OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - An Omaha petting zoo will get nine seized animals back after citations against it were dropped.

City Prosecutor Matt Kuhse told the&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/scatter-joy-acres-will-get-seized-animals-back-and-no-charges-will-be-filed/article_a346893f-9106-5c29-9b62-557c83e9161e.html#tracking-source=home-top-story" target="_blank">Omaha World-Herald</a>&nbsp;that Scatter Joy Acres meets the definition of a zoo, meaning it meets the exemption in city ordinance that allows the housing of non-domesticated animals.

The animals taken Aug. 24 by the Nebraska Humane Society include a porcupine, seven Patagonian cavies and a coatimundi. The Patagonian cavies look like jackrabbits and are native to Argentina. The coatimundi is a mammal that looks like a cross between a cat and a raccoon and is native to the Americas.

Scatter Joy board member Tim Heller says the organization appreciates the support it has received since the public became aware that the animals were removed.

Humane Society spokeswoman Pam Wiese said the animals would be returned as soon as logistically possible.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - An Omaha petting zoo will get nine seized animals back after citations against it were dropped.City Prosecutor Matt Kuhse told the&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/scatter-joy-acres-will-get-seized-animals-back-and-no-charges-will-be-filed/article_a346893f-9106-5c29-9b62-557c83e9161e.html#tracking-source=home-top-story" target="_blank">Omaha World-Herald</a>&nbsp;that Scatter Joy Acres meets the definition of a zoo, meaning it meets the exemption in city ordinance that allows the housing of non-domesticated animals.The animals taken Aug. 24 by the Nebraska Humane Society include a porcupine, seven Patagonian cavies and a coatimundi. The Patagonian cavies look like jackrabbits and are native to Argentina. The coatimundi is a mammal that looks like a cross between a cat and a raccoon and is native to the Americas.Scatter Joy board member Tim Heller says the organization appreciates the support it has received since the public became aware that the animals were removed.Humane Society spokeswoman Pam Wiese said the animals would be returned as soon as logistically possible.

Omaha petting zoo will get its animals back

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The trial of a Missouri man accused of killing two brothers from Wisconsin is being moved because of extensive pre-trial publicity.

Online court records show that a change of venue was granted Tuesday relocating Garland Nelson's trial to Johnson County from Caldwell County, where the crime happened.

Nelson is facing the death penalty in the killings of 24-year-old Justin Diemel and 35-year-old Nicholas Diemel, of Shawano County, Wisconsin. They disappeared in July 2019 after visiting Nelson’s farm in Braymer to collect a $250,000 debt stemming from a cattle deal. Their burned remains were later found in Missouri and Nebraska. Nelson has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1564610122687.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Nelson-photo Caldwell Co.KANSAS CITY (AP) — The trial of a Missouri man accused of killing two brothers from Wisconsin is being moved because of extensive pre-trial publicity.Online court records show that a change of venue was granted Tuesday relocating Garland Nelson's trial to Johnson County from Caldwell County, where the crime happened.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1565280147807.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Nelson is facing the death penalty in the killings of 24-year-old Justin Diemel and 35-year-old Nicholas Diemel, of Shawano County, Wisconsin. They disappeared in July 2019 after visiting Nelson’s farm in Braymer to collect a $250,000 debt stemming from a cattle deal. Their burned remains were later found in Missouri and Nebraska. Nelson has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

Trial moved for man charged in brothers' deaths

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Over a hundred inmates have tested positive at a minimum-security women’s prison in Pierre, South Dakota. 

Mass testing of inmates resulted in the Department of Corrections finding 102 active cases. 

There are 140 women held at the prison, according to an Aug. 31 count. 

Four staff members have also tested positive, with one fully recovered. 

Michael Winder, a spokesman for the Department of Corrections, says that the prison has placed positive cases into isolation. 

The outbreak at the prison contributed to state health officials reporting one of the highest one-day tallies for new cases on Thursday, with 395 people testing positive statewide.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Over a hundred inmates have tested positive at a minimum-security women’s prison in Pierre, South Dakota. Mass testing of inmates resulted in the Department of Corrections finding 102 active cases. There are 140 women held at the prison, according to an Aug. 31 count. Four staff members have also tested positive, with one fully recovered. Michael Winder, a spokesman for the Department of Corrections, says that the prison has placed positive cases into isolation. The outbreak at the prison contributed to state health officials reporting one of the highest one-day tallies for new cases on Thursday, with 395 people testing positive statewide.

