SHAWNEE, Kan. (AP) — The longtime president of the Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Shawnee resigned last month following an “ethical lapse,” the school said in a statement this week.

The Rev. Molly T. Marshall resigned March 1 after being president of the school since 2004. The school’s statement did not provide any details about Marshall’s resignation. She had originally planned to retire in June.

The seminary’s headquarters are in Shawnee and it has nine other locations across the country serving more than 500 students.

“I humbly apologize to the board and the rest of the Central constituency and seek forgiveness,” Marshall said in a letter to the seminary’s board. “My deepest prayer is for the flourishing of the school and her new president.”

The Rev. Pamela R. Durso, president of the Baptist Women in Ministry, will become president June 1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585775315102.png" alt="Dr. Molly T. Marshall -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Molly T. Marshall -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE, Kan. (AP) — The longtime president of the Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Shawnee resigned last month following an “ethical lapse,” the school said in a statement this week.The Rev. Molly T. Marshall resigned March 1 after being president of the school since 2004. The school’s statement did not provide any details about Marshall’s resignation. She had originally planned to retire in June.The seminary’s headquarters are in Shawnee and it has nine other locations across the country serving more than 500 students.“I humbly apologize to the board and the rest of the Central constituency and seek forgiveness,” Marshall said in a letter to the seminary’s board. “My deepest prayer is for the flourishing of the school and her new president.”The Rev. Pamela R. Durso, president of the Baptist Women in Ministry, will become president June 1.

Kan.seminary president's resignation followed 'ethical lapse'

RENO COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating remains the after a body was found in a burned vehicle in Reno County.&nbsp;

Just after 1:00p.m. Saturday, deputies were dispatched to approximately the 10000 block of South Avery Road 2 miles south of Plevna for a possible burned vehicle with a body inside, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.

&nbsp;Detectives, a county arson investigator, and a death Investigator were requested at the scene.

The initial investigation revealed human remains were located inside of the burnt vehicle and an apparent single vehicle accident had occurred&nbsp;with unknown circumstances. 

Through the evening hours, detectives conducted follow up interviews with at least 3 potential witnesses. The remains were transported to the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center for an autopsy. The Reno County Sheriff’s Office is awaiting results from the autopsy and DNA testing to confirm the identity of the driver.

At this time, it is believed, the accident is a single vehicle, single occupant accident. The investigation is still ongoing and further information will be provided later after the conclusion of any testing and follow up investigations. Agencies assisting with the investigation include, Reno County Sheriff’s Office, District 4 Fire Department, and Reno County District Attorney’s Office.

RENO COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating remains the after a body was found in a burned vehicle in Reno County.&nbsp;Just after 1:00p.m. Saturday, deputies were dispatched to approximately the 10000 block of South Avery Road 2 miles south of Plevna for a possible burned vehicle with a body inside, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.&nbsp;Detectives, a county arson investigator, and a death Investigator were requested at the scene.The initial investigation revealed human remains were located inside of the burnt vehicle and an apparent single vehicle accident had occurred&nbsp;with unknown circumstances. Through the evening hours, detectives conducted follow up interviews with at least 3 potential witnesses. The remains were transported to the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center for an autopsy. The Reno County Sheriff’s Office is awaiting results from the autopsy and DNA testing to confirm the identity of the driver.At this time, it is believed, the accident is a single vehicle, single occupant accident. The investigation is still ongoing and further information will be provided later after the conclusion of any testing and follow up investigations. Agencies assisting with the investigation include, Reno County Sheriff’s Office, District 4 Fire Department, and Reno County District Attorney’s Office.

Sheriff: Human remains found inside burned vehicle in Kansas

ELLSWORTH COUNTY — One person died in an accident Wednesday in Ellsworth County.

&nbsp;The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by&nbsp; Janice A. Perkins, 63, Ellsworth, was northbound on 1st Road nine miles south of Wilson.

The SUV traveled off road to the east. The driver overcorrected and the vehicle slid sideways into the east ditch, rolled and driver was ejected.

The vehicle then rolled up the embankment through a wire fence and came to rest upright in a pasture.

Perkins was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Parsons Funeral Home. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

The time the accident occurred is unknown and still under investigation, according to the KHP.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY — One person died in an accident Wednesday in Ellsworth County.&nbsp;The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by&nbsp; Janice A. Perkins, 63, Ellsworth, was northbound on 1st Road nine miles south of Wilson.The SUV traveled off road to the east. The driver overcorrected and the vehicle slid sideways into the east ditch, rolled and driver was ejected.The vehicle then rolled up the embankment through a wire fence and came to rest upright in a pasture.Perkins was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Parsons Funeral Home. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.The time the accident occurred is unknown and still under investigation, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dies after ejected when SUV rolls

Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

As of the time of this report (10 a.m) there have been 482 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 and 10 deaths in the state, according to the KDHE information.&nbsp;

Additionally, KDHE has launched a new dashboard for COVID-19 information. You can access it <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/kdhe.epidemiology#!/">here</a>.

Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.As of the time of this report (10 a.m) there have been 482 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 and 10 deaths in the state, according to the KDHE information.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585775364730.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Additionally, KDHE has launched a new dashboard for COVID-19 information. You can access it <a href="https://public.tableau.com/profile/kdhe.epidemiology#!/">here</a>.

KDHE: Latest COVID-19 numbers; 10 deaths

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/major-hospital-topeka-cutting-salaries-get-through-covid-19#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA —&nbsp;A major hospital in the state’s 
capital slashed pay this week for many employees to try to weather 
financial woes spurred by the coronavirus pandemic.

Stormont Vail
 Health will shield the salaries of health workers doing “face-to-face” 
patient care in the hospital’s acute care and ambulatory settings.

But
 starting April 5, everyone else gets a cut to their base pay, ranging 
from 10% to 50%. Stormont Vail hasn’t said how many people that affects,
 but the hospital has 5,300 employees.

“It is our obligation to ensure that the health system remains 
financially viable and able to serve our community,” CEO and physician 
Robert Kenagy told reporters on Wednesday. “Our revenues have been cut 
significantly … perhaps as much as half.”

Across Kansas, hospitals have <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/most-kansas-city-area-hospitals-put-elective-surgeries-prepare-covid-19#stream/0" target="_blank">tapered off</a> non-emergency surgeries and visits — what Kenagy called “engines” of financial health for his hospital. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/even-40-kansans-getting-covid-19-six-months-would-overwhelm-states-hospitals" target="_blank">Research from Harvard University</a>
 suggests such dramatic measures are needed to save protective gear and 
free up beds for an anticipated surge in COVID-19 patients.

The hospital will review the cuts every 30 days, but it expects the pandemic to last for months.

“Everyone
 across the health system is lined up to perform during this crisis,” 
Kenagy said, “and we believe that when we’ve called for sacrifice, we’ve
 done our best to spread that and share that sacrifice equitably.”

“Before
 this crisis hit, the organization was performing very well 
financially,” he said. “We were hitting all of our budgetary targets — 
actually exceeding them.”

Kenagy is taking a 35% pay cut. Other executives and high-level directors are taking cuts ranging from 15% to 25%.

Kenagy
 said doctors and advanced practice clinicians fall in a category 
separate from other health workers. He could not elaborate on how their 
salaries will work beyond saying they would lose pay “comparable” to the
 rest of the organization’s workforce.

Other staff working from 
home or on-site, but not face-to-face with patients, will lose 10% of 
their paychecks. Pay will drop 50% for employees who do not have work 
assigned to them currently, but the hospital will not allow anyone’s pay
 to drop below $12.45 per hour.

A labor pool could allow some 
people without current assignments to get access to work on a rotating 
basis. Employees can also use paid time off and sick leave.

The 
hospital has put off unnecessary spending, such as construction costs, 
but has made some unexpected investments, including to quickly ramp up 
telemedicine and serve patients remotely when possible.

