrialized counties.

Ali’s action plan centers on engaging in meaningful anti-racism, demanding all geoscience societies and organizations take concrete action against racism and all forms of discrimination. The plan secured more than 26,000 signatures, and it is being used to create long-overdue change in field of geosciences around the world. The plan in full can be viewed at&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJC2ZW3FlLf5W8C2Tyr-2BflHFSwuJFFvyB3BAK5NX-2B-2B53oxiby_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2B9-2BrqRnpQTtnVMldk7abkyPnZxrePEVk-2Bs53dKebUI3SFsuoMMMd5JXFNdBxHyjQMh9jc2Ek3IeXnWBC6GfE8to4WiCLGD9wdpGyY5iFT4i0qv4m0eLBVk0dp-2Fm5REJvWF8NUsYGhJ8GJwy86gmMQDuqd17R5tsTX0SjTGUA-2FWWApqDQiiRK1jZDpFYEt85eqHG-2BqQNjZf4QntWM9upwyXOHyzGbz-2F3EBFZaJYWyDC9o0VU71naf9Y2qbJ4WAlMomreijFNWoo2eoUFnd6oah-2Fw-3D-3D">http://chng.it/xGytnGc9</a>.

The AGU – which promotes discovery and advancement of earth and space science – is one of the largest geoscience organizations in the world, with more than 60,000 members.&nbsp;

The AGU Presidential Citation for Science and Society honors individuals or institutions who work to connect science to the broader public. Previous recipients of this Citation include six members of the U.S. Congress – Rep. Rush Holt from New Jersey and five senators: Gary Peters, Michigan; Cory Gardner, Colorado; Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island; Barbara Mikulski, Maryland; and Olympia Snowe, Maine.

The Association for Women Geoscientists promotes the three E’s – encourage, enhance and exchange – and Ali was recognized as an inspiring mentor and educator, and an excellent leader and role model members of the professional geosciences community.

A native of Cameroon, Ali is in her 10th year at Fort Hays State after earning her Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University. She was surprised, and honored to learn she had been honored these two awards.

“It is a great honor to be acknowledged and recognized by our peers for working for the betterment of our society,” Ali said. “It’s a validation that the work that I do is making a difference.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608308853430.jpeg" alt="Dr. Hendratta Ali" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Hendratta Ali</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU University RelationsFort Hays State University’s Dr. Hendratta Ali continues to make her mark in the professional geosciences community. This semester, she received some of the highest honors from not just one, but two, professional organizations for creating and leading the “Call for a Robust Anti-Racism Plan for the Geosciences” petition drive.Earlier this month, Ali – an associate professor of geosciences, was awarded the Presidential Citation for Science and Society from the American Geophysical Union (AGU). In October, she received the 2020 President’s Award for Professional Excellence from the Association for Women Geoscientists.This past summer, Ali organized and led a team of 19 scientists to create a plan that calls for a more diverse and inclusive geoscience community. Geoscience is one of the least diverse STEM disciplines in the United States and other industrialized counties.Ali’s action plan centers on engaging in meaningful anti-racism, demanding all geoscience societies and organizations take concrete action against racism and all forms of discrimination. The plan secured more than 26,000 signatures, and it is being used to create long-overdue change in field of geosciences around the world. The plan in full can be viewed at&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=AzU7JuM9gNoo13mIpsUPJC2ZW3FlLf5W8C2Tyr-2BflHFSwuJFFvyB3BAK5NX-2B-2B53oxiby_r-2BDMsuWuYVmb7-2F1Mu1QL1I-2FJ8-2BHR91nNNNGTTc38Ah0CWayiZL-2BkhdmA3sx0XGnG-2FN1jk6rVQRO9vN7U5rFC-2BcXi909IOPAdkr3SvXFdyn3Ag1h6-2F-2B6atf0vMUKxRgZ-2B9-2BrqRnpQTtnVMldk7abkyPnZxrePEVk-2Bs53dKebUI3SFsuoMMMd5JXFNdBxHyjQMh9jc2Ek3IeXnWBC6GfE8to4WiCLGD9wdpGyY5iFT4i0qv4m0eLBVk0dp-2Fm5REJvWF8NUsYGhJ8GJwy86gmMQDuqd17R5tsTX0SjTGUA-2FWWApqDQiiRK1jZDpFYEt85eqHG-2BqQNjZf4QntWM9upwyXOHyzGbz-2F3EBFZaJYWyDC9o0VU71naf9Y2qbJ4WAlMomreijFNWoo2eoUFnd6oah-2Fw-3D-3D">http://chng.it/xGytnGc9</a>.The AGU – which promotes discovery and advancement of earth and space science – is one of the largest geoscience organizations in the world, with more than 60,000 members.&nbsp;The AGU Presidential Citation for Science and Society honors individuals or institutions who work to connect science to the broader public. Previous recipients of this Citation include six members of the U.S. Congress – Rep. Rush Holt from New Jersey and five senators: Gary Peters, Michigan; Cory Gardner, Colorado; Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island; Barbara Mikulski, Maryland; and Olympia Snowe, Maine.The Association for Women Geoscientists promotes the three E’s – encourage, enhance and exchange – and Ali was recognized as an inspiring mentor and educator, and an excellent leader and role model members of the professional geosciences community.A native of Cameroon, Ali is in her 10th year at Fort Hays State after earning her Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University. She was surprised, and honored to learn she had been honored these two awards.“It is a great honor to be acknowledged and recognized by our peers for working for the betterment of our society,” Ali said. “It’s a validation that the work that I do is making a difference.”