COVID-19 outbreak reported at South Dakota women's prison

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Students in Nebraska's largest public school district will begin going back into the classroom next week for the first time since March, when the coronavirus outbreak sent students home to learn remotely.

Omaha Public Schools, which serves about 53,000 students, announced in an email this week that some schools will open to in-person classes starting Wednesday, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/education/ops-announces-students-return-to-classrooms-covid-19-testing-for-all-staff/article_3961ce1c-2431-5ee0-870c-2a06adcf8a5b.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1" target="_blank">reported</a>. That follows Superintendent Cheryl Logan's goal to get most students in school at least part time by Oct. 19, which is the start of the second quarter.

In-person classes five days a week will begin for elementary special education, hearing impaired and alternate curriculum students on Wednesday. Elementary and middle schools will begin part-time, staggered in-person classes starting Oct. 5, and high schools will follow with the same part-time schedule on Oct. 19.

Remote learning will continue to be an option for families who do not feel comfortable sending students back to physical schools.

The district will proceed with winter sports and activities that begin in November and still plans to play fall sports in the spring. But district officials warn that if a large number of COVID-19 cases break out, sports and activities would be suspended and students will go back to remote learning from home.

The district's plan comes as new cases and COVID-19 deaths have risen in recent weeks. The average daily new cases in Nebraska has risen to 356 in the last seven days from an average of nearly 318 per day the week prior, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University's COVID-19 tracking project. The average of new deaths rose to more than four per day in the last seven days, compared with more than two per day the week prior.

The state's&nbsp;<a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ece0db09da4d4ca68252c3967aa1e9dd" target="_blank">online virus track</a>&nbsp;shows 39,419 confirmed cases and 439 deaths since the start of the outbreak.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Students in Nebraska's largest public school district will begin going back into the classroom next week for the first time since March, when the coronavirus outbreak sent students home to learn remotely.Omaha Public Schools, which serves about 53,000 students, announced in an email this week that some schools will open to in-person classes starting Wednesday, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/education/ops-announces-students-return-to-classrooms-covid-19-testing-for-all-staff/article_3961ce1c-2431-5ee0-870c-2a06adcf8a5b.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1" target="_blank">reported</a>. That follows Superintendent Cheryl Logan's goal to get most students in school at least part time by Oct. 19, which is the start of the second quarter.In-person classes five days a week will begin for elementary special education, hearing impaired and alternate curriculum students on Wednesday. Elementary and middle schools will begin part-time, staggered in-person classes starting Oct. 5, and high schools will follow with the same part-time schedule on Oct. 19.Remote learning will continue to be an option for families who do not feel comfortable sending students back to physical schools.The district will proceed with winter sports and activities that begin in November and still plans to play fall sports in the spring. But district officials warn that if a large number of COVID-19 cases break out, sports and activities would be suspended and students will go back to remote learning from home.The district's plan comes as new cases and COVID-19 deaths have risen in recent weeks. The average daily new cases in Nebraska has risen to 356 in the last seven days from an average of nearly 318 per day the week prior, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University's COVID-19 tracking project. The average of new deaths rose to more than four per day in the last seven days, compared with more than two per day the week prior.The state's&nbsp;<a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ece0db09da4d4ca68252c3967aa1e9dd" target="_blank">online virus track</a>&nbsp;shows 39,419 confirmed cases and 439 deaths since the start of the outbreak.

Omaha public schools to start in-person classes next week

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — About 100 students at a junior high school in Cheyenne are being told to stay home after a school employee tested positive for the coronavirus. 

The positive case at McCormick Junior High School is the first in the Cheyenne-area school district since school began Aug. 31.

 School officials say they're ready to offer remote instruction for students who need it. 

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports at least one other McCormick employee was potentially in contact with the person testing positive. 

 Wyoming currently has about 500 active cases of the coronavirus, a number that has been steady since July.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — About 100 students at a junior high school in Cheyenne are being told to stay home after a school employee tested positive for the coronavirus. The positive case at McCormick Junior High School is the first in the Cheyenne-area school district since school began Aug. 31. School officials say they're ready to offer remote instruction for students who need it. The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports at least one other McCormick employee was potentially in contact with the person testing positive. The school has about 600 students. Wyoming currently has about 500 active cases of the coronavirus, a number that has been steady since July.

