By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-looking-high-and-low-gear-protect-health-care-workers-covid-19#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA, Kansas — Kansas is struggling to get its 
hands on the millions of N95 masks, surgical gowns and other protective 
gear it wants to shield first responders and health care workers against
 COVID-19.

Gov. Laura Kelly told reporters Monday that Kansas has
 been pursuing three routes to get more of those supplies, along with 
testing kits and ventilators.

Kelly said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has parceled out supplies from <a href="https://www.phe.gov/about/sns/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">the national stockpile</a>
 to states based on their 2010 Census numbers. Kansas has received 90% 
of its share, Kelly said, and has been told by federal authorities that 
it won’t receive the rest.

Kansas has been passing along those 
supplies to counties based on census counts. That work should be 
finished early this week. County health departments will distribute the 
supplies locally.

Kansas
 has also asked FEMA for emergency supplies. Kelly says her 
administration has filed seven requests over the past two weeks, but 
FEMA hasn’t filled them yet.

The state is seeking testing 
supplies from FEMA, in addition to more than 22.3 million gloves, 4.6 
million N95 masks, 1.2 million face shields, 10.7 million surgical masks
 and 500 ventilators.

“Hospitals and first responders have been 
already rationing” their protective gear, Kelly said. “For perspective, 
one of our major hospitals in the state uses 220,000 gloves per day” 
even after scaling back elective care.

Kansas
 has had modest success buying supplies from private companies, but 
through-the-roof global demand has led vendors to postpone or cancel a 
number of the state’s orders.

“We have also not been immune from 
the rising costs,” Kelly said. “An N95 mask that a couple of weeks ago 
cost us $1.85 now costs well over $4.”

The most recent state 
budget included $15 million to help the state’s emergency management 
agency buy protective gear amid the pandemic, she said.

Kansas 
has pending orders for 3.9 million N95 masks, 1.8 million surgical 
masks, 2 million gloves, 4 million gowns, 2 million shoe covers and 2 
million face shields.

Kansas has reached out to in-state research
 labs, auto body shops, tattoo shops and more in search of everything 
from chemicals needed for COVID-19 testing to medical-grade masks and 
gloves. It is also looking for Kansas manufacturers that could make 
these supplies locally.

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586270903677.jpeg" alt=" Nitrile gloves are among protective gear in short supply. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Nitrile gloves are among protective gear in short supply. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/post/kansas-looking-high-and-low-gear-protect-health-care-workers-covid-19#stream/0">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA, Kansas — Kansas is struggling to get its 
hands on the millions of N95 masks, surgical gowns and other protective 
gear it wants to shield first responders and health care workers against
 COVID-19.Gov. Laura Kelly told reporters Monday that Kansas has
 been pursuing three routes to get more of those supplies, along with 
testing kits and ventilators.<h2>The Strategic National Stockpile</h2>Kelly said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has parceled out supplies from <a href="https://www.phe.gov/about/sns/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">the national stockpile</a>
 to states based on their 2010 Census numbers. Kansas has received 90% 
of its share, Kelly said, and has been told by federal authorities that 
it won’t receive the rest.Kansas has been passing along those 
supplies to counties based on census counts. That work should be 
finished early this week. County health departments will distribute the 
supplies locally.<h2>Federal Emergency Management Agency</h2>Kansas
 has also asked FEMA for emergency supplies. Kelly says her 
administration has filed seven requests over the past two weeks, but 
FEMA hasn’t filled them yet.The state is seeking testing 
supplies from FEMA, in addition to more than 22.3 million gloves, 4.6 
million N95 masks, 1.2 million face shields, 10.7 million surgical masks
 and 500 ventilators.“Hospitals and first responders have been 
already rationing” their protective gear, Kelly said. “For perspective, 
one of our major hospitals in the state uses 220,000 gloves per day” 
even after scaling back elective care.<h2>The private sector</h2>Kansas
 has had modest success buying supplies from private companies, but 
through-the-roof global demand has led vendors to postpone or cancel a 
number of the state’s orders.“We have also not been immune from 
the rising costs,” Kelly said. “An N95 mask that a couple of weeks ago 
cost us $1.85 now costs well over $4.”The most recent state 
budget included $15 million to help the state’s emergency management 
agency buy protective gear amid the pandemic, she said.Kansas 
has pending orders for 3.9 million N95 masks, 1.8 million surgical 
masks, 2 million gloves, 4 million gowns, 2 million shoe covers and 2 
million face shields.Kansas has reached out to in-state research
 labs, auto body shops, tattoo shops and more in search of everything 
from chemicals needed for COVID-19 testing to medical-grade masks and 
gloves. It is also looking for Kansas manufacturers that could make 
these supplies locally.Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

Kansas looking high and low for gear to protect health care workers

Saline County has reported no new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Following is the Tuesday update from Saline County:

The Saline County Health Department has not been notified of any additional positive COVID19 case in a Saline County resident. At 11 am KDHE reported a total of 900 cases in Kansas. Saline County has a total of 7 cases.

The Saline County Health Department will continue to conduct contact investigations in cases.

This is a process where the Health Department retraces a persons’ steps and activities so that they can identify anyone who may have been potentially exposed to COVID-19.

Governor Kelly’s Statewide Stay-at-Home order is still in effect. It cannot be stressed enough the importance of staying home and only going out for essential tasks. Saline County continues to receive reports of alleged non-compliance with the Statewide Stay-at-Home order. Alleged violations can be reported through our online submission form at <a href="http://www.saline.org">www.saline.org</a>.

• The Saline County Commissioners adopted a resolution that will restrict burning in Saline County until April 30th. This is a restriction on the burning of items such as tree piles, brush, burn barrels, and smaller burns. Agriculture burns will be allowed to continue as this is an essential tool for proper land management.

• The Salina Police Department will enact its Emergency Accident Reporting Plan effective at 12:01 am on April 8th, 2020. If an accident occurs, please contact the Salina Police Department at 785-826-7210. A dispatcher will ask questions to determine if the reported accident is an “eligible accident” requiring law enforcement response.

• Governor Kelly announced in her press conference today that she has issued Executive Order 20-18 that will add religious services and funerals that will require complying with 10 people or less in a mass gathering.

• We have begun to see an uptick in the amount of scam-like activity. Text messages with claims that a person is a close contact, selling of fake tests, fake stimulus check information, and robocalls. The Saline County Health Department will not send text messages to potential close contacts. Do not click on unknown links from unknown sources. Suspected scams can be reported to <a href="http://www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds">www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds</a>.

• KDHE added the State of Connecticut to the list of mandatory quarantine. This means that anyone that has traveled to Connecticut on or after April 6th must quarantine for 14-days.

Help our community in stopping the spread of this virus. Only follow official sources to obtain information: <a href="http://www.saline.org/coronavirus">www.saline.org/coronavirus</a> or <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov">www.kdheks.gov</a>.

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy and Stay at Home.

Saline County has reported no new confirmed cases of COVID-19.Following is the Tuesday update from Saline County:The Saline County Health Department has not been notified of any additional positive COVID19 case in a Saline County resident. At 11 am KDHE reported a total of 900 cases in Kansas. Saline County has a total of 7 cases.The Saline County Health Department will continue to conduct contact investigations in cases.This is a process where the Health Department retraces a persons’ steps and activities so that they can identify anyone who may have been potentially exposed to COVID-19.Governor Kelly’s Statewide Stay-at-Home order is still in effect. It cannot be stressed enough the importance of staying home and only going out for essential tasks. Saline County continues to receive reports of alleged non-compliance with the Statewide Stay-at-Home order. Alleged violations can be reported through our online submission form at <a href="http://www.saline.org">www.saline.org</a>.Announcements:• The Saline County Commissioners adopted a resolution that will restrict burning in Saline County until April 30th. This is a restriction on the burning of items such as tree piles, brush, burn barrels, and smaller burns. Agriculture burns will be allowed to continue as this is an essential tool for proper land management.• The Salina Police Department will enact its Emergency Accident Reporting Plan effective at 12:01 am on April 8th, 2020. If an accident occurs, please contact the Salina Police Department at 785-826-7210. A dispatcher will ask questions to determine if the reported accident is an “eligible accident” requiring law enforcement response.• Governor Kelly announced in her press conference today that she has issued Executive Order 20-18 that will add religious services and funerals that will require complying with 10 people or less in a mass gathering.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586297819367.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>• We have begun to see an uptick in the amount of scam-like activity. Text messages with claims that a person is a close contact, selling of fake tests, fake stimulus check information, and robocalls. The Saline County Health Department will not send text messages to potential close contacts. Do not click on unknown links from unknown sources. Suspected scams can be reported to <a href="http://www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds">www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds</a>.• KDHE added the State of Connecticut to the list of mandatory quarantine. This means that anyone that has traveled to Connecticut on or after April 6th must quarantine for 14-days.Help our community in stopping the spread of this virus. Only follow official sources to obtain information: <a href="http://www.saline.org/coronavirus">www.saline.org/coronavirus</a> or <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov">www.kdheks.gov</a>.Stay Safe, Stay Healthy and Stay at Home.

Saline County: No new COVID-19 cases, scams on rise

Salina Area United Way (SAUW) awards funds to the following recipients through the SAUW COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund.