FHSU’s Ali recognized for global leadership in geosciences

Ruth Anna Duntz, 61, passed away Sunday, December 13, 2020, at Ascension Via Christi – St. Francis, Wichita, KS. 
 She was born October 23, 1959, in Orange County, CA, the daughter of 
Glenn and Annie (Lynn) Reeser.&nbsp; On April 22, 1994, she married Michael 
Wade Duntz in Wellington, KS.&nbsp; Michael preceded her in death on January 
15, 2002. Ruth is survived by two sons, Colten and Callen 
Duntz, both of Wellington; two daughters, Shonna Reeser and Cheyenne 
Duntz, both of Wellington; mother-in-law, Donna Duntz of Smith Center; 
one brother and one sister. Private family inurnment will 
take place in Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center, KS.&nbsp; Memorials may be 
given to the Ruth A. Duntz Memorial Fund and can be sent in care of All 
Faiths Funeral Chapel, 113 S. Madison St., Smith Center, KS&nbsp; 66967.

Ruth Anna Duntz, 61, passed away Sunday, December 13, 2020, at Ascension Via Christi – St. Francis, Wichita, KS. 
 She was born October 23, 1959, in Orange County, CA, the daughter of 
Glenn and Annie (Lynn) Reeser.&nbsp; On April 22, 1994, she married Michael 
Wade Duntz in Wellington, KS.&nbsp; Michael preceded her in death on January 
15, 2002. Ruth is survived by two sons, Colten and Callen 
Duntz, both of Wellington; two daughters, Shonna Reeser and Cheyenne 
Duntz, both of Wellington; mother-in-law, Donna Duntz of Smith Center; 
one brother and one sister. Private family inurnment will 
take place in Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center, KS.&nbsp; Memorials may be 
given to the Ruth A. Duntz Memorial Fund and can be sent in care of All 
Faiths Funeral Chapel, 113 S. Madison St., Smith Center, KS&nbsp; 66967.

Ruth Anna Duntz

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) —Gov. Laura Kelly expressed little concern Friday over a smaller-than-expected second shipment of a coronavirus vaccine for Kansas, adding that she expects the state’s plan for distributing shots in coming months to boost an economy that has slowed recently.

<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/BiWeeklyCall-12.18.20-1-2.mp4">Click here to listen&nbsp;</a> the governor's Friday conference call with county commissioners, emergency managers, public health officers, legislators, and other community leaders on COVID-19 and the vaccine.

Kelly said the reduction in the state’s second shipment of a vaccine made by Pfizer is “more of a smoothing process” by the federal government to make sure health care workers who received the first of two doses this week can get the second in January. At least a dozen states have reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-87da29dc29e51236b90c2be9b023ce0a">they will receive fewer doses</a>&nbsp;next week than anticipated.

The governor’s comments during a teleconference with local and state officials came as the state Department of Health and Environment reported that Kansas has surpassed 200,000 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases for the pandemic, or about one for every 15 of its 2.9 million residents. The state also reported total 2,341 COVID-19 deaths, adding 88 to the tally since Wednesday.

Kansas received its first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine this week, the first of two doses for 23,750 people, and it focused on distributing them to hospitals so that they could vaccinate health care workers at high-risk of coronavirus exposure. The state had anticipated receiving another 29,000 doses next week but now expects 39% fewer doses, or 17,550.

“I heard this morning that the reason that this is being done is that they needed to smooth out the quantity of deliveries, if they had delivered as many as they had proposed to deliver next week, then they were not going to have enough for people to get their second dose,” she said. “I think we’re OK on that.”

Michigan’s shipment will drop by about a quarter. In addition to Kansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire and Indiana also have been told to expect smaller shipments.

The governor celebrated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-coronavirus-pandemic-e53bbe038a6cfab0be1dde53e93d5e42">the relatively widespread distribution&nbsp;</a>of the first shipment, with at least a few doses going to hospitals in rural areas. Kelly said about 100 of the state’s 105 counties have received vaccines and the ones that haven’t either didn’t cite a need for it or weren’t prepared to give shots this week.

In northeast Kansas, Marshall County, with about 9,700 residents, had fewer than 100 cases at the beginning of November and now has almost 600, or one for every 16 residents. It went from having no reported COVID-19 deaths to 21 as the virus swept through nursing homes.

The county hospital on Thursday lined up its first group of employees to get shots in front of a Christmas tree in the lobby, said spokeswoman Ashley Kracht.

“Really this vaccine is a turning point emotionally as much as anything else,” she said. “I think all of our staff would probably say, ’We are doing our best to kind of keep keep our heads above water. We just feel like we are constantly treading water so this really gives us the ability to say, ‘We might float.’ Something better is coming.”