Employee virus case keeping 100 Cheyenne students home

DENVER (AP) — A union representing workers at a Colorado meatpacking plant where six workers died of the coronavirus and hundreds more were infected is claiming a fine issued to the company is too low. 

The union staged a protest Wednesday afternoon and says that federal officials should have fined the JBS USA-owned plant in Greeley more for alleged failure to provide safe working conditions. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined the company $15,615 fine on Sept. 11. While the United Food and Commercial Workers Union labeled the fine as insulting and ineffectual, the company called it unwarranted.

DENVER (AP) — A union representing workers at a Colorado meatpacking plant where six workers died of the coronavirus and hundreds more were infected is claiming a fine issued to the company is too low. The union staged a protest Wednesday afternoon and says that federal officials should have fined the JBS USA-owned plant in Greeley more for alleged failure to provide safe working conditions. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined the company $15,615 fine on Sept. 11. While the United Food and Commercial Workers Union labeled the fine as insulting and ineffectual, the company called it unwarranted.

Colorado workers protest COVID-19 fine issued to meat plant

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln lawyer disbarred last year by the Nebraska Supreme Court has been sentenced to prison for stealing from his clients. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 44-year-old Craig Hoffman was sentenced earlier this month to two to four years in prison after pleading no contest this summer to theft of over $5,000.

 Police originally said Hoffman had kept $27,500 in insurance checks intended for two of his clients.

 The payments either were part of a settlement or intended to pay their medical bills. Police later learned of three other victims. 

Hoffman voluntarily surrendered his license to practice law in Nebraska and was disbarred last October.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln lawyer disbarred last year by the Nebraska Supreme Court has been sentenced to prison for stealing from his clients. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that 44-year-old Craig Hoffman was sentenced earlier this month to two to four years in prison after pleading no contest this summer to theft of over $5,000. Police originally said Hoffman had kept $27,500 in insurance checks intended for two of his clients. The payments either were part of a settlement or intended to pay their medical bills. Police later learned of three other victims. Hoffman voluntarily surrendered his license to practice law in Nebraska and was disbarred last October.

Disbarred Lincoln lawyer sentenced to prison for theft

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials are considering spending $50 million to dramatically ramp up testing of people who aren't showing obvious signs of the coronavirus.

A state task force this week backed Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman’s recommendation to use the federal stimulus money on testing at schools, workplaces and other sites. The goal is to catch coronavirus in people who haven’t even realized they’re carrying it, KCUR&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-09-11/how-kansas-could-spend-tens-of-millions-to-test-asymptomatic-people-for-coronavirus">reports.</a>

Some of the testing would be done at Wichita State University, where a new not-for-profit lab is gearing up to churn out hundreds of thousands of tests by the end of the year.

“I know that sounds like a lot,” said Tonya Witherspoon, Wichita State’s vice president of industry engagement, “but we think several labs in the state need to be able to do that much — or more.”

Kansas has so far focused most of its energy on people who know either that they are ill or that they have had direct exposure to a confirmed outbreak. But experts say positivity rates should drop when a state or city goes beyond testing these groups of people who are most likely to be sick.

Right now, about 15% of Kansans who get the test find out they have COVID-19. By Johns Hopkins University’s calculations, that puts it among the states with the highest rates of new positives.

On Wednesday, Kansas health officials reported 971 new cases since Monday, for a total of 50,870 across the state. Kansas also had 52 new deaths, raising that number to 586 since the pandemic began.

Norman said at a news conference that 37 of the new deaths were added through a review of death certificates. But that still meant 15 had occurred since Monday, a higher than normal number.

“We are getting to a very sensitive point in time as we talked about during Labor Day with universities, colleges and schools starting back again, athletics those sorts of things,” Norman said. “People are starting to mass gather again in ways that we didn’t see as much of over the summer when people were more dispersed out. As the overall number count goes up, we are going to have more deaths.”

The positive cases include 841 at the University of Kansas, where house parties near campus are raising alarms.

After a debate during the Lawrence City Commission meeting Tuesday, a majority of the commissioners said they were interested in at least considering an ordinance that would make it a municipal offense to violate local health orders designed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the Lawrence Journal-World&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/city-government/2020/sep/16/city-leaders-express-interest-in-creating-ordinance-that-would-make-disregarding-health-orders-a-municipal-offense/">reports</a>.

