KANSAS CITY (AP) —Preslie Paur breaks down in tears when she thinks of her state’s refusal to mandate face masks.

The South Salt Lake City, Utah, woman can’t work at her special education job due to an autoimmune disease. Her husband, also a special ed teacher, recently quit because his school district would not allow him to work remotely to protect her and their 5-year-old son, who has asthma.

“I feel forgotten,” Paur said. “We’re living in a world we no longer fit in. We did everything right. We went to college, we got jobs, we tried to give back to our community, and now our community is not giving back to us. And I’m very scared.”

As President Donald Trump barnstorms the swing states, often downplaying the coronavirus pandemic before largely unmasked crowds, the nation continues to lurch toward what his opponent Joe Biden, citing health experts, warned will be a “dark winter” of disease and death.

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told CNN on Sunday that “we’re not going to control the pandemic.” Asked why, he said it’s “because it is a contagious virus just like the flu.”

Vice President Mike Pence will continue campaigning despite his chief of staff testing positive for COVID-19. His office said Pence and his wife both tested negative for the virus Sunday.

About half of U.S. states have seen their highest daily infection numbers so far at some point in October, and the country as a whole came very close to back-to-back record daily infection rates on Friday and Saturday.

Data from Johns Hopkins University shows that 83,718 new cases were reported Saturday, just shy of the 83,757 infections reported Friday. Before that, the most cases reported in the United States on a single day had been 77,362, on July 16.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, which federal health officials have used as a source for their pandemic projections, currently forecasts that the U.S. COVID-19 death toll could exceed 318,000 by Jan. 1.

As of Sunday, there were more than 8.6 million confirmed infections in the U.S., with deaths climbing to over 225,000, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

At least seven states — Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio and Oklahoma — saw record high infection levels Saturday. And some Northeastern states hit hard in the spring are seeing numbers bounce back; New Jersey’s toll of 1,909 new infections Saturday was the most it had seen in a day since early May.

The virus also is surging in the Mountain West, especially Idaho and Utah.

In Twin Falls, Idaho, new data suggest that 1 in 24 residents has contracted the coronavirus, said Dr. Joshua Kern, vice president of medical affairs at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center. Amid a crush of new cases, the hospital brought in nurses from Boise, scaled back elective surgery and, as of Friday, stopped admitting pediatric patients.

“It’s gotten kind of out of hand,” Kern told The Associated Press. “We’ve had something like a third of our total COVID cases in our community in the last two to three weeks. There are a lot of parts of the state suffering under the same burden.”

Kern said Twin Falls had been lulled into complacency after months of relatively low numbers, adding “going back to school was the signal to our communities that we can get back to normal.”

“It’s like the community said, ‘Oh, good. It’s over. We can party again,’ and we saw the virus increase,” he said. “This week, we went to the coffee shop to get pastries for our group, and it was closed because of COVID. And we knew that the week before, they had been in there unmasked.”

Mark Chidichimo, a retired FBI agent, said his sister, brother-in-law, brother, nephew and 92-year-old father in Idaho have all been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last three weeks.

Chidichimo, who lives in New Jersey, had nothing but praise for St. Luke’s in Twin Falls, but said his brother was told that if he needed hospitalization, he’d be sent to Seattle, more than 600 miles away.

“Hey, Idaho. This is coming from someone who has been there, done that: You really want to avoid this if you can,” he said. “It’s going to be really bad, and I pray to God that none of my family members have to be hospitalized. Because if they do, I don’t know if they’ll survive.”

After months of improvement, parts of Europe are going back into lockdown or ramping up restrictions again amid a spike in infections. Italy imposed at least a month of new restrictions across the country on Sunday, insisting that people outdoors wear masks, shutting down gyms, pools and movie theaters, and putting an early curfew on cafes and restaurants.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn, who tested positive Wednesday, pleaded with citizens to wear masks as the virus spikes across the country and hospital ICUs are filling up again.

“Please continue to help and don’t listen to those who play down (coronavirus),” he said. “It is serious.”

In New Mexico, which reported record numbers of additional COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in recent days, more than 350 doctors, nurses and other health care professionals signed a letter imploring residents to stay home as much as possible, wear masks and limit large gatherings to help prevent another wave of “lonely deaths.”

“Please help health care professionals help you,” said the letter, posted on the state Department of Health’s website. “Help us protect you. Help us ensure that we have the resources to treat the sick and care for the dying.”

On Saturday, New Mexico officials reported 875 new cases and five additional deaths, increasing the state’s totals to 41,040 cases and 965 deaths. The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations increased to 264, up from a record 229 on Friday, which topped the previous high of 223 from mid-May.

Paur, whose brother and his girlfriend both recently tested positive for the virus, is worried about them, and herself.

“People need to know that our lives are on the line,” the Utah woman said. "We’re running out of money really fast.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603360957118.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said Wednesday that she will speak with House and Senate leaders to develop a bipartisan mask requirement&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said Wednesday that she will speak with House and Senate leaders to develop a bipartisan mask requirement&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Preslie Paur breaks down in tears when she thinks of her state’s refusal to mandate face masks.The South Salt Lake City, Utah, woman can’t work at her special education job due to an autoimmune disease. Her husband, also a special ed teacher, recently quit because his school district would not allow him to work remotely to protect her and their 5-year-old son, who has asthma.“I feel forgotten,” Paur said. “We’re living in a world we no longer fit in. We did everything right. We went to college, we got jobs, we tried to give back to our community, and now our community is not giving back to us. And I’m very scared.”As President Donald Trump barnstorms the swing states, often downplaying the coronavirus pandemic before largely unmasked crowds, the nation continues to lurch toward what his opponent Joe Biden, citing health experts, warned will be a “dark winter” of disease and death.White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told CNN on Sunday that “we’re not going to control the pandemic.” Asked why, he said it’s “because it is a contagious virus just like the flu.”Vice President Mike Pence will continue campaigning despite his chief of staff testing positive for COVID-19. His office said Pence and his wife both tested negative for the virus Sunday.About half of U.S. states have seen their highest daily infection numbers so far at some point in October, and the country as a whole came very close to back-to-back record daily infection rates on Friday and Saturday.Data from Johns Hopkins University shows that 83,718 new cases were reported Saturday, just shy of the 83,757 infections reported Friday. Before that, the most cases reported in the United States on a single day had been 77,362, on July 16.The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, which federal health officials have used as a source for their pandemic projections, currently forecasts that the U.S. COVID-19 death toll could exceed 318,000 by Jan. 1.As of Sunday, there were more than 8.6 million confirmed infections in the U.S., with deaths climbing to over 225,000, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.At least seven states — Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio and Oklahoma — saw record high infection levels Saturday. And some Northeastern states hit hard in the spring are seeing numbers bounce back; New Jersey’s toll of 1,909 new infections Saturday was the most it had seen in a day since early May.The virus also is surging in the Mountain West, especially Idaho and Utah.In Twin Falls, Idaho, new data suggest that 1 in 24 residents has contracted the coronavirus, said Dr. Joshua Kern, vice president of medical affairs at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center. Amid a crush of new cases, the hospital brought in nurses from Boise, scaled back elective surgery and, as of Friday, stopped admitting pediatric patients.“It’s gotten kind of out of hand,” Kern told The Associated Press. “We’ve had something like a third of our total COVID cases in our community in the last two to three weeks. There are a lot of parts of the state suffering under the same burden.”Kern said Twin Falls had been lulled into complacency after months of relatively low numbers, adding “going back to school was the signal to our communities that we can get back to normal.”“It’s like the community said, ‘Oh, good. It’s over. We can party again,’ and we saw the virus increase,” he said. “This week, we went to the coffee shop to get pastries for our group, and it was closed because of COVID. And we knew that the week before, they had been in there unmasked.”Mark Chidichimo, a retired FBI agent, said his sister, brother-in-law, brother, nephew and 92-year-old father in Idaho have all been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last three weeks.Chidichimo, who lives in New Jersey, had nothing but praise for St. Luke’s in Twin Falls, but said his brother was told that if he needed hospitalization, he’d be sent to Seattle, more than 600 miles away.“Hey, Idaho. This is coming from someone who has been there, done that: You really want to avoid this if you can,” he said. “It’s going to be really bad, and I pray to God that none of my family members have to be hospitalized. Because if they do, I don’t know if they’ll survive.”After months of improvement, parts of Europe are going back into lockdown or ramping up restrictions again amid a spike in infections. Italy imposed at least a month of new restrictions across the country on Sunday, insisting that people outdoors wear masks, shutting down gyms, pools and movie theaters, and putting an early curfew on cafes and restaurants.German Health Minister Jens Spahn, who tested positive Wednesday, pleaded with citizens to wear masks as the virus spikes across the country and hospital ICUs are filling up again.“Please continue to help and don’t listen to those who play down (coronavirus),” he said. “It is serious.”In New Mexico, which reported record numbers of additional COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in recent days, more than 350 doctors, nurses and other health care professionals signed a letter imploring residents to stay home as much as possible, wear masks and limit large gatherings to help prevent another wave of “lonely deaths.”“Please help health care professionals help you,” said the letter, posted on the state Department of Health’s website. “Help us protect you. Help us ensure that we have the resources to treat the sick and care for the dying.”On Saturday, New Mexico officials reported 875 new cases and five additional deaths, increasing the state’s totals to 41,040 cases and 965 deaths. The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations increased to 264, up from a record 229 on Friday, which topped the previous high of 223 from mid-May.Paur, whose brother and his girlfriend both recently tested positive for the virus, is worried about them, and herself.“People need to know that our lives are on the line,” the Utah woman said. "We’re running out of money really fast.”—-

Fear and anxiety spike in virus hot spots across US

KANSAS CITY (AP) — When a flotilla of pontoon and fishing boats decked out with “Trump 2020” flags cruised past him this summer, Dale Fullenkamp got an idea.

“I figured I don’t have a boat, but I do have a tractor,” he said.