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1533/COVID-19-Vaccination-Plan-for-Kansas-Version12-1142020?bidId=" target="_blank">Kansas’ plan</a>&nbsp;for distributing the vaccines calls for giving shots first to at-risk health care workers, nursing home workers and nursing home residents. Vaccines are supposed to start for all adults next spring.

“It should foster economic recovery,” Kelly said. “We can enter the new year with confidence that life will return to normal in a matter of months. We’re not there yet.”

Kelly herself does not plan to get vaccinated until “it is her turn,” spokeswoman Lauren Fitzgerald said. State legislators also are not getting special treatment.

“She will be vaccinated publicly to reinforce the safety and importance of getting vaccinated,” Fitzgerald said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press.

But the hope — and for some health care workers, joy — over the first vaccine’s arrival came amid bad news about the Kansas economy.

The state Department of Labor has reported a growing number of initial claims for unemployment benefits in recent weeks. More than 39,000 such claims were filed during the week ending Dec. 12, an increase of 95% over the second week of November’s roughly 20,000 claims and more than 20 times the number of claims filed during the second week of December 2019.

The Department of Labor said Friday that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose in November to 5.6%, up from 5% in October and compared with 3.1% for November 2019. The state’s pandemic-fueled unemployment rate peaked at 11.9% in April and had been dropping until November.

The state health department added 5,857 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases to its pandemic tally since Wednesday, bringing the total to 200,426. The state averaged 2,162 new cases a day for the seven days ending Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608072923749.png" alt="The first vaccine arrived in Kansas November 14 -photo courtesy office of Kansas Governor" />
 <figcaption>The first vaccine arrived in Kansas November 14 -photo courtesy office of Kansas Governor</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) —Gov. Laura Kelly expressed little concern Friday over a smaller-than-expected second shipment of a coronavirus vaccine for Kansas, adding that she expects the state’s plan for distributing shots in coming months to boost an economy that has slowed recently.<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/BiWeeklyCall-12.18.20-1-2.mp4">Click here to listen&nbsp;</a> the governor's Friday conference call with county commissioners, emergency managers, public health officers, legislators, and other community leaders on COVID-19 and the vaccine.Kelly said the reduction in the state’s second shipment of a vaccine made by Pfizer is “more of a smoothing process” by the federal government to make sure health care workers who received the first of two doses this week can get the second in January. At least a dozen states have reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-87da29dc29e51236b90c2be9b023ce0a">they will receive fewer doses</a>&nbsp;next week than anticipated.The governor’s comments during a teleconference with local and state officials came as the state Department of Health and Environment reported that Kansas has surpassed 200,000 confirmed and probable coronavirus cases for the pandemic, or about one for every 15 of its 2.9 million residents. The state also reported total 2,341 COVID-19 deaths, adding 88 to the tally since Wednesday.Kansas received its first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine this week, the first of two doses for 23,750 people, and it focused on distributing them to hospitals so that they could vaccinate health care workers at high-risk of coronavirus exposure. The state had anticipated receiving another 29,000 doses next week but now expects 39% fewer doses, or 17,550.“I heard this morning that the reason that this is being done is that they needed to smooth out the quantity of deliveries, if they had delivered as many as they had proposed to deliver next week, then they were not going to have enough for people to get their second dose,” she said. “I think we’re OK on that.”Michigan’s shipment will drop by about a quarter. In addition to Kansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire and Indiana also have been told to expect smaller shipments.The governor celebrated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-topeka-coronavirus-pandemic-e53bbe038a6cfab0be1dde53e93d5e42">the relatively widespread distribution&nbsp;</a>of the first shipment, with at least a few doses going to hospitals in rural areas. Kelly said about 100 of the state’s 105 counties have received vaccines and the ones that haven’t either didn’t cite a need for it or weren’t prepared to give shots this week.In northeast Kansas, Marshall County, with about 9,700 residents, had fewer than 100 cases at the beginning of November and now has almost 600, or one for every 16 residents. It went from having no reported COVID-19 deaths to 21 as the virus swept through nursing homes.The county hospital on Thursday lined up its first group of employees to get shots in front of a Christmas tree in the lobby, said spokeswoman Ashley Kracht.“Really this vaccine is a turning point emotionally as much as anything else,” she said. “I think all of our staff would probably say, ’We are doing our best to kind of keep keep our heads above water. We just feel like we are constantly treading water so this really gives us the ability to say, ‘We might float.’ Something better is coming.”<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1533/COVID-19-Vaccination-Plan-for-Kansas-Version12-1142020?bidId=" target="_blank">Kansas’ plan</a>&nbsp;for distributing the vaccines calls for giving shots first to at-risk health care workers, nursing home workers and nursing home residents. Vaccines are supposed to start for all adults next spring.“It should foster economic recovery,” Kelly said. “We can enter the new year with confidence that life will return to normal in a matter of months. We’re not there yet.”Kelly herself does not plan to get vaccinated until “it is her turn,” spokeswoman Lauren Fitzgerald said. State legislators also are not getting special treatment.“She will be vaccinated publicly to reinforce the safety and importance of getting vaccinated,” Fitzgerald said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press.But the hope — and for some health care workers, joy — over the first vaccine’s arrival came amid bad news about the Kansas economy.The state Department of Labor has reported a growing number of initial claims for unemployment benefits in recent weeks. More than 39,000 such claims were filed during the week ending Dec. 12, an increase of 95% over the second week of November’s roughly 20,000 claims and more than 20 times the number of claims filed during the second week of December 2019.The Department of Labor said Friday that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose in November to 5.6%, up from 5% in October and compared with 3.1% for November 2019. The state’s pandemic-fueled unemployment rate peaked at 11.9% in April and had been dropping until November.The state health department added 5,857 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases to its pandemic tally since Wednesday, bringing the total to 200,426. The state averaged 2,162 new cases a day for the seven days ending Friday.___