City Attorney Toni Wheeler said the offense would be a misdemeanor that could be prosecuted in municipal court. Violators could face a fine of no more than $500, up to 30 days in jail or both.

However, Vice Mayor Brad Finkeldei and Mayor Jennifer Ananda said they were not sure that creating a municipal ordinance would be the best approach, and that perhaps stronger disciplinary action from the university, such as bans from campus, mandatory quarantines or suspensions, would be more effective.

Meanwhile, Gov. Laura Kelly hosted a discussion with rural hospital administrators on Wednesday where she urged them to “exert pressure” on lawmakers to support a proposal to expand Medicaid in Kansas.

In the discussion, Harold Courtois, CEO for the Memorial Health System in Abilene, said his organization is worried about running out of personal protective equipment, particularly medical N95 respirators, known as N95 masks, ahead of the flu season.

“My fear is that during the influenza season, where everybody appears to have COVID -- whether it’s influenza or not -- PPE is going to become scarce and be very difficult to acquire again,” Courtois said. “It just doesn’t seem like we see a lot of PPE unless you’re willing to pay enormous prices. There’s still price gouging going on every week

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600340563243.png" alt="KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman during his press conference on Wednesday" />
 <figcaption>KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman during his press conference on Wednesday</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials are considering spending $50 million to dramatically ramp up testing of people who aren't showing obvious signs of the coronavirus.A state task force this week backed Kansas Health Secretary Lee Norman’s recommendation to use the federal stimulus money on testing at schools, workplaces and other sites. The goal is to catch coronavirus in people who haven’t even realized they’re carrying it, KCUR&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-09-11/how-kansas-could-spend-tens-of-millions-to-test-asymptomatic-people-for-coronavirus">reports.</a>Some of the testing would be done at Wichita State University, where a new not-for-profit lab is gearing up to churn out hundreds of thousands of tests by the end of the year.“I know that sounds like a lot,” said Tonya Witherspoon, Wichita State’s vice president of industry engagement, “but we think several labs in the state need to be able to do that much — or more.”Kansas has so far focused most of its energy on people who know either that they are ill or that they have had direct exposure to a confirmed outbreak. But experts say positivity rates should drop when a state or city goes beyond testing these groups of people who are most likely to be sick.Right now, about 15% of Kansans who get the test find out they have COVID-19. By Johns Hopkins University’s calculations, that puts it among the states with the highest rates of new positives.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600277925237.png" alt="Sept. 16, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Sept. 16, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, Kansas health officials reported 971 new cases since Monday, for a total of 50,870 across the state. Kansas also had 52 new deaths, raising that number to 586 since the pandemic began.Norman said at a news conference that 37 of the new deaths were added through a review of death certificates. But that still meant 15 had occurred since Monday, a higher than normal number.“We are getting to a very sensitive point in time as we talked about during Labor Day with universities, colleges and schools starting back again, athletics those sorts of things,” Norman said. “People are starting to mass gather again in ways that we didn’t see as much of over the summer when people were more dispersed out. As the overall number count goes up, we are going to have more deaths.”The positive cases include 841 at the University of Kansas, where house parties near campus are raising alarms.After a debate during the Lawrence City Commission meeting Tuesday, a majority of the commissioners said they were interested in at least considering an ordinance that would make it a municipal offense to violate local health orders designed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the Lawrence Journal-World&nbsp;<a href="https://www2.ljworld.com/news/city-government/2020/sep/16/city-leaders-express-interest-in-creating-ordinance-that-would-make-disregarding-health-orders-a-municipal-offense/">reports</a>.City Attorney Toni Wheeler said the offense would be a misdemeanor that could be prosecuted in municipal court. Violators could face a fine of no more than $500, up to 30 days in jail or both.However, Vice Mayor Brad Finkeldei and Mayor Jennifer Ananda said they were not sure that creating a municipal ordinance would be the best approach, and that perhaps stronger disciplinary action from the university, such as bans from campus, mandatory quarantines or suspensions, would be more effective.Meanwhile, Gov. Laura Kelly hosted a discussion with rural hospital administrators on Wednesday where she urged them to “exert pressure” on lawmakers to support a proposal to expand Medicaid in Kansas.In the discussion, Harold Courtois, CEO for the Memorial Health System in Abilene, said his organization is worried about running out of personal protective equipment, particularly medical N95 respirators, known as N95 masks, ahead of the flu season.“My fear is that during the influenza season, where everybody appears to have COVID -- whether it’s influenza or not -- PPE is going to become scarce and be very difficult to acquire again,” Courtois said. “It just doesn’t seem like we see a lot of PPE unless you’re willing to pay enormous prices. There’s still price gouging going on every week

