WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he’s enlisting advisers from nearly all sectors of American commerce, the medical field and elected office to help shape his plans to reopen the coronavirus-battered economy.

The panel of advisers, whom Trump said he will consult by phone, will operate separately from the White House task force that’s leading the administration’s public health strategy to contain and mitigate the pandemic, though there is expected to be some overlap.

The panel, which the White House has dubbed the Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, includes more than 50 executives and leaders from agricultural, defense and financial service industries, as well as leaders from unions, professional sports, think tanks and more.

The list of executives includes Apple’s Tim Cook, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and hedge fund manager Ken Griffin, all individuals with whom Trump has long-standing relationships. Trump also named some individuals who have been critical of him in the past, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban.

Trump added that he would likely announce on Wednesday the names of elected officials, including governors and members of Congress, whom he would also consult.

“I’m confident that these respected people ... will give us some great ideas in addition to what the governors have learned,” Trump said.

Trump has insisted that he has “total” authority to decide how and when to loosen restrictions in the country — although the Constitution largely delegates such matters to the states. The president added on Tuesday that he plans to take action “in conjunction with governors.”

He also signaled that he is ready to push for big swaths of the country to get back to business soon. He noted that some states have been less affected by the virus and will be ready to “open very very shortly, if not, almost immediately.” More than 25,000 Americans have been killed by the virus outbreak.

Before Trump announced the people with whom he’d be consulting, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka stressed that the White House needed to make sure to include “voices of working people.” Trumka was among the union officials included on the list.

The global economy is projected to shrink by 3% during 2020, a falloff that would mark the steepest downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s, according to the International Monetary Fund.

With the country barreling toward a likely recession ahead of November’s election, Trump is eager to spur an economic revival, hoping to steady financial markets and restore some of the 16 million jobs already lost because of the pandemic. He originally hoped to have the country stirring again by Easter but now wants at least a partial reopening by the end of the month.

Many medical experts in the government, including Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, have cautioned that easing up on social distancing too soon could lead to a new wave of the disease that would require shuttering the economy again, with disastrous results.

Fauci said Tuesday that the U.S. does not yet have the critical testing and tracing procedures needed to begin reopening the economy.

Some ethics experts and participants in past councils created by Trump voiced concerns that the president may not be open to using the new panel to explore diverse viewpoints and hard truths about the best path forward.

“It doesn’t work if you bring in the hallelujah chorus,” said Thea Lee, president of the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning Washington think tank. Lee served on a short-lived manufacturing council that Trump established early in his presidency.

Among the executives with whom Trump said he will consult are representatives from Cisco Systems, Tyson Foods, Archer Daniels Midland, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, US Bank, Morgan Stanley, Grand Rapids State Bank and Southern Bank Corp.

Trump said he would also consult with union leaders including the International Union of Operating Engineers president James Callahan, North America’s Building Trade Unions president Sean McGarvey, International Brotherhood of Teamsters president James Hoffa, and Trumka.

Among the sports world emissaries he said he planned to consult are the WWE’s Vince McMahon, NASCAR board chairperson Lesa Kennedy, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586903031063.png" alt="President Trump during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing Tuesday in the White House Rose Garden&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Trump during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing Tuesday in the White House Rose Garden&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he’s enlisting advisers from nearly all sectors of American commerce, the medical field and elected office to help shape his plans to reopen the coronavirus-battered economy.The panel of advisers, whom Trump said he will consult by phone, will operate separately from the White House task force that’s leading the administration’s public health strategy to contain and mitigate the pandemic, though there is expected to be some overlap.The panel, which the White House has dubbed the Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups, includes more than 50 executives and leaders from agricultural, defense and financial service industries, as well as leaders from unions, professional sports, think tanks and more.The list of executives includes Apple’s Tim Cook, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and hedge fund manager Ken Griffin, all individuals with whom Trump has long-standing relationships. Trump also named some individuals who have been critical of him in the past, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban.Trump added that he would likely announce on Wednesday the names of elected officials, including governors and members of Congress, whom he would also consult.“I’m confident that these respected people ... will give us some great ideas in addition to what the governors have learned,” Trump said.Trump has insisted that he has “total” authority to decide how and when to loosen restrictions in the country — although the Constitution largely delegates such matters to the states. The president added on Tuesday that he plans to take action “in conjunction with governors.”He also signaled that he is ready to push for big swaths of the country to get back to business soon. He noted that some states have been less affected by the virus and will be ready to “open very very shortly, if not, almost immediately.” More than 25,000 Americans have been killed by the virus outbreak.Before Trump announced the people with whom he’d be consulting, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka stressed that the White House needed to make sure to include “voices of working people.” Trumka was among the union officials included on the list.The global economy is projected to shrink by 3% during 2020, a falloff that would mark the steepest downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s, according to the International Monetary Fund.With the country barreling toward a likely recession ahead of November’s election, Trump is eager to spur an economic revival, hoping to steady financial markets and restore some of the 16 million jobs already lost because of the pandemic. He originally hoped to have the country stirring again by Easter but now wants at least a partial reopening by the end of the month.Many medical experts in the government, including Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, have cautioned that easing up on social distancing too soon could lead to a new wave of the disease that would require shuttering the economy again, with disastrous results.Fauci said Tuesday that the U.S. does not yet have the critical testing and tracing procedures needed to begin reopening the economy.Some ethics experts and participants in past councils created by Trump voiced concerns that the president may not be open to using the new panel to explore diverse viewpoints and hard truths about the best path forward.“It doesn’t work if you bring in the hallelujah chorus,” said Thea Lee, president of the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning Washington think tank. Lee served on a short-lived manufacturing council that Trump established early in his presidency.Among the executives with whom Trump said he will consult are representatives from Cisco Systems, Tyson Foods, Archer Daniels Midland, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, US Bank, Morgan Stanley, Grand Rapids State Bank and Southern Bank Corp.Trump said he would also consult with union leaders including the International Union of Operating Engineers president James Callahan, North America’s Building Trade Unions president Sean McGarvey, International Brotherhood of Teamsters president James Hoffa, and Trumka.Among the sports world emissaries he said he planned to consult are the WWE’s Vince McMahon, NASCAR board chairperson Lesa Kennedy, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.___

New Trump advisory groups to consult on reopening US economy

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military is bracing for a months-long struggle against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus</a>, looking for novel ways to maintain a defensive crouch that sustains troops’ health without breaking their morale — while still protecting the nation.

Unlike talk in the Trump administration of possibly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/420a38ec14101eab70e07be367ee6422">reopening the country</a>&nbsp;as early as May, military leaders are suggesting that this summer may be the best-case scenario of tiptoeing toward a return to normal activities. Even that is uncertain, and for now the focus is on adjusting as the pandemic’s threat evolves.

“We are going to need to change and adapt, because even over the coming months the virus isn’t going to go away. We’re going to have to be able to operate in a COVID environment,” Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist said recently, referring to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Officials have frozen most forces in place overseas, stopped troops and their families from moving to new assignments, and cut back access to the Pentagon. The military services have halted or restricted recruit training, canceled major exercises, and isolated troops in the most sensitive units. The new Space Force has delayed a satellite launch, and the Navy this week postponed the return of the USS Harry S. Truman, keeping the aircraft carrier at sea to shield its crew from virus exposure at home.

These steps to protect the force have parallels in civilian society, but a far-flung military can’t function by staying at home.

“This will be a new way of doing business that we have to focus in on,” says Air Force Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “We’re adjusting to that new world as we speak today.”

The notion of “normal” in the military may never be the same.

“We’ve all deployed and fought enemies abroad, however, today’s enemy is here in our communities,” said Lt. Gen. Brad Webb, commander of the Air Force’s training and education command. “We don’t know what ‘new normal’ will look like until we get to the other side.”

Defense Secretary Mark Esper has been consistent in saying it will take time to determine when to begin lifting restrictions on the military, and he has faced little public pressure — from military families or the White House — to rush things. In civilian society, there is an open split between those like President Donald Trump who want the country reopened soon to mitigate economic damage and those, including many state governors, who fear reopening prematurely will undermine progress against the virus.

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the the pandemic has spread so far and wide, potentially creating instability in some countries, that the U.S. military cannot return to business as usual.

“We have got to take a hard look at how we as a military, we as a Department of Defense, conduct operations in the future,” he said.