🎤  Gov. 'OK' with reduced vaccine allotment for Kansas

GOVE COUNTY —Gove County Sheriff Allan Weber who was flown to a Denver hospital in respiratory distress on October 18, due to Covid-19 complications has died.

&nbsp;The sheriff's office reported via social media Friday, "It is with profound sadness that we are reporting that our Sheriff, Public Information Officer and EOC Community Liaison, Allan Weber <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/family-travel-expenses-to-denver?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&amp;fbclid=IwAR0llTgYYnxJt1iEk6eZczrjb2u-xRGVBrbusJb8w7pm17htmgNfeW2uCMk">has passed away. </a>

   His smile and sense of humor was second to none, and shadowed only by his loving, tender heart.     His family was the source of his being;   affectionately called “Bacha” by his grandchildren, he told endless stories about them - and his tough exterior would melt at the mention of their names.    

He was also an extraordinary public servant both locally and at the state level, and honored his brotherhood ceaselessly.   He loved his blue family as his true family, he held them all in the highest regard.

He represented everything that is good about us here in Gove County.   He embodied faith, family, friendship, and forgiveness, living these principles out loud every day.    

In a time of terrible sadness, let us find peace knowing he was met on the other side by his beloved parents, extended family and many friends.  

In an extension of the ties that bind us as a community, let us also settle into a mindset of peace and wellbeing for one another to honor his memory.

May you Rest in Peace Sheriff Weber.   You will be missed."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608348511472.png" alt="Sheriff Allan Weber courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Sheriff Allan Weber courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>GOVE COUNTY —Gove County Sheriff Allan Weber who was flown to a Denver hospital in respiratory distress on October 18, due to Covid-19 complications has died.&nbsp;The sheriff's office reported via social media Friday, "It is with profound sadness that we are reporting that our Sheriff, Public Information Officer and EOC Community Liaison, Allan Weber <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/family-travel-expenses-to-denver?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&amp;fbclid=IwAR0llTgYYnxJt1iEk6eZczrjb2u-xRGVBrbusJb8w7pm17htmgNfeW2uCMk">has passed away. </a> His smile and sense of humor was second to none, and shadowed only by his loving, tender heart. His family was the source of his being; affectionately called “Bacha” by his grandchildren, he told endless stories about them - and his tough exterior would melt at the mention of their names. He was also an extraordinary public servant both locally and at the state level, and honored his brotherhood ceaselessly. He loved his blue family as his true family, he held them all in the highest regard.He represented everything that is good about us here in Gove County. He embodied faith, family, friendship, and forgiveness, living these principles out loud every day. In a time of terrible sadness, let us find peace knowing he was met on the other side by his beloved parents, extended family and many friends. In an extension of the ties that bind us as a community, let us also settle into a mindset of peace and wellbeing for one another to honor his memory.May you Rest in Peace Sheriff Weber. You will be missed."

Gove Co. Sheriff dies in Denver hospital from COVID-19

Marvin Eugene Mader, 81, of Russell, Kansas, died on Thursday, December 17, 2020, at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas.

Marvin was born on April 18, 1939, in Grainfield, Kansas, the son of Raymond and Helen (Dreher) Mader.&nbsp; He grew up in Russell, Kansas, and graduated from Russell High School in the class of 1957.&nbsp; He attended college at Kansas University, Emporia State University, Ft. Hays State University and Iowa State University achieving a master’s degree in English.&nbsp; He met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Vicky Sue Landis on May 12, 1959, in Russell.&nbsp; From this union they were blessed with four children Robin, Michael, Cassie and Curtis.&nbsp; The family also lived in Hays and Emporia and eventually came back to Russell in 1981.&nbsp; Marvin worked as a middle school and high school English teacher.&nbsp; Over the years he owned and operated many different businesses but is best known as the owner of Marvin’s Gardens greenhouses in Emporia and Russell.&nbsp; He was a longtime member of St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell.&nbsp; Over the years he enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening and reading.&nbsp; Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family. &nbsp;

Surviving family include his daughter Robin Walters and husband Jon of Katy, Texas; son Michael Mader and wife Brenda of Topeka, Kansas; daughter Cassie Karst and husband Kirk of Russell, Kansas and son Raymond Curtis Mader and wife Kristy of Russell, Kansas; sister Cynthia Meitler and husband Dick of Great Bend, Kansas; 8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Vicky on October 13, 2016, and one grandchild.