Plan calls for more testing of Kansans without virus symptoms

OMAHA, Neb.-United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that on September 16, 2020, United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Leonel Dario Blanco-Sanchez to a term of imprisonment of 80 months.&nbsp; Blanco-Sanchez will serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp;

Blanco-Sanchez, 21, was convicted of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine with&nbsp;Samantha Perez-Juarez&nbsp;in the Omaha area between September of 2019 and January of 2020.&nbsp;Blanco-Sanchez, of Arizona, transported multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine from sources of supply in Arizona and California to Omaha on at least five occasions throughout the fall of 2019 and into January of 2020. Blanco-Sanchez and Perez-Juarez received direction from Mexico-based co-conspirators with whom they maintained contact, traveling in Blanco-Sanchez’s pickup truck bearing Army Veteran license plates to deliver methamphetamine to customers in Omaha.

On January 8, 2020, the Nebraska State Patrol stopped and arrested Blanco-Sanchez and Perez-Juarez as they returned to Omaha from Arizona. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed approximately 13 pounds of methamphetamine which was seized by law enforcement.

Blanco-Sanchez served in the U.S. Army Reserve with the 387th Engine Company, an Army Reserve unit in Scottsdale, Arizona, and was deployed to Iraq for one year in 2018 and 2019.

Co-defendant Perez-Juarez is pending sentencing in the same case.

The case was primarily investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, and the Nebraska State Patrol.&nbsp;

OMAHA, Neb.-United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that on September 16, 2020, United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Leonel Dario Blanco-Sanchez to a term of imprisonment of 80 months.&nbsp; Blanco-Sanchez will serve a 5-year term of supervised release following his release from the Bureau of Prisons. There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp;Blanco-Sanchez, 21, was convicted of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine with&nbsp;Samantha Perez-Juarez&nbsp;in the Omaha area between September of 2019 and January of 2020.&nbsp;Blanco-Sanchez, of Arizona, transported multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine from sources of supply in Arizona and California to Omaha on at least five occasions throughout the fall of 2019 and into January of 2020. Blanco-Sanchez and Perez-Juarez received direction from Mexico-based co-conspirators with whom they maintained contact, traveling in Blanco-Sanchez’s pickup truck bearing Army Veteran license plates to deliver methamphetamine to customers in Omaha.On January 8, 2020, the Nebraska State Patrol stopped and arrested Blanco-Sanchez and Perez-Juarez as they returned to Omaha from Arizona. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed approximately 13 pounds of methamphetamine which was seized by law enforcement.Blanco-Sanchez served in the U.S. Army Reserve with the 387th Engine Company, an Army Reserve unit in Scottsdale, Arizona, and was deployed to Iraq for one year in 2018 and 2019.Co-defendant Perez-Juarez is pending sentencing in the same case.The case was primarily investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, and the Nebraska State Patrol.&nbsp;

US Army Reserve soldier sentence in meth distribution conspiracy 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government outlined a sweeping plan Wednesday to make vaccines for COVID-19 available for free to all Americans, assuming a safe and effective shot is developed, even as top health officials faced questions about political interference with virus information reaching the public.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/strategy-for-distributing-covid-19-vaccine.pdf" target="_blank">report to Congress</a>&nbsp;and an accompanying&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/downloads/COVID-19-Vaccination-Program-Interim_Playbook.pdf" target="_blank">“playbook” for states and localities,</a>&nbsp;federal health agencies and the Defense Department sketched out complex plans for a vaccination campaign to begin gradually in January or even late this year, eventually ramping up to reach any American who wants a shot. The Pentagon would be involved with the distribution of vaccines, but civilian health workers would be the ones giving shots.

The whole enterprise faces remaining skepticism. Only about half of Americans said they’d get vaccinated in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dacdc8bc428dd4df6511bfa259cfec44">an Associated Press-NORC poll taken in May.&nbsp;</a>Since then, questions have only mounted about whether the government is trying to rush treatments and vaccines to help President Donald Trump’s reelection chances.