Salina Area Technical College Foundation (Salina)&nbsp;- $500 to assist students with the following basic needs rent, utilities, food, gas, bus passes, etc.

New Community Christian Church (Salina)&nbsp;- $500 to place non-perishable items in the Blessing Boxes located at New Community Christian Church, Martin Luther Day Care, and Schilling Grade School.

Salina Public Library (Salina)&nbsp;- $2,000 to provide resources for both students and educators increasing the number of digital checkouts for library card holders.&nbsp; Providing a greater number of materials and easier access to support parents by providing a plethora of free digital resources for our children’s education.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Salina Housing Authority (Salina)&nbsp;- $5,000 to assist families with covering a portion of costs for basic needs such as food, utilities, move-in supplies for tenants and their families who are participating in the Shelter Plus Care and Non-Elderly and Disable programs.

Salina YMCA (Salina)&nbsp;- $2,000 to assist in purchasing food for children that cannot be reimbursed by The Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Catholic Charities (Salina)&nbsp;- $2,000 to assist households with the following basic needs rent, utilities, and prescriptions.

Republic County Hospital (Republic County)&nbsp;- $5,000 to purchase a testing module for a Cepheld instrument which was recently approved by the FDA for testing of COVID-19.&nbsp;

Sylvan Lucas High School (Sylvan Gove)&nbsp;- $1,575 to purchase nine hot spots for families that need internet access to allow students to continue receiving their education from home without interruption.&nbsp;

Love Inc of Ottawa County (Minneapolis)&nbsp;- $1,000 to purchase food for the food pantry.

Minneapolis Chamber (Minneapolis)&nbsp;- $500&nbsp;to create a program for Buy One Get One, where local gift card purchases will be matched with gift cards for grocery assistance for local families in need.

Miltonvale Education Charitable Fund (Miltonvale)&nbsp;- $500 to assist families with the following basic needs of food, utilities, rent, etc.

SAUW is still accepting donations for its&nbsp;COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. SAUW offers three ways to donate:

Online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.unitedwaysalina.org/sauw-covid-19" target="_blank">www.unitedwaysalina.org/sauw-covid-19</a>

Mail a check to Salina Area United Way,&nbsp;210 E Walnut #100, Salina, KS 67401. Please include “Relief Fund” in the memo.

To download a grant application, visit the SAUW website at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unitedwaysalina.org/covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.unitedwaysalina.org/covid-19</a>, include a copy of your non-profit status and return a copy to <a href="mailto:info@unitedwaysalina.org">info@unitedwaysalina.org</a>. Your application will be reviewed within two business days.&nbsp; The maximum grant awarded to applicants will not exceed $5,000.

For more information about Salina Area United Way, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.unitedwaysalina.org/" target="_blank">www.unitedwaysalina.org</a>&nbsp;or contact Salina Area United Way at 785-827-1312.&nbsp;

Salina Area United Way (SAUW) awards funds to the following recipients through the SAUW COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund.Salina Area Technical College Foundation (Salina)&nbsp;- $500 to assist students with the following basic needs rent, utilities, food, gas, bus passes, etc.New Community Christian Church (Salina)&nbsp;- $500 to place non-perishable items in the Blessing Boxes located at New Community Christian Church, Martin Luther Day Care, and Schilling Grade School.Salina Public Library (Salina)&nbsp;- $2,000 to provide resources for both students and educators increasing the number of digital checkouts for library card holders.&nbsp; Providing a greater number of materials and easier access to support parents by providing a plethora of free digital resources for our children’s education.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Salina Housing Authority (Salina)&nbsp;- $5,000 to assist families with covering a portion of costs for basic needs such as food, utilities, move-in supplies for tenants and their families who are participating in the Shelter Plus Care and Non-Elderly and Disable programs.Salina YMCA (Salina)&nbsp;- $2,000 to assist in purchasing food for children that cannot be reimbursed by The Child and Adult Care Food Program.Catholic Charities (Salina)&nbsp;- $2,000 to assist households with the following basic needs rent, utilities, and prescriptions.Republic County Hospital (Republic County)&nbsp;- $5,000 to purchase a testing module for a Cepheld instrument which was recently approved by the FDA for testing of COVID-19.&nbsp;Sylvan Lucas High School (Sylvan Gove)&nbsp;- $1,575 to purchase nine hot spots for families that need internet access to allow students to continue receiving their education from home without interruption.&nbsp;Love Inc of Ottawa County (Minneapolis)&nbsp;- $1,000 to purchase food for the food pantry.Minneapolis Chamber (Minneapolis)&nbsp;- $500&nbsp;to create a program for Buy One Get One, where local gift card purchases will be matched with gift cards for grocery assistance for local families in need.Miltonvale Education Charitable Fund (Miltonvale)&nbsp;- $500 to assist families with the following basic needs of food, utilities, rent, etc.SAUW is still accepting donations for its&nbsp;COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. SAUW offers three ways to donate:Online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.unitedwaysalina.org/sauw-covid-19" target="_blank">www.unitedwaysalina.org/sauw-covid-19</a>Text “TOGETHERUNITED” at 41444Mail a check to Salina Area United Way,&nbsp;210 E Walnut #100, Salina, KS 67401. Please include “Relief Fund” in the memo.To download a grant application, visit the SAUW website at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unitedwaysalina.org/covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.unitedwaysalina.org/covid-19</a>, include a copy of your non-profit status and return a copy to <a href="mailto:info@unitedwaysalina.org">info@unitedwaysalina.org</a>. Your application will be reviewed within two business days.&nbsp; The maximum grant awarded to applicants will not exceed $5,000.For more information about Salina Area United Way, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.unitedwaysalina.org/" target="_blank">www.unitedwaysalina.org</a>&nbsp;or contact Salina Area United Way at 785-827-1312.&nbsp;

SAUW awards more grants from emergency relief fund

UPDATE: This case has been assigned to Barton County, according to a release from Ellsworth County.

"The first confirmed case of COVID-19 for Ellsworth County will be assigned as a Barton County COVID-19 case. The zip code marked the individual as residing in Ellsworth County however physical location is Barton County," the release from the Ellsworth County Health Department noted.

ELLSWORTH -- The Ellsworth County Health Department today reported the county's first confirmed case of COVID-19.

Following is a letter to Ellsworth County residents from the health department.

UPDATE: This case has been assigned to Barton County, according to a release from Ellsworth County."The first confirmed case of COVID-19 for Ellsworth County will be assigned as a Barton County COVID-19 case. The zip code marked the individual as residing in Ellsworth County however physical location is Barton County," the release from the Ellsworth County Health Department noted.ELLSWORTH -- The Ellsworth County Health Department today reported the county's first confirmed case of COVID-19.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586294102927.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following is a letter to Ellsworth County residents from the health department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586294102927.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

UPDATE: Ellsworth County COVID-19 case re-assigned

MCPHERSON -- The COVID-19 pandemic may have suppressed life as we know it, but it doesn't keep the Easter Bunny down! From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/McPhersonKSChamber/">McPherson Chamber of Commerce</a> Facebook page:

MCPHERSON -- The COVID-19 pandemic may have suppressed life as we know it, but it doesn't keep the Easter Bunny down! From the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/McPhersonKSChamber/">McPherson Chamber of Commerce</a> Facebook page:<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMcPhersonKSChamber%2Fposts%2F10157108232277717&width=500" width="500" height="707" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></div>

Easter Bunny finds way to visit McPherson

In these virtual times, the Salina Fire Department and Salina Family YMCA are teaming up for a free CPR webinar.

The webinar is scheduled for 1:30-2 p.m. Thursday via Zoom. Persons participating will need to have access to a computer with a webcam that has a microphone. Space is limited, so interested persons are asked to register for the free webinar as soon as possible.

The YMCA asks that persons registering for the webinar use Google Chrome for best viewing options. To register, click here: <a href="https://www.salinaymca.org/register-programs">https://www.salinaymca.org/register-programs</a>.

During the webinar, participants will learn the following, according to information from the YMCA.

•Learn to save a life in less than 15 minutes

•Learn the when, why, and how for hands-only CPR

•Learn how to save a choking adult, child, or infant

This is not a class that will give participants a certification. Practice sessions and full course will be offered at a later day/time for certification, the YMCA information noted.

Allen Grant Fire Captain/EMT Salina Fire Department AHA CPR/First Aid Instructor

Brandon Doubrava Firefighter/Paramedic III Critical Care Paramedic Salina Fire Department AHA CPR/First Aid Instructor

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586286477161.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In these virtual times, the Salina Fire Department and Salina Family YMCA are teaming up for a free CPR webinar.The webinar is scheduled for 1:30-2 p.m. Thursday via Zoom. Persons participating will need to have access to a computer with a webcam that has a microphone. Space is limited, so interested persons are asked to register for the free webinar as soon as possible.The YMCA asks that persons registering for the webinar use Google Chrome for best viewing options. To register, click here: <a href="https://www.salinaymca.org/register-programs">https://www.salinaymca.org/register-programs</a>.During the webinar, participants will learn the following, according to information from the YMCA.•Learn to save a life in less than 15 minutes•Learn the when, why, and how for hands-only CPR•Learn how to save a choking adult, child, or infantThis is not a class that will give participants a certification. Practice sessions and full course will be offered at a later day/time for certification, the YMCA information noted.Scheduled webinar instructors are:Allen Grant Fire Captain/EMT Salina Fire Department AHA CPR/First Aid InstructorBrandon Doubrava Firefighter/Paramedic III Critical Care Paramedic Salina Fire Department AHA CPR/First Aid Instructor

SFD, YMCA offering free CPR webinar Thursday

Following is a statement from the Salina Police Department concerning the enactment of the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan.