Soon he was leading nearly 300 combines and tractors pulling hay wagons and manure spreaders through the western Ohio village of Fort Recovery, one of many parades nationwide organized by a swell of grassroots supporters for President Donald Trump.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” said Fullenkamp, a 19-year-old who graduated from high school just last spring. “I thought it’d be just me and my buddies.”

These Trump parades — whether by boat, pickup truck or tractor — have become a show of strength for the president’s supporters and a way to make themselves visible in a year when the coronavirus pandemic has upended traditional campaigning and put a stop to huge arena rallies and picnic fundraisers.

Thousands of cars, minivans and motorcycles on Saturday jammed the interstate circling Cincinnati and many more road rallies were held around the U.S. Another dozen are on tap for the campaign’s final week in Ohio alone.

Campaign strategists and analysts say the parades are a reflection of the president’s populist appeal, but they have varying thoughts on whether they will help his chances of winning.

Some think they’re revealing an underestimated amount of enthusiasm for the president and buoying his fans in the face of polls showing him trailing in many battleground states, while others dismiss the parades as window dressing.

“They are enthusiastic in ways I haven’t seen,” said Pennsylvania-based Republican political strategist Charles Gerow. “These are people who feel they haven’t been taking seriously, and they want to make a strong and visible statement.”

Trump campaign officials say they’ve had almost no involvement in the parades, but they gleefully point out that their Democratic opponents aren’t seeing the same groundswell when it comes to parades for Joe Biden — much like Trump himself likes to mock and contrast the size of his rallies with Biden’s socially distanced gatherings.

Campaign field offices have seen that the parades are bringing in new volunteers to help with get-out-the-vote efforts, said Daniel Lusheck, a spokesman for the Trump campaign in Ohio.

“It’s very organic in nature, but it’s really driving the enthusiasm on the ground,” he said.

Trump, too,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1264714221469732864?lang=en" target="_blank">has noticed</a>, saying at a rally in Florida this summer that “nobody has seen anything like it, ever. And we have that in many other states with boaters and bikers and everybody.”

Parades and marches in the streets have had a place in American politics since the nation’s earliest days. Once a staple of campaigning in the 1800s, they eventually gave way to more effective ways of reaching the masses.

But campaigns big and small have been challenged to come up with anything clever this year because of the limitations imposed by the pandemic, said Brandon Scholz, a veteran GOP strategist in Wisconsin.

He thinks the parades are good for keeping Trump’s core supporters engaged but doubts they’re driving votes.

And they do get a lot of attention although it’s not always positive — like the time in September when five boats sank during a Trump rally on a lake near Austin, Texas.

David Niven, a University of Cincinnati political scientist, agreed that the parades aren’t about spreading the message as much as they are reassuring the president’s backers with “a sea of Trump flags whether they’re on the road or the river.”

“If this were a normal election year we would have stadium rallies. There’d be so many different outlets for people to express themselves,” he said. “In the world of COVID, it’s bumper stickers, tweets and boat parades.”

There’s definitely a high school pep rally feel to the Trump parades, with participants flying their colors and chanting in unison.

In eastern Tennessee, spectators in mid-October lined a 4-mile stretch of road through the town of Rutledge to cheer dozens of tractors, antique cars, motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles decorated with flags and banners celebrating the conservative cause.

“It was bigger than any Christmas parade we ever had,” said Mike Cameron, Grainger County’s GOP chairman. “And that’s the biggest thing that happens in Rutledge.”

Biden’s supporters have countered with a few car rallies of their own, but his campaign has stayed away from such events to avoid spreading the virus, running an almost&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c9b1ac944e8e759de99ced3a5ff90022">entirely virtual strategy&nbsp;</a>of reaching voters. The difference has been notable to Trump’s fans who are hosting and attending the parades.

“It’s really got to deject the other side,” said Blaise Greco, who organized a Trump parade near Hazleton, Pennsylvania, that drew more than 400 cars and motorcycles in early October. “Where’s their enthusiasm? Where’s their flags? Where’s their cars?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603708455076.png" alt="Rolling rally for President Trump Saturday in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Rolling rally for President Trump Saturday in Topeka -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — When a flotilla of pontoon and fishing boats decked out with “Trump 2020” flags cruised past him this summer, Dale Fullenkamp got an idea.“I figured I don’t have a boat, but I do have a tractor,” he said.Soon he was leading nearly 300 combines and tractors pulling hay wagons and manure spreaders through the western Ohio village of Fort Recovery, one of many parades nationwide organized by a swell of grassroots supporters for President Donald Trump.“I’ve never done anything like this before,” said Fullenkamp, a 19-year-old who graduated from high school just last spring. “I thought it’d be just me and my buddies.”These Trump parades — whether by boat, pickup truck or tractor — have become a show of strength for the president’s supporters and a way to make themselves visible in a year when the coronavirus pandemic has upended traditional campaigning and put a stop to huge arena rallies and picnic fundraisers.Thousands of cars, minivans and motorcycles on Saturday jammed the interstate circling Cincinnati and many more road rallies were held around the U.S. Another dozen are on tap for the campaign’s final week in Ohio alone.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603708561348.png" alt="A pro Trump rally Sunday in Leavenworth -photo courtesy Rep. Roger Marshall" />
 <figcaption>A pro Trump rally Sunday in Leavenworth -photo courtesy Rep. Roger Marshall</figcaption>
 </figure>Campaign strategists and analysts say the parades are a reflection of the president’s populist appeal, but they have varying thoughts on whether they will help his chances of winning.Some think they’re revealing an underestimated amount of enthusiasm for the president and buoying his fans in the face of polls showing him trailing in many battleground states, while others dismiss the parades as window dressing.“They are enthusiastic in ways I haven’t seen,” said Pennsylvania-based Republican political strategist Charles Gerow. “These are people who feel they haven’t been taking seriously, and they want to make a strong and visible statement.”Trump campaign officials say they’ve had almost no involvement in the parades, but they gleefully point out that their Democratic opponents aren’t seeing the same groundswell when it comes to parades for Joe Biden — much like Trump himself likes to mock and contrast the size of his rallies with Biden’s socially distanced gatherings.Campaign field offices have seen that the parades are bringing in new volunteers to help with get-out-the-vote efforts, said Daniel Lusheck, a spokesman for the Trump campaign in Ohio.“It’s very organic in nature, but it’s really driving the enthusiasm on the ground,” he said.Trump, too,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1264714221469732864?lang=en" target="_blank">has noticed</a>, saying at a rally in Florida this summer that “nobody has seen anything like it, ever. And we have that in many other states with boaters and bikers and everybody.”Parades and marches in the streets have had a place in American politics since the nation’s earliest days. Once a staple of campaigning in the 1800s, they eventually gave way to more effective ways of reaching the masses.But campaigns big and small have been challenged to come up with anything clever this year because of the limitations imposed by the pandemic, said Brandon Scholz, a veteran GOP strategist in Wisconsin.He thinks the parades are good for keeping Trump’s core supporters engaged but doubts they’re driving votes.And they do get a lot of attention although it’s not always positive — like the time in September when five boats sank during a Trump rally on a lake near Austin, Texas.David Niven, a University of Cincinnati political scientist, agreed that the parades aren’t about spreading the message as much as they are reassuring the president’s backers with “a sea of Trump flags whether they’re on the road or the river.”“If this were a normal election year we would have stadium rallies. There’d be so many different outlets for people to express themselves,” he said. “In the world of COVID, it’s bumper stickers, tweets and boat parades.”There’s definitely a high school pep rally feel to the Trump parades, with participants flying their colors and chanting in unison.In eastern Tennessee, spectators in mid-October lined a 4-mile stretch of road through the town of Rutledge to cheer dozens of tractors, antique cars, motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles decorated with flags and banners celebrating the conservative cause.“It was bigger than any Christmas parade we ever had,” said Mike Cameron, Grainger County’s GOP chairman. “And that’s the biggest thing that happens in Rutledge.”Biden’s supporters have countered with a few car rallies of their own, but his campaign has stayed away from such events to avoid spreading the virus, running an almost&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c9b1ac944e8e759de99ced3a5ff90022">entirely virtual strategy&nbsp;</a>of reaching voters. The difference has been notable to Trump’s fans who are hosting and attending the parades.“It’s really got to deject the other side,” said Blaise Greco, who organized a Trump parade near Hazleton, Pennsylvania, that drew more than 400 cars and motorcycles in early October. “Where’s their enthusiasm? Where’s their flags? Where’s their cars?”

Road rallies in Kansas, boat parades buoy Trump, supporters

DENVER (AP) — On a freezing afternoon in the snow, Patrick Mahomes barely broke a sweat.

The Kansas City Chiefs routed the Broncos 43-16 for their 10th consecutive win over Denver despite failing to convert a single third down (0-for-8) and getting just 200 yards and at touchdown from their star quarterback.

The Chiefs got a pick-6, a kickoff return for a TD, two rushing TDs, including one from his backup, and three field goals to more than make up for Mahomes’ pedestrian numbers.

“I deal with him every day and all he wants to do is win,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “It’s crazy. You know how he’s wired. But that’s what’s real every day. He wants to rip your heart out when he’s out there playing. He wants to do well and do all that. But when other people are scoring, he’s jumping up and down, likewise. He just wants to win. That’s the beauty of him.”

“Whenever you feel like you don’t play a great game offensively and you win by 27 it’s a good feeling,” Mahomes said. “A win’s a win.”

“I can play a whole lot better, and I’m going to,” said Broncos QB Drew Lock, who threw for 254 yards with no TDs and two interceptions.

Mahomes completed 15 of 23 passes but said he only worries about results, not statistics.

“A young Patrick would’ve probably tried to force it and thrown a ball and maybe made a bad interception or something like that,” Mahomes said, relaying a conversation he had with teammate Tyrann Mathieu. “Whereas, now, seeing the way the defense was playing and knowing it’s not there, just kind of either taking the sack or not completing the pass and throwing it away” is the way to go.