On Wednesday, the Health and Human Services Department announced that political appointee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bc1d25c72728fce624831e523e7fc678">Michael Caputo would take a leave of absence</a>. The news followed revelations that the senior communications official had tried to gain editorial control over scientific publications on COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which he contended were hurting the Trump administration.

The director of the CDC, Dr. Robert Redfield, responding Wednesday before Senate lawmakers, rejected questions over whether the government’s timeline for states to be ready for a vaccine by Nov. 1 was politically motivated.

Redfield told the Senate Appropriations Committee that the “scientific integrity” of his agency’s output “has not been compromised and it will not be compromised under my watch.”

He said he was “deeply saddened” by Caputo’s accusations that CDC staff were working as a “resistance unit” against the administration.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the committee’s top Democrat, said political interference had damaged public trust in the government’s health information .

“The Trump administration needs to leave the science to the scientists immediately,” Murray said.

Although Trump asserted Tuesday that a vaccine could be three to four weeks away, Redfield, made clear to Congress that any version available this year would be in “very limited supply.” The shot wouldn’t be broadly available to most of the U.S. population until the summer of 2021, he estimated.

Trump’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, quickly repeated the president’s version at the White House: “We do believe that it will be widely available by the end of the year.”

As for the planned vaccine campaign, the CDC playbook for states says it is “much larger in scope and complexity than seasonal influenza or other previous outbreak-related vaccination responses.” Redfield said that his agency will be working with state health officials to execute the vaccination plan in coming days.

— For most vaccines, people will need two doses, 21 to 28 days apart. Double-dose vaccines will have to come from the same drugmaker. There could be several vaccines from different manufacturers approved and available.

— Vaccination of the U.S. population won’t be a sprint but a marathon. Initially there may be a limited supply of vaccines, and the focus will be on protecting health workers, other essential employees, and people in vulnerable groups. “Early in (the) COVID-19 vaccination program there may be a limited supply of vaccine and vaccine efforts may focus on those critical to the response, providing direct care and maintaining societal functions, as well as those at highest risk for developing severe illness,” Redfield said. A second and third phase would expand vaccination to the entire population.

— The vaccine itself will be free of charge, thanks to billions of dollars in taxpayer funding approved by Congress and allocated by the Trump administration. The goal is that patients won’t be separately charged for administration of their shots, and officials say they are working to ensure that’s the case for all Medicare recipients and uninsured people as well those covered by insurance at their jobs.

— States and local communities will need to devise precise plans for receiving and locally distributing vaccines, some of which will require special handling such as refrigeration or freezing. States and cities have a month to submit plans.

— A massive information technology effort will be needed to track who is getting which vaccines and when, and the key challenge involves getting multiple public and private databases to link with each other.

Some of the broad components of the federal plan have already been discussed, but Wednesday’s reports attempt to put the key details into a comprehensive framework. Distribution is under the umbrella of Operation Warp Speed, a White House-backed initiative to have vaccines ready to ship in 24 hours from when a version is given emergency use approval by the Food and Drug Administration. Several formulations are undergoing final trials.

However, public skepticism remains. Of the Americans who said in the May AP poll that they wouldn’t get vaccinated, the overwhelming majority said they were worried about safety. To effectively protect the nation from the coronavirus, experts say 70% to 90% of Americans must either be vaccinated or have their own immunity from fighting off COVID-19.

Before the Republican National Convention in August, the FDA granted authorization for treatment of COVID-19 patients with plasma from people who have recovered, even though some government scientists were not convinced the clinical evidence was sufficiently strong.

As public confidence in health agencies has taken a beating, Trump administration officials have been forced to play defense.

“We are working closely with our state and local public health partners ... to ensure that Americans can receive the vaccine as soon as possible and vaccinate with confidence,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement Wednesday. “Americans should know that the vaccine development process is being driven completely by science and the data.”

That could be a tough sell. In the AP poll, 1 in 5 Americans said they would not get a coronavirus vaccine, and 31% said they were unsure.