Stormont 
Vail scrambled in recent weeks to create a dedicated respiratory illness
 intake center at one of its clinics and to add negative-pressure air 
systems to patient rooms at the hospital to prevent the spread of 
COVID-19. It had 31 such rooms prior to the outbreak but will have 63 
after finishing renovations in about another week.

The hospital 
hoped to have in-house COVID-19 testing by this week, but a vendor 
pushed back delivery of the necessary equipment a few more weeks. 
Stormont Vail is relying on private labs in the meantime, with a typical
 wait time of two days for test results.

Meanwhile, a local 
financial institution donated more than 1,000 N-95 masks to the 
hospital, shoring up its supply of protective gear for health workers.

“N-95
 masks are a precious commodity right now,” Kenagy said. “Every health 
system across the country is doing everything they can to get their 
hands on those.”

As of Wednesday, Stormont Vail had six in-patients with COVID-19.

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585765297733.jpeg" alt=" Stormont Vail Health is reducing pay for many employees during the coronavirus pandemic. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Stormont Vail Health is reducing pay for many employees during the coronavirus pandemic. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/major-hospital-topeka-cutting-salaries-get-through-covid-19#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA —&nbsp;A major hospital in the state’s 
capital slashed pay this week for many employees to try to weather 
financial woes spurred by the coronavirus pandemic.Stormont Vail
 Health will shield the salaries of health workers doing “face-to-face” 
patient care in the hospital’s acute care and ambulatory settings.But
 starting April 5, everyone else gets a cut to their base pay, ranging 
from 10% to 50%. Stormont Vail hasn’t said how many people that affects,
 but the hospital has 5,300 employees.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585765340067.jpeg" alt=" Robert Kenagy, CEO of Stormont Vail Health, will take a 35% pay cut. Credit Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Robert Kenagy, CEO of Stormont Vail Health, will take a 35% pay cut. Credit Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>“It is our obligation to ensure that the health system remains 
financially viable and able to serve our community,” CEO and physician 
Robert Kenagy told reporters on Wednesday. “Our revenues have been cut 
significantly … perhaps as much as half.”Across Kansas, hospitals have <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/most-kansas-city-area-hospitals-put-elective-surgeries-prepare-covid-19#stream/0" target="_blank">tapered off</a> non-emergency surgeries and visits — what Kenagy called “engines” of financial health for his hospital. <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/even-40-kansans-getting-covid-19-six-months-would-overwhelm-states-hospitals" target="_blank">Research from Harvard University</a>
 suggests such dramatic measures are needed to save protective gear and 
free up beds for an anticipated surge in COVID-19 patients.The hospital will review the cuts every 30 days, but it expects the pandemic to last for months.“Everyone
 across the health system is lined up to perform during this crisis,” 
Kenagy said, “and we believe that when we’ve called for sacrifice, we’ve
 done our best to spread that and share that sacrifice equitably.”“Before
 this crisis hit, the organization was performing very well 
financially,” he said. “We were hitting all of our budgetary targets — 
actually exceeding them.”Kenagy is taking a 35% pay cut. Other executives and high-level directors are taking cuts ranging from 15% to 25%.Kenagy
 said doctors and advanced practice clinicians fall in a category 
separate from other health workers. He could not elaborate on how their 
salaries will work beyond saying they would lose pay “comparable” to the
 rest of the organization’s workforce.Other staff working from 
home or on-site, but not face-to-face with patients, will lose 10% of 
their paychecks. Pay will drop 50% for employees who do not have work 
assigned to them currently, but the hospital will not allow anyone’s pay
 to drop below $12.45 per hour.A labor pool could allow some 
people without current assignments to get access to work on a rotating 
basis. Employees can also use paid time off and sick leave.The 
hospital has put off unnecessary spending, such as construction costs, 
but has made some unexpected investments, including to quickly ramp up 
telemedicine and serve patients remotely when possible.Stormont 
Vail scrambled in recent weeks to create a dedicated respiratory illness
 intake center at one of its clinics and to add negative-pressure air 
systems to patient rooms at the hospital to prevent the spread of 
COVID-19. It had 31 such rooms prior to the outbreak but will have 63 
after finishing renovations in about another week.The hospital 
hoped to have in-house COVID-19 testing by this week, but a vendor 
pushed back delivery of the necessary equipment a few more weeks. 
Stormont Vail is relying on private labs in the meantime, with a typical
 wait time of two days for test results.Meanwhile, a local 
financial institution donated more than 1,000 N-95 masks to the 
hospital, shoring up its supply of protective gear for health workers.“N-95
 masks are a precious commodity right now,” Kenagy said. “Every health 
system across the country is doing everything they can to get their 
hands on those.”As of Wednesday, Stormont Vail had six in-patients with COVID-19.Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service.

Topeka hospital cutting salaries to get through COVID-19 

TOPEKA - The State of Kansas closed March with total tax collections at $523.4 million; 1.6% or $8.6 million below the estimate. That is 0.3% or $1.4 million more than March of Fiscal Year 2019, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

Individual income tax collections were $247.3 million; $4.3 million more than the estimate and 7.1% more than last March. Corporate income tax collections were $18.4 million; $8.6 million below estimate and 24.5% below March FY 2019.

Retail sales tax collections were $179.4 million; $3.4 million more than the estimate. That's an increase of $2.9 million compared to the same month last fiscal year. Compensating use tax collections were $34.7 million; 8.5% or $2.7 million more than the estimate and 8.7% more than last March.

<a>"We expect the uncertain business and employment landscape to negatively affect withholding and estimated income taxes,” Secretary Mark Burghart said.</a>

“As consumer spending patterns change, retail sales tax and compensating use tax collections could experience a major decline in the months to come.”

"While seeing a slight increase in total tax collection revenues compared to last fiscal year, we must continue to be cautious as we evaluate the financial impact of COVID-19," Governor Laura Kelly said.

&nbsp;She issued a statewide stay-at-home order in that is effect until April 19.

“Later this month, we should see a clearer picture moving forward as the Consensus Revenue Estimating group evaluates fall projections.”

TOPEKA - The State of Kansas closed March with total tax collections at $523.4 million; 1.6% or $8.6 million below the estimate. That is 0.3% or $1.4 million more than March of Fiscal Year 2019, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.Individual income tax collections were $247.3 million; $4.3 million more than the estimate and 7.1% more than last March. Corporate income tax collections were $18.4 million; $8.6 million below estimate and 24.5% below March FY 2019.Retail sales tax collections were $179.4 million; $3.4 million more than the estimate. That's an increase of $2.9 million compared to the same month last fiscal year. Compensating use tax collections were $34.7 million; 8.5% or $2.7 million more than the estimate and 8.7% more than last March.<a>"We expect the uncertain business and employment landscape to negatively affect withholding and estimated income taxes,” Secretary Mark Burghart said.</a>“As consumer spending patterns change, retail sales tax and compensating use tax collections could experience a major decline in the months to come.”"While seeing a slight increase in total tax collection revenues compared to last fiscal year, we must continue to be cautious as we evaluate the financial impact of COVID-19," Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;She issued a statewide stay-at-home order in that is effect until April 19.“Later this month, we should see a clearer picture moving forward as the Consensus Revenue Estimating group evaluates fall projections.”

COVID-19 yet to hit Kansas budget; March taxes $8.6M short

OLATHE, KAN. (AP) —&nbsp;Authorities say a driver has struck and killed a 61-year-old woman as she was walking a dog in suburban&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>&nbsp;City.

Police in Olathe, Kansas, say the crash happened just before noon Tuesday. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name has not been released.

Police say the dog also was injured and was taken to an animal hospital for treatment.

The driver wasn't injured and remained on scene. The crash remains under investigation.

OLATHE, KAN. (AP) —&nbsp;Authorities say a driver has struck and killed a 61-year-old woman as she was walking a dog in suburban&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>&nbsp;City.Police in Olathe, Kansas, say the crash happened just before noon Tuesday. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name has not been released.Police say the dog also was injured and was taken to an animal hospital for treatment.The driver wasn't injured and remained on scene. The crash remains under investigation.