Due to the
dramatic rise of amount of COVID-19 cases in Kansas in the past week, the
Salina Police Department will be enacting the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan
(EARP) on April 8, 2020 at 12:01 P.M. &nbsp;The
spread of the virus is projected to worsen by the end of April to the first
part of May, 2020. &nbsp;

Our purpose
in enacting this plan is two-fold:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Reduce our potential for exposure to
COVID-19 for both our officers and citizens

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Allow other calls of a higher
priority to be handled in a more expeditiously manner

We are
anticipating this will reduce the calls for service for accidents in half. &nbsp;We will still respond to injury accidents and
others that are of a more serious nature.&nbsp;
Similar plans have been put in place in several cities across our state.

If an accident occurs please contact the Salina Police
Department at (785) 826-7210. &nbsp;A
dispatcher will ask the following questions to see if the report accident is an
“eligible accident” under the Emergency Accident Reporting plan.&nbsp; Does this accident involve a:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Hit and Run

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Personal Injury

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Is Alcohol or
Drugs Involved

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Is Towing Required

If the caller answers “No” to the above questions, the
accident shall be reported via an Emergency Accident Report form.&nbsp; An officer will not be responding to the scene and completing an accident
report.

An Emergency Accident Report form may be obtained from
the Salina Police Department online website at <a href="http://www.pd.salina.org">www.pd.salina.org</a>, or at the Salina Police Department 255 N. 10th
Street.

Please complete the report form as much as possible
(according to the instructions on the form) and mail or deliver the completed
report to the Salina Police Department within 48 hours.

Following is a statement from the Salina Police Department concerning the enactment of the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan.Due to the
dramatic rise of amount of COVID-19 cases in Kansas in the past week, the
Salina Police Department will be enacting the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan
(EARP) on April 8, 2020 at 12:01 P.M. &nbsp;The
spread of the virus is projected to worsen by the end of April to the first
part of May, 2020. &nbsp;Our purpose
in enacting this plan is two-fold:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Reduce our potential for exposure to
COVID-19 for both our officers and citizens·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Allow other calls of a higher
priority to be handled in a more expeditiously mannerWe are
anticipating this will reduce the calls for service for accidents in half. &nbsp;We will still respond to injury accidents and
others that are of a more serious nature.&nbsp;
Similar plans have been put in place in several cities across our state.If an accident occurs please contact the Salina Police
Department at (785) 826-7210. &nbsp;A
dispatcher will ask the following questions to see if the report accident is an
“eligible accident” under the Emergency Accident Reporting plan.&nbsp; Does this accident involve a:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Hit and Run ·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Personal Injury·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Is Alcohol or
Drugs Involved·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Is Towing RequiredIf the caller answers “No” to the above questions, the
accident shall be reported via an Emergency Accident Report form.&nbsp; An officer will not be responding to the scene and completing an accident
report. An Emergency Accident Report form may be obtained from
the Salina Police Department online website at <a href="http://www.pd.salina.org">www.pd.salina.org</a>, or at the Salina Police Department 255 N. 10th
Street.Please complete the report form as much as possible
(according to the instructions on the form) and mail or deliver the completed
report to the Salina Police Department within 48 hours.

SPD enacts Emergency Accident Reporting Plan

CONCORDIA -- In an effort to be proactive and
stay ahead of the curve, Cloud County Health Center (CCHC) has made the decision to
move to a “No Visitor Policy” effective immediately.&nbsp; 

While this may be very difficult for our patients and their
families, we are confident this is the right thing to do for the safety of our
staff, patients, and community.

Detailed information on the “No
Visitor” restrictions and exceptions include the following:

·1 Caregiver for patients younger than 18
allowed (must stay in room the entire time);

·1 Companion for patients with
disabilities or impairments needing assistance allowed (must stay in room the
entire time);

·All
other non-COVID-19 patients, NO visitors are allowed;

·For
all known or suspected COVID-19 patients, NO visitors are allowed;

·Comfort Care visitor exceptions will be
made for patients nearing end of life on a case by case basis;

·No visitor restrictions apply to all
inpatient, outpatient, dialysis and Family Care Center services

Everyone will continue to use the Main Entrance for
hospital access and will continue to be screened according to KDHE guidelines
currently in place.

Our employees continue to be diligent with
self-screening in order to protect themselves, their peers, family and loved
ones, and our community!

We continue to provide healthcare
services through the Family Care Center by appointment, but will also be temporarily
changing our Walk-In Clinic hours to 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday.

Please call ahead 785-243-4272 to
inform us that you are coming.

CONCORDIA -- In an effort to be proactive and
stay ahead of the curve, Cloud County Health Center (CCHC) has made the decision to
move to a “No Visitor Policy” effective immediately.&nbsp; Following is a statement from CCHC.While this may be very difficult for our patients and their
families, we are confident this is the right thing to do for the safety of our
staff, patients, and community.Detailed information on the “No
Visitor” restrictions and exceptions include the following:·1 Caregiver for patients younger than 18
allowed (must stay in room the entire time);·1 Companion for patients with
disabilities or impairments needing assistance allowed (must stay in room the
entire time);·All
other non-COVID-19 patients, NO visitors are allowed;·For
all known or suspected COVID-19 patients, NO visitors are allowed;·Comfort Care visitor exceptions will be
made for patients nearing end of life on a case by case basis;·No visitor restrictions apply to all
inpatient, outpatient, dialysis and Family Care Center servicesEveryone will continue to use the Main Entrance for
hospital access and will continue to be screened according to KDHE guidelines
currently in place.Our employees continue to be diligent with
self-screening in order to protect themselves, their peers, family and loved
ones, and our community! We continue to provide healthcare
services through the Family Care Center by appointment, but will also be temporarily
changing our Walk-In Clinic hours to 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday. Please call ahead 785-243-4272 to
inform us that you are coming.

Cloud County Health Center moves to no visitor policy

MANHATTAN – In times of stress, such as the nation’s current response to the COVID-19 pandemic, sometimes all it takes for people to feel better is just a few mindful moments.

Aliah Mestrovich Seay believes that, because she’s seen it.

“When we stress, we regress,” said Mestrovich-Seay, a Kansas 4-H youth development specialist for culture and communication skills development, and a licensed therapist.

Spurred by a K-State Research and Extension project aimed at reducing stress in rural Kansas, Mestrovich Seay is developing a program centered around social-emotional learning, or a process of dealing with life’s tough moments by developing greater self-awareness, self-control and interpersonal skills.

Appropriately, the program will be called “Mindful Moments.”

“Right now there are many parents at home with their children,” Mestrovich Seay said. “We are in a period of transition and adaptation. When we have these ingredients, there&nbsp;is a lot of room for innovation, and how we teach social emotional learning with youth and even within our family.”

Over the past year, Mestrovich Seay has incorporated social emotional learning in a 4-H program called Community Conversations: “4-H agents and volunteers have been able to focus youth development programming on being mindful and exercising civility when youth are having tough conversations about societal issues impacting our world today,” she said.

“The Community Conversations series explores how practicing mindfulness is an important part of engaging in effective communication with others and bridging across cultural differences.”

Recently, she’s developed more than a dozen Mindful Moments online lessons that are appropriate for people of all ages. One of her basic lessons?&nbsp;“Just breathe,” Mestrovich Seay said.

“It sounds kind of funny because we are all breathing to stay alive,” she added. “But there’s actually a science to breathing. Simply being aware of our breathing, and taking deep breaths creates the opportunity for more oxygen to get to the brain.

“Sometimes when I’m working with my son who is almost four, and I can tell that his world has been turned upside down, I just remind both of us: ‘Let’s take a moment, maybe one minute, and take five deep breaths.’ It’s amazing how different the experience is interacting with him and other people for that matter when we focus on breathing.”

Among the lessons, Mestrovich Seay said Mindful Moments will explore such ideas as writing daily thoughts in a journal; taking a walk while paying keen attention to the surrounding sensations; and – simply – laughing more.

“Laughing is a great way to relieve tension,” Mestrovich Seay said. “We’re in a period when we are really focused on what’s happening in the news, what’s happening in social media, and sometimes we just need to disconnect and laugh.”

Whatever the activity, she added, the key is to be focused on relieving stress.

“This is a way to intentionally create a sense of calm on the inside when the world may not be so calm on the outside,” Mestrovich Seay said. “Practicing mindful moments will allow you to intentionally and strategically add more calm to your day and with the people around you. It is a form of self care, using techniques that are easy to incorporate.”

Thus far, Mestrovich Seay is receiving guidance from the rural stress team, one of three issue-based groups that K-State Research and Extension formed in late 2019 to address concerns important in Kansas communities. The group hopes to first incorporate lessons with extension faculty and staff across the state, then eventually provide support in extension programs offered to Kansans.