“We’re dealing in a world of great uncertainty,” said Paul Mango, a top HHS official working on the vaccine plan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600265279122.png" alt="Photo courtesy AstraZeneca" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy AstraZeneca</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The government outlined a sweeping plan Wednesday to make vaccines for COVID-19 available for free to all Americans, assuming a safe and effective shot is developed, even as top health officials faced questions about political interference with virus information reaching the public.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/strategy-for-distributing-covid-19-vaccine.pdf" target="_blank">report to Congress</a>&nbsp;and an accompanying&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/downloads/COVID-19-Vaccination-Program-Interim_Playbook.pdf" target="_blank">“playbook” for states and localities,</a>&nbsp;federal health agencies and the Defense Department sketched out complex plans for a vaccination campaign to begin gradually in January or even late this year, eventually ramping up to reach any American who wants a shot. The Pentagon would be involved with the distribution of vaccines, but civilian health workers would be the ones giving shots.The whole enterprise faces remaining skepticism. Only about half of Americans said they’d get vaccinated in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dacdc8bc428dd4df6511bfa259cfec44">an Associated Press-NORC poll taken in May.&nbsp;</a>Since then, questions have only mounted about whether the government is trying to rush treatments and vaccines to help President Donald Trump’s reelection chances.On Wednesday, the Health and Human Services Department announced that political appointee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bc1d25c72728fce624831e523e7fc678">Michael Caputo would take a leave of absence</a>. The news followed revelations that the senior communications official had tried to gain editorial control over scientific publications on COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which he contended were hurting the Trump administration.The director of the CDC, Dr. Robert Redfield, responding Wednesday before Senate lawmakers, rejected questions over whether the government’s timeline for states to be ready for a vaccine by Nov. 1 was politically motivated.Redfield told the Senate Appropriations Committee that the “scientific integrity” of his agency’s output “has not been compromised and it will not be compromised under my watch.”He said he was “deeply saddened” by Caputo’s accusations that CDC staff were working as a “resistance unit” against the administration.Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the committee’s top Democrat, said political interference had damaged public trust in the government’s health information .“The Trump administration needs to leave the science to the scientists immediately,” Murray said.Although Trump asserted Tuesday that a vaccine could be three to four weeks away, Redfield, made clear to Congress that any version available this year would be in “very limited supply.” The shot wouldn’t be broadly available to most of the U.S. population until the summer of 2021, he estimated.Trump’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, quickly repeated the president’s version at the White House: “We do believe that it will be widely available by the end of the year.”As for the planned vaccine campaign, the CDC playbook for states says it is “much larger in scope and complexity than seasonal influenza or other previous outbreak-related vaccination responses.” Redfield said that his agency will be working with state health officials to execute the vaccination plan in coming days.Among the highlights of the plan:— For most vaccines, people will need two doses, 21 to 28 days apart. Double-dose vaccines will have to come from the same drugmaker. There could be several vaccines from different manufacturers approved and available.— Vaccination of the U.S. population won’t be a sprint but a marathon. Initially there may be a limited supply of vaccines, and the focus will be on protecting health workers, other essential employees, and people in vulnerable groups. “Early in (the) COVID-19 vaccination program there may be a limited supply of vaccine and vaccine efforts may focus on those critical to the response, providing direct care and maintaining societal functions, as well as those at highest risk for developing severe illness,” Redfield said. A second and third phase would expand vaccination to the entire population.— The vaccine itself will be free of charge, thanks to billions of dollars in taxpayer funding approved by Congress and allocated by the Trump administration. The goal is that patients won’t be separately charged for administration of their shots, and officials say they are working to ensure that’s the case for all Medicare recipients and uninsured people as well those covered by insurance at their jobs.— States and local communities will need to devise precise plans for receiving and locally distributing vaccines, some of which will require special handling such as refrigeration or freezing. States and cities have a month to submit plans.— A massive information technology effort will be needed to track who is getting which vaccines and when, and the key challenge involves getting multiple public and private databases to link with each other.Some of the broad components of the federal plan have already been discussed, but Wednesday’s reports attempt to put the key details into a comprehensive framework. Distribution is under the umbrella of Operation Warp Speed, a White House-backed initiative to have vaccines ready to ship in 24 hours from when a version is given emergency use approval by the Food and Drug Administration. Several formulations are undergoing final trials.However, public skepticism remains. Of the Americans who said in the May AP poll that they wouldn’t get vaccinated, the overwhelming majority said they were worried about safety. To effectively protect the nation from the coronavirus, experts say 70% to 90% of Americans must either be vaccinated or have their own immunity from fighting off COVID-19.Before the Republican National Convention in August, the FDA granted authorization for treatment of COVID-19 patients with plasma from people who have recovered, even though some government scientists were not convinced the clinical evidence was sufficiently strong.As public confidence in health agencies has taken a beating, Trump administration officials have been forced to play defense.“We are working closely with our state and local public health partners ... to ensure that Americans can receive the vaccine as soon as possible and vaccinate with confidence,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement Wednesday. “Americans should know that the vaccine development process is being driven completely by science and the data.”That could be a tough sell. In the AP poll, 1 in 5 Americans said they would not get a coronavirus vaccine, and 31% said they were unsure.“We’re dealing in a world of great uncertainty,” said Paul Mango, a top HHS official working on the vaccine plan.