In a further sign of uncertainty, Esper said Tuesday that he will extend a “stop movement” order halting what are called permanent change-of-station moves by troops and their families. He did not say how long he will extend the order, aimed at protecting troops and originally set to expire May 11. If it continues into the summer, military members with children could face serious hardship, since they need time to settle and enroll their children in new schools.

Coronavirus has been less deadly in the military than in the rest of American society, but the number of confirmed cases is still rising. As of Tuesday the total exceeded 2,600, up from 1,521 a week earlier. Two troops have died of the disease — a National Guard member in March and a Navy sailor on Monday.

Even after the number of the military’s coronavirus cases crests, a degree of uncertainty about restoring normalcy will linger. The Navy’s top doctor, Rear Adm. Bruce Gillingham, says the virus wields a “secret power” that the military must take into account as it adjusts in the weeks and months ahead.

“What we’ve learned, certainly in the Navy with regard to COVID-19, (is) that stealth, in the form of asymptomatic transmission, is this adversary’s secret power,” he told reporters. “And so we recognize that despite really our best efforts, we’re going to have to learn how to operate with the virus.”

Webb, the Air Force training commander, said his service is doing about 99% of its recruiting online rather than with traditional in-person pitches. And while the way ahead isn’t clear, he said, “I think we have the opportunity now to never go back to old ways.”

For the Army, a major priority is keeping combat brigades healthy but also ready for war. Prior to the coronavirus crisis, more than half of the brigades were at high readiness levels, but in the past month training has significantly slowed down.

“We’re in good shape but you’ve got to be able to turn it back on,” said Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy. He says that increased coronavirus testing capabilities will allow the Army to test units and then send them out for large battalion and company-sized exercises where they can remain in a bubble.

“We’re going to have to do that, and that’s where you’re going to have to manage the risk until there’s a vaccine,” he said. “We’re preparing ourselves to do just that.”

Even as they take precautions, defense officials are eager to bat down any idea that they are so focused on protecting troops’ health that the force has been weakened or is unable to fight if needed.

“I don’t want anyone out there in the world to think that somehow the U.S. military’s readiness is significantly degraded. It is not,” Milley said last week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585777681665.png" alt="Defense Secretary Mark Esper gave a presentation during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing-White House image" />
 <figcaption>Defense Secretary Mark Esper gave a presentation during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military is bracing for a months-long struggle against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus</a>, looking for novel ways to maintain a defensive crouch that sustains troops’ health without breaking their morale — while still protecting the nation.Unlike talk in the Trump administration of possibly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/420a38ec14101eab70e07be367ee6422">reopening the country</a>&nbsp;as early as May, military leaders are suggesting that this summer may be the best-case scenario of tiptoeing toward a return to normal activities. Even that is uncertain, and for now the focus is on adjusting as the pandemic’s threat evolves.“We are going to need to change and adapt, because even over the coming months the virus isn’t going to go away. We’re going to have to be able to operate in a COVID environment,” Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist said recently, referring to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.Officials have frozen most forces in place overseas, stopped troops and their families from moving to new assignments, and cut back access to the Pentagon. The military services have halted or restricted recruit training, canceled major exercises, and isolated troops in the most sensitive units. The new Space Force has delayed a satellite launch, and the Navy this week postponed the return of the USS Harry S. Truman, keeping the aircraft carrier at sea to shield its crew from virus exposure at home.These steps to protect the force have parallels in civilian society, but a far-flung military can’t function by staying at home.“This will be a new way of doing business that we have to focus in on,” says Air Force Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “We’re adjusting to that new world as we speak today.”The notion of “normal” in the military may never be the same.“We’ve all deployed and fought enemies abroad, however, today’s enemy is here in our communities,” said Lt. Gen. Brad Webb, commander of the Air Force’s training and education command. “We don’t know what ‘new normal’ will look like until we get to the other side.”Defense Secretary Mark Esper has been consistent in saying it will take time to determine when to begin lifting restrictions on the military, and he has faced little public pressure — from military families or the White House — to rush things. In civilian society, there is an open split between those like President Donald Trump who want the country reopened soon to mitigate economic damage and those, including many state governors, who fear reopening prematurely will undermine progress against the virus.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585777561924.png" alt="General Mark Milley answers questions during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing" />
 <figcaption>General Mark Milley answers questions during a Coronavirus Task Force briefing</figcaption>
 </figure>Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the the pandemic has spread so far and wide, potentially creating instability in some countries, that the U.S. military cannot return to business as usual.“We have got to take a hard look at how we as a military, we as a Department of Defense, conduct operations in the future,” he said.In a further sign of uncertainty, Esper said Tuesday that he will extend a “stop movement” order halting what are called permanent change-of-station moves by troops and their families. He did not say how long he will extend the order, aimed at protecting troops and originally set to expire May 11. If it continues into the summer, military members with children could face serious hardship, since they need time to settle and enroll their children in new schools.Coronavirus has been less deadly in the military than in the rest of American society, but the number of confirmed cases is still rising. As of Tuesday the total exceeded 2,600, up from 1,521 a week earlier. Two troops have died of the disease — a National Guard member in March and a Navy sailor on Monday.Even after the number of the military’s coronavirus cases crests, a degree of uncertainty about restoring normalcy will linger. The Navy’s top doctor, Rear Adm. Bruce Gillingham, says the virus wields a “secret power” that the military must take into account as it adjusts in the weeks and months ahead.“What we’ve learned, certainly in the Navy with regard to COVID-19, (is) that stealth, in the form of asymptomatic transmission, is this adversary’s secret power,” he told reporters. “And so we recognize that despite really our best efforts, we’re going to have to learn how to operate with the virus.”Webb, the Air Force training commander, said his service is doing about 99% of its recruiting online rather than with traditional in-person pitches. And while the way ahead isn’t clear, he said, “I think we have the opportunity now to never go back to old ways.”For the Army, a major priority is keeping combat brigades healthy but also ready for war. Prior to the coronavirus crisis, more than half of the brigades were at high readiness levels, but in the past month training has significantly slowed down.“We’re in good shape but you’ve got to be able to turn it back on,” said Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy. He says that increased coronavirus testing capabilities will allow the Army to test units and then send them out for large battalion and company-sized exercises where they can remain in a bubble.“We’re going to have to do that, and that’s where you’re going to have to manage the risk until there’s a vaccine,” he said. “We’re preparing ourselves to do just that.”Even as they take precautions, defense officials are eager to bat down any idea that they are so focused on protecting troops’ health that the force has been weakened or is unable to fight if needed.“I don’t want anyone out there in the world to think that somehow the U.S. military’s readiness is significantly degraded. It is not,” Milley said last week.___

Military sees no quick exit from 'new world' of coronavirus

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department took the rare step on Tuesday of weighing in on the side of a&nbsp;Mississippi&nbsp;Christian church where local officials had tried to stop Holy Week services broadcast to congregants sitting in their cars in the parking lot.

As the coronavirus pandemic spread, leaders at Temple Baptist Church in Greenville began holding drive-in services for their congregation on a short-wave radio frequency from inside an empty church save for the preacher.

Arthur Scott, the 82-year-old pastor, said Tuesday that it was a good compromise for his group, a “wonderful way to preach the gospel and still it's like they are there, but you can't go out and see them, but you know they're there.”

The federal involvement adds to the rising tension over reconciling religious freedom with public health restrictions designed to fight the pandemic, disputes that are playing out along the same partisan lines that mark the nation’s overall divide.

Greenville city leaders argue the services violate stay-at-home orders and could have put people's lives in jeopardy. Church officials believe they have been singled out for their religion, especially after eight police officers were sent last week to ticket the faithful, $500 apiece, for attending services, including the pastor's wife.

“We haven't missed one Sunday in 45 years,” Scott said. “We love our people. This is a way we can preach to them. We’re afraid of the coronavirus as much as anybody else. And if we thought we were putting our people in danger at all, we wouldn’t do this.”

Even after the mayor said Monday they would not have to pay the fines, the church is pursuing a lawsuit saying their First Amendment religious freedoms were violated. The Justice Department sided with the church.

With federal prosecutors now weighing in, the national debate over how far coronavirus gathering limits can go to restrict religion could get even louder. President Donald Trump’s reelection appeal to devout conservative voters rests in part on his vocal advocacy for religious freedom, making the issue a politically potent one for his administration to take up.

The&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Supreme Court upheld Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s move to limit faith gatherings to 10 people, while a federal judge in&nbsp;Kentucky&nbsp;sided with a church that challenged the Louisville mayor’s restrictions on drive-in Easter services.