Police: Kan. woman struck and killed, dog injured during walk

TOPEKA —&nbsp; Social distancing by deliberately increasing the physical space between people is the best way anyone can help "flatten the curve" and stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Kansas Department of Health Secretary Dr. Lee Norman compares the curve in Kansas with other states and is pleased with what he sees and the decisions state officials made.

Like weather forecasters tracking big storms, he uses the statistical models to predict the impact of the coronavirus outbreak and to protect as many in Kansas as possible.&nbsp;

During his Monday press briefing, Dr. Norman referred to statistical models on coronavirus patients in Kansas, Missouri and New York. Kansas has the flattest curve. "In the case of New York the flattest curve by a great deal, he said. 

And the primary factor that has pushed the curve in Kansas and other states down, according to Norman, "the states that closed their education facilities have the lowest peak. So kudos for good vision on the part of the Kelly administration for making that popular in some people's minds and unpopular in other people's minds (decision.)"

The peak virus outbreak in Kansas is expected approximately April 24, according to Norman. He also said&nbsp;it would not be wise for Kansas legislators to return to work April 27. 

“It would be highly unlikely that we would want to have people congregating in that manner that soon after the peak,” he said.

The KDHE reported 428 cases in Kansas Tuesday afternoon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585656692623.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman discussing the statistical curves of the coronavirus in Kansas during Monday's press conference- KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman discussing the statistical curves of the coronavirus in Kansas during Monday's press conference- KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —&nbsp; Social distancing by deliberately increasing the physical space between people is the best way anyone can help "flatten the curve" and stem the spread of the coronavirus.Kansas Department of Health Secretary Dr. Lee Norman compares the curve in Kansas with other states and is pleased with what he sees and the decisions state officials made.Like weather forecasters tracking big storms, he uses the statistical models to predict the impact of the coronavirus outbreak and to protect as many in Kansas as possible.&nbsp;During his Monday press briefing, Dr. Norman referred to statistical models on coronavirus patients in Kansas, Missouri and New York. Kansas has the flattest curve. "In the case of New York the flattest curve by a great deal, he said. And the primary factor that has pushed the curve in Kansas and other states down, according to Norman, "the states that closed their education facilities have the lowest peak. So kudos for good vision on the part of the Kelly administration for making that popular in some people's minds and unpopular in other people's minds (decision.)"The peak virus outbreak in Kansas is expected approximately April 24, according to Norman. He also said&nbsp;it would not be wise for Kansas legislators to return to work April 27. “It would be highly unlikely that we would want to have people congregating in that manner that soon after the peak,” he said.The KDHE reported 428 cases in Kansas Tuesday afternoon.

KDHE Secretary Norman: Governor was wise to close school buildings

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump warned Americans to brace for a “hell of a bad two weeks” ahead as the White House projected there could be 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the U.S. from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;even if current&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fa1fda126fe191425abc20ab461dfbe7">social distancing guidelines</a>&nbsp;are maintained.

Public health officials stressed Tuesday that the number could be less if people across the country bear down on keeping their distance from one another.

“We really believe we can do a lot better than that,” said&nbsp;Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force. That would require all Americans to take seriously their role in preventing the spread of disease, she said.

Added&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6e97c258920e5fd3b5a93d831927bd3d">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>, the government’s top infectious disease expert, “This is a number that we need to anticipate, but we don’t necessarily have to accept it as being inevitable.”

Trump called it “a matter of life and death” for Americans to heed his administration’s guidelines and predicted the country would soon see a “light at the end of the tunnel” in a pandemic that in the United States has infected about 190,000 people and killed about 4,000, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

“I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead,” Trump said.

“This is going to be one of the roughest two or three weeks we’ve ever had in our country,” Trump added. “We’re going to lose thousands of people.”

The jaw-dropping projections were laid out during a grim, two-hour White House briefing. Officials described a death toll that in a best-case scenario would likely be greater than the more than 53,000 American lives lost during World War I. And the model’s high end neared the realm of possibility that Americans lost to the virus could approach the 291,000 Americans killed on the battlefield during World War II.

“There’s no magic bullet,” Birx said. “There’s no magic vaccine or therapy. It’s just behaviors. Each of our behaviors, translating into something that changes the course of this viral pandemic.”

Fauci called the numbers “sobering” and urged Americans to “step on the accelerator” with their collective mitigation efforts.

“We are continuing to see things go up,” Fauci said. “We cannot be discouraged by that because the mitigation is actually working and will work.”

Birx said pandemic forecasts initially predicted 1.5 million to 2.2 million deaths in the U.S. But that was a worst-case scenario, without efforts to slow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak">the spread of the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;through social distancing. She added that states that have not yet seen a spike in cases as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e80a98f37714622c5b34d27d94bea8ff">New York</a>&nbsp;has could take action to flatten the curve of rising hospitalizations and deaths.

It’s not only social distancing that could make a difference but also the frantic efforts by hospitals around the country to prepare for an onslaught of seriously ill patients. The better prepared hospitals are, the greater the chances of lives being saved.

There’s also a wild card when it comes to treatment: whether the experimental drug combination Trump has touted —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2f3dd1099c6054bb5015391b9a6f3b0c">a medicine for malaria</a>&nbsp;and an antibiotic — will actually make a difference. That combination is already being used on thousands of patients, and Fauci said he would want to see a rigorous test of its effectiveness.

Trump’s comments came after he announced Sunday that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7d851c87c07a7e0f67c245abe0d86e56">extending to April 30</a>&nbsp;the social distancing guidelines that advise Americans to cease large gatherings, work from home, suspend onsite learning at schools and more in a nationwide effort to stem the spread of the virus.

It was an abrupt reversal for the Republican president, who spent much of last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/02d2fdbfd1ddad86b4a9f67643371f0b">targeting April 12</a>&nbsp;as the day he wanted to see Americans “pack the pews” for Easter Sunday services.

Trump called the data “very sobering,” saying it was his understanding that 100,000 deaths was a minimum that would be difficult to avoid. He also sought to rewrite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/00d26ad5b6caa82716b52d01a0f8f8b7">his past minimization of the outbreak</a>, saying he rejected those who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a43e71b1966de5d1d703d1802ea2eb49">compared the new coronavirus to the flu</a>&nbsp;when in fact he repeatedly did so publicly.

“This could be hell of a bad two weeks,’” Trump said. He added: “You know 100,000 is, according to modeling, a very low number. In fact, when I first saw the number ... they said it was unlikely you’ll be able to attain that. We have to see but I think we’re doing better than that.”

Trump played down concerns from New York’s Andrew Cuomo and other governors that their states’ hospitals don’t have enough ventilators to treat an anticipated crush of patients. Trump said the federal government currently has a stockpile of 10,000 ventilators that it plans on distributing as needed.

“Now, when the surge occurs, if it occurs fairly evenly, we’ll be able to distribute them very quickly before they need them,” Trump said. “But we want to have a reserve right now. It’s like having oil reserves.”

Birx said the experiences of Washington state and California give her hope that other states can keep the coronavirus under control through social distancing. That’s because they moved quickly to contain the early clusters of coronavirus by closing schools, urging people to work from home, banning large gatherings and taking other measures now familiar to most Americans, she noted.

“I am reassured by looking at the Seattle line,” she added. “California and Washington state reacted very early to this.” Many other states and local governments already have stiff controls in place on mobility and gatherings.

Trump said he would also ask Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to allow the docking of two cruise ships with passengers who have had contact with patients suffering from COVID-19. Passengers are anxious to disembark once they reach Florida, but DeSantis said the state’s health care resources are already stretched too thin to take on a ship’s coronavirus caseload.

“They’re dying on the ship,” Trump said. “I’m going to do what’s right, not only for us for but humanity.”