“You have to learn ways to win in this league,” Mahomes said. “It’s not always going to be 400 passing yards or 200 rushing yards or whatever it is. It’s going to be finding ways to win. I think this team is doing a great job of doing that.”

The Chiefs (6-1) found other ways to dominate Denver (2-4) on a snowy afternoon that began with a temperature of 14 degrees at kickoff, the coldest October game in Broncos history.

Kansas City took a 24-9 halftime lead even though Mahomes completed just one pass in the second quarter and had only 99 yards through the air in the first half.

Mahomes finally extended his NFL-leading streak to 17 consecutive games with a touchdown throw when he hit Tyreek Hill from 10 yards to make it 37-9 with 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Mahomes’ lone TD throw followed the Chiefs’ fourth takeaway, an interception by Mathieu when rookie KJ Hamler let Lock’s pass bounce off him and right into the arms of the Chiefs star safety.

A week after the Chiefs ran more times than they threw it for the first time in Reid’s eight seasons in Kansas City, it was K.C.’s ground game, special teams and defense that did the damage in Denver in the NFL’s first snow game of 2020.

In the first half, the Chiefs scored touchdowns on Byron Pringle’s 102--yard kickoff return&nbsp;and Daniel Sorensen’s 50-yard interception return&nbsp;to go with Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s 11-yard run in which he broke five tackles.

“You’re not going to beat a team like Kansas City doing that,” lamented Broncos coach Vic Fangio, whose team has been outscored 96-25 in three games against the Chiefs.

Edwards-Hilaire carved his way through a wall of Denver defenders to open the scoring on a snowy, freezing afternoon.

Running up the middle, the rookie plowed through linebacker Alexander Johnson and defensive backs Kareem Jackson, Bryce Callahan, Justin Simmons and Michael Ojemudia like a bowling ball knocking down pins.

The Broncos responded with Lock’s first career touchdown, from 2 yards, but Brandon McManus missed the extra point, leaving Kansas City ahead 7-6, and the Chiefs would never trail.

This game marked the first time running backs Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay were both healthy since the opener, but Lindsay went out with a concussion just before halftime after gaining 79 yards on nine carries. He didn’t return.

Gordon, who missed last week’s win at New England with strep throat a few days after his arrest for driving under the influence, scored a touchdown but turned the ball over twice, including on a failed flea flicker&nbsp;on Denver’s first drive of the second half.

Frank Clark recovered the loose ball, leading to a field goal and a 27-9 lead.

Le'Veon Bell ran six times for 39 yards in his Chiefs debut, and Edwards-Helaire had 46 yards on eight carries.

Lock gave Broncos fans a scare on a scramble, falling awkwardly when his left knee brace got caught in the grass.

“That was weird. I’ve worn that brace for three years now and never once has that happened to me,” Lock said. “I tried to stand up and the brace was locked, so that’s why I had to fall back down. Because if I was to keep trying to stand up, both ends of that brace were going to cut me.”

Broncos: Lindsay (concussion), DL Shelby Harris (wrist), WR Tim Patrick (hamstring), DL Mike Purcell (foot) and DE Derrek Tuszka (hamstring).

Broncos: Host Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

DENVER (AP) — On a freezing afternoon in the snow, Patrick Mahomes barely broke a sweat.The Kansas City Chiefs routed the Broncos 43-16 for their 10th consecutive win over Denver despite failing to convert a single third down (0-for-8) and getting just 200 yards and at touchdown from their star quarterback.The Chiefs got a pick-6, a kickoff return for a TD, two rushing TDs, including one from his backup, and three field goals to more than make up for Mahomes’ pedestrian numbers.“I deal with him every day and all he wants to do is win,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “It’s crazy. You know how he’s wired. But that’s what’s real every day. He wants to rip your heart out when he’s out there playing. He wants to do well and do all that. But when other people are scoring, he’s jumping up and down, likewise. He just wants to win. That’s the beauty of him.”“Whenever you feel like you don’t play a great game offensively and you win by 27 it’s a good feeling,” Mahomes said. “A win’s a win.”And for Denver, a loss is a loss. Again.“I can play a whole lot better, and I’m going to,” said Broncos QB Drew Lock, who threw for 254 yards with no TDs and two interceptions.Mahomes completed 15 of 23 passes but said he only worries about results, not statistics.“A young Patrick would’ve probably tried to force it and thrown a ball and maybe made a bad interception or something like that,” Mahomes said, relaying a conversation he had with teammate Tyrann Mathieu. “Whereas, now, seeing the way the defense was playing and knowing it’s not there, just kind of either taking the sack or not completing the pass and throwing it away” is the way to go.“You have to learn ways to win in this league,” Mahomes said. “It’s not always going to be 400 passing yards or 200 rushing yards or whatever it is. It’s going to be finding ways to win. I think this team is doing a great job of doing that.”The Chiefs (6-1) found other ways to dominate Denver (2-4) on a snowy afternoon that began with a temperature of 14 degrees at kickoff, the coldest October game in Broncos history.Kansas City took a 24-9 halftime lead even though Mahomes completed just one pass in the second quarter and had only 99 yards through the air in the first half.Mahomes finally extended his NFL-leading streak to 17 consecutive games with a touchdown throw when he hit Tyreek Hill from 10 yards to make it 37-9 with 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.Mahomes’ lone TD throw followed the Chiefs’ fourth takeaway, an interception by Mathieu when rookie KJ Hamler let Lock’s pass bounce off him and right into the arms of the Chiefs star safety.A week after the Chiefs ran more times than they threw it for the first time in Reid’s eight seasons in Kansas City, it was K.C.’s ground game, special teams and defense that did the damage in Denver in the NFL’s first snow game of 2020.In the first half, the Chiefs scored touchdowns on Byron Pringle’s 102--yard kickoff return&nbsp;and Daniel Sorensen’s 50-yard interception return&nbsp;to go with Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s 11-yard run in which he broke five tackles.“You’re not going to beat a team like Kansas City doing that,” lamented Broncos coach Vic Fangio, whose team has been outscored 96-25 in three games against the Chiefs.Edwards-Hilaire carved his way through a wall of Denver defenders to open the scoring on a snowy, freezing afternoon.Running up the middle, the rookie plowed through linebacker Alexander Johnson and defensive backs Kareem Jackson, Bryce Callahan, Justin Simmons and Michael Ojemudia like a bowling ball knocking down pins.The Broncos responded with Lock’s first career touchdown, from 2 yards, but Brandon McManus missed the extra point, leaving Kansas City ahead 7-6, and the Chiefs would never trail.1-2 PUNCH:This game marked the first time running backs Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay were both healthy since the opener, but Lindsay went out with a concussion just before halftime after gaining 79 yards on nine carries. He didn’t return.Gordon, who missed last week’s win at New England with strep throat a few days after his arrest for driving under the influence, scored a touchdown but turned the ball over twice, including on a failed flea flicker&nbsp;on Denver’s first drive of the second half.Frank Clark recovered the loose ball, leading to a field goal and a 27-9 lead.BELL TOLLSLe'Veon Bell ran six times for 39 yards in his Chiefs debut, and Edwards-Helaire had 46 yards on eight carries.LOCK SCARELock gave Broncos fans a scare on a scramble, falling awkwardly when his left knee brace got caught in the grass.“That was weird. I’ve worn that brace for three years now and never once has that happened to me,” Lock said. “I tried to stand up and the brace was locked, so that’s why I had to fall back down. Because if I was to keep trying to stand up, both ends of that brace were going to cut me.”INJURIESChiefs: none.Broncos: Lindsay (concussion), DL Shelby Harris (wrist), WR Tim Patrick (hamstring), DL Mike Purcell (foot) and DE Derrek Tuszka (hamstring).UP NEXT:Chiefs: Host New York Jets on Sunday.Broncos: Host Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

🏈 Chiefs rout Broncos as Mahomes barely breaks a sweat

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man arrested Oct. 18 in connection with a violent attack on woman made his first court appearance in the case this week.

Deadrian Burns, 30, Wichita, is charged with&nbsp;aggravated kidnapping, 2 counts of aggravated battery, 2 counts of aggravated domestic battery, aggravated endangering a child, criminal threat, and a misdemeanor count of battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 11:30 p.m. October 18, police responded to an assault call at a residence in the 5100 block of East New Jersey Drive in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. 

Upon arrival, officers located 30-year-old Deadrian Burns physically fighting with a 44-year-old man outside of the residence. 

Police also contacted a 25-year-old&nbsp; woman after she locked herself in a vehicle with her two-month-old son. EMS transported the 25-year-old and her 2-month-old to a local hospital with serious injuries, according to Davidson.

The investigation revealed that Burns, his 25-year-old ex-girlfriend, and her 44-year-old family member were at the residence celebrating a birthday. Burns and the 44-year-old man left together to go to a store. While at the store, they got into a verbal argument, and the 44-year-old left, leaving Burns behind. Burns walked back to the residence and assaulted the 25-year-old woman, threatened her, and strangled her to the point of unconsciousness. He also dropped the 2-month-old on the ground outside.

Burns then called the 44-year-old and threatened to harm the 25-year-old if he did not return to the house. When he arrived, the two physically fought while the woman locked herself in a vehicle and called 911.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man after a violent attack on a woman.

Just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday, police responded to an assault call at a residence in the 5100 block of East New Jersey Drive in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. 