The church has been in Greenville for more than 65 years. Scott said his congregants, about 125 in all, are mostly older and on fixed incomes, and aren't tech savvy, so the radio broadcast was a way to keep them connected.

Greenville Mayor Errick D. Simmons, a Democrat, said Monday that no one will have to pay the fines, but the ban on such gatherings remains in place to try to save lives as the highly contagious virus continues to spread. He also called on Republican Gov. Tate Reeves to issue clear statewide guidance on whether people are allowed to congregate for worship during the governor’s statewide stay-at-home order that remains in effect until April 20.

The governor’s order tells people not to gather in groups of 10 or more. Reeves has said he would prefer that churches not hold services in sanctuaries or parking lots. But he has also said the government does not have the right to ban worship.

On Tuesday, he tweeted a thanks to Attorney General William Barr “for this strong stand in support of religious liberty. The government cannot shut down churches.”

Attorney Ryan Tucker of the Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents the church, says there’s a Sonic Drive-In restaurant about 200 yards (180 meters) from the church where patrons are still allowed to roll down their windows and talk.

He said they will continue the lawsuit seeking a restraining order because the mayor’s order remains in place.

“The threat is still present,” he said. “They mayor did not say he’s rescinding the order."

There are at least 3,000 cases of coronavirus in Mississippi and more than 100 deaths for the state’s 3 million people. The U.S. has more than 590,000 cases and more than 27,000 deaths.

The Justice Department argued in the filing that the city appeared to be targeting religious conduct by singling churches out as the only essential service (as designated by the state of Mississippi) that may not operate despite following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state recommendations regarding social distancing.

“The facts alleged in the complaint strongly suggest that the city’s actions target religious conduct,” the filing says. “If proven, these facts establish a free exercise violation unless the city demonstrates that its actions are neutral and apply generally to nonreligious and religious institutions or satisfies the demanding strict scrutiny standard.”

Barr said that he believes there is a sufficient basis for social distancing rules that have been put in place, but that the restrictions must be applied evenly and not single out religious institutions.

“But even in times of emergency, when reasonable and temporary restrictions are placed on rights, the First Amendment and federal statutory law prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers,” Barr said in a statement. “Thus, government may not impose special restrictions on religious activity that do not also apply to similar nonreligious activity.”

The Justice Department has made similar filings in other religious liberty cases, including one in February in support of a Kentucky wedding photographer who is challenging a city ordinance banning businesses from discriminating against gay customers by arguing it would violate her religious beliefs. In June 2019, the department filed a statement of interest in a case in&nbsp;Maine, arguing that a law that banned religious schools from the state’s tuition program was unconstitutional.

In previous administrations, such involvement was highly unusual.

“A free society depends on a vibrant religious life by the people,” Barr said in an interview with Fox News last week. He said he would “hate to see restrictions on religion continue longer than they are strictly necessary.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586897776837.png" alt="Heritage Baptist in Lawrence held an in-person Easter service" />
 <figcaption>Heritage Baptist in Lawrence held an in-person Easter service</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department took the rare step on Tuesday of weighing in on the side of a&nbsp;Mississippi&nbsp;Christian church where local officials had tried to stop Holy Week services broadcast to congregants sitting in their cars in the parking lot.As the coronavirus pandemic spread, leaders at Temple Baptist Church in Greenville began holding drive-in services for their congregation on a short-wave radio frequency from inside an empty church save for the preacher.Arthur Scott, the 82-year-old pastor, said Tuesday that it was a good compromise for his group, a “wonderful way to preach the gospel and still it's like they are there, but you can't go out and see them, but you know they're there.”The federal involvement adds to the rising tension over reconciling religious freedom with public health restrictions designed to fight the pandemic, disputes that are playing out along the same partisan lines that mark the nation’s overall divide.Greenville city leaders argue the services violate stay-at-home orders and could have put people's lives in jeopardy. Church officials believe they have been singled out for their religion, especially after eight police officers were sent last week to ticket the faithful, $500 apiece, for attending services, including the pastor's wife.“We haven't missed one Sunday in 45 years,” Scott said. “We love our people. This is a way we can preach to them. We’re afraid of the coronavirus as much as anybody else. And if we thought we were putting our people in danger at all, we wouldn’t do this.”Even after the mayor said Monday they would not have to pay the fines, the church is pursuing a lawsuit saying their First Amendment religious freedoms were violated. The Justice Department sided with the church.With federal prosecutors now weighing in, the national debate over how far coronavirus gathering limits can go to restrict religion could get even louder. President Donald Trump’s reelection appeal to devout conservative voters rests in part on his vocal advocacy for religious freedom, making the issue a politically potent one for his administration to take up.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586440392187.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued the executive order to limit faith gatherings on April 7." />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued the executive order to limit faith gatherings on April 7.</figcaption>
 </figure>The&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Supreme Court upheld Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s move to limit faith gatherings to 10 people, while a federal judge in&nbsp;Kentucky&nbsp;sided with a church that challenged the Louisville mayor’s restrictions on drive-in Easter services.The church has been in Greenville for more than 65 years. Scott said his congregants, about 125 in all, are mostly older and on fixed incomes, and aren't tech savvy, so the radio broadcast was a way to keep them connected.Greenville Mayor Errick D. Simmons, a Democrat, said Monday that no one will have to pay the fines, but the ban on such gatherings remains in place to try to save lives as the highly contagious virus continues to spread. He also called on Republican Gov. Tate Reeves to issue clear statewide guidance on whether people are allowed to congregate for worship during the governor’s statewide stay-at-home order that remains in effect until April 20.The governor’s order tells people not to gather in groups of 10 or more. Reeves has said he would prefer that churches not hold services in sanctuaries or parking lots. But he has also said the government does not have the right to ban worship.On Tuesday, he tweeted a thanks to Attorney General William Barr “for this strong stand in support of religious liberty. The government cannot shut down churches.”Attorney Ryan Tucker of the Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents the church, says there’s a Sonic Drive-In restaurant about 200 yards (180 meters) from the church where patrons are still allowed to roll down their windows and talk.He said they will continue the lawsuit seeking a restraining order because the mayor’s order remains in place.“The threat is still present,” he said. “They mayor did not say he’s rescinding the order."There are at least 3,000 cases of coronavirus in Mississippi and more than 100 deaths for the state’s 3 million people. The U.S. has more than 590,000 cases and more than 27,000 deaths.The Justice Department argued in the filing that the city appeared to be targeting religious conduct by singling churches out as the only essential service (as designated by the state of Mississippi) that may not operate despite following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state recommendations regarding social distancing.“The facts alleged in the complaint strongly suggest that the city’s actions target religious conduct,” the filing says. “If proven, these facts establish a free exercise violation unless the city demonstrates that its actions are neutral and apply generally to nonreligious and religious institutions or satisfies the demanding strict scrutiny standard.”Barr said that he believes there is a sufficient basis for social distancing rules that have been put in place, but that the restrictions must be applied evenly and not single out religious institutions.“But even in times of emergency, when reasonable and temporary restrictions are placed on rights, the First Amendment and federal statutory law prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers,” Barr said in a statement. “Thus, government may not impose special restrictions on religious activity that do not also apply to similar nonreligious activity.”The Justice Department has made similar filings in other religious liberty cases, including one in February in support of a Kentucky wedding photographer who is challenging a city ordinance banning businesses from discriminating against gay customers by arguing it would violate her religious beliefs. In June 2019, the department filed a statement of interest in a case in&nbsp;Maine, arguing that a law that banned religious schools from the state’s tuition program was unconstitutional.In previous administrations, such involvement was highly unusual.“A free society depends on a vibrant religious life by the people,” Barr said in an interview with Fox News last week. He said he would “hate to see restrictions on religion continue longer than they are strictly necessary.”___

Justice Department takes church's side in 1st Amendment suit

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Emergency medical workers in Kansas have written to Gov. Laura Kelly saying they lack adequate protective gear and that their workers compensation doesn’t cover them if they become infected with the coronavirus or need to be quarantined.

The Kansas Emergency Medical Services Association said in a letter sent last week that EMS providers are very concerned that they will be “severely financially impacted” if they are exposed to the virus. Some are volunteers, while others are part-time workers. The advocacy group sent the letter to journalists this week.