Trump also said he planned to curtail his travel for the month ahead and stay close to the White House to safeguard his health. The president hasn’t held one of his signature big-stadium rallies since early March, and it’s unlikely he’ll be holding another one anytime soon.

“I think it’s important that I remain healthy. I really do,” Trump said. “So for the most part we’re staying here.”

Trump spoke after another troubling day for the stock market, which has been in a free fall as the coronavirus ground the economy to a near-halt and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1bae3794481cc9d02fc670480cfcb800">left millions of people unemployed</a>. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged more than 400 points, or roughly 1.9%, to seal the worst first-quarter finish of its 135-year history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585690758211.png" alt="President Trump during Tuesday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing-image courtesy White House&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Trump during Tuesday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing-image courtesy White House&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump warned Americans to brace for a “hell of a bad two weeks” ahead as the White House projected there could be 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the U.S. from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus pandemic</a>&nbsp;even if current&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fa1fda126fe191425abc20ab461dfbe7">social distancing guidelines</a>&nbsp;are maintained.Public health officials stressed Tuesday that the number could be less if people across the country bear down on keeping their distance from one another.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585696207171.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“We really believe we can do a lot better than that,” said&nbsp;Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force. That would require all Americans to take seriously their role in preventing the spread of disease, she said.Added&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6e97c258920e5fd3b5a93d831927bd3d">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>, the government’s top infectious disease expert, “This is a number that we need to anticipate, but we don’t necessarily have to accept it as being inevitable.”Trump called it “a matter of life and death” for Americans to heed his administration’s guidelines and predicted the country would soon see a “light at the end of the tunnel” in a pandemic that in the United States has infected about 190,000 people and killed about 4,000, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.“I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead,” Trump said.“This is going to be one of the roughest two or three weeks we’ve ever had in our country,” Trump added. “We’re going to lose thousands of people.”The jaw-dropping projections were laid out during a grim, two-hour White House briefing. Officials described a death toll that in a best-case scenario would likely be greater than the more than 53,000 American lives lost during World War I. And the model’s high end neared the realm of possibility that Americans lost to the virus could approach the 291,000 Americans killed on the battlefield during World War II.“There’s no magic bullet,” Birx said. “There’s no magic vaccine or therapy. It’s just behaviors. Each of our behaviors, translating into something that changes the course of this viral pandemic.”Fauci called the numbers “sobering” and urged Americans to “step on the accelerator” with their collective mitigation efforts.“We are continuing to see things go up,” Fauci said. “We cannot be discouraged by that because the mitigation is actually working and will work.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585692231125.png" alt="Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force.</figcaption>
 </figure>Birx said pandemic forecasts initially predicted 1.5 million to 2.2 million deaths in the U.S. But that was a worst-case scenario, without efforts to slow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak">the spread of the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;through social distancing. She added that states that have not yet seen a spike in cases as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e80a98f37714622c5b34d27d94bea8ff">New York</a>&nbsp;has could take action to flatten the curve of rising hospitalizations and deaths.It’s not only social distancing that could make a difference but also the frantic efforts by hospitals around the country to prepare for an onslaught of seriously ill patients. The better prepared hospitals are, the greater the chances of lives being saved.There’s also a wild card when it comes to treatment: whether the experimental drug combination Trump has touted —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2f3dd1099c6054bb5015391b9a6f3b0c">a medicine for malaria</a>&nbsp;and an antibiotic — will actually make a difference. That combination is already being used on thousands of patients, and Fauci said he would want to see a rigorous test of its effectiveness.Trump’s comments came after he announced Sunday that he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7d851c87c07a7e0f67c245abe0d86e56">extending to April 30</a>&nbsp;the social distancing guidelines that advise Americans to cease large gatherings, work from home, suspend onsite learning at schools and more in a nationwide effort to stem the spread of the virus.It was an abrupt reversal for the Republican president, who spent much of last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/02d2fdbfd1ddad86b4a9f67643371f0b">targeting April 12</a>&nbsp;as the day he wanted to see Americans “pack the pews” for Easter Sunday services.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585696236815.png" alt="White House" />
 <figcaption>White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump called the data “very sobering,” saying it was his understanding that 100,000 deaths was a minimum that would be difficult to avoid. He also sought to rewrite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/00d26ad5b6caa82716b52d01a0f8f8b7">his past minimization of the outbreak</a>, saying he rejected those who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a43e71b1966de5d1d703d1802ea2eb49">compared the new coronavirus to the flu</a>&nbsp;when in fact he repeatedly did so publicly.“This could be hell of a bad two weeks,’” Trump said. He added: “You know 100,000 is, according to modeling, a very low number. In fact, when I first saw the number ... they said it was unlikely you’ll be able to attain that. We have to see but I think we’re doing better than that.”Trump played down concerns from New York’s Andrew Cuomo and other governors that their states’ hospitals don’t have enough ventilators to treat an anticipated crush of patients. Trump said the federal government currently has a stockpile of 10,000 ventilators that it plans on distributing as needed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585704944052.png" alt="President Trump listens to the grim update during Tuesday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump listens to the grim update during Tuesday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>“Now, when the surge occurs, if it occurs fairly evenly, we’ll be able to distribute them very quickly before they need them,” Trump said. “But we want to have a reserve right now. It’s like having oil reserves.”Birx said the experiences of Washington state and California give her hope that other states can keep the coronavirus under control through social distancing. That’s because they moved quickly to contain the early clusters of coronavirus by closing schools, urging people to work from home, banning large gatherings and taking other measures now familiar to most Americans, she noted.“I am reassured by looking at the Seattle line,” she added. “California and Washington state reacted very early to this.” Many other states and local governments already have stiff controls in place on mobility and gatherings.Trump said he would also ask Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to allow the docking of two cruise ships with passengers who have had contact with patients suffering from COVID-19. Passengers are anxious to disembark once they reach Florida, but DeSantis said the state’s health care resources are already stretched too thin to take on a ship’s coronavirus caseload.“They’re dying on the ship,” Trump said. “I’m going to do what’s right, not only for us for but humanity.”Trump also said he planned to curtail his travel for the month ahead and stay close to the White House to safeguard his health. The president hasn’t held one of his signature big-stadium rallies since early March, and it’s unlikely he’ll be holding another one anytime soon.“I think it’s important that I remain healthy. I really do,” Trump said. “So for the most part we’re staying here.”Trump spoke after another troubling day for the stock market, which has been in a free fall as the coronavirus ground the economy to a near-halt and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1bae3794481cc9d02fc670480cfcb800">left millions of people unemployed</a>. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged more than 400 points, or roughly 1.9%, to seal the worst first-quarter finish of its 135-year history.___

President Trump: 'Life and death' at stake in following guidelines

SCOTT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for an alleged criminal threat in Scott County.

Just before 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Scott City Police Department received a call about an incident that happened at Dollar General involving a man telling an 11-year-old girl he was going to give her corona and coughed in her face, according to police Chief David Post.

Just before 11p.m. police arrested Chance Archie Seamans, 31, Scott City, on a requested charge of Terrorism and Criminal Threat.

He is currently incarcerated in the Scott County Jail, according to Post.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585749576027.png" alt="Seamans photo Scott County" />
 <figcaption>Seamans photo Scott County</figcaption>
 </figure>SCOTT COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for an alleged criminal threat in Scott County.Just before 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Scott City Police Department received a call about an incident that happened at Dollar General involving a man telling an 11-year-old girl he was going to give her corona and coughed in her face, according to police Chief David Post.Just before 11p.m. police arrested Chance Archie Seamans, 31, Scott City, on a requested charge of Terrorism and Criminal Threat.He is currently incarcerated in the Scott County Jail, according to Post.

Kan. man accused of threatening to spread coronavirus to 11-year-old

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects arrested after an early morning traffic stop.