The lessons, Mestrovich Seay said, are appropriate for people of all ages, though her early trials have been with helping kids work through stressful moments.

“There are a lot of different ways that youth handle stress,” she said. “Some of them might just act out more, some of them might be more removed, and some of them might actually want to talk about it. That’s a great way to engage. If they haven’t come to you to talk about it, some of these exercises could be a great way to jumpstart that conversation.”

She adds: “There are a lot of things we don’t have control over, but we do have control over our inner experience.”

For more information about Mindful Moments, interested persons may contact Mestrovich Seay at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aliah@ksu.edu" target="_blank">aliah@ksu.edu</a>.

MANHATTAN – In times of stress, such as the nation’s current response to the COVID-19 pandemic, sometimes all it takes for people to feel better is just a few mindful moments.Aliah Mestrovich Seay believes that, because she’s seen it.“When we stress, we regress,” said Mestrovich-Seay, a Kansas 4-H youth development specialist for culture and communication skills development, and a licensed therapist.Spurred by a K-State Research and Extension project aimed at reducing stress in rural Kansas, Mestrovich Seay is developing a program centered around social-emotional learning, or a process of dealing with life’s tough moments by developing greater self-awareness, self-control and interpersonal skills.Appropriately, the program will be called “Mindful Moments.”“Right now there are many parents at home with their children,” Mestrovich Seay said. “We are in a period of transition and adaptation. When we have these ingredients, there&nbsp;is a lot of room for innovation, and how we teach social emotional learning with youth and even within our family.”Over the past year, Mestrovich Seay has incorporated social emotional learning in a 4-H program called Community Conversations: “4-H agents and volunteers have been able to focus youth development programming on being mindful and exercising civility when youth are having tough conversations about societal issues impacting our world today,” she said.“The Community Conversations series explores how practicing mindfulness is an important part of engaging in effective communication with others and bridging across cultural differences.”Recently, she’s developed more than a dozen Mindful Moments online lessons that are appropriate for people of all ages. One of her basic lessons?&nbsp;“Just breathe,” Mestrovich Seay said.“It sounds kind of funny because we are all breathing to stay alive,” she added. “But there’s actually a science to breathing. Simply being aware of our breathing, and taking deep breaths creates the opportunity for more oxygen to get to the brain.“Sometimes when I’m working with my son who is almost four, and I can tell that his world has been turned upside down, I just remind both of us: ‘Let’s take a moment, maybe one minute, and take five deep breaths.’ It’s amazing how different the experience is interacting with him and other people for that matter when we focus on breathing.”Among the lessons, Mestrovich Seay said Mindful Moments will explore such ideas as writing daily thoughts in a journal; taking a walk while paying keen attention to the surrounding sensations; and – simply – laughing more.“Laughing is a great way to relieve tension,” Mestrovich Seay said. “We’re in a period when we are really focused on what’s happening in the news, what’s happening in social media, and sometimes we just need to disconnect and laugh.”Whatever the activity, she added, the key is to be focused on relieving stress.“This is a way to intentionally create a sense of calm on the inside when the world may not be so calm on the outside,” Mestrovich Seay said. “Practicing mindful moments will allow you to intentionally and strategically add more calm to your day and with the people around you. It is a form of self care, using techniques that are easy to incorporate.”Thus far, Mestrovich Seay is receiving guidance from the rural stress team, one of three issue-based groups that K-State Research and Extension formed in late 2019 to address concerns important in Kansas communities. The group hopes to first incorporate lessons with extension faculty and staff across the state, then eventually provide support in extension programs offered to Kansans.The lessons, Mestrovich Seay said, are appropriate for people of all ages, though her early trials have been with helping kids work through stressful moments.“There are a lot of different ways that youth handle stress,” she said. “Some of them might just act out more, some of them might be more removed, and some of them might actually want to talk about it. That’s a great way to engage. If they haven’t come to you to talk about it, some of these exercises could be a great way to jumpstart that conversation.”She adds: “There are a lot of things we don’t have control over, but we do have control over our inner experience.”For more information about Mindful Moments, interested persons may contact Mestrovich Seay at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aliah@ksu.edu" target="_blank">aliah@ksu.edu</a>.

‘Mindful Moments’ can help to alleviate stress

A 64-year-old Salina man was arrested after he allegedly wrote his name in setting concrete Monday afternoon.

Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester reported this morning that officers were called to the 2600 block of South Ninth Street for the report of damage to property. Once there, an employee of Bar S Construction told the officers that the company had poured a concrete sidewalk there for the City of Salina earlier in the day. A white older male with no shirt on was walking by, stopped, picked up a rock, and scratched his name in the concrete, the construction employee reported.

The concrete was set enough that the entire section would have to be cut out and replaced at a cost of $1,800, Forrester explained.

The construction employee pointed out to the officers a subject standing at the corner of South Ninth Street and Belmont Boulevard as the suspect, Forrester noted. When officers contacted and arrested Jon Geary, 64, of Salina, they found him in possession of marijuana and prescription pills, Forrester explained.

Geary was arrested on suspicion of the following, according to Forrester. 

Unlawful possession of controlled substances

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586266250334.jpeg" alt="Jon Geary. Photo courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Jon Geary. Photo courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>A 64-year-old Salina man was arrested after he allegedly wrote his name in setting concrete Monday afternoon.Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester reported this morning that officers were called to the 2600 block of South Ninth Street for the report of damage to property. Once there, an employee of Bar S Construction told the officers that the company had poured a concrete sidewalk there for the City of Salina earlier in the day. A white older male with no shirt on was walking by, stopped, picked up a rock, and scratched his name in the concrete, the construction employee reported.The concrete was set enough that the entire section would have to be cut out and replaced at a cost of $1,800, Forrester explained.The construction employee pointed out to the officers a subject standing at the corner of South Ninth Street and Belmont Boulevard as the suspect, Forrester noted. When officers contacted and arrested Jon Geary, 64, of Salina, they found him in possession of marijuana and prescription pills, Forrester explained.Geary was arrested on suspicion of the following, according to Forrester. Felony damage to propertyUnlawful possession of controlled substancesPossession of marijuanaPossession of drug paraphernaliaNo drug tax stamp

Salina man arrested for alleged damage to property, drugs

Kroger, the parent company of Dillons, has announced that beginning today, it will limit the number of people allowed in its stores.

In an announcement Monday, Kroger said it will limit the number of customers to 50 percent of the international building code's calculated capacity to allow for proper physical distancing in every store.

"Kroger's introduction of customer capacity limits is one more way we are doing our part to flatten the curve while operating as an essential business, providing our customers with access to fresh, affordable food and products," said Mary Ellen Adcock, Kroger's senior vice president of operations. "During this national pandemic, we are committed to adopting preventive measures to help protect the safety and health of our associates, customers and communities."

As an illustration, the standard building capacity for a grocery store is 1 person per 60 square feet. Under Kroger's new reduced capacity limits, the number will be 1 person per 120 square feet. Kroger will begin to monitor the number of customers per square foot in its stores using its industry-leading QueVision technology, which already provides a count of the customers entering and exiting stores.

"By leveraging QueVision, our technology system that uses infrared sensors and predictive analytics, we will be able to more efficiently support our new capacity limits, creating a safer environment for our customers and associates," said Yael Cosset, Kroger's chief technology and digital officer.

Kroger's new customer capacity limits joins other measures the retailer has established over the last few weeks to promote physical distancing, including the addition of plexiglass partitions and educational floor decals and airing of a healthy habits message via in-store radio to encourage customers to practice good hygiene and spatial awareness.

Kroger and its affiliates have also recently implemented the following protective and preventive measures.

Protective face masks and gloves for associates

The Kroger Family of Companies is encouraging associates to wear protective masks and gloves. The retailer has ordered masks for associates nationwide, with supply starting to arrive in select regions and the anticipation of all locations having supply by the end of this week.

The Kroger Family of Companies is asking associates to closely monitor their health and take their temperature at home prior to coming to work. If they experience symptoms, including a fever, they are encouraged to contact their health care provider and stay home. Under its expanded COVID-19 emergency leave guidelines, associates self-isolating or experiencing symptoms as verified by an health care professional are eligible to receive their standard pay for up to two weeks (14 days).