It asked Kelly to issue an executive order to cover lost wages and the cost of health care for workers on the front line who fall ill or must be quarantined.

“Kansas workers compensation does not cover communicable disease infections even though EMS and other healthcare providers are clearly putting themselves in harms’ way to deliver much needed care,” the letter says.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Kelly has responded.

Health officials in Kansas are urging residents to wear cloth face coverings when they go out in public to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Kelly said in a Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/posts/527606137939165?__xts__[0]=68.ARBsd5ozUbliIOKdNRRp4Q79kHg2LFg-oVCBlmAL027fanCoo5uQX0q6qE6smgWrhHZYGE-XGMb1C8OGUSYPZKAedYR3QAKJDK8tPE4p1_Np_sNQ6UIZSrMGOOVUgJAnrrMr_QqyCH2KBdoVmIA8MLj_fLWdkh4QhKdbOznz5bZTOcvWeI9QE2pLAF0JUUsyq3P6rRepAJJPZ8oqGy8qCAQ4ufzXgALa7OFBUMFzGjODbp5aDXRUgd1wOLrNoBSI7VPzpvTCxz9GPZQNKIGgvulz__0HPDwyyoCc24GHHSkx7_9KZ44wy2GOezDmVIKfvSTGC6nJVEkY_zbpy-U&amp;__tn__=-R" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that new evidence suggests people are able to transmit the virus to others before they show any symptoms.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9625f2983ac615d631a64e3e99b0e69e">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;issued a similar recommendation last week.

Topeka-area health officials offered similar guidance to retail workers on Monday. Shawnee County health officer Gianfranco Pezzino said retailers should limit the number of customers in a store to no more than five for each 1,000 square feet (93 square meters) at a time. He said customers should be admitted into stores on a “one-out, one in” basis once a store reaches its capacity, The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20200413/shawnee-county-health-officer-store-employees-should-cover-faces-at-all-times" target="_blank">reports</a>.

Statewide, the number of confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/642/4-14-20-update-numbers" target="_blank">cases</a>&nbsp;of COVID-19,the disease caused by the virus, grew Tuesday to 1,426 cases, up 50 from Monday. The number of deaths increased by seven to 69.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

At the University of Kansas Health System, the number of inpatients dropped to 29 Tuesday from 31 Monday. Twelve are in the ICU and nine are on ventilators, according to a news release.

Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at the health system, said the curve has been flattened, at least in the Kansas City area. But he added that the biggest risk is returning to normal too quickly.

His remarks came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/06f57a460059e8e2c481078dc4747440">Trump insisted Monday</a>&nbsp;that he has “total” authority to decide how and when to loosen restrictions — a notion considered at odds with the Constitution, which delegates such matters to the states.

Kelly said Monday that Kansas would move “back to normal as the science allows.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586807038792.png" alt="Kansas Governor Laura Kelly listens to questions during her Monday news conference" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Governor Laura Kelly listens to questions during her Monday news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Emergency medical workers in Kansas have written to Gov. Laura Kelly saying they lack adequate protective gear and that their workers compensation doesn’t cover them if they become infected with the coronavirus or need to be quarantined.The Kansas Emergency Medical Services Association said in a letter sent last week that EMS providers are very concerned that they will be “severely financially impacted” if they are exposed to the virus. Some are volunteers, while others are part-time workers. The advocacy group sent the letter to journalists this week.It asked Kelly to issue an executive order to cover lost wages and the cost of health care for workers on the front line who fall ill or must be quarantined.“Kansas workers compensation does not cover communicable disease infections even though EMS and other healthcare providers are clearly putting themselves in harms’ way to deliver much needed care,” the letter says.It wasn’t immediately clear if Kelly has responded.FACE MASKS<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586545963590.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Lee Norman demonstrated how to wear a face mask during a Friday April 11 press conference in Topeka" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Lee Norman demonstrated how to wear a face mask during a Friday April 11 press conference in Topeka</figcaption>
 </figure>Health officials in Kansas are urging residents to wear cloth face coverings when they go out in public to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Kelly said in a Facebook&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/posts/527606137939165?__xts__[0]=68.ARBsd5ozUbliIOKdNRRp4Q79kHg2LFg-oVCBlmAL027fanCoo5uQX0q6qE6smgWrhHZYGE-XGMb1C8OGUSYPZKAedYR3QAKJDK8tPE4p1_Np_sNQ6UIZSrMGOOVUgJAnrrMr_QqyCH2KBdoVmIA8MLj_fLWdkh4QhKdbOznz5bZTOcvWeI9QE2pLAF0JUUsyq3P6rRepAJJPZ8oqGy8qCAQ4ufzXgALa7OFBUMFzGjODbp5aDXRUgd1wOLrNoBSI7VPzpvTCxz9GPZQNKIGgvulz__0HPDwyyoCc24GHHSkx7_9KZ44wy2GOezDmVIKfvSTGC6nJVEkY_zbpy-U&amp;__tn__=-R" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that new evidence suggests people are able to transmit the virus to others before they show any symptoms.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9625f2983ac615d631a64e3e99b0e69e">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;issued a similar recommendation last week.Topeka-area health officials offered similar guidance to retail workers on Monday. Shawnee County health officer Gianfranco Pezzino said retailers should limit the number of customers in a store to no more than five for each 1,000 square feet (93 square meters) at a time. He said customers should be admitted into stores on a “one-out, one in” basis once a store reaches its capacity, The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20200413/shawnee-county-health-officer-store-employees-should-cover-faces-at-all-times" target="_blank">reports</a>.CORONAVIRUS CASESStatewide, the number of confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/642/4-14-20-update-numbers" target="_blank">cases</a>&nbsp;of COVID-19,the disease caused by the virus, grew Tuesday to 1,426 cases, up 50 from Monday. The number of deaths increased by seven to 69.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.At the University of Kansas Health System, the number of inpatients dropped to 29 Tuesday from 31 Monday. Twelve are in the ICU and nine are on ventilators, according to a news release.Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at the health system, said the curve has been flattened, at least in the Kansas City area. But he added that the biggest risk is returning to normal too quickly.His remarks came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/06f57a460059e8e2c481078dc4747440">Trump insisted Monday</a>&nbsp;that he has “total” authority to decide how and when to loosen restrictions — a notion considered at odds with the Constitution, which delegates such matters to the states.Kelly said Monday that Kansas would move “back to normal as the science allows.”

Emergency workers in Kan. seek help responding to virus outbreak

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he was cutting off U.S. payments to the World Health Organization during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus pandemic</a>, accusing the organization of failing to do enough to stop the virus from spreading when it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/68a9e1b91de4ffc166acd6012d82c2f9">first surfaced in China</a>.

Trump, who had telegraphed his intentions last week, claimed the outbreak could have been contained at its source and that lives could have been saved had the U.N. health agency done a better job investigating the early reports coming out of China.

“The WHO failed in its basic duty and must be held accountable,” Trump said at a Tuesday briefing. He said the U.S. would be reviewing the WHO’s actions to stop the virus before making any decision on resuming aid.

There was no immediate comment from the Geneva-based organization on Trump’s announcement. But when asked about possible U.S. funding cuts during a regular U.N. briefing earlier Tuesday, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris responded, “Regardless of any issues, our work will go on.”

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres responded to Trump’s announcement by saying now is not the time to end support for the World Health Organization, calling the WHO “absolutely critical” to the global effort to combat COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Guterres said that it is possible that different entities read the facts differently but that the appropriate time for a review is “once we have finally turned the page on this pandemic.”

“But now is not that time,” he said, adding that it also is not the time to reduce resources for operations at the WHO or any other humanitarian group that is working to combat the virus.

The United States contributed nearly $900 million to the WHO’s budget for 2018-19, according to information on the agency’s website. That represents one-fifth of its total $4.4 billion budget for those years. The U.S. gave nearly three-fourths of the funds in “specified voluntary contributions” and the rest in “assessed” funding as part of Washington’s commitment to U.N. institutions.

A more detailed WHO budget document provided by the U.S. mission in Geneva showed that in 2019, the United States provided $452 million, including nearly $119 million in assessed funding. In its most recent budget proposal from February, the Trump administration called for slashing the U.S. assessed funding contribution to the WHO to $57.9 million.

More than 125,000 deaths worldwide, including more than 25,000 in the U.S., have been blamed on the coronavirus,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to Johns Hopkins University</a>.