Police arrested Burns on requested charges of&nbsp;attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a $100,000 bond, according to<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1533/DRAFT-COVID-19-Vaccination-Plan-for-Kansas-Version11-10162020"> online jail records.</a>

The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603225539777.png" alt="Burns-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Burns-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man arrested Oct. 18 in connection with a violent attack on woman made his first court appearance in the case this week.Deadrian Burns, 30, Wichita, is charged with&nbsp;aggravated kidnapping, 2 counts of aggravated battery, 2 counts of aggravated domestic battery, aggravated endangering a child, criminal threat, and a misdemeanor count of battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 11:30 p.m. October 18, police responded to an assault call at a residence in the 5100 block of East New Jersey Drive in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers located 30-year-old Deadrian Burns physically fighting with a 44-year-old man outside of the residence. Police also contacted a 25-year-old&nbsp; woman after she locked herself in a vehicle with her two-month-old son. EMS transported the 25-year-old and her 2-month-old to a local hospital with serious injuries, according to Davidson.The investigation revealed that Burns, his 25-year-old ex-girlfriend, and her 44-year-old family member were at the residence celebrating a birthday. Burns and the 44-year-old man left together to go to a store. While at the store, they got into a verbal argument, and the 44-year-old left, leaving Burns behind. Burns walked back to the residence and assaulted the 25-year-old woman, threatened her, and strangled her to the point of unconsciousness. He also dropped the 2-month-old on the ground outside.Burns then called the 44-year-old and threatened to harm the 25-year-old if he did not return to the house. When he arrived, the two physically fought while the woman locked herself in a vehicle and called 911.------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man after a violent attack on a woman.Just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday, police responded to an assault call at a residence in the 5100 block of East New Jersey Drive in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers located 30-year-old Deadrian Burns physically fighting with a 44-year-old man outside of the residence. Police also contacted a 25-year-old&nbsp; woman after she locked herself in a vehicle with her two-month-old son. EMS transported the 25-year-old and her 2-month-old to a local hospital with serious injuries, according to Davidson.The investigation revealed that Burns, his 25-year-old ex-girlfriend, and her 44-year-old family member were at the residence celebrating a birthday. Burns and the 44-year-old man left together to go to a store. While at the store, they got into a verbal argument, and the 44-year-old left, leaving Burns behind. Burns walked back to the residence and assaulted the 25-year-old woman, threatened her, and strangled her to the point of unconsciousness. He also dropped the 2-month-old on the ground outside.Burns then called the 44-year-old and threatened to harm the 25-year-old if he did not return to the house. When he arrived, the two physically fought while the woman locked herself in a vehicle and called 911.Police arrested Burns on requested charges of&nbsp;attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a $100,000 bond, according to<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1533/DRAFT-COVID-19-Vaccination-Plan-for-Kansas-Version11-10162020"> online jail records.</a>The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Kan. man charged for violent attack on woman, infant

David E. Keller, 59, passed away Saturday, October 10, 2020, at the Andbe Home, Norton, KS. There are no services planned at this time.

David E. Keller, 59, passed away Saturday, October 10, 2020, at the Andbe Home, Norton, KS. There are no services planned at this time.

David E. Keller

Shirley J. Wallen, 78, passed away Wednesday, October 21, 2020, at the Osborne County Memorial Hospital, Osborne, KS. Services are pending with All Faiths Funeral Chapel.

Shirley J. Wallen, 78, passed away Wednesday, October 21, 2020, at the Osborne County Memorial Hospital, Osborne, KS. Services are pending with All Faiths Funeral Chapel.

Shirley J. Wallen

Donna Lea Hale, age 93, of Norton, passed away October 24, 2020, at the Andbe Home.  

A full obituary and funeral service information is pending with Enfield Funeral Home.

Donna Lea Hale, age 93, of Norton, passed away October 24, 2020, at the Andbe Home. A full obituary and funeral service information is pending with Enfield Funeral Home.

Donna Lea Hale

E. Kay LeBeau, age 78, of Norton, passed away October 22, 2020, at the Andbe Home.

Visitation for Kay will be Tuesday, October 27, 2020, from 5 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Enfield Funeral Home in Norton.  A rosary service will be held Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. also at the funeral home.  Graveside service and interment will be Wednesday, October 28th, at 2:00 p.m. at the Norton Cemetery.  Memorials have been established to the Norton Public Library and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.  

A full obituary is pending with Enfield Funeral Home.

E. Kay LeBeau, age 78, of Norton, passed away October 22, 2020, at the Andbe Home.Visitation for Kay will be Tuesday, October 27, 2020, from 5 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Enfield Funeral Home in Norton. A rosary service will be held Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. also at the funeral home. Graveside service and interment will be Wednesday, October 28th, at 2:00 p.m. at the Norton Cemetery. Memorials have been established to the Norton Public Library and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. A full obituary is pending with Enfield Funeral Home.

E. Kay LeBeau

Sylvia Carolee (Johnson) Thomas, 89, died at the Gove County Long Term 
Care in Quinter, Kansas, on Friday, October 23, 2020. She was born near 
Sharon Springs, Kansas to Charles and Iola Johnson. She was the youngest
 of five living siblings; two sisters died before she was born. Sylvia 
grew up mostly in Colorado and Kansas, and she attended school in Hoxie.
 She also attended Lincoln Bible College in Illinois. 
 Sylvia loved children, and was never far away from them. One of her 
most meaningful experiences as a young adult was working at a children’s
 home in Tennessee. She often referred to the things she saw and the 
lessons she learned there. In fact, she named one of her daughters after
 a girl at the orphanage. 
 Although she said she would not marry a farmer, that is just what 
she did on October 19, 1958, when she married Dean Leroy Thomas of 
Hoxie. The couple lived on the farm southeast of Hoxie. Sylvia stayed 
at home with the children, and later worked in the Hoxie Grade School as
 a cook for several years. 
 Sylvia was an active and devout Christian. During her life, she 
attended the Christian Church, the Church of Christ, and also Mt. 
Pleasant Baptist Church, where she was a member at the time of her 
death. She cooked and baked for countless funeral dinners, weddings, and
 pot lucks. Additionally, she was involved in the Eastern Star for 
several years. Raising three girls was a full time job, but she found 
time to sew, garden, read, play board games, visit the neighbors, and 
grow beautiful house plants. Sylvia was a dear, trusted friend to many.
 She loved to sing and had a beautiful voice. She sang hymns and 
popular songs, and often led singing at church camps or Vacation Bible 
School. 
 Sylvia is preceded in death by her husband Dean; parents Charles and
 Iola Johnson; brothers Charles, Ray, and Jay; and sisters Ruby 
(Johnson) Harrison, Ethel (Johnson) Clear, Wilma and Ruth Johnson.
 She is survived by her three daughters Carolyn (Howard) Nelson; 
Bonnie Galloway; and Linda (Dean) Cranston; grandchildren Melissa (Kelo)
 Turner, Jeremy Freeman, Joshua (Miranda) Freeman, Caleb (Alli) 
Galloway, Lexus Hooks, Jessica Mecham, and Samantha Mecham; 
great-grandchildren Jadyn Ware, Ava Thomas, Kayla Thomas, Kortlyn 
Turner, Leilani Freeman, Brooke Lynn Freeman, Josiah Freeman, Isaiah 
Burns, Tristan Williams, and Wesley Hopkins, as well as nieces, nephews,
 cousins, and friends. 
 A funeral service is planned for Saturday, November 7, at 11:00 a.m.
 at the Mickey Leopold Funeral Home in Hoxie, Kansas. Visitation will be
 held Friday, November 6, 2020 from 3:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. at the 
Funeral Home. Words of comfort may be left at 
www.mickeyleopoldfuneral.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603655282311.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Sylvia Carolee (Johnson) Thomas, 89, died at the Gove County Long Term 
Care in Quinter, Kansas, on Friday, October 23, 2020. She was born near 
Sharon Springs, Kansas to Charles and Iola Johnson. She was the youngest
 of five living siblings; two sisters died before she was born. Sylvia 
grew up mostly in Colorado and Kansas, and she attended school in Hoxie.
 She also attended Lincoln Bible College in Illinois. 
 Sylvia loved children, and was never far away from them. One of her 
most meaningful experiences as a young adult was working at a children’s
 home in Tennessee. She often referred to the things she saw and the 
lessons she learned there. In fact, she named one of her daughters after
 a girl at the orphanage. 
 Although she said she would not marry a farmer, that is just what 
she did on October 19, 1958, when she married Dean Leroy Thomas of 
Hoxie. The couple lived on the farm southeast of Hoxie. Sylvia stayed 
at home with the children, and later worked in the Hoxie Grade School as
 a cook for several years. 
 Sylvia was an active and devout Christian. During her life, she 
attended the Christian Church, the Church of Christ, and also Mt. 
Pleasant Baptist Church, where she was a member at the time of her 
death. She cooked and baked for countless funeral dinners, weddings, and
 pot lucks. Additionally, she was involved in the Eastern Star for 
several years. Raising three girls was a full time job, but she found 
time to sew, garden, read, play board games, visit the neighbors, and 
grow beautiful house plants. Sylvia was a dear, trusted friend to many.
 She loved to sing and had a beautiful voice. She sang hymns and 
popular songs, and often led singing at church camps or Vacation Bible 
School. 
 Sylvia is preceded in death by her husband Dean; parents Charles and
 Iola Johnson; brothers Charles, Ray, and Jay; and sisters Ruby 
(Johnson) Harrison, Ethel (Johnson) Clear, Wilma and Ruth Johnson.
 She is survived by her three daughters Carolyn (Howard) Nelson; 
Bonnie Galloway; and Linda (Dean) Cranston; grandchildren Melissa (Kelo)
 Turner, Jeremy Freeman, Joshua (Miranda) Freeman, Caleb (Alli) 
Galloway, Lexus Hooks, Jessica Mecham, and Samantha Mecham; 
great-grandchildren Jadyn Ware, Ava Thomas, Kayla Thomas, Kortlyn 
Turner, Leilani Freeman, Brooke Lynn Freeman, Josiah Freeman, Isaiah 
Burns, Tristan Williams, and Wesley Hopkins, as well as nieces, nephews,
 cousins, and friends. 
 A funeral service is planned for Saturday, November 7, at 11:00 a.m.
 at the Mickey Leopold Funeral Home in Hoxie, Kansas. Visitation will be
 held Friday, November 6, 2020 from 3:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. at the 
Funeral Home. Words of comfort may be left at 
www.mickeyleopoldfuneral.com

Sylvia Carolee (Johnson) Thomas

By JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2020-10-21/a-fear-of-the-other-party-fuels-culture-war-in-kansas-u-s-senate-race">Kansaas News Service</a>

EL DORADO, Kansas — The culture war issues that are polarizing
 national politics are also front and center in Kansas’ U.S. Senate 
contest: race, guns, abortion, climate change.