The retailer started testing temperature checks in its distribution centers several weeks ago and is beginning to expand associate temperature checks to stores. Kroger and its affiliates are following local ordinances in cities or counties that mandate employee temperature checks, and associates may also request to have their temperature taken at work.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584040619502.jpeg" alt="The Cloud Street Dillons in Salina. Salina Post file photo" />
 <figcaption>The Cloud Street Dillons in Salina. Salina Post file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Kroger, the parent company of Dillons, has announced that beginning today, it will limit the number of people allowed in its stores.In an announcement Monday, Kroger said it will limit the number of customers to 50 percent of the international building code's calculated capacity to allow for proper physical distancing in every store."Kroger's introduction of customer capacity limits is one more way we are doing our part to flatten the curve while operating as an essential business, providing our customers with access to fresh, affordable food and products," said Mary Ellen Adcock, Kroger's senior vice president of operations. "During this national pandemic, we are committed to adopting preventive measures to help protect the safety and health of our associates, customers and communities."As an illustration, the standard building capacity for a grocery store is 1 person per 60 square feet. Under Kroger's new reduced capacity limits, the number will be 1 person per 120 square feet. Kroger will begin to monitor the number of customers per square foot in its stores using its industry-leading QueVision technology, which already provides a count of the customers entering and exiting stores."By leveraging QueVision, our technology system that uses infrared sensors and predictive analytics, we will be able to more efficiently support our new capacity limits, creating a safer environment for our customers and associates," said Yael Cosset, Kroger's chief technology and digital officer.Kroger's new customer capacity limits joins other measures the retailer has established over the last few weeks to promote physical distancing, including the addition of plexiglass partitions and educational floor decals and airing of a healthy habits message via in-store radio to encourage customers to practice good hygiene and spatial awareness.Kroger and its affiliates have also recently implemented the following protective and preventive measures.Protective face masks and gloves for associatesThe Kroger Family of Companies is encouraging associates to wear protective masks and gloves. The retailer has ordered masks for associates nationwide, with supply starting to arrive in select regions and the anticipation of all locations having supply by the end of this week.Associate wellness checksThe Kroger Family of Companies is asking associates to closely monitor their health and take their temperature at home prior to coming to work. If they experience symptoms, including a fever, they are encouraged to contact their health care provider and stay home. Under its expanded COVID-19 emergency leave guidelines, associates self-isolating or experiencing symptoms as verified by an health care professional are eligible to receive their standard pay for up to two weeks (14 days).The retailer started testing temperature checks in its distribution centers several weeks ago and is beginning to expand associate temperature checks to stores. Kroger and its affiliates are following local ordinances in cities or counties that mandate employee temperature checks, and associates may also request to have their temperature taken at work.

Kroger limiting number of customers in its stores

HUTCHINSON -- The Kansas State Fair Grand Drive Committee is again going beyond just selecting champion animals.

For the second year in a row, the Fair will award 10 separate $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors and secondary education students who have been part of the Fair's Grand Drive Youth Livestock Show.

Winners will be announced during the Grand Drive, which will take place the first weekend of the Fair, Sept. 11-13.

Applicants will be required to submit their high school and post-secondary transcripts. They must also write an essay of 500 words or less describing both their experiences showing livestock at the Grand Drive and what resonated the most, as well as about their leadership and career goals for the future and how the Grand Drive influenced these goals. The applicant must also provide two letters of recommendation.

Applications can be found on the Kansas State Fair website – <a href="http://bit.ly/GDScholarship2020">bit.ly/GDScholarship2020</a>.

Since its start in 2000, the Kansas State Fair Grand Drive has turned into the state’s premier livestock competition. The event encompasses shows for cattle, sheep, hogs and goats. In 2019, Kansas youth entered nearly 2,500 animals.

The Fair is able to have the Grand Drive thanks to a great partnership with Midwest Ford, along with many other sponsors. For more information about the Grand Drive or the scholarship, contact Competitive Exhibits Director Jenn Galloway at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jenn.galloway@ks.gov" target="_blank">jenn.galloway@ks.gov</a>.

HUTCHINSON -- The Kansas State Fair Grand Drive Committee is again going beyond just selecting champion animals.For the second year in a row, the Fair will award 10 separate $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors and secondary education students who have been part of the Fair's Grand Drive Youth Livestock Show.The application deadline is April 15.Winners will be announced during the Grand Drive, which will take place the first weekend of the Fair, Sept. 11-13.Applicants will be required to submit their high school and post-secondary transcripts. They must also write an essay of 500 words or less describing both their experiences showing livestock at the Grand Drive and what resonated the most, as well as about their leadership and career goals for the future and how the Grand Drive influenced these goals. The applicant must also provide two letters of recommendation.Applications can be found on the Kansas State Fair website – <a href="http://bit.ly/GDScholarship2020">bit.ly/GDScholarship2020</a>.Since its start in 2000, the Kansas State Fair Grand Drive has turned into the state’s premier livestock competition. The event encompasses shows for cattle, sheep, hogs and goats. In 2019, Kansas youth entered nearly 2,500 animals.The Fair is able to have the Grand Drive thanks to a great partnership with Midwest Ford, along with many other sponsors. For more information about the Grand Drive or the scholarship, contact Competitive Exhibits Director Jenn Galloway at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jenn.galloway@ks.gov" target="_blank">jenn.galloway@ks.gov</a>.

KS State Fair Grand Drive Scholarship deadline April 15

What’s the delivery of services by your Kansas government going to look like on the other side of the coronavirus pandemic?

So far, the Legislature, which may or may not be done for the year, has passed a budget, it has funded K-12 education to the level that the Kansas Supreme Court says meets the constitutional need to provide education in public schools from border to border and it has set aside about $50 million that the state budget director can request for dealing with the coronavirus.

Many state employees have been shifted from their crowded offices to working from home over the Internet, which so far seems to be working fairly well…except of course for those tens of thousands of Kansans who are applying for unemployment compensation after their jobs have ended because of the wide shutdown of most businesses.

For some Kansans, this effort to save lives by preventing the transmission of COVID-19 is going to be a test of just how state government works for all of us. And for some of those Kansans, just how well the state is able to provide the basic social and educational and public safety services that we all want for our fellow Kansas citizens may reshape state government well after the coronavirus is over.

Everything from applying for or renewing a driver’s license to dropping off a check for local property taxes to seeking assistance for Kansans with no jobs anymore is going to be handled over the phone or the Internet for now.

And we Statehouse habitués who have for years heard mostly conservative members of the House and Senate complain about the growth of state government – in terms of new programs, of the state employee jobs to carry out those programs, and of course the total bill for operation of the state – are wondering just what this pandemic is going to do in the future.

Everything from smaller state offices if employees work over the Internet from their homes to just what elementary and secondary education is going to look like in the future if the newly assembled remote learning programs that educators are essentially testing on students the remainder of this school year are the start of what might become a whole new face for state government.

Yes, some of us regulars here under the dome are wondering whether Kansas’ success in keeping basic services operating over the Internet is going to be key for providing more personal service to Kansans once the social distancing isn’t necessary. Whether that socializing even when applying for a new driver’s license is a valuable way to show Kansans that they are important, and that Kansas government understands that.

That humanity may well become the real issue once this pandemic is over.

We can probably teach our kids long division over the Internet, but remember, it’s the social skills that make us proud of those kids, not their ability to just hit a “send” key when they’ve completed their essay on water resources and how they shape the state’s economy.

Those teachers and even contact with fellow students are a big part of what public education has yielded as a dividend for us. But we’re wondering whether that is the sort of information that will turn up in the inevitable legislative committees that will study just how well Kansas responded to the pandemic.

Yup, this pandemic may be a test of state government and the jobs that we send lawmakers to Topeka to manage each year. Save a few bucks, lower the tax rates, boost the deduction for providing a school room at home for those kids? Lots of ways to respond to coronavirus and the lessons it teaches us.

We’ll see whether it’s just long division, or kids who you want to live next door to, won’t we?

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/" target="_blank">www.hawvernews.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141234707.png" alt="Martin Hawver" />
 <figcaption>Martin Hawver</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARTIN HAWVERWhat’s the delivery of services by your Kansas government going to look like on the other side of the coronavirus pandemic?So far, the Legislature, which may or may not be done for the year, has passed a budget, it has funded K-12 education to the level that the Kansas Supreme Court says meets the constitutional need to provide education in public schools from border to border and it has set aside about $50 million that the state budget director can request for dealing with the coronavirus.Many state employees have been shifted from their crowded offices to working from home over the Internet, which so far seems to be working fairly well…except of course for those tens of thousands of Kansans who are applying for unemployment compensation after their jobs have ended because of the wide shutdown of most businesses.For some Kansans, this effort to save lives by preventing the transmission of COVID-19 is going to be a test of just how state government works for all of us. And for some of those Kansans, just how well the state is able to provide the basic social and educational and public safety services that we all want for our fellow Kansas citizens may reshape state government well after the coronavirus is over.Everything from applying for or renewing a driver’s license to dropping off a check for local property taxes to seeking assistance for Kansans with no jobs anymore is going to be handled over the phone or the Internet for now.And we Statehouse habitués who have for years heard mostly conservative members of the House and Senate complain about the growth of state government – in terms of new programs, of the state employee jobs to carry out those programs, and of course the total bill for operation of the state – are wondering just what this pandemic is going to do in the future.Everything from smaller state offices if employees work over the Internet from their homes to just what elementary and secondary education is going to look like in the future if the newly assembled remote learning programs that educators are essentially testing on students the remainder of this school year are the start of what might become a whole new face for state government.Yes, some of us regulars here under the dome are wondering whether Kansas’ success in keeping basic services operating over the Internet is going to be key for providing more personal service to Kansans once the social distancing isn’t necessary. Whether that socializing even when applying for a new driver’s license is a valuable way to show Kansans that they are important, and that Kansas government understands that.That humanity may well become the real issue once this pandemic is over.We can probably teach our kids long division over the Internet, but remember, it’s the social skills that make us proud of those kids, not their ability to just hit a “send” key when they’ve completed their essay on water resources and how they shape the state’s economy.Those teachers and even contact with fellow students are a big part of what public education has yielded as a dividend for us. But we’re wondering whether that is the sort of information that will turn up in the inevitable legislative committees that will study just how well Kansas responded to the pandemic.Yup, this pandemic may be a test of state government and the jobs that we send lawmakers to Topeka to manage each year. Save a few bucks, lower the tax rates, boost the deduction for providing a school room at home for those kids? Lots of ways to respond to coronavirus and the lessons it teaches us.We’ll see whether it’s just long division, or kids who you want to live next door to, won’t we?Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/" target="_blank">www.hawvernews.com</a>.