Last week, Trump blasted the WHO for being “China-centric” and alleging that it had “criticized” his ban on travel from China as the COVID-19 outbreak was spreading from the city of Wuhan.

The WHO generally takes care not to criticize countries on their national policies, and it was not immediately clear what specific criticism Trump was alluding to.

Trump himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/be2b37d1a6c43aa662cf4469fb50b753">showed deference to China</a>&nbsp;at the beginning stages of the outbreak.

“China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus,” he tweeted Jan. 24. “The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!”

Asked Tuesday about the appropriateness of seeking to cut the WHO’s funding in the middle of a worldwide viral outbreak, Trump said the review would last 60 to 90 days.

“This is an evaluation period, but in the meantime, we’re putting a hold on all funds going to World Health,” Trump said. He said the U.S. will continue to engage with the WHO in pursuit of “meaningful reforms.”

Trump has also complained that other countries give substantially less than the U.S., singling out China.

The American Medical Association immediately called on Trump to reconsider his decision.

“During the worst public health crisis in a century, halting funding to the World Health Organization is a dangerous step in the wrong direction that will not make defeating COVID-19 easier,” AMA President Patrice A. Harris said in a statement.

Harris said international cooperation is needed to fight the virus, along with science and data.

“Cutting funding to the WHO, rather than focusing on solutions, is a dangerous move at a precarious moment for the world,” she said.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. But it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death for some people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems. The vast majority of people recover.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586903005302.png" alt="President Trump made the announcement during Tuesday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing from the White House Rose Garden" />
 <figcaption>President Trump made the announcement during Tuesday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing from the White House Rose Garden</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he was cutting off U.S. payments to the World Health Organization during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus pandemic</a>, accusing the organization of failing to do enough to stop the virus from spreading when it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/68a9e1b91de4ffc166acd6012d82c2f9">first surfaced in China</a>.Trump, who had telegraphed his intentions last week, claimed the outbreak could have been contained at its source and that lives could have been saved had the U.N. health agency done a better job investigating the early reports coming out of China.“The WHO failed in its basic duty and must be held accountable,” Trump said at a Tuesday briefing. He said the U.S. would be reviewing the WHO’s actions to stop the virus before making any decision on resuming aid.There was no immediate comment from the Geneva-based organization on Trump’s announcement. But when asked about possible U.S. funding cuts during a regular U.N. briefing earlier Tuesday, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris responded, “Regardless of any issues, our work will go on.”U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres responded to Trump’s announcement by saying now is not the time to end support for the World Health Organization, calling the WHO “absolutely critical” to the global effort to combat COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.Guterres said that it is possible that different entities read the facts differently but that the appropriate time for a review is “once we have finally turned the page on this pandemic.”“But now is not that time,” he said, adding that it also is not the time to reduce resources for operations at the WHO or any other humanitarian group that is working to combat the virus.The United States contributed nearly $900 million to the WHO’s budget for 2018-19, according to information on the agency’s website. That represents one-fifth of its total $4.4 billion budget for those years. The U.S. gave nearly three-fourths of the funds in “specified voluntary contributions” and the rest in “assessed” funding as part of Washington’s commitment to U.N. institutions.A more detailed WHO budget document provided by the U.S. mission in Geneva showed that in 2019, the United States provided $452 million, including nearly $119 million in assessed funding. In its most recent budget proposal from February, the Trump administration called for slashing the U.S. assessed funding contribution to the WHO to $57.9 million.More than 125,000 deaths worldwide, including more than 25,000 in the U.S., have been blamed on the coronavirus,&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">according to Johns Hopkins University</a>.Last week, Trump blasted the WHO for being “China-centric” and alleging that it had “criticized” his ban on travel from China as the COVID-19 outbreak was spreading from the city of Wuhan.The WHO generally takes care not to criticize countries on their national policies, and it was not immediately clear what specific criticism Trump was alluding to.Trump himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/be2b37d1a6c43aa662cf4469fb50b753">showed deference to China</a>&nbsp;at the beginning stages of the outbreak.“China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus,” he tweeted Jan. 24. “The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!”Asked Tuesday about the appropriateness of seeking to cut the WHO’s funding in the middle of a worldwide viral outbreak, Trump said the review would last 60 to 90 days.“This is an evaluation period, but in the meantime, we’re putting a hold on all funds going to World Health,” Trump said. He said the U.S. will continue to engage with the WHO in pursuit of “meaningful reforms.”Trump has also complained that other countries give substantially less than the U.S., singling out China.The American Medical Association immediately called on Trump to reconsider his decision.“During the worst public health crisis in a century, halting funding to the World Health Organization is a dangerous step in the wrong direction that will not make defeating COVID-19 easier,” AMA President Patrice A. Harris said in a statement.Harris said international cooperation is needed to fight the virus, along with science and data.“Cutting funding to the WHO, rather than focusing on solutions, is a dangerous move at a precarious moment for the world,” she said.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. But it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death for some people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems. The vast majority of people recover.___

Trump ends US aid to WHO, says not enough done to stop virus

WASHINGTON (AP) — The $2.2 trillion federal rescue package could fail to deliver badly needed financial aid to thousands of smaller cities and counties where a majority of Americans live, according to documents and interviews with local officials.

The coronavirus outbreak has blown holes in the budgets of communities as the costs of battling the outbreak skyrocket and critical sources of revenue like sales and income taxes plummet.

The Coronavirus Relief Fund uses a formula based on population to parcel out tens of billions of dollars to the states while allowing local governments with more than 500,000 residents to apply directly to the Treasury Department for cash infusions. But localities below the half-million population threshold are in limbo.

Among those affected: New Rochelle,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york">New York</a>, one of the cities hardest hit by the outbreak.

“I cannot understand the logic,” said Noam Bramson, the Democratic mayor of about 80,000 people. “Cities with fewer than 500,000 people have been just as heavily impacted as those with more than 500,000 people. It strikes me as a completely arbitrary cutoff.”

Amid the uncertainty, lawmakers and advocacy groups that include the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors have been urging Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to ensure the relief fund money is fairly distributed. Guidelines for how the relief fund will operate are slated to be issued by the Treasury Department this week. The department announced Monday it had launched a web portal through which eligible parties could register to receive the money.

“Because of the lack of specificity in the legislation itself, it really is up for interpretation,” said Irma Esparza Diggs, director of federal advocacy for the National League of Cities. “Everybody’s just kind of holding their breath until Treasury comes out with their guidance."

Of the nearly 3,100 counties in the United States, 130 have populations of more than 500,000, according to the National Association of Counties. There are 36 cities over the half-million mark, the National League of Cities told President Donald Trump in a letter last week. More than half the country’s population lives in cities, towns and villages of fewer than 50,000 people, the letter noted.

Cities including Miami and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>&nbsp;City,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/missouri">Missouri</a>, are under the cutoff, according to the most recent Census Bureau figures available.

“Depending on who you believe, we’re either at 470,000 or 510,000,” said Miami’s Republican mayor, Francis Suarez. “We’re projected to lose about $20 million a month while our economy has ground to a halt. The state of&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;is slated to get $8.3 billion, but we’re not sure if we’re going to get any of it.”

Every state will receive at least $1.25 billion in relief fund money. The state government gets the biggest share of the total — New York, for example, is projected to receive $7.5 billion, according to estimates prepared by the nonprofit Tax Foundation. The state gets $5.2 billion of that amount, and local governments that have more than 500,000 residents are eligible for the rest in direct payments.

The Treasury Department guidelines may permit below-the-threshold counties and cities to appeal directly to the governor for a portion of the state’s relief find allotment, according to Matt Chase, executive director of the National Association of Counties. But that may heighten the potential for political alliances to be formed in the quest for money or behind-the-scenes lobbying campaigns to get a piece of the state’s share.

“Each local government would have to go hat in hand to the governor and say, ’Can we have part of your allocation?'" said Chase, who added, “We don’t need a lot of politics right now.”

The population threshold was included as a tradeoff as lawmakers scrambled to put the relief package together, according to a letter 16 Republican senators sent to Mnuchin last week. Getting the relief dollars delivered quickly was essential, they said, and “requiring Treasury to process applications and calculate payment calculations for every local government in the United States would have created a bureaucratic morass that would have held up the distribution of these critical funds.”

The senators expressed concern over comments Mnuchin made during a recent briefing for lawmakers on the status of the rescue package. The Treasury secretary suggested the department would interpret the law narrowly and “issue guidance that unintentionally creates obstacles to states supporting their front line,” the senators said.