A graveside service will be held at 2 P.M. on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Visitation and viewing will be from 9 A.M. to 8 P.M. on Monday, December 21, 2020, at the mortuary.&nbsp; A memorial service will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, December 28, 2020, at the St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell.&nbsp; Memorials may be given to the Humane Society of the High Plains and sent in care of the mortuary.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral services.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608324310940.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Marvin Eugene Mader, 81, of Russell, Kansas, died on Thursday, December 17, 2020, at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas.Marvin was born on April 18, 1939, in Grainfield, Kansas, the son of Raymond and Helen (Dreher) Mader.&nbsp; He grew up in Russell, Kansas, and graduated from Russell High School in the class of 1957.&nbsp; He attended college at Kansas University, Emporia State University, Ft. Hays State University and Iowa State University achieving a master’s degree in English.&nbsp; He met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Vicky Sue Landis on May 12, 1959, in Russell.&nbsp; From this union they were blessed with four children Robin, Michael, Cassie and Curtis.&nbsp; The family also lived in Hays and Emporia and eventually came back to Russell in 1981.&nbsp; Marvin worked as a middle school and high school English teacher.&nbsp; Over the years he owned and operated many different businesses but is best known as the owner of Marvin’s Gardens greenhouses in Emporia and Russell.&nbsp; He was a longtime member of St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell.&nbsp; Over the years he enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening and reading.&nbsp; Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family. &nbsp;Surviving family include his daughter Robin Walters and husband Jon of Katy, Texas; son Michael Mader and wife Brenda of Topeka, Kansas; daughter Cassie Karst and husband Kirk of Russell, Kansas and son Raymond Curtis Mader and wife Kristy of Russell, Kansas; sister Cynthia Meitler and husband Dick of Great Bend, Kansas; 8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Vicky on October 13, 2016, and one grandchild.A graveside service will be held at 2 P.M. on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in Russell, Kansas.&nbsp; Visitation and viewing will be from 9 A.M. to 8 P.M. on Monday, December 21, 2020, at the mortuary.&nbsp; A memorial service will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, December 28, 2020, at the St. Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell.&nbsp; Memorials may be given to the Humane Society of the High Plains and sent in care of the mortuary.&nbsp; Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral services.

Marvin Eugene Mader

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/18/kansas-unemployment-rate-climbs-to-5-6-in-november-first-uptick-since-april/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The unemployment 
rate in Kansas jumped to 5.6% in November with more than 86,000 people 
jobless in the coronavirus-damaged economy and ahead of expiration of 
special compensation programs for people unable to work, officials said 
Friday.

Ryan Wright, secretary of 
the Kansas Department of Labor, said the monthly analysis showed the 
unemployment rate in Kansas increased from the revised rate of 5% in 
October to 5.6% in November. In November 2019, the percentage of Kansans
 on unemployment was 3.1%.

After COVID-19 began to 
influence the Kansas economy, the jobless rate surged to 11.9% in April.
 It gradually declined during the next six months with rates of 10% in 
May, 7.5% in June, 7.2% in July, 6.9% in August, 5.9% in September and 
5% in October.

The Kansas increase in 
unemployment recorded in November occurred as three special benefit 
programs were set to expire in December. The Extended Benefits program, 
which offers aid to people who ran out of regular unemployment 
assistance, expired Dec. 12.

“In addition, two 
federally funded CARES Act programs, the Pandemic Unemployment 
Assistance program and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation 
program, are currently scheduled to end on December 26, unless Congress 
acts to extend them,” Wright said.

The preliminary report for
 November from the state Department of Labor and the U.S. Bureau of 
Labor Statistics indicated the number of Kansas nonfarm jobs fell by 
2,900. The report said the number of private-sector jobs in Kansas was 
reduced by 2,600 and government employment slipped 300 during the month.

“Nonfarm job growth has 
slowed,” said Emilie Doerksen, an economist at the state labor 
department. “In November, total nonfarm jobs declined by 2,900, with the
 majority of this decline in the leisure and hospitality and 
professional and business services industries.”

Since November 2019, a 
period influenced primarily by business and consumer activity during the
 pandemic, the number of total nonfarm jobs in Kansas has declined by 
58,300. That employment change reflected a decrease of 45,800 
private-sector jobs and 12,500 government jobs, officials said.