Supporters of 
Republican candidate Roger Marshall fear a wave of Democratic victories 
will trigger radical changes in the nation’s economy and culture; that 
capitalism will give way to socialism, undocumented immigrants will 
stream across the U.S.-Mexico border and individual liberties will be 
threatened.

Voters who favor Democratic candidate Barbara Bollier 
talk with similar alarm about what might happen if President Donald 
Trump wins a second term and Republicans keep their Senate majority — 
further erosion of democratic institutions and dire consequences for 
failing to act on climate change and long-neglected racial issues.

“No
 other Western democracy is remotely as polarized as America,” said 
Mugambi Jouet, an assistant law professor at Canada’s McGill University 
and author of the book, “Exceptional America: What Divides Americans 
From the World and From Each Other.”

A Democrat hasn’t won a U.S. Senate race in Kansas since the Great Depression, but <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/kansas/" target="_blank">several recent polls</a> suggest this year’s contest could be close.

Marshall,
 a two-term congressman from western Kansas, is urging GOP voters to 
close ranks behind him, warning them that the Kansas race could 
determine whether Republicans keep their Senate majority.

At an early October event in El Dorado, he rallied his base by 
ticking through a list of “radical” changes that he believes Democrats 
would make if given the opportunity.

“They want to take away our freedoms of speech, our freedoms of religion,” Marshall said.

Continuing
 down a list of hot-button issues, he said they also want to “take away 
our Second Amendment” and lift all restrictions on late-term abortions.

“But I’m going up there to stop all that from happening,” he said.

Bollier,
 a state senator from the Kansas City suburbs who switched parties in 
2018, is instead hoping to capitalize on voter frustration with 
Washington, D.C., and promising to bridge the partisan divide.

“I’m
 not interested in the big political fights that get us nowhere,” 
Bollier said in a speech after winning the Democratic nomination in 
August. “I’m going to roll up my sleeves, find partners across the aisle
 … and simply find ways to get things done.”

That’s easier said 
than done given that much of what she supports — expanding the 
Affordable Care Act and making changes to immigration policy and police 
departments — will likely encounter stiff opposition from Republicans.

Surveys
 from the Pew Research Center show divisions between Republicans and 
Democrats on a range of fundamental political values deepened during 
Trump’s presidency, surpassing once-record levels reached during Barack 
Obama’s two terms.

The vast majority of Republicans and Democrats,
 81% of respondents in both parties, have unfavorable views of the other
 side, according to a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2017/10/05/the-partisan-divide-on-political-values-grows-even-wider/" target="_blank">2017 Pew report.</a>
 That same survey showed Americans were increasingly less likely to 
interact with people who held different political views or to seek out 
information that challenged their beliefs.

Entrenched mindsets 
tied to the principles of individual liberty and religious freedom are 
contributing factors, said Jouet, the author of the book on 
polarization. They reinforce what he says is an anti-intellectual 
undercurrent that flows through American politics, which in recent 
decades has become stronger with the growth of Christian fundamentalism.

“Religion plays a much more important role in American politics than in other western democracies,” he said.

About 40 percent of Americans self-identify as evangelicals, according to a<a href="https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/235208/things-know-evangelicals-america.aspx" target="_blank"> 2018 Gallup Poll.</a>

Hal Neukirch stood out at the 
Republican rally in El Dorado. Wearing a bright red “Kansas for Trump” 
hat, the retired aerospace worker said he’s backing the president even 
though it’s cost him friends — including one he’s known for 50 years — 
because he believes a Trump defeat would trigger “a massive swing to … 
socialism.”

“Some people have their heads in the sand to think that we wouldn’t go that way,” he said, “but I truly believe we will.”

At
 a GOP tour stop in Overland Park, Marian Stevens said she supports 
Trump because God chose him to “save this country.” His defeat, she 
said, would trigger the “end times”

“It would mean this country is asking to be removed from God’s grace and he would take his arms from around us,” Stevens said.

Democrats,
 independents and a smattering of moderate Republicans at a Bollier 
rally in Salina had different concerns if Trump is re-elected and 
Democrats don’t gain enough power in Congress to check him.

"I 
think our democracy is on the line," said Dee Williamston, a district 
leader for the United Methodist Church in Kansas. "Hands down, this is 
the most important election in the 21st century."

Williamston is 
Black, and pushed Bollier on whether she supports the Black Lives Matter
 movement and efforts to change policing. And overall, Williamston said,
 if Trump wins a second term, she believes there would be further 
attacks on voting rights and policies aimed at ending racial inequities.

“They have their head in the sand when it comes to issues around 
race, power and privilege,” Williamston said, referring to the president
 and Republicans in Congress.

But Marshall, whose father was the 
police chief of El Dorado for 25 years, decries “the violence” that he 
said Black Lives Matter protests triggered in some U.S. cities. In an 
interview, he said systemic racism and police violence against people of
 color might be a problem in some parts of the country, but not in 
Kansas.

“I don’t see that,” he said. “I just really, really don’t.”

There’s
 yet another divisive issue, brought back into the forefront with the 
U.S. Supreme Court nomination hearings, and that’s abortion. Pam 
McIntyre, a Bollier supporter from Salina, is concerned the Senate race 
could turn on the issue.

“I have some friends that are literally 
one-issue voters,” McIntyre said. “I try so desperately to get them to 
see that pro-life is so much more than just birthing a baby.”

Marshall, who is a retired obstetrician, and Republican political action committees are attacking Bollier in campaign ads for<a href="https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/119434/barbara-bollier/2/abortion" target="_blank"> voting against a 2015 measure</a> to ban a relatively rare procedure known as a dilation and evacuation abortion.

That
 measure was struck down in 2019 by the Kansas Supreme Court when it 
ruled that Kansans have a constitutional right to an abortion. And the 
Kansas House narrowly rejected a <a href="https://www.kcur.org/government/2020-02-07/four-kansas-republicans-stopped-their-partys-anti-abortion-bill-but-gop-says-its-not-over" target="_blank">proposed amendment </a>in the 2020 session that would have added language Constitution stating that there is no state right to abortion.

Bollier
 has consistently voted to protect Kansans’ abortion rights, saying 
women should be free to make their own choices in consultation with 
their doctors. A retired anesthesiologist, she also said it would have 
been malpractice for her to support an unconstitutional bill.