That’s at odds with Trump’s own promises that the federal government would be there to backstop local and state officials, said Bryan K. Barnett, the Republican mayor of Rochester Hills,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/michigan">Michigan</a>, and the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

“The word from their lips to our ears is that this whole effort would be locally executed and federally supported,” Barnett said.

There are 16 states that have no counties, cities or other municipalities with populations above 500,000, including&nbsp;Wyoming,&nbsp;Alaska&nbsp;and&nbsp;Montana. Without a mechanism that allows or requires states to share coronavirus relief money, there’s no clear way to prevent them from keeping the entire pot to help make up their own budget shortfalls.

New York state has a deficit of more than $10 billion from fighting the coronavirus, and the $5.2 billion it’s to receive from the relief fund could help close that gap.

Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties, said those budgetary pressures made it unlikely local governments under the population threshold will get any of the state’s money.

“The states will exert jurisdiction over that money,

and the thousands of local governments who will have needs, it will be very difficult to get that money,” Acquario said.

Cameron Diehl, executive director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/utah">Utah</a>&nbsp;League of Cities and Towns, said the state legislature is expected to meet in a special virtual session this week and on its agenda is the creation of a legal framework to accept $1.25 billion from the relief fund. “There are a lot of questions about the logistics, and it’s hard to plan around this much uncertainty,” Diehl said.

In&nbsp;Ohio, an income tax is one of the primary ways that government is financed.

“If nobody is working, we’re not going to have any money,” said Dayton, Ohio, Mayor Nan Whaley.

“I just can’t explain to you the level of frustration of mayors who are working so hard for their communities and see that it could all go away because there’s no help coming,” the Democrat added. “It’s just so painful for all of us.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586818253618.png" alt="Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin&nbsp; and President Trump answer questions during Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing." />
 <figcaption>Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin&nbsp; and President Trump answer questions during Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The $2.2 trillion federal rescue package could fail to deliver badly needed financial aid to thousands of smaller cities and counties where a majority of Americans live, according to documents and interviews with local officials.The coronavirus outbreak has blown holes in the budgets of communities as the costs of battling the outbreak skyrocket and critical sources of revenue like sales and income taxes plummet.The Coronavirus Relief Fund uses a formula based on population to parcel out tens of billions of dollars to the states while allowing local governments with more than 500,000 residents to apply directly to the Treasury Department for cash infusions. But localities below the half-million population threshold are in limbo.Among those affected: New Rochelle,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york">New York</a>, one of the cities hardest hit by the outbreak.“I cannot understand the logic,” said Noam Bramson, the Democratic mayor of about 80,000 people. “Cities with fewer than 500,000 people have been just as heavily impacted as those with more than 500,000 people. It strikes me as a completely arbitrary cutoff.”Amid the uncertainty, lawmakers and advocacy groups that include the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors have been urging Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to ensure the relief fund money is fairly distributed. Guidelines for how the relief fund will operate are slated to be issued by the Treasury Department this week. The department announced Monday it had launched a web portal through which eligible parties could register to receive the money.“Because of the lack of specificity in the legislation itself, it really is up for interpretation,” said Irma Esparza Diggs, director of federal advocacy for the National League of Cities. “Everybody’s just kind of holding their breath until Treasury comes out with their guidance."Of the nearly 3,100 counties in the United States, 130 have populations of more than 500,000, according to the National Association of Counties. There are 36 cities over the half-million mark, the National League of Cities told President Donald Trump in a letter last week. More than half the country’s population lives in cities, towns and villages of fewer than 50,000 people, the letter noted.Cities including Miami and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kansas">Kansas</a>&nbsp;City,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/missouri">Missouri</a>, are under the cutoff, according to the most recent Census Bureau figures available.“Depending on who you believe, we’re either at 470,000 or 510,000,” said Miami’s Republican mayor, Francis Suarez. “We’re projected to lose about $20 million a month while our economy has ground to a halt. The state of&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;is slated to get $8.3 billion, but we’re not sure if we’re going to get any of it.”Every state will receive at least $1.25 billion in relief fund money. The state government gets the biggest share of the total — New York, for example, is projected to receive $7.5 billion, according to estimates prepared by the nonprofit Tax Foundation. The state gets $5.2 billion of that amount, and local governments that have more than 500,000 residents are eligible for the rest in direct payments.The Treasury Department guidelines may permit below-the-threshold counties and cities to appeal directly to the governor for a portion of the state’s relief find allotment, according to Matt Chase, executive director of the National Association of Counties. But that may heighten the potential for political alliances to be formed in the quest for money or behind-the-scenes lobbying campaigns to get a piece of the state’s share.“Each local government would have to go hat in hand to the governor and say, ’Can we have part of your allocation?'" said Chase, who added, “We don’t need a lot of politics right now.”The population threshold was included as a tradeoff as lawmakers scrambled to put the relief package together, according to a letter 16 Republican senators sent to Mnuchin last week. Getting the relief dollars delivered quickly was essential, they said, and “requiring Treasury to process applications and calculate payment calculations for every local government in the United States would have created a bureaucratic morass that would have held up the distribution of these critical funds.”The senators expressed concern over comments Mnuchin made during a recent briefing for lawmakers on the status of the rescue package. The Treasury secretary suggested the department would interpret the law narrowly and “issue guidance that unintentionally creates obstacles to states supporting their front line,” the senators said.That’s at odds with Trump’s own promises that the federal government would be there to backstop local and state officials, said Bryan K. Barnett, the Republican mayor of Rochester Hills,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/michigan">Michigan</a>, and the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.“The word from their lips to our ears is that this whole effort would be locally executed and federally supported,” Barnett said.There are 16 states that have no counties, cities or other municipalities with populations above 500,000, including&nbsp;Wyoming,&nbsp;Alaska&nbsp;and&nbsp;Montana. Without a mechanism that allows or requires states to share coronavirus relief money, there’s no clear way to prevent them from keeping the entire pot to help make up their own budget shortfalls.New York state has a deficit of more than $10 billion from fighting the coronavirus, and the $5.2 billion it’s to receive from the relief fund could help close that gap.Stephen Acquario, executive director of the New York State Association of Counties, said those budgetary pressures made it unlikely local governments under the population threshold will get any of the state’s money.“The states will exert jurisdiction over that money,and the thousands of local governments who will have needs, it will be very difficult to get that money,” Acquario said.Cameron Diehl, executive director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/utah">Utah</a>&nbsp;League of Cities and Towns, said the state legislature is expected to meet in a special virtual session this week and on its agenda is the creation of a legal framework to accept $1.25 billion from the relief fund. “There are a lot of questions about the logistics, and it’s hard to plan around this much uncertainty,” Diehl said.In&nbsp;Ohio, an income tax is one of the primary ways that government is financed.“If nobody is working, we’re not going to have any money,” said Dayton, Ohio, Mayor Nan Whaley.“I just can’t explain to you the level of frustration of mayors who are working so hard for their communities and see that it could all go away because there’s no help coming,” the Democrat added. “It’s just so painful for all of us.”

Cities, counties fear losing out on US virus rescue funding

The Kansas Department of Health released the state's latest coronavirus numbers on Tuesday.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here for</a> additional details

The Kansas Department of Health released the state's latest coronavirus numbers on Tuesday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here for</a> additional details<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586883932549.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

FINNEY COUNTY — A store in southwest Kansas has been linked to numerous cases of coronavirus, according to the Finney County Health Department.

On Monday, the agency reported that people who shopped at Tienda Variedades Candy, 107 North Jennie Barker Road in Garden City between March 16-30 may have been exposed to the virus and multiple who shopped there since have since become ill and tested positive for the virus.

Authorities notified the store and it has been closed since March 30, according to the health department. The store is being cleaned as outlined by CDC and KDHE guidelines.

The health department asked that anyone who shopped at the store between March 16-30 and are experiencing fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste and or smell to contact them, call the local coronavirus hotline 316-272-3600 to be appropriately screened.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586859604884.png" alt="Image courtesy Tienda Variedades Candy in Garden City" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Tienda Variedades Candy in Garden City</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY — A store in southwest Kansas has been linked to numerous cases of coronavirus, according to the Finney County Health Department.On Monday, the agency reported that people who shopped at Tienda Variedades Candy, 107 North Jennie Barker Road in Garden City between March 16-30 may have been exposed to the virus and multiple who shopped there since have since become ill and tested positive for the virus.Authorities notified the store and it has been closed since March 30, according to the health department. The store is being cleaned as outlined by CDC and KDHE guidelines.The health department asked that anyone who shopped at the store between March 16-30 and are experiencing fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste and or smell to contact them, call the local coronavirus hotline 316-272-3600 to be appropriately screened.