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608310423052.png" alt="The Kansas unemployment rate in November increased for the first time in six months to 5.6%. The rate in November 2019 was 3.1%, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the rate to a high of 11.9% in April (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas unemployment rate in November increased for the first time in six months to 5.6%. The rate in November 2019 was 3.1%, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the rate to a high of 11.9% in April (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/12/18/kansas-unemployment-rate-climbs-to-5-6-in-november-first-uptick-since-april/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The unemployment 
rate in Kansas jumped to 5.6% in November with more than 86,000 people 
jobless in the coronavirus-damaged economy and ahead of expiration of 
special compensation programs for people unable to work, officials said 
Friday.Ryan Wright, secretary of 
the Kansas Department of Labor, said the monthly analysis showed the 
unemployment rate in Kansas increased from the revised rate of 5% in 
October to 5.6% in November. In November 2019, the percentage of Kansans
 on unemployment was 3.1%.After COVID-19 began to 
influence the Kansas economy, the jobless rate surged to 11.9% in April.
 It gradually declined during the next six months with rates of 10% in 
May, 7.5% in June, 7.2% in July, 6.9% in August, 5.9% in September and 
5% in October.The Kansas increase in 
unemployment recorded in November occurred as three special benefit 
programs were set to expire in December. The Extended Benefits program, 
which offers aid to people who ran out of regular unemployment 
assistance, expired Dec. 12.“In addition, two 
federally funded CARES Act programs, the Pandemic Unemployment 
Assistance program and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation 
program, are currently scheduled to end on December 26, unless Congress 
acts to extend them,” Wright said.The preliminary report for
 November from the state Department of Labor and the U.S. Bureau of 
Labor Statistics indicated the number of Kansas nonfarm jobs fell by 
2,900. The report said the number of private-sector jobs in Kansas was 
reduced by 2,600 and government employment slipped 300 during the month.“Nonfarm job growth has 
slowed,” said Emilie Doerksen, an economist at the state labor 
department. “In November, total nonfarm jobs declined by 2,900, with the
 majority of this decline in the leisure and hospitality and 
professional and business services industries.”Since November 2019, a 
period influenced primarily by business and consumer activity during the
 pandemic, the number of total nonfarm jobs in Kansas has declined by 
58,300. That employment change reflected a decrease of 45,800 
private-sector jobs and 12,500 government jobs, officials said.Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.

Kan. jobless rate climbs in November, first uptick since April

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence and the leaders of the House and Senate received their first COVID-19 vaccinations as they tried to reassure Americans the shot is safe.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?507423-1/vice-president-pence-receives-covid-19-vaccine&amp;fbclid=IwAR1Uc6sJFQy6u2buts_05bZ2j-PihNzWTLEeqSg4BOoMX36ufU-Ka6H2Hrk">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;a replay of Pence receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Pence celebrated the milestone Friday as “a medical miracle” that could eventually end a pandemic that has killed more than 310,000 Americans. 

Conspicuously absent was President Donald Trump, who has remained largely out of sight five days into the largest vaccination campaign in the nation’s history. Trump’s relative silence comes as he continues to rage about his defeat in the Nov. 3 election and embraces increasingly extreme efforts to overturn the people’s will.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence was vaccinated for COVID-19 on Friday in a live-television event aimed at reassuring Americans the vaccine is safe.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?507423-1/vice-president-pence-receives-covid-19-vaccine&amp;fbclid=IwAR1Uc6sJFQy6u2buts_05bZ2j-PihNzWTLEeqSg4BOoMX36ufU-Ka6H2Hrk">Click here to watch</a> a replay of Pence receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

In remarks after his shot, Pence called the speed with which the vaccine was developed “a medical miracle.”

“The American people can be confident: we have one and perhaps within hours two” safe vaccines,” Pence said, referring to expected FDA approval for Moderna’s vaccine. Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine was the first to be approved.

“Building confidence in the vaccine is what brings us here this morning,” he added.

Pence’s wife Karen and Surgeon General Jerome Adams also received shots during the televised White House event.

President Donald Trump’s administration helped deliver vaccinations against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;earlier than even some in his administration thought possible, launching&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/756e5b743058701c4a2ebefd0af1ade4">Operation Warp Speed</a>&nbsp;— the government campaign to help swiftly develop and distribute vaccines — this spring with great fanfare in the White House Rose Garden.

But five days into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-health-workers-coronavirus-vaccine-56df745388a9fc12ae93c6f9a0d0e81f">the largest vaccination campaign in the nation’s history</a>, Trump has held no public events to trumpet the rollout. He hasn’t been inoculated himself. He has tweeted only twice about the shot. Pence, meanwhile, has taken center stage — touring a vaccine production facility this week and receiving a dose himself on live television Friday morning. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell both said Thursday that they will get vaccinated in the next few days.

Pence, along with his wife, Karen, and Surgeon General Jerome Adams, received their shots Friday morning in an office suite in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building from three medical technicians from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Trump’s relative silence comes as he continues to stew about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">his defeat in the Nov. 3 election</a>&nbsp;and embraces increasingly extreme efforts to overturn the people’s will. He’s pushed aside the plans of aides who wanted him to be the public face of the vaccination campaign, eschewing visits to labs and production facilities to thank workers, or hosting efforts to build public confidence in the shot, according to people familiar with the conversations.

The sheepish approach has been surprising, especially for a president rarely shy to take credit, said Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown Law who focuses on public health.

“The President’s relatively low profile on the COVID response since the election is curious and counter to Mr. Trump’s own interests,” he said. Gostin, who has criticized Trump’s handling of the pandemic in the past, said that he “deserves a great deal of credit” for Operation Warp Speed and placing a bet on two vaccines that use&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9340521654">groundbreaking mRNA technology</a>.

“Having exhibited leadership in the vaccines’ development, he should take great pride in publicly demonstrating his trust in COVID vaccines,” he said.

Trump did appear at a White House “summit” ahead of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the Pfizer vaccine last week. That event included an introductory video highlighting the past comments of those — including top government infectious-disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci — who doubted a shot would be ready this year.