Jim McLean is the senior correspondent for the Kansas News Service. You can reach him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jmcleanks?lang=en" target="_blank">@jmcleanks</a> or email jim@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603312925401.png" alt="El Dorado resident Hal Neukirch (right) attends an Oct. 3 rally for U.S. Senate candidate Roger Marshall and other Republican candidates. Jim McLean / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>El Dorado resident Hal Neukirch (right) attends an Oct. 3 rally for U.S. Senate candidate Roger Marshall and other Republican candidates. Jim McLean / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM MCLEAN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2020-10-21/a-fear-of-the-other-party-fuels-culture-war-in-kansas-u-s-senate-race">Kansaas News Service</a>EL DORADO, Kansas — The culture war issues that are polarizing
 national politics are also front and center in Kansas’ U.S. Senate 
contest: race, guns, abortion, climate change.Supporters of 
Republican candidate Roger Marshall fear a wave of Democratic victories 
will trigger radical changes in the nation’s economy and culture; that 
capitalism will give way to socialism, undocumented immigrants will 
stream across the U.S.-Mexico border and individual liberties will be 
threatened.Voters who favor Democratic candidate Barbara Bollier 
talk with similar alarm about what might happen if President Donald 
Trump wins a second term and Republicans keep their Senate majority — 
further erosion of democratic institutions and dire consequences for 
failing to act on climate change and long-neglected racial issues.“No
 other Western democracy is remotely as polarized as America,” said 
Mugambi Jouet, an assistant law professor at Canada’s McGill University 
and author of the book, “Exceptional America: What Divides Americans 
From the World and From Each Other.”<h2>High stakes</h2>A Democrat hasn’t won a U.S. Senate race in Kansas since the Great Depression, but <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/kansas/" target="_blank">several recent polls</a> suggest this year’s contest could be close.Marshall,
 a two-term congressman from western Kansas, is urging GOP voters to 
close ranks behind him, warning them that the Kansas race could 
determine whether Republicans keep their Senate majority.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600877579297.png" alt="The Kansas News Service is a local partner with ProPublica's Electionland collaboration." />
 <figcaption>The Kansas News Service is a local partner with ProPublica's Electionland collaboration.</figcaption>
 </figure>At an early October event in El Dorado, he rallied his base by 
ticking through a list of “radical” changes that he believes Democrats 
would make if given the opportunity.“They want to take away our freedoms of speech, our freedoms of religion,” Marshall said.Continuing
 down a list of hot-button issues, he said they also want to “take away 
our Second Amendment” and lift all restrictions on late-term abortions.“But I’m going up there to stop all that from happening,” he said.Bollier,
 a state senator from the Kansas City suburbs who switched parties in 
2018, is instead hoping to capitalize on voter frustration with 
Washington, D.C., and promising to bridge the partisan divide.“I’m
 not interested in the big political fights that get us nowhere,” 
Bollier said in a speech after winning the Democratic nomination in 
August. “I’m going to roll up my sleeves, find partners across the aisle
 … and simply find ways to get things done.”That’s easier said 
than done given that much of what she supports — expanding the 
Affordable Care Act and making changes to immigration policy and police 
departments — will likely encounter stiff opposition from Republicans.<h2>Divide widening</h2>Surveys
 from the Pew Research Center show divisions between Republicans and 
Democrats on a range of fundamental political values deepened during 
Trump’s presidency, surpassing once-record levels reached during Barack 
Obama’s two terms.The vast majority of Republicans and Democrats,
 81% of respondents in both parties, have unfavorable views of the other
 side, according to a <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2017/10/05/the-partisan-divide-on-political-values-grows-even-wider/" target="_blank">2017 Pew report.</a>
 That same survey showed Americans were increasingly less likely to 
interact with people who held different political views or to seek out 
information that challenged their beliefs.Entrenched mindsets 
tied to the principles of individual liberty and religious freedom are 
contributing factors, said Jouet, the author of the book on 
polarization. They reinforce what he says is an anti-intellectual 
undercurrent that flows through American politics, which in recent 
decades has become stronger with the growth of Christian fundamentalism.“Religion plays a much more important role in American politics than in other western democracies,” he said.About 40 percent of Americans self-identify as evangelicals, according to a<a href="https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/235208/things-know-evangelicals-america.aspx" target="_blank"> 2018 Gallup Poll.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603313030746.png" alt="Marian Stevens shows her support for President Donald Trump at an Oct. 7 rally in Overland Park, Kansas, for U.S. Senate candidate Roger Marshall and other Republicans. Jim McLean" />
 <figcaption>Marian Stevens shows her support for President Donald Trump at an Oct. 7 rally in Overland Park, Kansas, for U.S. Senate candidate Roger Marshall and other Republicans. Jim McLean</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Voters’ concerns</h2>Hal Neukirch stood out at the 
Republican rally in El Dorado. Wearing a bright red “Kansas for Trump” 
hat, the retired aerospace worker said he’s backing the president even 
though it’s cost him friends — including one he’s known for 50 years — 
because he believes a Trump defeat would trigger “a massive swing to … 
socialism.”“Some people have their heads in the sand to think that we wouldn’t go that way,” he said, “but I truly believe we will.”At
 a GOP tour stop in Overland Park, Marian Stevens said she supports 
Trump because God chose him to “save this country.” His defeat, she 
said, would trigger the “end times”“It would mean this country is asking to be removed from God’s grace and he would take his arms from around us,” Stevens said.Democrats,
 independents and a smattering of moderate Republicans at a Bollier 
rally in Salina had different concerns if Trump is re-elected and 
Democrats don’t gain enough power in Congress to check him."I 
think our democracy is on the line," said Dee Williamston, a district 
leader for the United Methodist Church in Kansas. "Hands down, this is 
the most important election in the 21st century."Williamston is 
Black, and pushed Bollier on whether she supports the Black Lives Matter
 movement and efforts to change policing. And overall, Williamston said,
 if Trump wins a second term, she believes there would be further 
attacks on voting rights and policies aimed at ending racial inequities.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603313073801.png" alt="Dee Williamston (left) listens to Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Barbara Bollier at a Sept. 26 rally in Salina. Jim McLean" />
 <figcaption>Dee Williamston (left) listens to Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Barbara Bollier at a Sept. 26 rally in Salina. Jim McLean</figcaption>
 </figure>“They have their head in the sand when it comes to issues around 
race, power and privilege,” Williamston said, referring to the president
 and Republicans in Congress.But Marshall, whose father was the 
police chief of El Dorado for 25 years, decries “the violence” that he 
said Black Lives Matter protests triggered in some U.S. cities. In an 
interview, he said systemic racism and police violence against people of
 color might be a problem in some parts of the country, but not in 
Kansas.“I don’t see that,” he said. “I just really, really don’t.”There’s
 yet another divisive issue, brought back into the forefront with the 
U.S. Supreme Court nomination hearings, and that’s abortion. Pam 
McIntyre, a Bollier supporter from Salina, is concerned the Senate race 
could turn on the issue.“I have some friends that are literally 
one-issue voters,” McIntyre said. “I try so desperately to get them to 
see that pro-life is so much more than just birthing a baby.”Marshall, who is a retired obstetrician, and Republican political action committees are attacking Bollier in campaign ads for<a href="https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/119434/barbara-bollier/2/abortion" target="_blank"> voting against a 2015 measure</a> to ban a relatively rare procedure known as a dilation and evacuation abortion.That
 measure was struck down in 2019 by the Kansas Supreme Court when it 
ruled that Kansans have a constitutional right to an abortion. And the 
Kansas House narrowly rejected a <a href="https://www.kcur.org/government/2020-02-07/four-kansas-republicans-stopped-their-partys-anti-abortion-bill-but-gop-says-its-not-over" target="_blank">proposed amendment </a>in the 2020 session that would have added language Constitution stating that there is no state right to abortion.Bollier
 has consistently voted to protect Kansans’ abortion rights, saying 
women should be free to make their own choices in consultation with 
their doctors. A retired anesthesiologist, she also said it would have 
been malpractice for her to support an unconstitutional bill.Jim McLean is the senior correspondent for the Kansas News Service. You can reach him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jmcleanks?lang=en" target="_blank">@jmcleanks</a> or email jim@kcur.org.

Fear of the other party fuels culture war in Kan. Senate race

Debra Lynn Belcher, 60, passed away October 24, 2020, at Hospice House of Hutchinson, Hutchinson, Kansas.

She was born September 8, 1960, in Norton to Robert and Mary Jo Sparkman Horesky.

Moving from Norton in 1990, she was a longtime area resident and 
worked at Larned State Hospital as a mental health developmental 
disability technician.

On March 10, 1993, she married Michael Belcher at Las Vegas, Nevada; he survives.

Other survivors include: mother, Mary Jo Horesky, Norton; three 
brothers, Robert Horesky Jr. and Jim Horesky, both of Norton, John 
(Tammy) Horesky, Russell; four nephews and one niece.

Graveside service will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at 
Larned Cemetery, Larned with Bob Sallee presiding. Visitation will be 
9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday at Beckwith Mortuary, Larned.

Memorials may be given to Pawnee County Humane Society in care of Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, KS 67550.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603567789915.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Debra Lynn Belcher, 60, passed away October 24, 2020, at Hospice House of Hutchinson, Hutchinson, Kansas.She was born September 8, 1960, in Norton to Robert and Mary Jo Sparkman Horesky.Moving from Norton in 1990, she was a longtime area resident and 
worked at Larned State Hospital as a mental health developmental 
disability technician.On March 10, 1993, she married Michael Belcher at Las Vegas, Nevada; he survives.Other survivors include: mother, Mary Jo Horesky, Norton; three 
brothers, Robert Horesky Jr. and Jim Horesky, both of Norton, John 
(Tammy) Horesky, Russell; four nephews and one niece.Graveside service will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at 
Larned Cemetery, Larned with Bob Sallee presiding. Visitation will be 
9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday at Beckwith Mortuary, Larned.Memorials may be given to Pawnee County Humane Society in care of Beckwith Mortuary, PO Box 477, Larned, KS 67550.

Debra Lynn Belcher

John Stanley Laubhan, 81, of Russell, Kansas, passed away October 22, 2020, at the Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell.

John was born on September 25, 1939, in Hays, Kansas, the son of Georg E. and Irene L. (Meier) Laubhan.  He grew up in Russell and graduated from Russell High School in the class of 1957.  After high school he received training for auto mechanics at the U.S. Trade School in Kansas City, Missouri.  He eventually opened his own business and was owner and operator of Automatic Transmission Service in Russell for 50 years.  He was a longtime member of St. John Lutheran Church and the Elks Lodge, both of Russell.  He enjoyed square dancing, and was the head mechanic for the R.C. Williams Drag Race Team which won the Top Gas National Title in 1970 and 1971.

He is survived by his sister Janet Flickinger and husband Jon of Salina, Kansas; nieces, Jamie Farmer and husband Larry of Salina, Kansas and Julie Hudson and husband Gary of Georgetown, Texas; nephews, Jon Flickinger, Jr and wife Traci of Topeka, Kansas and Jered Flickinger of Austin, Texas; 18 grand and great-grand nieces and nephews; cousins, Liz Thielen of Russell, Kansas, Mike Laubhan, Larry Laubhan, Doug Schoenhals, Jim Schoenhals, Rick Schoenhals and Linda White; and a host of friends.

A funeral service to celebrate John’s life will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas.  A private burial will follow at the Russell City Cemetery in Russell.  Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at the mortuary.   Condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, who is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603567585472.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>John Stanley Laubhan, 81, of Russell, Kansas, passed away October 22, 2020, at the Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell.John was born on September 25, 1939, in Hays, Kansas, the son of Georg E. and Irene L. (Meier) Laubhan. He grew up in Russell and graduated from Russell High School in the class of 1957. After high school he received training for auto mechanics at the U.S. Trade School in Kansas City, Missouri. He eventually opened his own business and was owner and operator of Automatic Transmission Service in Russell for 50 years. He was a longtime member of St. John Lutheran Church and the Elks Lodge, both of Russell. He enjoyed square dancing, and was the head mechanic for the R.C. Williams Drag Race Team which won the Top Gas National Title in 1970 and 1971.He is survived by his sister Janet Flickinger and husband Jon of Salina, Kansas; nieces, Jamie Farmer and husband Larry of Salina, Kansas and Julie Hudson and husband Gary of Georgetown, Texas; nephews, Jon Flickinger, Jr and wife Traci of Topeka, Kansas and Jered Flickinger of Austin, Texas; 18 grand and great-grand nieces and nephews; cousins, Liz Thielen of Russell, Kansas, Mike Laubhan, Larry Laubhan, Doug Schoenhals, Jim Schoenhals, Rick Schoenhals and Linda White; and a host of friends.He was preceded in death by his parents.A funeral service to celebrate John’s life will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas. A private burial will follow at the Russell City Cemetery in Russell. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at the mortuary. Condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, who is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