At the Rail: Will the pandemic change state government?

Today is Tuesday, April 7, the 98th day of 2020. There are 268 days left in the year.

On April 7, 1862, Union forces led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant defeated the Confederates at the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee.

In 1798, the Mississippi Territory was created by an act of Congress, with Natchez as the capital.

In 1915, jazz singer-songwriter Billie Holiday, also known as "Lady Day," was born in Philadelphia.

In 1927, the image and voice of Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover were transmitted live from Washington to New York in the first successful long-distance demonstration of television.

In 1947, auto pioneer Henry Ford died in Dearborn, Michigan, at age 83.

In 1953, the U.N. General Assembly ratified Dag Hammarskjold of Sweden as the new secretary-general, succeeding Trygve Lie of Norway.

In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower held a news conference in which he spoke of the importance of containing the spread of communism in Indochina, saying, "You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly." (This became known as the "domino theory," although Eisenhower did not use that term.)

In 1962, nearly 1,200 Cuban exiles tried by Cuba for their roles in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion were convicted of treason.

In 1964, IBM introduced its System/360, the company's first line of compatible mainframe computers that gave customers the option of upgrading from lower-cost models to more powerful ones.

In 1966, the U.S. Navy recovered a hydrogen bomb that the U.S. Air Force had lost in the Mediterranean Sea off Spain following a B-52 crash.

In 1983, space shuttle astronauts Story Musgrave and Don Peterson went on the first U.S. spacewalk in almost a decade as they worked in the open cargo bay of Challenger for nearly four hours.

In 1994, civil war erupted in Rwanda, a day after a mysterious plane crash claimed the lives of the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi; in the months that followed, hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsi and Hutu moderates were slaughtered by Hutu extremists.

In 2006, a British judge ruled that author Dan Brown did not steal ideas for "The Da Vinci Code" from a nonfiction work.

Ten years ago: North Korea said it had convicted and sentenced an American man to eight years in a labor prison for entering the country illegally and unspecified hostile acts. (Aijalon Mahli Gomes was freed in August 2010 after former U.S. President Jimmy Carter secured his release.) Opponents seized Kyrgyzstan's government headquarters after clashes between protesters and security forces that had left dozens of people dead. Space shuttle Discovery docked at the International Space Station, its astronauts overcoming a rare antenna breakdown that had knocked out radar tracking.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama, speaking at Howard University Medical School, announced commitments from Google, Microsoft and others to help the nation's health system prepare for a warmer, more erratic climate. Republican Sen. Rand Paul launched his 2016 presidential campaign in his home state of Kentucky (he suspended his campaign in February 2016). Michael Thomas Slager, a white South Carolina police officer, was charged with murder in the shooting death of black motorist Walter Lamer Scott after law enforcement officials saw a cellphone video taken by a bystander. (Slager pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges and was sentenced to 20 years in prison; prosecutors agreed to drop state murder charges that remained after a jury couldn't agree whether he had committed a crime.) The University of Connecticut's women's basketball team beat Notre Dame 63-53 for its 10th NCAA championship. Stan Freberg, 88, the spirited comic genius who was hailed as the father of the funny commercial, died in Santa Monica, California.

One year ago: Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned amid President Donald Trump's frustration and bitterness over the number of Central American families crossing the southern border; Trump tweeted that U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan would take over as acting head of Homeland Security. White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, on "Fox News Sunday," declared that Democrats would "never" see President Donald Trump's tax returns. Baylor won the NCAA women's basketball championship game, 82-81 over Notre Dame, after Chloe Jackson drove for a tiebreaking layup with 3.9 seconds left.

Today's Birthdays: Media commentator Hodding Carter III is 85. Country singer Bobby Bare is 85. Rhythm-and-blues singer Charlie Thomas (The Drifters) is 83. Former California Gov. Jerry Brown is 82. Movie director Francis Ford Coppola is 81. Actress Roberta Shore is 77. Singer Patricia Bennett (The Chiffons) is 73. Singer John Oates is 72. Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is 71. Singer Janis Ian is 69. Country musician John Dittrich is 69. Actor Jackie Chan is 66. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett is 66. Actor Russell Crowe is 56. Christian/jazz singer Mark Kibble (Take 6) is 56. Actor Bill Bellamy is 55. Rock musician Dave "Yorkie" Palmer (Space) is 55. Rock musician Charlie Hall (The War on Drugs) is 46. Former football player-turned-analyst Tiki Barber is 45. Actress Heather Burns is 45. Christian rock singer-musician John Cooper (Skillet) is 45. Actor Kevin Alejandro is 44. Retired baseball infielder Adrian Beltre is 41. Actress Sian Clifford is 38. Rock musician Ben McKee (Imagine Dragons) is 35. Christian rock singer Tauren Wells is 34. Actor Ed Speleers is 32. Actor Conner Rayburn is 21.

Thought for Today: "Money is in some respects life's fire: it is a very excellent servant, but a terrible master." — P.T. Barnum, American showman (born 1810, died this date in 1891).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>Today is Tuesday, April 7, the 98th day of 2020. There are 268 days left in the year.Today's Highlight in History:On April 7, 1862, Union forces led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant defeated the Confederates at the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee.On this date:In 1798, the Mississippi Territory was created by an act of Congress, with Natchez as the capital.In 1915, jazz singer-songwriter Billie Holiday, also known as "Lady Day," was born in Philadelphia.In 1927, the image and voice of Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover were transmitted live from Washington to New York in the first successful long-distance demonstration of television.In 1947, auto pioneer Henry Ford died in Dearborn, Michigan, at age 83.In 1953, the U.N. General Assembly ratified Dag Hammarskjold of Sweden as the new secretary-general, succeeding Trygve Lie of Norway.In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower held a news conference in which he spoke of the importance of containing the spread of communism in Indochina, saying, "You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly." (This became known as the "domino theory," although Eisenhower did not use that term.)In 1962, nearly 1,200 Cuban exiles tried by Cuba for their roles in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion were convicted of treason.In 1964, IBM introduced its System/360, the company's first line of compatible mainframe computers that gave customers the option of upgrading from lower-cost models to more powerful ones.In 1966, the U.S. Navy recovered a hydrogen bomb that the U.S. Air Force had lost in the Mediterranean Sea off Spain following a B-52 crash.In 1983, space shuttle astronauts Story Musgrave and Don Peterson went on the first U.S. spacewalk in almost a decade as they worked in the open cargo bay of Challenger for nearly four hours.In 1994, civil war erupted in Rwanda, a day after a mysterious plane crash claimed the lives of the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi; in the months that followed, hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsi and Hutu moderates were slaughtered by Hutu extremists.In 2006, a British judge ruled that author Dan Brown did not steal ideas for "The Da Vinci Code" from a nonfiction work.Ten years ago: North Korea said it had convicted and sentenced an American man to eight years in a labor prison for entering the country illegally and unspecified hostile acts. (Aijalon Mahli Gomes was freed in August 2010 after former U.S. President Jimmy Carter secured his release.) Opponents seized Kyrgyzstan's government headquarters after clashes between protesters and security forces that had left dozens of people dead. Space shuttle Discovery docked at the International Space Station, its astronauts overcoming a rare antenna breakdown that had knocked out radar tracking.Five years ago: President Barack Obama, speaking at Howard University Medical School, announced commitments from Google, Microsoft and others to help the nation's health system prepare for a warmer, more erratic climate. Republican Sen. Rand Paul launched his 2016 presidential campaign in his home state of Kentucky (he suspended his campaign in February 2016). Michael Thomas Slager, a white South Carolina police officer, was charged with murder in the shooting death of black motorist Walter Lamer Scott after law enforcement officials saw a cellphone video taken by a bystander. (Slager pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges and was sentenced to 20 years in prison; prosecutors agreed to drop state murder charges that remained after a jury couldn't agree whether he had committed a crime.) The University of Connecticut's women's basketball team beat Notre Dame 63-53 for its 10th NCAA championship. Stan Freberg, 88, the spirited comic genius who was hailed as the father of the funny commercial, died in Santa Monica, California.One year ago: Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned amid President Donald Trump's frustration and bitterness over the number of Central American families crossing the southern border; Trump tweeted that U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan would take over as acting head of Homeland Security. White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, on "Fox News Sunday," declared that Democrats would "never" see President Donald Trump's tax returns. Baylor won the NCAA women's basketball championship game, 82-81 over Notre Dame, after Chloe Jackson drove for a tiebreaking layup with 3.9 seconds left.Today's Birthdays: Media commentator Hodding Carter III is 85. Country singer Bobby Bare is 85. Rhythm-and-blues singer Charlie Thomas (The Drifters) is 83. Former California Gov. Jerry Brown is 82. Movie director Francis Ford Coppola is 81. Actress Roberta Shore is 77. Singer Patricia Bennett (The Chiffons) is 73. Singer John Oates is 72. Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is 71. Singer Janis Ian is 69. Country musician John Dittrich is 69. Actor Jackie Chan is 66. College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett is 66. Actor Russell Crowe is 56. Christian/jazz singer Mark Kibble (Take 6) is 56. Actor Bill Bellamy is 55. Rock musician Dave "Yorkie" Palmer (Space) is 55. Rock musician Charlie Hall (The War on Drugs) is 46. Former football player-turned-analyst Tiki Barber is 45. Actress Heather Burns is 45. Christian rock singer-musician John Cooper (Skillet) is 45. Actor Kevin Alejandro is 44. Retired baseball infielder Adrian Beltre is 41. Actress Sian Clifford is 38. Rock musician Ben McKee (Imagine Dragons) is 35. Christian rock singer Tauren Wells is 34. Actor Ed Speleers is 32. Actor Conner Rayburn is 21.Thought for Today: "Money is in some respects life's fire: it is a very excellent servant, but a terrible master." — P.T. Barnum, American showman (born 1810, died this date in 1891).Copyright 2020, The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Today in History -- April 7