Just before&nbsp;&nbsp;2:30 a.m. Tuesday, a Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped a 2005 Chrysler 300 on NW US 75 Highway and NW 46th Street, according to Deputy Abigail. Christian 

The vehicle had four occupants inside and two had warrants for their arrests including Michael D. Johnson, 53, of Topeka, who was arrested for a felony parole violation warrant. Deputies also arrested Megan N. Fender, 29, of Topeka was arrested for a misdemeanor warrant.

Johnson and Fender were both booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585697219361.png" alt="Fender photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Fender photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects arrested after an early morning traffic stop.Just before&nbsp;&nbsp;2:30 a.m. Tuesday, a Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped a 2005 Chrysler 300 on NW US 75 Highway and NW 46th Street, according to Deputy Abigail. Christian The vehicle had four occupants inside and two had warrants for their arrests including Michael D. Johnson, 53, of Topeka, who was arrested for a felony parole violation warrant. Deputies also arrested Megan N. Fender, 29, of Topeka was arrested for a misdemeanor warrant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585697152048.png" alt="Michael Johnson photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Michael Johnson photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Johnson and Fender were both booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.-

Deputies catch wanted Kansas felon during traffic stop

PRATT COUNTY —Authorities in Pratt County reported their first positive case of coronavirus Tuesday.

The patient is an employee of Pratt&nbsp; Community College, according to a media release from the county health department. The agency did not release the age or gender of the patient. They did say the patient had not traveled, has no underlying health conditions and has been home and in quarantine since March 12. The health department is working to identify and contact any possible contacts with this patient.

Kansas had 428 coronavirus patients, according to Tuesday's report from the KDHE. The Pratt County case will be included in Wednesday's report.

At this time we ask that you continue to practice social distancing, hand hygiene and follow the Governors' Stay-at-Home orders. These guidelines are in place to help flatten the curve and to help prevent the spread of this virus.

PRATT COUNTY —Authorities in Pratt County reported their first positive case of coronavirus Tuesday.The patient is an employee of Pratt&nbsp; Community College, according to a media release from the county health department. The agency did not release the age or gender of the patient. They did say the patient had not traveled, has no underlying health conditions and has been home and in quarantine since March 12. The health department is working to identify and contact any possible contacts with this patient.Kansas had 428 coronavirus patients, according to Tuesday's report from the KDHE. The Pratt County case will be included in Wednesday's report.At this time we ask that you continue to practice social distancing, hand hygiene and follow the Governors' Stay-at-Home orders. These guidelines are in place to help flatten the curve and to help prevent the spread of this virus.

First case of coronavirus in Pratt Co. is community college employee

LYON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11p.m. Tuesday in Lyon County.

According to the Lyon County Sheriff's Office,&nbsp; a 2002 Hyundai Elantra driven by Serena Tovar, 23,&nbsp; Emporia, was northbound in the 600 block of Kansas 99 near Olpe. The vehicle left the road, traveled into the ditch and rolled.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A passenger identified as Cynthia Floris-Rosas, 22, Emporia, was pronounced dead at the scene.

EMS transported Tovar and passengers Alondra Perez, 24, and Bethany Torres, 22,&nbsp; to the hospital in Emporia

Flores-Rosas was not wearing a seat belt, according to the Sheriff's Department.&nbsp;

LYON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11p.m. Tuesday in Lyon County.According to the Lyon County Sheriff's Office,&nbsp; a 2002 Hyundai Elantra driven by Serena Tovar, 23,&nbsp; Emporia, was northbound in the 600 block of Kansas 99 near Olpe. The vehicle left the road, traveled into the ditch and rolled.&nbsp;&nbsp;A passenger identified as Cynthia Floris-Rosas, 22, Emporia, was pronounced dead at the scene.EMS transported Tovar and passengers Alondra Perez, 24, and Bethany Torres, 22,&nbsp; to the hospital in EmporiaFlores-Rosas was not wearing a seat belt, according to the Sheriff's Department.&nbsp;

Kansas woman dead, 3 hospitalized after rollover crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Americans to brace for a “hell of a bad two weeks” ahead as the White House projected there could be 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the U.S. from the coronavirus pandemic even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained.

Public health officials stressed that the number could be less if people across the country bear down on keeping their distance from one another.

“We really believe we can do a lot better than that,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force. That would require all Americans to take seriously their role in preventing the spread of disease, she said.

Added Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, “This is a number that we need to anticipate, but we don’t necessarily have to accept it as being inevitable.”

Trump called it “a matter of life and death” for Americans to heed his administration’s guidelines and predicted the country would soon see a “light at the end of the tunnel” in a pandemic that has killed more than 3,500 Americans and infected 170,000 more.

The jaw-dropping projections were laid out during a grim, two-hour White House briefing. Officials described a death toll that in a best-case scenario would likely be greater than the more than 53,000 American lives lost during World War I. And the model’s high end neared the realm of possibility that Americans lost to the virus could approach the 291,000 Americans killed on the battlefield during World II.

Birx said pandemic forecasts initially predicted 1.5 million to 2.2 million deaths in the U.S. But that was a worst-case scenario, without efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus through social distancing. She added that states that have not yet seen a spike in cases as New York has could take action to flatten the curve of rising hospitalizations and deaths.

It’s not only social distancing that could make a difference, but also the frantic efforts by hospitals around the country to prepare for an onslaught of seriously ill patients. The better prepared hospitals are, the greater the chances of lives being saved.

There’s also a wild card when it comes to treatment: whether the experimental drug combination Trump has touted — a medicine for malaria and an antibiotic — will actually make a difference. That combination is already being used on thousands of patients, and Fauci said he would want to see a rigorous test of its effectiveness.

Trump’s comments came after he announced Sunday that he was extending to April 30 the social distancing guidelines that advise Americans to cease large gatherings, work from home, suspend onsite learning at schools and more in a nationwide effort to stem the spread of the virus.

It was an abrupt reversal for Trump, who spent much of last week targeting April 12 as the day he wanted to see Americans “pack the pews” for Easter Sunday services.

Trump called the data “very sobering,” saying it was his understanding that 100,000 deaths was a minimum that would be difficult to avoid. He also sought to rewrite his past minimization of the outbreak, saying he rejected those who compared the new coronavirus to the flu — when in fact he repeatedly did so publicly.

"This could be hell of a bad two weeks,’” Trump said. He added: “You know 100,000 is, according to modeling, a very low number. In fact, when I first saw the number ... they said it was unlikely you’ll be able to attain that. We have to see but I think we’re doing better than that.”