SW Kansas store linked to multiple coronavirus cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — Blood tests for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">coronavirus&nbsp;</a>could play a key role in deciding whether millions of Americans can safely return to work and school. But public health officials warn that the current “Wild West” of unregulated tests is creating confusion that could ultimately slow the path to recovery.

More than 70 companies have signed up to sell so-called antibody tests in recent weeks, according to U.S. regulators. Governments around the world hope that the rapid tests, which typically use a finger-prick of blood on a test strip, could soon ease public restrictions by identifying people who have previously had the virus and have developed some immunity to it.

But key questions remain: How accurate are the tests, how much protection is needed and how long will that protection last.

The blood tests are different from the nasal swab-based tests currently used to diagnose active COVID-19 infections. Instead, the tests look for blood proteins called antibodies, which the body produces days or weeks after fighting an infection. The same approach is used for HIV, hepatitis, Lyme disease, lupus and many other diseases.

Because of the relative simplicity of the technology, the Food and Drug Administration decided to waive initial review of the tests as part of its emergency response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Right now, the tests are most useful for researchers studying how the virus has spread through the U.S. population. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/nih-begins-study-quantify-undetected-cases-coronavirus-infection" target="_blank">government</a>&nbsp;said Friday it has started testing 10,000 volunteers. The White House has not outlined a broader plan for testing and how the results might be used.

With almost no FDA oversight of the tests, “Right now it’s a wild west show out there,” said Eric Blank of the Association for Public Health Laboratories. “It really has created a mess that’s going to take a while to clean up.”

“In the meantime, you’ve got a lot of companies marketing a lot of stuff and nobody has any idea of how good it is,” he said.

Members of Blank’s group, which represents state and local lab officials, have urged the FDA to revisit its lax approach toward the tests. That approach essentially allows companies to launch as long as they notify the agency and include disclaimers. Companies are supposed to state that their tests have not been FDA-approved and cannot rule out whether someone is currently infected.

Last week, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement that the agency will “take appropriate action” against companies making false claims or selling inaccurate tests.

During an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Hahn expressed “concern” that tests being sold “may not be as accurate as we’d like them to be.”

“What we don’t want are wildly inaccurate tests,” he said. “That’s going to be much worse, having wildly inaccurate tests than having no test.”

Dr. Allison Rakeman of New York City’s Public Health Laboratory says some local hospitals are assuming the tests, which are listed on FDA’s website, “have been vetted, when they have not.”

The danger of faulty testing, Rakeman says, is that people will mistakenly conclude that they are immune or are no longer spreading the virus.

“Then somebody goes home and kisses their 90-year-old grandmother,” said Rakeman. “You don’t want to give someone a false sense of security.”

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.

For many infections, antibody levels above a certain threshold indicate that the person’s immune system has successfully fought off the virus and is likely protected from reinfection. For COVID-19, it’s not yet clear what level of antibodies render patients immune or how long immunity might last.

Adding to the confusion is the fact that both legitimate companies and fraudulent operators appear to be selling the kits. Distinguishing between the two can be a challenge.

Officials in Laredo, Texas, reported this month that some 2,500 antibody tests set for use at a local drive-thru testing site were likely frauds. City officials had ordered what they were told were “FDA-approved COVID-19 rapid tests,” from a local clinic. But when they checked the test’s accuracy, it fell well below the range promised, the city said in a statement.

Examples of U.S. companies skirting the rules appear online and in emails sent to hospitals.

Promotional emails sent to hospitals and reviewed by The Associated Press failed to include required disclaimers. Some kits sold on websites promote themselves as “FDA-approved” for home testing. The agency has not yet approved any COVID-19 home test. The blood tests have to processed by a lab.

“If you see them on the internet, do not buy them until we can give you a test that’s reliable for all Americans,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, at a recent briefing.

20/20 BioResponse is one of dozens of U.S. companies selling the tests to hospitals, clinics and doctor’s offices. The Rockville, Maryland-based company imports the tests from a Chinese manufacturer but CEO Jonathan Cohen says his company independently confirmed its performance in 60 U.S. patients. He estimates the company has shipped 10,000 tests and has had to limit orders due to demand.

He said antibody tests are not a “panacea but they’re not garbage either.”

Cohen called them “a tool in the toolbox that will have some value along with other tests.”

The company’s test is registered on the FDA website and includes all the required disclaimers.

To date, the FDA has only authorized one COVID-19 antibody test from North Carolina diagnostics company Cellex. The agency used its emergency powers, meaning a formal review is still needed.

The White House has also tried to temper expectations for the tests, while still promising that millions will soon be available.

Dr. Brett Giroir, the federal health official overseeing U.S. testing, told reporters a week ago that the FDA and other agencies are working to confirm the accuracy of the antibody tests.

“We’re going to be very careful to make sure that when we tell you you’re likely immune from the disease ... the test really said that,” Giroir said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Blood tests for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">coronavirus&nbsp;</a>could play a key role in deciding whether millions of Americans can safely return to work and school. But public health officials warn that the current “Wild West” of unregulated tests is creating confusion that could ultimately slow the path to recovery.More than 70 companies have signed up to sell so-called antibody tests in recent weeks, according to U.S. regulators. Governments around the world hope that the rapid tests, which typically use a finger-prick of blood on a test strip, could soon ease public restrictions by identifying people who have previously had the virus and have developed some immunity to it.But key questions remain: How accurate are the tests, how much protection is needed and how long will that protection last.The blood tests are different from the nasal swab-based tests currently used to diagnose active COVID-19 infections. Instead, the tests look for blood proteins called antibodies, which the body produces days or weeks after fighting an infection. The same approach is used for HIV, hepatitis, Lyme disease, lupus and many other diseases.Because of the relative simplicity of the technology, the Food and Drug Administration decided to waive initial review of the tests as part of its emergency response to the coronavirus outbreak.Right now, the tests are most useful for researchers studying how the virus has spread through the U.S. population. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/nih-begins-study-quantify-undetected-cases-coronavirus-infection" target="_blank">government</a>&nbsp;said Friday it has started testing 10,000 volunteers. The White House has not outlined a broader plan for testing and how the results might be used.With almost no FDA oversight of the tests, “Right now it’s a wild west show out there,” said Eric Blank of the Association for Public Health Laboratories. “It really has created a mess that’s going to take a while to clean up.”“In the meantime, you’ve got a lot of companies marketing a lot of stuff and nobody has any idea of how good it is,” he said.Members of Blank’s group, which represents state and local lab officials, have urged the FDA to revisit its lax approach toward the tests. That approach essentially allows companies to launch as long as they notify the agency and include disclaimers. Companies are supposed to state that their tests have not been FDA-approved and cannot rule out whether someone is currently infected.Last week, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement that the agency will “take appropriate action” against companies making false claims or selling inaccurate tests.During an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Hahn expressed “concern” that tests being sold “may not be as accurate as we’d like them to be.”“What we don’t want are wildly inaccurate tests,” he said. “That’s going to be much worse, having wildly inaccurate tests than having no test.”Dr. Allison Rakeman of New York City’s Public Health Laboratory says some local hospitals are assuming the tests, which are listed on FDA’s website, “have been vetted, when they have not.”The danger of faulty testing, Rakeman says, is that people will mistakenly conclude that they are immune or are no longer spreading the virus.“Then somebody goes home and kisses their 90-year-old grandmother,” said Rakeman. “You don’t want to give someone a false sense of security.”For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.For many infections, antibody levels above a certain threshold indicate that the person’s immune system has successfully fought off the virus and is likely protected from reinfection. For COVID-19, it’s not yet clear what level of antibodies render patients immune or how long immunity might last.Adding to the confusion is the fact that both legitimate companies and fraudulent operators appear to be selling the kits. Distinguishing between the two can be a challenge.Officials in Laredo, Texas, reported this month that some 2,500 antibody tests set for use at a local drive-thru testing site were likely frauds. City officials had ordered what they were told were “FDA-approved COVID-19 rapid tests,” from a local clinic. But when they checked the test’s accuracy, it fell well below the range promised, the city said in a statement.Examples of U.S. companies skirting the rules appear online and in emails sent to hospitals.Promotional emails sent to hospitals and reviewed by The Associated Press failed to include required disclaimers. Some kits sold on websites promote themselves as “FDA-approved” for home testing. The agency has not yet approved any COVID-19 home test. The blood tests have to processed by a lab.“If you see them on the internet, do not buy them until we can give you a test that’s reliable for all Americans,” said Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, at a recent briefing.20/20 BioResponse is one of dozens of U.S. companies selling the tests to hospitals, clinics and doctor’s offices. The Rockville, Maryland-based company imports the tests from a Chinese manufacturer but CEO Jonathan Cohen says his company independently confirmed its performance in 60 U.S. patients. He estimates the company has shipped 10,000 tests and has had to limit orders due to demand.He said antibody tests are not a “panacea but they’re not garbage either.”Cohen called them “a tool in the toolbox that will have some value along with other tests.”The company’s test is registered on the FDA website and includes all the required disclaimers.To date, the FDA has only authorized one COVID-19 antibody test from North Carolina diagnostics company Cellex. The agency used its emergency powers, meaning a formal review is still needed.The White House has also tried to temper expectations for the tests, while still promising that millions will soon be available.Dr. Brett Giroir, the federal health official overseeing U.S. testing, told reporters a week ago that the FDA and other agencies are working to confirm the accuracy of the antibody tests.“We’re going to be very careful to make sure that when we tell you you’re likely immune from the disease ... the test really said that,” Giroir said.