John Stanley Laubhan

On Thursday, October 22, 2020, our 
beautiful Mom and Grandma Pat passed to her eternal home in Heaven 
whereas faith has it she was embraced by her savior, Jesus. 
Patricia Kay was born in Great Bend, 
Kansas on October 11, 1938, to Dorothy E. (Bruntzel) and John T. Darcey. 
She was the eldest sister to her loving siblings Deanna and Johnny. Pat 
graduated from Radium High School in 1956 and then pursued education at 
the Dominican School of Nursing, although her career path later revealed
 a love of and natural talent for interior design. &nbsp;&nbsp;On November 17, 
1956, Pat was set up on a blind date to Joseph G. “Joe” Englert at his 
sister Millie’s wedding. Pat and Joe’s courtship began! When Joe was 
stationed out for military duties, he proposed to Pat through a love 
letter sent via the postal system, complete with her engagement ring 
enclosed! A September 7, 1957 marriage union in Seward, KS. at St. 
Francis Xavier Catholic Church followed. The couple loved and grew a 
family of four children. In God’s providence, eleven grandchildren and 
five great grandchildren all became part of Pat’s world to love. 
For 52 years Pat and Joe celebrated 
married life until Joe’s passing on August 4, 2009. Pat lived most of 
her life in Hays, Kansas, where she and Joe both contributed through 
careers and volunteer work for their community. &nbsp;Pat’s interests 
included &nbsp;CCD teacher for Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 
member of The Daughters of Isabella, retail store owner of Something 
Special Gift and Décor, showroom owner of Interiors by Pat, BID advisory
 board member, Hays Chamber of Commerce member, founder of Hays Bosom 
Buddies Cancer Support Group, support work toward the Knights of 
Columbus and Kansas National Guard, which her husband was member of 
both, arts and environment volunteer decorator for St. Francis Catholic 
Church in Munjor, volunteer seasonal decorating at Centennial Towers, 
&nbsp;which she loved doing and where she lived her final five years, and 
member of St. Francis Catholic Church. In her later years, she 
immersed herself in the hobby of painting tea towels, donating many to 
varied charitable organizations and to friends and her grandchildren. 
&nbsp;She loved all things creative, didn’t know a stranger, and had the 
kindest heart to all! 
She is survived by her sister: Deanna (Ed)
 Johnson, her brother: John Darcey, three children: Daniel Joseph 
Englert (Patty) of Belton, MO, Darcy Ann Mendenhall (Scott) of Platte 
City, MO,&nbsp;Theresa Marie Corbeille of Rochester, MI,&nbsp; her grandchildren: 
Jason (Meagan) Englert, Jared Englert, Scott Englert, Kyle (Cecily) and 
Connor Mendenhall, Cate Corbeille, Abby (Ryan Michael) Pfeifer, Ryan Joe
 (Polly) Pfeifer, Anna Pfeifer, Isabelle Pfeifer, Miranda (Tim) Abate, 
and Devin (Brittany) Engelhardt, her great grandchildren: Bailey 
Englert, Caleb Englert, Eloise Mendenhall, Ella Pfeifer, Liam Pfeifer, 
Olyvia Engelhardt, Thomas Abate, Gianna Abate, Cale Engelhardt, and 
Adalynn Engelhardt.

Pat was preceded in death by her 
husband Joe, a daughter: Rosemary Kay Englert-Pfeifer, a granddaughter: 
Victoria Rose Pfeifer, her parents, brothers-in-law: John, Edward, and 
Leonard Englert, and Leonard Heeke, sisters-in-law: Esmerelda Darcey, 
Georgia Englert, Mary Englert, and Ann Heeke,&nbsp;and nieces: Denise 
Johnson-George and Esther Rose McMurtrie.

Pat’s family wishes to acknowledge and 
thank HaysMed for their utmost care given for the 30 days Pat was 
hospitalized till her passing, including ICU, Acute Care, hospital 
doctors, food and cleaning service, and all other departments that gave 
professional and compassionate care.

Due to the current Covid pandemic, the 
family has opted for a Catholic, private family service at Hays Memorial
 Chapel Funeral Home on Saturday, October 24, 2020.&nbsp; A springtime 
Catholic funeral and burial will be scheduled and announced.&nbsp; Memorials 
are suggested to St. Francis Church or to St. Nicholas of Myra Church.&nbsp; 
Condolences and memories of Pat may be shared with the family at 
www.haysmemorial.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603401740814.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday, October 22, 2020, our 
beautiful Mom and Grandma Pat passed to her eternal home in Heaven 
whereas faith has it she was embraced by her savior, Jesus. 
Patricia Kay was born in Great Bend, 
Kansas on October 11, 1938, to Dorothy E. (Bruntzel) and John T. Darcey. 
She was the eldest sister to her loving siblings Deanna and Johnny. Pat 
graduated from Radium High School in 1956 and then pursued education at 
the Dominican School of Nursing, although her career path later revealed
 a love of and natural talent for interior design. &nbsp;&nbsp;On November 17, 
1956, Pat was set up on a blind date to Joseph G. “Joe” Englert at his 
sister Millie’s wedding. Pat and Joe’s courtship began! When Joe was 
stationed out for military duties, he proposed to Pat through a love 
letter sent via the postal system, complete with her engagement ring 
enclosed! A September 7, 1957 marriage union in Seward, KS. at St. 
Francis Xavier Catholic Church followed. The couple loved and grew a 
family of four children. In God’s providence, eleven grandchildren and 
five great grandchildren all became part of Pat’s world to love. 
For 52 years Pat and Joe celebrated 
married life until Joe’s passing on August 4, 2009. Pat lived most of 
her life in Hays, Kansas, where she and Joe both contributed through 
careers and volunteer work for their community. &nbsp;Pat’s interests 
included &nbsp;CCD teacher for Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 
member of The Daughters of Isabella, retail store owner of Something 
Special Gift and Décor, showroom owner of Interiors by Pat, BID advisory
 board member, Hays Chamber of Commerce member, founder of Hays Bosom 
Buddies Cancer Support Group, support work toward the Knights of 
Columbus and Kansas National Guard, which her husband was member of 
both, arts and environment volunteer decorator for St. Francis Catholic 
Church in Munjor, volunteer seasonal decorating at Centennial Towers, 
&nbsp;which she loved doing and where she lived her final five years, and 
member of St. Francis Catholic Church. In her later years, she 
immersed herself in the hobby of painting tea towels, donating many to 
varied charitable organizations and to friends and her grandchildren. 
&nbsp;She loved all things creative, didn’t know a stranger, and had the 
kindest heart to all! 
She is survived by her sister: Deanna (Ed)
 Johnson, her brother: John Darcey, three children: Daniel Joseph 
Englert (Patty) of Belton, MO, Darcy Ann Mendenhall (Scott) of Platte 
City, MO,&nbsp;Theresa Marie Corbeille of Rochester, MI,&nbsp; her grandchildren: 
Jason (Meagan) Englert, Jared Englert, Scott Englert, Kyle (Cecily) and 
Connor Mendenhall, Cate Corbeille, Abby (Ryan Michael) Pfeifer, Ryan Joe
 (Polly) Pfeifer, Anna Pfeifer, Isabelle Pfeifer, Miranda (Tim) Abate, 
and Devin (Brittany) Engelhardt, her great grandchildren: Bailey 
Englert, Caleb Englert, Eloise Mendenhall, Ella Pfeifer, Liam Pfeifer, 
Olyvia Engelhardt, Thomas Abate, Gianna Abate, Cale Engelhardt, and 
Adalynn Engelhardt. Pat was preceded in death by her 
husband Joe, a daughter: Rosemary Kay Englert-Pfeifer, a granddaughter: 
Victoria Rose Pfeifer, her parents, brothers-in-law: John, Edward, and 
Leonard Englert, and Leonard Heeke, sisters-in-law: Esmerelda Darcey, 
Georgia Englert, Mary Englert, and Ann Heeke,&nbsp;and nieces: Denise 
Johnson-George and Esther Rose McMurtrie.Pat’s family wishes to acknowledge and 
thank HaysMed for their utmost care given for the 30 days Pat was 
hospitalized till her passing, including ICU, Acute Care, hospital 
doctors, food and cleaning service, and all other departments that gave 
professional and compassionate care. Due to the current Covid pandemic, the 
family has opted for a Catholic, private family service at Hays Memorial
 Chapel Funeral Home on Saturday, October 24, 2020.&nbsp; A springtime 
Catholic funeral and burial will be scheduled and announced.&nbsp; Memorials 
are suggested to St. Francis Church or to St. Nicholas of Myra Church.&nbsp; 
Condolences and memories of Pat may be shared with the family at 
www.haysmemorial.com

Patricia K. 'Pat' Englert

Vada Irene (Colip) Randall passed away Wednesday, October 21, 2020, 
at Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital, WaKeeney, Kansas.&nbsp; She was born
 to George L. and Bertha (Garrison) Colip on March 10, 1927, at the 
family home in rural Norton County.&nbsp;

Vada graduated from Norton High School in 1944.&nbsp; She&nbsp;married Cloyce 
D. Randall on September 7, 1946.&nbsp; In 1948 they moved to Gove, Kansas and
 had three sons,&nbsp;Robert L.,

Donald L. and Randy L.&nbsp; Vada was secretary to Superintendent of WHS 
School District, and Clerk to the Board of Education of USD 292.&nbsp; 
Cloyce, Vada and Randy moved to WaKeeney in 1978.&nbsp; Vada worked for 
Commercial National Bank in data processing in WaKeeney.&nbsp; She retired as
 Manager December 1990.&nbsp; Vada spent her retirement years volunteering on
 various committees in the community.&nbsp; She also enjoyed line dancing.&nbsp;

She is survived by her sons, Robert and (Elizabeth), Manhattan, 
Kansas., Donald and (Patricia) Gove, Kansas.,&nbsp;and Randy and (Joann) 
Wichita, Kansas; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.&nbsp;

A private graveside memorial service will be held at a later date, at the Jennings Cemetery, Jennings, Kansas.