Trump spoke after another troubling day for the stock market, which has been in a free fall as the cononavirus ground the economy to a near-halt and left millions unemployed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged more than 400 points, or roughly 1.9%, to seal the worst first-quarter finish of its 135-year history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585692040069.png" alt="Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Americans to brace for a “hell of a bad two weeks” ahead as the White House projected there could be 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the U.S. from the coronavirus pandemic even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585691283364.png" alt="White House image" />
 <figcaption>White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>Public health officials stressed that the number could be less if people across the country bear down on keeping their distance from one another.“We really believe we can do a lot better than that,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force. That would require all Americans to take seriously their role in preventing the spread of disease, she said.Added Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, “This is a number that we need to anticipate, but we don’t necessarily have to accept it as being inevitable.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585691441605.png" alt="White House image" />
 <figcaption>White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump called it “a matter of life and death” for Americans to heed his administration’s guidelines and predicted the country would soon see a “light at the end of the tunnel” in a pandemic that has killed more than 3,500 Americans and infected 170,000 more.“I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead,” Trump said.“This is going to be one of the roughest two or three weeks we’ve ever had in our country,” Trump added. “We’re going to lose thousands of people.”The jaw-dropping projections were laid out during a grim, two-hour White House briefing. Officials described a death toll that in a best-case scenario would likely be greater than the more than 53,000 American lives lost during World War I. And the model’s high end neared the realm of possibility that Americans lost to the virus could approach the 291,000 Americans killed on the battlefield during World II.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585691504295.png" alt="White House image" />
 <figcaption>White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>“There’s no magic bullet,” Birx said. “There’s no magic vaccine or therapy. It’s just behaviors. Each of our behaviors, translating into something that changes the course of this viral pandemic.”Fauci called the numbers “sobering” and urged Americans to “step on the accelerator” with their collective mitigation efforts.“We are continuing to see things go up,” Fauci said. “We cannot be discouraged by that because the mitigation is actually working and will work.”Birx said pandemic forecasts initially predicted 1.5 million to 2.2 million deaths in the U.S. But that was a worst-case scenario, without efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus through social distancing. She added that states that have not yet seen a spike in cases as New York has could take action to flatten the curve of rising hospitalizations and deaths.It’s not only social distancing that could make a difference, but also the frantic efforts by hospitals around the country to prepare for an onslaught of seriously ill patients. The better prepared hospitals are, the greater the chances of lives being saved.There’s also a wild card when it comes to treatment: whether the experimental drug combination Trump has touted — a medicine for malaria and an antibiotic — will actually make a difference. That combination is already being used on thousands of patients, and Fauci said he would want to see a rigorous test of its effectiveness.Trump’s comments came after he announced Sunday that he was extending to April 30 the social distancing guidelines that advise Americans to cease large gatherings, work from home, suspend onsite learning at schools and more in a nationwide effort to stem the spread of the virus.It was an abrupt reversal for Trump, who spent much of last week targeting April 12 as the day he wanted to see Americans “pack the pews” for Easter Sunday services.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585691352994.png" alt="White House image" />
 <figcaption>White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump called the data “very sobering,” saying it was his understanding that 100,000 deaths was a minimum that would be difficult to avoid. He also sought to rewrite his past minimization of the outbreak, saying he rejected those who compared the new coronavirus to the flu — when in fact he repeatedly did so publicly."This could be hell of a bad two weeks,’” Trump said. He added: “You know 100,000 is, according to modeling, a very low number. In fact, when I first saw the number ... they said it was unlikely you’ll be able to attain that. We have to see but I think we’re doing better than that.”Trump played down concerns from New York’s Andrew Cuomo and other governors that their states’ hospitals don’t have enough ventilators to treat an anticipated crush of patients. Trump said the federal government currently has a stockpile of 10,000 ventilators that it plans on distributing as needed.“Now, when the surge occurs, if it occurs fairly evenly, we’ll be able to distribute them very quickly before they need them,” Trump said. “But we want to have a reserve right now. It’s like having oil reserves.”Birx said the experiences of Washington state and California give her hope that other states can keep the coronavirus under control through social distancing. That’s because they moved quickly to contain the early clusters of coronavirus by closing schools, urging people to work from home, banning large gatherings and taking other measures now familiar to most Americans, she noted.“I am reassured by looking at the Seattle line,” she added. “California and Washington state reacted very early to this.” Many other states and local governments already have stiff controls in place on mobility and gatherings.Trump said he would also ask Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to allow the docking of two cruise ships with passengers who have had contact with patients suffering from COVID-19. Passengers are anxious to disembark once they reach Florida, but DeSantis said the state’s health care resources are already stretched too thin to take on a ship’s coronavirus caseload.“They’re dying on the ship,” Trump said. “I’m going to do what’s right, not only for us for but humanity.”Trump also said he planned to curtail his travel for the month ahead and stay close to the White House to safeguard his health. The president hasn’t held one of his signature big-stadium rallies since early March, and it’s unlikely he’ll be holding another one anytime soon.“I think it’s important that I remain healthy. I really do,” Trump said. “So for the most part we’re staying here.”Trump spoke after another troubling day for the stock market, which has been in a free fall as the cononavirus ground the economy to a near-halt and left millions unemployed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged more than 400 points, or roughly 1.9%, to seal the worst first-quarter finish of its 135-year history.

White House projects up to 240K US deaths from virus

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita-area official wants to temporarily close an abortion clinic to curb the spread of the coronavirus that has sickened residents and staff at another Kansas nursing home.

Sedgwick County Commissioner Michael O’Donnell said Monday that he’ll ask the commission to strip abortion clinics from the list of “essential” businesses that can stay open during the pandemic, thus shuttering the Trust Women Wichita Clinic,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/coronavirus/article241623971.html?" target="_blank">The Wichita Eagle</a>&nbsp;reported.

Julie Burkhart, founder and CEO of the clinic, called the proposal “unethical” and “unconscionable.” The clinic replaced the practice of late-term abortion provider&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/GeorgeTiller">Dr. George Tiller</a>&nbsp;who was fatally shot by an anti-abortion activist in 2009.

“This is nothing more than a political tool they are using in order to shut down abortion,” Burkhart said.

O’Donnell presented the proposal&nbsp;even as federal judges&nbsp;temporarily blocked similar efforts in other states. He said women have been traveling to the Wichita clinic from out of state after the governor in neighboring Oklahoma issued a stay-at-home order last week that effectively bans most abortions.

“We should not be having women, and men, travel from other states, potentially bringing the coronavirus into Wichita,” O’Donnell said.

The Kansas Supreme Court last year declared access to abortion a “fundamental” right under the state constitution.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita-area official wants to temporarily close an abortion clinic to curb the spread of the coronavirus that has sickened residents and staff at another Kansas nursing home.Sedgwick County Commissioner Michael O’Donnell said Monday that he’ll ask the commission to strip abortion clinics from the list of “essential” businesses that can stay open during the pandemic, thus shuttering the Trust Women Wichita Clinic,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/coronavirus/article241623971.html?" target="_blank">The Wichita Eagle</a>&nbsp;reported.Julie Burkhart, founder and CEO of the clinic, called the proposal “unethical” and “unconscionable.” The clinic replaced the practice of late-term abortion provider&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/GeorgeTiller">Dr. George Tiller</a>&nbsp;who was fatally shot by an anti-abortion activist in 2009.“This is nothing more than a political tool they are using in order to shut down abortion,” Burkhart said.O’Donnell presented the proposal&nbsp;even as federal judges&nbsp;temporarily blocked similar efforts in other states. He said women have been traveling to the Wichita clinic from out of state after the governor in neighboring Oklahoma issued a stay-at-home order last week that effectively bans most abortions.“We should not be having women, and men, travel from other states, potentially bringing the coronavirus into Wichita,” O’Donnell said.The Kansas Supreme Court last year declared access to abortion a “fundamental” right under the state constitution.

Virus outbreak prompts push to close Kan. abortion clinic

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide after a man was found in a Sedgwick County ditch with multiple stab wounds, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.&nbsp;

The victim identified as 26-year-old Zackary Tilson was found in the 5500 Block of west 85th Street North near Valley Center on Friday morning, according to Lt. Tim Myers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Saturday, authorities arrested Jeremy T. Shuflat, 37, for warrants and he was booked in the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility.&nbsp; During the investigation, authorities identified Shuflat as the suspect in Tilson's murder, according to Sheriff Easter.&nbsp; On Tuesday afternoon, authorities added&nbsp; a requested charge of first-degree murder against Shuflat. No bond is listed for him

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585685933852.png" alt="Shuflat-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Shuflat-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp; — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide after a man was found in a Sedgwick County ditch with multiple stab wounds, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.&nbsp;The victim identified as 26-year-old Zackary Tilson was found in the 5500 Block of west 85th Street North near Valley Center on Friday morning, according to Lt. Tim Myers.&nbsp;&nbsp;On Saturday, authorities arrested Jeremy T. Shuflat, 37, for warrants and he was booked in the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility.&nbsp; During the investigation, authorities identified Shuflat as the suspect in Tilson's murder, according to Sheriff Easter.&nbsp; On Tuesday afternoon, authorities added&nbsp; a requested charge of first-degree murder against Shuflat. No bond is listed for him

Sheriff: Suspect jailed for murder of man found in Kan. ditch

WASHINGTON (AP) — A $500 billion federal aid package for companies and governments hurt by the coronavirus includes rules aimed at ensuring that the taxpayer money is used in ways that would help sustain the economy. But questions are being raised about whether those guardrails will prevent the kinds of abuses that have marked some corporate bailouts of the past.