But many Trump aides are puzzled by his low profile now that the vaccine is actually being injected. They see it as a missed opportunity for the president, who leaves office at noon on Jan. 20, to claim credit for helping oversee the speedy development and deployment of the vaccine that is expected to finally contain the virus that has killed more than 310,000 Americans.

Trump himself has tried to minimize any credit that might go to his successor, President-elect Joe Biden, who will preside over the bulk of the nationwide injection campaign next year. Biden expects to receive his shot as soon as next week.

“Don’t let Joe Biden take credit for the vaccines,” Trump has told reporters. “Don’t let him take credit for the vaccines because the vaccines were me, and I pushed people harder than they’ve ever been pushed before.”

Despite Trump’s claims, FDA scientists were the ones who came up with the idea for Operation Warp Speed, the White House-backed effort through which millions of doses of coronavirus vaccines and treatments are being manufactured even as they are still being evaluated. And much of the groundwork for the shots was laid over the past decade, including through research on messenger RNA, or mRNA, used in the vaccines developed by both Pfizer and Moderna. Pfizer developed its vaccine outside Operation Warp Speed but is partnering with the federal government on manufacturing and distribution.

Trump’s low-key approach could have an impact on public health. Fauci told NBC News this week that 75% to 85% of the nation needs to be vaccinated to achieve “herd immunity,” making the public education campaign about the vaccine’s safety all the more pressing.

A survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-us-half-want-vaccine-shots-4d98dbfc0a64d60d52ac84c3065dac55">only about half of Americans want to get the vaccine as soon as possible</a>. Another quarter of the public isn’t sure, while the remaining quarter say they aren’t interested. Some simply oppose vaccines in general. Others are concerned that the injections have been rushed and want to see how the rollout goes.

As Trump sat on the sidelines, some of his favored commentators, including Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, were questioning the safety of the vaccine.

White House deputy press secretary Brian Morgenstern said Trump “will continue to update the country through a variety of means while giving medical professionals and hardworking staff at OWS the space to do their jobs and save lives.”

While senior officials are beginning to make plans to receive the vaccine in public to help build public confidence, Trump, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-health-archive-hope-hicks-7fece2838ff7a9bd91ccf5ac287348b3">hospitalized with COVID-19</a>&nbsp;in October, is taking his time.

According to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is not yet enough information to determine whether those who have had COVID-19, like Trump, should get the vaccine. Still, Fauci recommended that Trump take it publicly without delay.

“Even though the president himself was infected, and he has, likely, antibodies that likely would be protective, we’re not sure how long that protection lasts. So, to be doubly sure, I would recommend that he get vaccinated as well as the vice president,” Fauci told ABC News.