WICHITA --&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K0F3iDoYt0xswl1e0njVZzfj5yBuyeta-1RSR-Xt6lU0fG91YQGiGp9EgomCUyq4w5UV1AuHJr83rSP9c1Nw0jg-fILE96rF665ST4oyfdrcJAlCWCcSNo3CwvRtpoTyo8q3FowcavCkM27rfcVhdw==&amp;c=Psh-g9-wr0h0dE1HbTjrpHm6xvSvCYgFsRaFj3HUhiZvJ2MGNuMvDg==&amp;ch=72WZaSjlutHAGrC172vMFlYiBtg151YrS3yLm45gUUc_B2dMoR1HAw==" target="_blank">NetWork Kansas</a>’&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K0F3iDoYt0xswl1e0njVZzfj5yBuyeta-1RSR-Xt6lU0fG91YQGiGgZIZR51AOVEXfxPSYHXZanG0WAIid-MygWe0VnAmXLgk-vtNloAGnrHWCx8rM73XlnN-HyckCx2W-YbFGdbxdP13lDFBeLnIZM8DS7lbLT0eaHO4gHgCER-DmOtydX2uJXSWxFylZdeQn9ugdYz-wbjNyjmTG6nijWFWnrGfAy9pJO1ai2XBRA=&amp;c=Psh-g9-wr0h0dE1HbTjrpHm6xvSvCYgFsRaFj3HUhiZvJ2MGNuMvDg==&amp;ch=72WZaSjlutHAGrC172vMFlYiBtg151YrS3yLm45gUUc_B2dMoR1HAw==" target="_blank">Entrepreneurship (E-) Community Partnership</a>&nbsp;has announced the conclusion of the 2019-2020&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K0F3iDoYt0xswl1e0njVZzfj5yBuyeta-1RSR-Xt6lU0fG91YQGiGgZIZR51AOVEcE2E4y4ljkqht1KBdAgVCQlHyTL9-wsG_g32al1PMvgK4_aadsyiZbovaIOL0bBzEB83mid_sdIz48zK1Q19NUu3gB-_leTPVuhT4nEMCrPnc4eITZLhJyTcA_Nlka4Ucqod2zPKF4rMqg19nDmtbexLJH_i-rG5&amp;c=Psh-g9-wr0h0dE1HbTjrpHm6xvSvCYgFsRaFj3HUhiZvJ2MGNuMvDg==&amp;ch=72WZaSjlutHAGrC172vMFlYiBtg151YrS3yLm45gUUc_B2dMoR1HAw==" target="_blank">Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (YEC) Series</a>.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, 730 students from 46 Kansas communities participated in 41 local entrepreneurship competitions.

The YEC Series consists of local-level youth entrepreneurship competitions hosted by volunteers. Local YEC Series events require students to prepare an executive summary and a four-minute presentation, and often feature interactive trade shows or elevator pitches. Students work in teams or individually to represent a business concept and compete for awards and prizes. Students’ work is judged by local entrepreneurs, public sector partners, teachers, and other community members.

The 2019-2020 academic year marks the seventh annual YEC series coordinated by NetWork Kansas and the E-Community Partnership. The YEC Series was created in 2013 to expose Kansas middle school and high school students to entrepreneurship and help them to begin thinking entrepreneurially.&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K0F3iDoYt0xswl1e0njVZzfj5yBuyeta-1RSR-Xt6lU0fG91YQGiGgYviLDg_-2qM5LDJtOJClS5gzf-LKY_XDPjrvso5dnL_mlJ0TClfxCT1FlXO6HsrD11fuhbCUksskBUMLCOW9zsIkFePxNXp_JCvsGZSZ1HTqG92bgMijk=&amp;c=Psh-g9-wr0h0dE1HbTjrpHm6xvSvCYgFsRaFj3HUhiZvJ2MGNuMvDg==&amp;ch=72WZaSjlutHAGrC172vMFlYiBtg151YrS3yLm45gUUc_B2dMoR1HAw==" target="_blank">The 64-community E-Community Partnership</a>&nbsp;is dedicated to increasing entrepreneurial activity and developing self-sustaining ecosystems favorable to long-term entrepreneurial growth.&nbsp;

Each winning business concept would have earned the chance to participate at the 2020&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K0F3iDoYt0xswl1e0njVZzfj5yBuyeta-1RSR-Xt6lU0fG91YQGiGouRKzWbV-Re-RE1tJVb8qLNDQoUXZw94yOBGBY9ruXaR2p8wZOu7KXZuZNDE6h63IENanDl1BygLLswQz0sh-Cb2y9GiAH-vymGM5PqAtJXqCCPY-SnsJ_cVRXK1RiJJ8QAM0E6UM-L1IAS17tAEv_n87b8d-2SkF7sPxMVdql8HRCBoJeab-hNLmv_fcxQOLyg9RFsU-rCGkmeiv-54RP06MICibuBww==&amp;c=Psh-g9-wr0h0dE1HbTjrpHm6xvSvCYgFsRaFj3HUhiZvJ2MGNuMvDg==&amp;ch=72WZaSjlutHAGrC172vMFlYiBtg151YrS3yLm45gUUc_B2dMoR1HAw==" target="_blank">Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge</a>(KEC) State Championship, however, the KEC was canceled due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and guidelines put out by the CDC. The competition would have been held on April 28 at Kansas State University, hosted by the Kansas State University Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship and sponsored by the Kansas Masonic Foundation. Students won a berth at the state championship by winning a sanctioned YEC Series competition. Fifteen wildcard applicants were to be selected today by having their executive summary win out in a competitive qualifying round.

The businesses who would have advanced to the KEC State Championship would be judged on their executive summaries and several 15-minute mock board room sessions. Students were to compete in one of four divisions. Each division has a first place prize of $4,000. Overall, $36,000 in total prizes would have been awarded to the top young entrepreneurs. There would also be an optional trade show competition open to the public.

The Kansas communities who hosted a local YEC series event include: Bourbon County, Chase County, Chautauqua County, Cherokee County, Cheyenne County, Clay County, Crawford County, Douglas County, Edwards County, Ellis County, Ford County, Greeley County, Kansas City, Kiowa County, Labette County, Leavenworth County, Lincoln County, Marion County, McPherson County, Montgomery County, Morton County, Neosho County, Norton County, Pawnee County, Phillips County, Reno County, Republic County, Rice County, Riley County, Rooks County, Russell County, Salina (Fall and Spring competitions, Shawnee County, Sheridan County, Sherman County, Smith County, Thomas County, Wichita, and Wichita County. Additional communities were invited to participate.&nbsp;Cowley County, Mitchell County, Pottawatomie County, Rawlins County, Rooks County, Seward County, and Salina’s Spring competition were set to host events but had to cancel due to COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions.