In return for the emergency loans, which could be spun by the Federal Reserve into up to $4.5 trillion, companies will face temporary limits on what they can pay executives. They’ll also need to keep their workforces stable or at least not lay off more than 10% for several months. And they’ll face restrictions on stock buybacks and dividend increases.

Yet loopholes may lurk in the legislation.

“On paper, it looks like we learned the lessons,’’ said James Angel, an associate professor of finance at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. “But the devil is in the details. ... There’s a lot of room around the edges.”

The legislation establishes a system of oversight on how companies use the rescue money. The oversight is widely thought to exceed the standards for the bailouts of banks and automakers in the 2008-09 financial crisis. Critics have long attacked those bailouts as an unwarranted giveaway to corporations whose conduct contributed directly to the crisis.

Under the just-enacted $2.2 trillion package, a government watchdog and a panel appointed by Congress will monitor how the billions in aid are deployed and whether its corporate recipients are meeting the restrictions.

President Donald Trump wasted little time, though, in throwing the oversight system into question. After signing the relief package Friday, Trump issued a statement that seemed to reject the independence of a new inspector general’s office. He said he wouldn't recognize the inspector general's right to report to Congress without “presidential supervision.” Trump's statement went on to dispute other aspects of the oversight rules, including that Congress should be consulted in the allocation of relief money.

It will be up to Trump to appoint the special inspector general for the bailout fund, who will have to be confirmed by the Senate.

By any standards, the overall package is a staggering pot of money — by far the largest in the history of crisis relief for industries and local governments. About $425 billion is to be used by the Treasury Department to support the Fed's emergency lending programs. These include loans for small and medium-sized businesses. Because the companies, states and cities are deemed likely to repay the loans, the Fed is able to to leverage the money into up to roughly $4 trillion in actual lending.

“A program of this scale and scope ... when things are moving so fast, will need vigorous scrutiny,” said Phil Angelides, a former California state treasurer who led the 10-member congressional oversight panel for the financial-crisis bailout.

Peter Henning, a law professor at Wayne State University and a former Justice Department attorney, notes that the bailout program gives wide latitude to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

“Secretary Mnuchin has authority to basically negotiate any kind of loan that he wants," Henning said. “We'll see who gets favored and who doesn't."

For companies that receive emergency aid, there may be wiggle room in the conditions attached to it. While they can’t shrink their workforce by more than 10% through the fall, there’s no prohibition against cutting employee wages — except for airlines that receive direct grants. These grants must be used for employee pay and benefits.

Companies could also reduce workers’ hours and overtime without running afoul of a ban on breaching union contracts.

“A lot of people are going to see their compensation fall even though they still have a job,” Georgetown’s Angel said. “Just the fear of that puts the brakes on the economy.”

In addition, some corporate recipients of aid will likely find ways to bypass limits on executive compensation, Angel suggested, through how stock options are valued or through non-financial perks like housing and travel expenses.

During the financial crisis, public advocates railed against revelations of excessive pay packages for executives at some banks and automakers that received billions in taxpayer aid. The Treasury did take equity stakes in the companies in exchange for emergency loans — an idea that Trump has endorsed for the new aid program. This is likely to be the case for airlines that receive direct federal grants.

Another condition is that recipient companies cannot buy back their own shares from investors for at least a year after the loan term ends. This restriction may be easier than others to monitor because of public reporting requirements for stock transactions.

Buybacks tend to inflate stock prices by reducing the number of shares in circulation. This can produce a bonanza for executives whose compensation comes mainly in stock awards and options rather than salary. Better to use the aid, critics say, to preserve employee jobs or wages, invest in expansion or build cash reserves for future emergencies.

Four big airlines — American, United, Delta and Southwest — spent a combined $39 billion in the past five years on share buybacks, according to S&amp;P Global. The new $500 billion relief fund earmarks up to $50 billion for loans and grants to airlines; $8 billion for cargo carriers; and up to $17 billion for “businesses critical to maintaining national security" — regarded as a life vest for Boeing. The struggles of the aircraft giant, reeling from the grounding of its 737 Max jet, have deepened as air travel has nearly halted.

In addition to airlines, the distressed industries that have pleaded for federal help include hotels, restaurants, retailers and manufacturers.

The emergency loans for corporations, to run up to five years, bar executives at recipient companies who earned over $425,000 last year from receiving compensation that would exceed their 2019 total. Nor will “golden parachutes” payments for senior executives who are let go be allowed to exceed twice an executive's 2019 compensation if it topped $425,000. And executives who earned over $3 million last year cannot receive compensation exceeding $3 million plus half of any 2019 pay over $3 million.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584462219509.png" alt="Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing" />
 <figcaption>Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A $500 billion federal aid package for companies and governments hurt by the coronavirus includes rules aimed at ensuring that the taxpayer money is used in ways that would help sustain the economy. But questions are being raised about whether those guardrails will prevent the kinds of abuses that have marked some corporate bailouts of the past.In return for the emergency loans, which could be spun by the Federal Reserve into up to $4.5 trillion, companies will face temporary limits on what they can pay executives. They’ll also need to keep their workforces stable or at least not lay off more than 10% for several months. And they’ll face restrictions on stock buybacks and dividend increases.Yet loopholes may lurk in the legislation.“On paper, it looks like we learned the lessons,’’ said James Angel, an associate professor of finance at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. “But the devil is in the details. ... There’s a lot of room around the edges.”The legislation establishes a system of oversight on how companies use the rescue money. The oversight is widely thought to exceed the standards for the bailouts of banks and automakers in the 2008-09 financial crisis. Critics have long attacked those bailouts as an unwarranted giveaway to corporations whose conduct contributed directly to the crisis.Under the just-enacted $2.2 trillion package, a government watchdog and a panel appointed by Congress will monitor how the billions in aid are deployed and whether its corporate recipients are meeting the restrictions.President Donald Trump wasted little time, though, in throwing the oversight system into question. After signing the relief package Friday, Trump issued a statement that seemed to reject the independence of a new inspector general’s office. He said he wouldn't recognize the inspector general's right to report to Congress without “presidential supervision.” Trump's statement went on to dispute other aspects of the oversight rules, including that Congress should be consulted in the allocation of relief money.It will be up to Trump to appoint the special inspector general for the bailout fund, who will have to be confirmed by the Senate.By any standards, the overall package is a staggering pot of money — by far the largest in the history of crisis relief for industries and local governments. About $425 billion is to be used by the Treasury Department to support the Fed's emergency lending programs. These include loans for small and medium-sized businesses. Because the companies, states and cities are deemed likely to repay the loans, the Fed is able to to leverage the money into up to roughly $4 trillion in actual lending.“A program of this scale and scope ... when things are moving so fast, will need vigorous scrutiny,” said Phil Angelides, a former California state treasurer who led the 10-member congressional oversight panel for the financial-crisis bailout.Peter Henning, a law professor at Wayne State University and a former Justice Department attorney, notes that the bailout program gives wide latitude to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.“Secretary Mnuchin has authority to basically negotiate any kind of loan that he wants," Henning said. “We'll see who gets favored and who doesn't."For companies that receive emergency aid, there may be wiggle room in the conditions attached to it. While they can’t shrink their workforce by more than 10% through the fall, there’s no prohibition against cutting employee wages — except for airlines that receive direct grants. These grants must be used for employee pay and benefits.Companies could also reduce workers’ hours and overtime without running afoul of a ban on breaching union contracts.“A lot of people are going to see their compensation fall even though they still have a job,” Georgetown’s Angel said. “Just the fear of that puts the brakes on the economy.”In addition, some corporate recipients of aid will likely find ways to bypass limits on executive compensation, Angel suggested, through how stock options are valued or through non-financial perks like housing and travel expenses.During the financial crisis, public advocates railed against revelations of excessive pay packages for executives at some banks and automakers that received billions in taxpayer aid. The Treasury did take equity stakes in the companies in exchange for emergency loans — an idea that Trump has endorsed for the new aid program. This is likely to be the case for airlines that receive direct federal grants.Another condition is that recipient companies cannot buy back their own shares from investors for at least a year after the loan term ends. This restriction may be easier than others to monitor because of public reporting requirements for stock transactions.Buybacks tend to inflate stock prices by reducing the number of shares in circulation. This can produce a bonanza for executives whose compensation comes mainly in stock awards and options rather than salary. Better to use the aid, critics say, to preserve employee jobs or wages, invest in expansion or build cash reserves for future emergencies.Four big airlines — American, United, Delta and Southwest — spent a combined $39 billion in the past five years on share buybacks, according to S&amp;P Global. The new $500 billion relief fund earmarks up to $50 billion for loans and grants to airlines; $8 billion for cargo carriers; and up to $17 billion for “businesses critical to maintaining national security" — regarded as a life vest for Boeing. The struggles of the aircraft giant, reeling from the grounding of its 737 Max jet, have deepened as air travel has nearly halted.In addition to airlines, the distressed industries that have pleaded for federal help include hotels, restaurants, retailers and manufacturers.The emergency loans for corporations, to run up to five years, bar executives at recipient companies who earned over $425,000 last year from receiving compensation that would exceed their 2019 total. Nor will “golden parachutes” payments for senior executives who are let go be allowed to exceed twice an executive's 2019 compensation if it topped $425,000. And executives who earned over $3 million last year cannot receive compensation exceeding $3 million plus half of any 2019 pay over $3 million.__