Memorial contributions&nbsp;are suggested to United Methodist Church 
Elevator Fund.&nbsp; Donations to the fund may be sent to Schmitt Funeral 
Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS&nbsp; 67672.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603550995036.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Vada Irene (Colip) Randall passed away Wednesday, October 21, 2020, 
at Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital, WaKeeney, Kansas.&nbsp; She was born
 to George L. and Bertha (Garrison) Colip on March 10, 1927, at the 
family home in rural Norton County.&nbsp;Vada graduated from Norton High School in 1944.&nbsp; She&nbsp;married Cloyce 
D. Randall on September 7, 1946.&nbsp; In 1948 they moved to Gove, Kansas and
 had three sons,&nbsp;Robert L.,Donald L. and Randy L.&nbsp; Vada was secretary to Superintendent of WHS 
School District, and Clerk to the Board of Education of USD 292.&nbsp; 
Cloyce, Vada and Randy moved to WaKeeney in 1978.&nbsp; Vada worked for 
Commercial National Bank in data processing in WaKeeney.&nbsp; She retired as
 Manager December 1990.&nbsp; Vada spent her retirement years volunteering on
 various committees in the community.&nbsp; She also enjoyed line dancing.&nbsp;She is survived by her sons, Robert and (Elizabeth), Manhattan, 
Kansas., Donald and (Patricia) Gove, Kansas.,&nbsp;and Randy and (Joann) 
Wichita, Kansas; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.&nbsp;A private graveside memorial service will be held at a later date, at the Jennings Cemetery, Jennings, Kansas.Memorial contributions&nbsp;are suggested to United Methodist Church 
Elevator Fund.&nbsp; Donations to the fund may be sent to Schmitt Funeral 
Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS&nbsp; 67672.

Vada Irene Randall

Longtime Goodland, KS resident Maria Jesus Vasquez, 92, passed away on Wednesday, October 21, 2020, at the St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, CO.

Maria was born on November 21, 1927, in Comstock, Texas to Gavino and Santiaga (Sandoval) Vasquez.&nbsp; She was one of eight children.&nbsp; She attended school in Texas up through the 9th grade. &nbsp;

On October 25, 1954, she married Natividad Vasquez in Tahoka, Texas.&nbsp; To this union, eight children were born.

Maria enjoyed cooking for her family, sewing, crocheting, knitting and doing word finds.&nbsp; Most of all she enjoyed just spending time with her family.

Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband, one son, two daughters, three brothers, four sisters and one grandson.

She is survived by her five children; Janie Juarez of Plainview, TX, Raul (Susan) Vasquez of Gladstone, Oregon, Jose Vasquez (Becky) of Olathe, KS, Dulci (Dennis) Fyfe of Goodland, KS and Jr. (Kerri) Vasquez also of Goodland.&nbsp; She is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at 10:30 AM MT at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Goodland with Father Norbert Dlabal officiating.&nbsp; Burial will follow in the Goodland Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 27, 2020 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM MT at Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Goodland with a Parish Rosary to be recited at 7:00 PM, also at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be designated to the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church 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 Goodland.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603392039654.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Longtime Goodland, KS resident Maria Jesus Vasquez, 92, passed away on Wednesday, October 21, 2020, at the St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, CO.Maria was born on November 21, 1927, in Comstock, Texas to Gavino and Santiaga (Sandoval) Vasquez.&nbsp; She was one of eight children.&nbsp; She attended school in Texas up through the 9th grade. &nbsp;On October 25, 1954, she married Natividad Vasquez in Tahoka, Texas.&nbsp; To this union, eight children were born.Maria enjoyed cooking for her family, sewing, crocheting, knitting and doing word finds.&nbsp; Most of all she enjoyed just spending time with her family.Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband, one son, two daughters, three brothers, four sisters and one grandson.She is survived by her five children; Janie Juarez of Plainview, TX, Raul (Susan) Vasquez of Gladstone, Oregon, Jose Vasquez (Becky) of Olathe, KS, Dulci (Dennis) Fyfe of Goodland, KS and Jr. (Kerri) Vasquez also of Goodland.&nbsp; She is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at 10:30 AM MT at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Goodland with Father Norbert Dlabal officiating.&nbsp; Burial will follow in the Goodland Cemetery.Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 27, 2020 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM MT at Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Goodland with a Parish Rosary to be recited at 7:00 PM, also at the funeral home.Memorial contributions may be designated to the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church 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 Goodland.

Maria Jesus (Vasquez) Vasquez

Rebecca “Becky” Marie Anderson, 63, passed away October 22, 2020, at 
her home in Great Bend. She was born November 18, 1956, at Great Bend, 
to Carl &amp; Nancy (Goetting) Bertram. She married Kenny Kuhn in 1980 
and they later divorced.

A lifetime Great Bend resident, Rebecca was a sales person for over 
30 years at J&amp;L Coins. She was a wonderful cook. She loved her cats 
and dogs, but especially loved spending time with her children and 
grandchildren.

Survivors include, a son, Christopher Kuhn (fiancé Nika Stoks) of 
Rochester, Minn.; a daughter, Bonnie Kuhn and (Eric Zecha) of Great 
Bend; a daughter in heart, Janell Tracey of Great Bend; a brother, Ted 
Bertram and (Sherry) of Kansas City, Mo.; two sisters, Sarah Richley 
(Craig) of Lee Summit, Mo., and Melissa Esfeld (Arturo Ferrel) of Great 
Bend; eight grandchildren, Paxton Redetzke, Jacob Horner, Lexi Zecha, 
Skyler Zecha, Holley Zecha, Makayla Kuhn, Ashlin Kuhn, and Chance Kuhn; a
 nephew, Bradley Esfeld; and a niece, Holly Esfeld. She was preceded in 
death by her parents; and a brother, Jerry Bertram.&nbsp;

Cremation has taken place and the family will greet friends from 1:00
 p.m. until service time at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, October 29, 2020, at 
Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to Hands of Hope Rescue or 
Rebecca Anderson Funeral Expense Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603551160146.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Rebecca “Becky” Marie Anderson, 63, passed away October 22, 2020, at 
her home in Great Bend. She was born November 18, 1956, at Great Bend, 
to Carl &amp; Nancy (Goetting) Bertram. She married Kenny Kuhn in 1980 
and they later divorced.A lifetime Great Bend resident, Rebecca was a sales person for over 
30 years at J&amp;L Coins. She was a wonderful cook. She loved her cats 
and dogs, but especially loved spending time with her children and 
grandchildren.Survivors include, a son, Christopher Kuhn (fiancé Nika Stoks) of 
Rochester, Minn.; a daughter, Bonnie Kuhn and (Eric Zecha) of Great 
Bend; a daughter in heart, Janell Tracey of Great Bend; a brother, Ted 
Bertram and (Sherry) of Kansas City, Mo.; two sisters, Sarah Richley 
(Craig) of Lee Summit, Mo., and Melissa Esfeld (Arturo Ferrel) of Great 
Bend; eight grandchildren, Paxton Redetzke, Jacob Horner, Lexi Zecha, 
Skyler Zecha, Holley Zecha, Makayla Kuhn, Ashlin Kuhn, and Chance Kuhn; a
 nephew, Bradley Esfeld; and a niece, Holly Esfeld. She was preceded in 
death by her parents; and a brother, Jerry Bertram.&nbsp;Cremation has taken place and the family will greet friends from 1:00
 p.m. until service time at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, October 29, 2020, at 
Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to Hands of Hope Rescue or 
Rebecca Anderson Funeral Expense Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Rebecca 'Becky' Marie Anderson

TOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court is accepting public comment on a proposed rule that will require foreign language court interpreters to complete a free online orientation program before providing services in Kansas courts. Language in proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/nFfjmVyHNqwyy6f2P95qyvlWNh_u66inrnTZKG-Asbo" target="_blank">Supreme Court Rule 1705</a>&nbsp;will establish a requirement that foreign language court interpreters complete the Kansas Judicial Branch Court Interpreter Orientation before providing interpretation or translation service in a district court, although a judge can make an exception in the case of an emergency. The free web-based orientation provides an overview of interpretation skills, best practices, ethics, and the Kansas court system. Completing the orientation will become a requirement for foreign language interpreters six months after the proposed rule takes effect. The proposed rule does not apply to sign language interpreters or interpreters who provide interpretation services from a remote location outside of Kansas. Under the proposed rule, interpreters must provide a copy of their certificate of orientation completion to a judicial district's local language access coordinator. The certificate will not substitute for a judicial determination of an interpreter's qualifications or for taking an interpreter's oath. The proposed rule also creates new duties for local language access coordinators and Office of Judicial Administration (OJA) staff, including noting and retaining interpreters' certificates of completion. Orientation registration information will be provided on the Kansas judicial branch website. Comment may be made by email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:publiccomments@kscourts.org?subject=Rule%201705&amp;body=" target="_blank">publiccomments@kscourts.org</a>&nbsp;until 5 p.m. Friday, October 30, 2020. The subject line must read "Rule 1705."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593180302304.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>OJATOPEKA—The Kansas Supreme Court is accepting public comment on a proposed rule that will require foreign language court interpreters to complete a free online orientation program before providing services in Kansas courts. Language in proposed&nbsp;<a href="https://kansascourts.org/l/nFfjmVyHNqwyy6f2P95qyvlWNh_u66inrnTZKG-Asbo" target="_blank">Supreme Court Rule 1705</a>&nbsp;will establish a requirement that foreign language court interpreters complete the Kansas Judicial Branch Court Interpreter Orientation before providing interpretation or translation service in a district court, although a judge can make an exception in the case of an emergency. The free web-based orientation provides an overview of interpretation skills, best practices, ethics, and the Kansas court system. Completing the orientation will become a requirement for foreign language interpreters six months after the proposed rule takes effect. The proposed rule does not apply to sign language interpreters or interpreters who provide interpretation services from a remote location outside of Kansas. Under the proposed rule, interpreters must provide a copy of their certificate of orientation completion to a judicial district's local language access coordinator. The certificate will not substitute for a judicial determination of an interpreter's qualifications or for taking an interpreter's oath. The proposed rule also creates new duties for local language access coordinators and Office of Judicial Administration (OJA) staff, including noting and retaining interpreters' certificates of completion. Orientation registration information will be provided on the Kansas judicial branch website. Comment may be made by email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:publiccomments@kscourts.org?subject=Rule%201705&amp;body=" target="_blank">publiccomments@kscourts.org</a>&nbsp;until 5 p.m. Friday, October 30, 2020. The subject line must read "Rule 1705."