2020 KEC State Championship qualifiers that competed in a local YEC Series event:

Applied Analytics (Noah Wiley, Labette County High School;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586197612968.jpeg" alt="Participants and others at the&nbsp;Neosho County event last fall. Photo courtesy NetWork Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Participants and others at the&nbsp;Neosho County event last fall. Photo courtesy NetWork Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA --&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K0F3iDoYt0xswl1e0njVZzfj5yBuyeta-1RSR-Xt6lU0fG91YQGiGp9EgomCUyq4w5UV1AuHJr83rSP9c1Nw0jg-fILE96rF665ST4oyfdrcJAlCWCcSNo3CwvRtpoTyo8q3FowcavCkM27rfcVhdw==&amp;c=Psh-g9-wr0h0dE1HbTjrpHm6xvSvCYgFsRaFj3HUhiZvJ2MGNuMvDg==&amp;ch=72WZaSjlutHAGrC172vMFlYiBtg151YrS3yLm45gUUc_B2dMoR1HAw==" target="_blank">NetWork Kansas</a>’&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K0F3iDoYt0xswl1e0njVZzfj5yBuyeta-1RSR-Xt6lU0fG91YQGiGgZIZR51AOVEXfxPSYHXZanG0WAIid-MygWe0VnAmXLgk-vtNloAGnrHWCx8rM73XlnN-HyckCx2W-YbFGdbxdP13lDFBeLnIZM8DS7lbLT0eaHO4gHgCER-DmOtydX2uJXSWxFylZdeQn9ugdYz-wbjNyjmTG6nijWFWnrGfAy9pJO1ai2XBRA=&amp;c=Psh-g9-wr0h0dE1HbTjrpHm6xvSvCYgFsRaFj3HUhiZvJ2MGNuMvDg==&amp;ch=72WZaSjlutHAGrC172vMFlYiBtg151YrS3yLm45gUUc_B2dMoR1HAw==" target="_blank">Entrepreneurship (E-) Community Partnership</a>&nbsp;has announced the conclusion of the 2019-2020&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K0F3iDoYt0xswl1e0njVZzfj5yBuyeta-1RSR-Xt6lU0fG91YQGiGgZIZR51AOVEcE2E4y4ljkqht1KBdAgVCQlHyTL9-wsG_g32al1PMvgK4_aadsyiZbovaIOL0bBzEB83mid_sdIz48zK1Q19NUu3gB-_leTPVuhT4nEMCrPnc4eITZLhJyTcA_Nlka4Ucqod2zPKF4rMqg19nDmtbexLJH_i-rG5&amp;c=Psh-g9-wr0h0dE1HbTjrpHm6xvSvCYgFsRaFj3HUhiZvJ2MGNuMvDg==&amp;ch=72WZaSjlutHAGrC172vMFlYiBtg151YrS3yLm45gUUc_B2dMoR1HAw==" target="_blank">Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (YEC) Series</a>. During the 2019-2020 academic year, 730 students from 46 Kansas communities participated in 41 local entrepreneurship competitions.The YEC Series consists of local-level youth entrepreneurship competitions hosted by volunteers. Local YEC Series events require students to prepare an executive summary and a four-minute presentation, and often feature interactive trade shows or elevator pitches. Students work in teams or individually to represent a business concept and compete for awards and prizes. Students’ work is judged by local entrepreneurs, public sector partners, teachers, and other community members.The 2019-2020 academic year marks the seventh annual YEC series coordinated by NetWork Kansas and the E-Community Partnership. The YEC Series was created in 2013 to expose Kansas middle school and high school students to entrepreneurship and help them to begin thinking entrepreneurially.&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K0F3iDoYt0xswl1e0njVZzfj5yBuyeta-1RSR-Xt6lU0fG91YQGiGgYviLDg_-2qM5LDJtOJClS5gzf-LKY_XDPjrvso5dnL_mlJ0TClfxCT1FlXO6HsrD11fuhbCUksskBUMLCOW9zsIkFePxNXp_JCvsGZSZ1HTqG92bgMijk=&amp;c=Psh-g9-wr0h0dE1HbTjrpHm6xvSvCYgFsRaFj3HUhiZvJ2MGNuMvDg==&amp;ch=72WZaSjlutHAGrC172vMFlYiBtg151YrS3yLm45gUUc_B2dMoR1HAw==" target="_blank">The 64-community E-Community Partnership</a>&nbsp;is dedicated to increasing entrepreneurial activity and developing self-sustaining ecosystems favorable to long-term entrepreneurial growth.&nbsp;Each winning business concept would have earned the chance to participate at the 2020&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K0F3iDoYt0xswl1e0njVZzfj5yBuyeta-1RSR-Xt6lU0fG91YQGiGouRKzWbV-Re-RE1tJVb8qLNDQoUXZw94yOBGBY9ruXaR2p8wZOu7KXZuZNDE6h63IENanDl1BygLLswQz0sh-Cb2y9GiAH-vymGM5PqAtJXqCCPY-SnsJ_cVRXK1RiJJ8QAM0E6UM-L1IAS17tAEv_n87b8d-2SkF7sPxMVdql8HRCBoJeab-hNLmv_fcxQOLyg9RFsU-rCGkmeiv-54RP06MICibuBww==&amp;c=Psh-g9-wr0h0dE1HbTjrpHm6xvSvCYgFsRaFj3HUhiZvJ2MGNuMvDg==&amp;ch=72WZaSjlutHAGrC172vMFlYiBtg151YrS3yLm45gUUc_B2dMoR1HAw==" target="_blank">Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge</a>(KEC) State Championship, however, the KEC was canceled due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and guidelines put out by the CDC. The competition would have been held on April 28 at Kansas State University, hosted by the Kansas State University Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship and sponsored by the Kansas Masonic Foundation. Students won a berth at the state championship by winning a sanctioned YEC Series competition. Fifteen wildcard applicants were to be selected today by having their executive summary win out in a competitive qualifying round.The businesses who would have advanced to the KEC State Championship would be judged on their executive summaries and several 15-minute mock board room sessions. Students were to compete in one of four divisions. Each division has a first place prize of $4,000. Overall, $36,000 in total prizes would have been awarded to the top young entrepreneurs. There would also be an optional trade show competition open to the public.The Kansas communities who hosted a local YEC series event include: Bourbon County, Chase County, Chautauqua County, Cherokee County, Cheyenne County, Clay County, Crawford County, Douglas County, Edwards County, Ellis County, Ford County, Greeley County, Kansas City, Kiowa County, Labette County, Leavenworth County, Lincoln County, Marion County, McPherson County, Montgomery County, Morton County, Neosho County, Norton County, Pawnee County, Phillips County, Reno County, Republic County, Rice County, Riley County, Rooks County, Russell County, Salina (Fall and Spring competitions, Shawnee County, Sheridan County, Sherman County, Smith County, Thomas County, Wichita, and Wichita County. Additional communities were invited to participate.&nbsp;Cowley County, Mitchell County, Pottawatomie County, Rawlins County, Rooks County, Seward County, and Salina’s Spring competition were set to host events but had to cancel due to COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions.2020 KEC State Championship qualifiers that competed in a local YEC Series event:Applied Analytics (Noah Wiley, Labette County High School;B&amp;G’s Handmade Creations (Brenna Moya, Fredonia High School;Back to Basics Equine (Kristen Kahler and Mason Musfelt, Basehor-Linwood High School;Barn Brags (Addison Green Russell, Smith Center Jr/Sr High School;Cole’s Canvases (Emily Cole, Russell High School;Compassionately Curated (Kira Johnson and Bethany Hollingsworth, Elkhart High School;COPT Center (Yazmin Barerra and Johanna Rider, Wichita County Jr/Sr High School;D &amp; K Pet Care and Grooming Service (Dravon Mackley and Kade Trummel, Kiowa County High School;Destination Clean (Laura Koch, Chase County Jr/Sr High School;DTD Construction (Donovan Peterson, Devin Phelps, and Timothy Wood, Clay Center Community High School;Flying R Jerky (Jayce Ricketts, Manhattan High School;Free State UAS (Austin Stahl, Seaman Junior High;Global Linguistics (Damaris Noelia Mireles, Wyandotte High School;Gus Putt (Gus Ruddle, McPherson High School;Holiday Impressions (Shelby Alexander, Hays High School;Jabby Jerky (Gabby Poels, Phillipsburg Middle School;Jessi D Photography (Jessi Dalke, Hillsboro Middle/High School;K&amp;A Productions (Kenzie Carter and Anna Stramel, Colby Middle School;Ketzner Feed Roasted Gold (Brady Ketzner and Dylan Ketzner, Cheylin Jr/Sr High School;Knowledge Model (Josh Curtis, Cedric Wilson, and Tyus Wilson, Sterling High School;Lauren’s Treat (Lauren Seachris, Leidigh Hall Academy;Leviathan Jig Company (Coulter Huddleston, Riverton High School;Little Sandee’s Photography (Martha Sanders, Chautauqua County Jr/Sr High School;Living Identity (Cassie Strickler, Pike Valley Jr/Sr High School;Lolo’s Gourmet Desserts (Loriah Davis, The Independent School;Mudd’s Jams &amp; Jellies (Alana Bryant, Girard High School;Paws and Claws (Neymara Freeman, Sumner Academy;Percy’s Automatic Whiteboard Erasers (Cleary Percy, Haven High School;Pupcays (Kristina Head, Lyons High School;Scoop Talk (Leyton Cure, Goodland Jr/Sr High School;Slap Back (Hannah Furrow, Chanute High School;SM2K Drones (Marcus Krannawitter and Sean Morton, Salina South High School;Snip and Clip (Sasha Albert and Kelsey Decker, Sylvan-Lucas Jr/Sr High School;Sno-Lo’s Sno Shack (Lauryn Harding, Norton Middle School;SOS Tech Tutors (Annie Simon, Fort Scott High School;SPA (Diana Holguin, Kinsley Jr/Sr High School;The Light Link (Christian Clapham, Braden Colglazier, AJ Dennett, Gracie Munk, Pawnee Heights High School;The Music Note (Ashton Rapp, Lawrence High School;Voyger (Kash Schiltz and Charlie Foote, Hoxie Jr/Sr High School;WJ Show Cattle (Josey Schmidt, Greeley County Jr/Sr High School