Conditions for companies that get virus aid: Room for abuse?

TOPEKA –&nbsp;People who attended the Kansas East Jurisdiction’s 2020 Ministers and Workers Conference at the Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ located at 2106 Quindaro Blvd, Kansas City, KS, 66104 from March 16-22, may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Health.

This event has been identified as a place of exposure for multiple people in Kansas who have since become ill and tested positive for COVID-19.

Symptoms for COVID-19 appear 2-14 days after exposure and include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Other rarer symptoms that may develop include malaise, sore throat and diarrhea.

If you develop any of these symptoms, but are not ill enough to seek medical care, you must stay home for at least 7 days after symptom started or for 72 hours after fever is gone (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and with a significant improvement in symptoms, whichever is longer. If you develop these symptoms and need to seek medical care, call your healthcare provider beforehand to inform them that you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and require medical attention.

If you attended this event and develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 between 2 and 14 days later, please call your local health department as they will conduct a confidential investigation to prevent further transmission of COVID-19.

For more information about COVID-19 in Kansas, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kdheks.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C042a1edf1de145d374d508d7d5b47766%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637212843374682280&amp;sdata=qleGonZO74ZQP%2FUtHLm5kLVzOSHE6pVERomGOC8e%2FeE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus</a>. For questions regarding isolation and quarantine for COVID-19, please contact your local health department or KDHE’s Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317.

TOPEKA –&nbsp;People who attended the Kansas East Jurisdiction’s 2020 Ministers and Workers Conference at the Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ located at 2106 Quindaro Blvd, Kansas City, KS, 66104 from March 16-22, may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Health.This event has been identified as a place of exposure for multiple people in Kansas who have since become ill and tested positive for COVID-19.Symptoms for COVID-19 appear 2-14 days after exposure and include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Other rarer symptoms that may develop include malaise, sore throat and diarrhea.If you develop any of these symptoms, but are not ill enough to seek medical care, you must stay home for at least 7 days after symptom started or for 72 hours after fever is gone (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and with a significant improvement in symptoms, whichever is longer. If you develop these symptoms and need to seek medical care, call your healthcare provider beforehand to inform them that you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and require medical attention.If you attended this event and develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 between 2 and 14 days later, please call your local health department as they will conduct a confidential investigation to prevent further transmission of COVID-19.For more information about COVID-19 in Kansas, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kdheks.gov%2Fcoronavirus&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C042a1edf1de145d374d508d7d5b47766%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637212843374682280&amp;sdata=qleGonZO74ZQP%2FUtHLm5kLVzOSHE6pVERomGOC8e%2FeE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus</a>. For questions regarding isolation and quarantine for COVID-19, please contact your local health department or KDHE’s Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317.

KDHE: Attendees at church conference may have been exposed to virus

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed an Executive Order Tuesday that will provide temporary relief from certain unemployment insurance requirements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

The governor addressed the issues during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.

<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/EO-20-17-Executed.pdf">Click here to read</a> details on the new executive order 20-17.

&nbsp;It will ensure Kansans can draw down millions in federal dollars under the federal CARES Act.

The federal stimulus will expand unemployment insurance to include self-employed, 1099-independent contractors, gig and low-wage workers who can no longer work because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The agreement also increases weekly benefits for all unemployed workers by $600 a week for up to four months.

"Certain provisions of Kansas employment security law will impede Kansas’ ability to draw down millions in federal funds for unemployment insurance programs,” Kelly said. “This order will allow flexibility to ensure Kansas workers and small business owners can secure the safety and protection that unemployment insurance is designed to provide at times of crisis.”

Executive Order 20-17 makes three, temporary changes to Kansas employment security law:

“This flexibility will ensure that our Department of Labor can keep up with the surge of unemployment claims our state is experiencing and that Kansas workers and small business owners can secure the safety and protection that unemployment insurance is designed to provide at times of crisis,” Kelly said.

Kelly also addressed the unprecedented volume of calls coming into the Kansas Department of Labor. Just yesterday, the agency received over 877,000 calls to their unemployment line. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the agency received an average of 1,100 calls per week.

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed an Executive Order Tuesday that will provide temporary relief from certain unemployment insurance requirements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;The governor addressed the issues during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F210912297003625%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/EO-20-17-Executed.pdf">Click here to read</a> details on the new executive order 20-17.&nbsp;It will ensure Kansans can draw down millions in federal dollars under the federal CARES Act.The federal stimulus will expand unemployment insurance to include self-employed, 1099-independent contractors, gig and low-wage workers who can no longer work because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The agreement also increases weekly benefits for all unemployed workers by $600 a week for up to four months."Certain provisions of Kansas employment security law will impede Kansas’ ability to draw down millions in federal funds for unemployment insurance programs,” Kelly said. “This order will allow flexibility to ensure Kansas workers and small business owners can secure the safety and protection that unemployment insurance is designed to provide at times of crisis.”Executive Order 20-17 makes three, temporary changes to Kansas employment security law:<ol>
 <li>The waiting week requirement for unemployment benefits is temporarily waived for all claimants;</li><li>The requirement that Kansans receiving unemployment benefits actively seek work each week is temporarily waived for all claimants to allow Kansans to continue the necessary social distancing practices;</li><li>All Kansas employers, as required by the federal Department of Labor, must notify separated employees if they qualify for unemployment insurance.</li>
 </ol>“This flexibility will ensure that our Department of Labor can keep up with the surge of unemployment claims our state is experiencing and that Kansas workers and small business owners can secure the safety and protection that unemployment insurance is designed to provide at times of crisis,” Kelly said.Kelly also addressed the unprecedented volume of calls coming into the Kansas Department of Labor. Just yesterday, the agency received over 877,000 calls to their unemployment line. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the agency received an average of 1,100 calls per week.“Labor Secretary Delia Garcia and her team are working quickly to expand capacity at the call centers,” Kelly said. “They have added phone lines, hired additional employees and are working with employers to speed up the benefit process. The website remains the fastest and most efficient way to file for benefits, but if you must call in, please be patient. This is an incredibly stressful time for everybody, and the Department of Labor is working hard to get applications processed and benefits distributed.”