It was not clear whether first lady Melania Trump, who came down with COVID-19 at the same time as her husband, would be vaccinated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608296829519.png" alt="A doctor from Walter Reed National Medical Center gives Vice President Mike Pence the COVID-19 vaccination Friday morning-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>A doctor from Walter Reed National Medical Center gives Vice President Mike Pence the COVID-19 vaccination Friday morning-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence and the leaders of the House and Senate received their first COVID-19 vaccinations as they tried to reassure Americans the shot is safe.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?507423-1/vice-president-pence-receives-covid-19-vaccine&amp;fbclid=IwAR1Uc6sJFQy6u2buts_05bZ2j-PihNzWTLEeqSg4BOoMX36ufU-Ka6H2Hrk">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;a replay of Pence receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.Pence celebrated the milestone Friday as “a medical miracle” that could eventually end a pandemic that has killed more than 310,000 Americans. Conspicuously absent was President Donald Trump, who has remained largely out of sight five days into the largest vaccination campaign in the nation’s history. Trump’s relative silence comes as he continues to rage about his defeat in the Nov. 3 election and embraces increasingly extreme efforts to overturn the people’s will.WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence was vaccinated for COVID-19 on Friday in a live-television event aimed at reassuring Americans the vaccine is safe.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?507423-1/vice-president-pence-receives-covid-19-vaccine&amp;fbclid=IwAR1Uc6sJFQy6u2buts_05bZ2j-PihNzWTLEeqSg4BOoMX36ufU-Ka6H2Hrk">Click here to watch</a> a replay of Pence receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.In remarks after his shot, Pence called the speed with which the vaccine was developed “a medical miracle.”“The American people can be confident: we have one and perhaps within hours two” safe vaccines,” Pence said, referring to expected FDA approval for Moderna’s vaccine. Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine was the first to be approved.“Building confidence in the vaccine is what brings us here this morning,” he added.Pence’s wife Karen and Surgeon General Jerome Adams also received shots during the televised White House event.President Donald Trump’s administration helped deliver vaccinations against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/virus-outbreak">the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;earlier than even some in his administration thought possible, launching&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/756e5b743058701c4a2ebefd0af1ade4">Operation Warp Speed</a>&nbsp;— the government campaign to help swiftly develop and distribute vaccines — this spring with great fanfare in the White House Rose Garden.But five days into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-health-workers-coronavirus-vaccine-56df745388a9fc12ae93c6f9a0d0e81f">the largest vaccination campaign in the nation’s history</a>, Trump has held no public events to trumpet the rollout. He hasn’t been inoculated himself. He has tweeted only twice about the shot. Pence, meanwhile, has taken center stage — touring a vaccine production facility this week and receiving a dose himself on live television Friday morning. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell both said Thursday that they will get vaccinated in the next few days.Pence, along with his wife, Karen, and Surgeon General Jerome Adams, received their shots Friday morning in an office suite in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building from three medical technicians from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.Trump’s relative silence comes as he continues to stew about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">his defeat in the Nov. 3 election</a>&nbsp;and embraces increasingly extreme efforts to overturn the people’s will. He’s pushed aside the plans of aides who wanted him to be the public face of the vaccination campaign, eschewing visits to labs and production facilities to thank workers, or hosting efforts to build public confidence in the shot, according to people familiar with the conversations.The sheepish approach has been surprising, especially for a president rarely shy to take credit, said Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown Law who focuses on public health.“The President’s relatively low profile on the COVID response since the election is curious and counter to Mr. Trump’s own interests,” he said. Gostin, who has criticized Trump’s handling of the pandemic in the past, said that he “deserves a great deal of credit” for Operation Warp Speed and placing a bet on two vaccines that use&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9340521654">groundbreaking mRNA technology</a>.“Having exhibited leadership in the vaccines’ development, he should take great pride in publicly demonstrating his trust in COVID vaccines,” he said.Trump did appear at a White House “summit” ahead of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the Pfizer vaccine last week. That event included an introductory video highlighting the past comments of those — including top government infectious-disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci — who doubted a shot would be ready this year.But many Trump aides are puzzled by his low profile now that the vaccine is actually being injected. They see it as a missed opportunity for the president, who leaves office at noon on Jan. 20, to claim credit for helping oversee the speedy development and deployment of the vaccine that is expected to finally contain the virus that has killed more than 310,000 Americans.Trump himself has tried to minimize any credit that might go to his successor, President-elect Joe Biden, who will preside over the bulk of the nationwide injection campaign next year. Biden expects to receive his shot as soon as next week.“Don’t let Joe Biden take credit for the vaccines,” Trump has told reporters. “Don’t let him take credit for the vaccines because the vaccines were me, and I pushed people harder than they’ve ever been pushed before.”Despite Trump’s claims, FDA scientists were the ones who came up with the idea for Operation Warp Speed, the White House-backed effort through which millions of doses of coronavirus vaccines and treatments are being manufactured even as they are still being evaluated. And much of the groundwork for the shots was laid over the past decade, including through research on messenger RNA, or mRNA, used in the vaccines developed by both Pfizer and Moderna. Pfizer developed its vaccine outside Operation Warp Speed but is partnering with the federal government on manufacturing and distribution.Trump’s low-key approach could have an impact on public health. Fauci told NBC News this week that 75% to 85% of the nation needs to be vaccinated to achieve “herd immunity,” making the public education campaign about the vaccine’s safety all the more pressing.A survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-us-half-want-vaccine-shots-4d98dbfc0a64d60d52ac84c3065dac55">only about half of Americans want to get the vaccine as soon as possible</a>. Another quarter of the public isn’t sure, while the remaining quarter say they aren’t interested. Some simply oppose vaccines in general. Others are concerned that the injections have been rushed and want to see how the rollout goes.As Trump sat on the sidelines, some of his favored commentators, including Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, were questioning the safety of the vaccine.White House deputy press secretary Brian Morgenstern said Trump “will continue to update the country through a variety of means while giving medical professionals and hardworking staff at OWS the space to do their jobs and save lives.”While senior officials are beginning to make plans to receive the vaccine in public to help build public confidence, Trump, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-health-archive-hope-hicks-7fece2838ff7a9bd91ccf5ac287348b3">hospitalized with COVID-19</a>&nbsp;in October, is taking his time.According to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is not yet enough information to determine whether those who have had COVID-19, like Trump, should get the vaccine. Still, Fauci recommended that Trump take it publicly without delay.“Even though the president himself was infected, and he has, likely, antibodies that likely would be protective, we’re not sure how long that protection lasts. So, to be doubly sure, I would recommend that he get vaccinated as well as the vice president,” Fauci told ABC News.It was not clear whether first lady Melania Trump, who came down with COVID-19 at the same time as her husband, would be vaccinated.“The last thing I would say to every American is be confident that we have cut red tape, but we’ve cut no corners when it comes to the development of this vaccine,” Pence said this week at an Indiana vaccine production facility.White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters this week that Trump, who has previously spread misinformation about other vaccines, was trying to send a message about priorities by delaying his own inoculation.“The president wants to send a parallel message which is, you know, our long-term care facility residents and our front-line workers are paramount in importance,” she said.Gostin disagreed. ”It will be enormously damaging to public trust in the vaccine if President Trump isn’t visibly enthusiastic, including getting his shot on national television,” he argued. “It simply isn’t good enough to have Vice President Pence as a proxy.”Presidents and their family members have often made a display of their vaccinations to boost public confidence. President Dwight Eisenhower highlighted that one of his grandchildren was among the first wave of American children vaccinated for polio. In 2009, President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, vaccinated both their young daughters, who were in a higher risk group, for the swine flu.