Fears of 'Wild West' as COVID-19 blood tests hit the market

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A coronavirus outbreak at a Kansas City area rehabilitation facility has now claimed 12 lives and sickened nearly 100 other residents and staff members.

Health officials in Wyandotte County&nbsp;said Monday&nbsp;that the Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation of Kansas City has 90 residents who tested positive and 20 staff. Five of the residents are hospitalized.

Janell Friesen, a spokeswoman for the county health department, said she she didn’t anticipate a surge in new cases there because most of the testing has been completed. The newest numbers are unchanged from Sunday, when positive cases rose by 18. She said staff is investigating how COVID-19 spread in the center.

Nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities have been particularly hard hit by the outbreak nationwide because they serve a vulnerable population that is in need of extensive hands-on care.

Riverbend said in a statement posted on its website that about 90% of patients are responding positively to care and that it is making palliative and supportive care available to those residents whose “overall course has not been as encouraging despite the efforts of our clinical team.”

Statewide, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 grew Monday to 1,376, up 39 from Sunday. The number of deaths increased by six to 62.

The Kansas Department of Corrections said Monday that the sickened also include one resident of a Wichita work release facility. Corrections officials also are dealing with an outbreak at the Lansing Correction Facility.

Meanwhile, Kansas State University announced Monday that summer classes will move online with significantly reduced fees in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The university previously moved spring classes online.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586610504976.png" alt="Cars lined up for virus testing -photo courtesy Johnson County Department of Health" />
 <figcaption>Cars lined up for virus testing -photo courtesy Johnson County Department of Health</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A coronavirus outbreak at a Kansas City area rehabilitation facility has now claimed 12 lives and sickened nearly 100 other residents and staff members.Health officials in Wyandotte County&nbsp;said Monday&nbsp;that the Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation of Kansas City has 90 residents who tested positive and 20 staff. Five of the residents are hospitalized.Janell Friesen, a spokeswoman for the county health department, said she she didn’t anticipate a surge in new cases there because most of the testing has been completed. The newest numbers are unchanged from Sunday, when positive cases rose by 18. She said staff is investigating how COVID-19 spread in the center.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586610467450.png" alt="Drive up virus testing photo courtesy Johnson County Department of Health" />
 <figcaption>Drive up virus testing photo courtesy Johnson County Department of Health</figcaption>
 </figure>Nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities have been particularly hard hit by the outbreak nationwide because they serve a vulnerable population that is in need of extensive hands-on care.Riverbend said in a statement posted on its website that about 90% of patients are responding positively to care and that it is making palliative and supportive care available to those residents whose “overall course has not been as encouraging despite the efforts of our clinical team.”Statewide, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 grew Monday to 1,376, up 39 from Sunday. The number of deaths increased by six to 62.The Kansas Department of Corrections said Monday that the sickened also include one resident of a Wichita work release facility. Corrections officials also are dealing with an outbreak at the Lansing Correction Facility.Meanwhile, Kansas State University announced Monday that summer classes will move online with significantly reduced fees in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The university previously moved spring classes online.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

Coronavirus deaths at Kansas rehab facility increase to 12

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman discussed a variety of issues concerning the coronavirus pandemic during their Monday news conference.

The governor mentioned unemployment claims that are up by 3,400 percent and claims through the state web site are up 6,833 percent.

She also announced an <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/executive-order-no-20-22/">executive order</a> extending temporary relief from some rules and regulations for motor carriers assisting with coronavirus relief.&nbsp;

Dr. Norman discussed the increase of just 39 positive virus cases in Kansas from Sunday&nbsp; to Monday. He reported the KDHE is&nbsp; monitoring 23 virus outbreaks including 12 in long term care facilities, 2 in group living homes, 3 in private businesses and 5 among religious gatherings in addition to the outbreak at the Lansing Correctional Facility where there are 37 cases including 17 inmates and 20 members of the staff.

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman discussed a variety of issues concerning the coronavirus pandemic during their Monday news conference.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F617785919081375%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>The governor mentioned unemployment claims that are up by 3,400 percent and claims through the state web site are up 6,833 percent.She also announced an <a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/executive-order-no-20-22/">executive order</a> extending temporary relief from some rules and regulations for motor carriers assisting with coronavirus relief.&nbsp;Dr. Norman discussed the increase of just 39 positive virus cases in Kansas from Sunday&nbsp; to Monday. He reported the KDHE is&nbsp; monitoring 23 virus outbreaks including 12 in long term care facilities, 2 in group living homes, 3 in private businesses and 5 among religious gatherings in addition to the outbreak at the Lansing Correctional Facility where there are 37 cases including 17 inmates and 20 members of the staff.

🎥 Gov. Kelly, KDHE Secretary give virus fight update

TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced Monday that one resident at Wichita Work Release Facility (WWRF) tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, April 12, according to a media release from the KDOC.

This is the second KDOC facility with a confirmed case, with the first cases reported at the Lansing Correction Facility.

The resident at WWRF was a male over the age of 40. In order to protect the identity of this resident, no other information will be released.

The KDOC has been in consultation with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on next steps to address these circumstances. As a result of that consultation with KDHE, the following steps were implemented:

“The newly reconstructed building at Lansing provides us the ability to isolate these residents, while also keeping them separate from the current residents of the old Lansing facility,” Zmuda said. “Moving this number of people on short notice is a major undertaking, our staff did a great job last night.”

The Wichita Work Release Facility, a satellite unit of the Winfield Correctional Facility, is an all-male, minimum-custody state prison with a population of 248 prior to this move.

TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced Monday that one resident at Wichita Work Release Facility (WWRF) tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, April 12, according to a media release from the KDOC.This is the second KDOC facility with a confirmed case, with the first cases reported at the Lansing Correction Facility.The resident at WWRF was a male over the age of 40. In order to protect the identity of this resident, no other information will be released.The KDOC has been in consultation with officials from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on next steps to address these circumstances. As a result of that consultation with KDHE, the following steps were implemented:<ol>
 <li>WWRF has two open dormitory housing units. The 113 residents from the unit where the man tested positive were moved Sunday night to the newly reconstructed building at Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF) for medical isolation and monitoring</li><li>KDHE conducted contact tracing to ascertain who among our staff and residents have been in close contact with this individual</li><li>Sedgwick County Health Department conducted contact tracing to identify anyone outside of WWRF who may have been in close contact with this individual and will notify those persons</li><li>KDOC will remain diligent in monitoring other staff and residents for symptoms</li>
 </ol>“The newly reconstructed building at Lansing provides us the ability to isolate these residents, while also keeping them separate from the current residents of the old Lansing facility,” Zmuda said. “Moving this number of people on short notice is a major undertaking, our staff did a great job last night.”The Wichita Work Release Facility, a satellite unit of the Winfield Correctional Facility, is an all-male, minimum-custody state prison with a population of 248 prior to this move.

Coronavirus Update