US outlines sweeping plan to provide free COVID-19 vaccines

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Police were searching for suspects following the shooting death of a man in north Omaha, officials said.

The shooting happened around 8 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of 18th and Spencer streets, police said in a news release. Officers responding to reports of the shooting found Tremayne Jennings, 31, in his car with gunshot wounds. Police said Jennings' car had hit a parked car and a fence before he was discovered injured.

Jennings was rushed to an Omaha hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Police have asked the public for any information on the shooting and note that tips leading to an arrest are eligible for a $25,000 reward.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Police were searching for suspects following the shooting death of a man in north Omaha, officials said.The shooting happened around 8 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of 18th and Spencer streets, police said in a news release. Officers responding to reports of the shooting found Tremayne Jennings, 31, in his car with gunshot wounds. Police said Jennings' car had hit a parked car and a fence before he was discovered injured.Jennings was rushed to an Omaha hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Police have asked the public for any information on the shooting and note that tips leading to an arrest are eligible for a $25,000 reward.

Police say man shot in north Omaha dies at hospital

PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) — Authorities found a person's body inside a burning car near the airport in Plattsmouth, about 20 miles south of Omaha. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that firefighters and Cass County Sheriff's deputies responded to a call just before 7 a.m. Monday of a report of a vehicle on fire along a county road. 

After extinguishing the fire, authorities found the body in the car's back seat. 

Officials had not identified the body by midday Wednesday. 

The Nebraska Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.

PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) — Authorities found a person's body inside a burning car near the airport in Plattsmouth, about 20 miles south of Omaha. The Omaha World-Herald reports that firefighters and Cass County Sheriff's deputies responded to a call just before 7 a.m. Monday of a report of a vehicle on fire along a county road. After extinguishing the fire, authorities found the body in the car's back seat. Officials had not identified the body by midday Wednesday. The Nebraska Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.

Body found in burning car near Plattsmouth airport

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Models released by the U.S. government suggest a future with less water may arrive sooner than previously projected for the seven states that rely on the Colorado River.

 After a relatively dry summer, government scientists project Lake Powell and Lake Mead are 12% more likely to fall to critically low levels by 2025 than they projected in the spring. 

Climate change and prolonged drought have compelled some cities and farms to conserve water to secure the river long term, but it remains overtapped.

 The projections could complicate already-fraught negotiations between Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and Mexico over the river's future.

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Models released by the U.S. government suggest a future with less water may arrive sooner than previously projected for the seven states that rely on the Colorado River. After a relatively dry summer, government scientists project Lake Powell and Lake Mead are 12% more likely to fall to critically low levels by 2025 than they projected in the spring. Climate change and prolonged drought have compelled some cities and farms to conserve water to secure the river long term, but it remains overtapped. The projections could complicate already-fraught negotiations between Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and Mexico over the river's future.

Water shortages in US West likelier than previously thought

NORTH PLATTE — The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) will conduct surprise commercial vehicle inspections on Wednesday, September 16, from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. in North Platte and the surrounding area in Lincoln County.

The morning inspections will be conducted at several locations:

-18th&nbsp;street just west of Highway 83, near the National Guard facilities

-North Carr Ave between Highway 30 and West 9th&nbsp;Street

-Buffalo Bill Ave south of West Walker Road

-Buffalo Bill Ave north of State Farm Road

In the afternoon, troopers will perform roving patrols throughout Lincoln County.

The inspections are performed by the Metropolitan Aggressive and Preventative Selective (MAPS) Team, which is funded largely by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Troopers assigned to the Carrier Enforcement Division of the Nebraska State Patrol check for compliance with federal safety regulations and enforce laws pertaining to weight, size, registration, and permits associated with commercial vehicles (trucks, semi-trailers, and buses).

The MAPS Team was implemented in 1998 and consists of troopers from the Nebraska State Patrol’s Carrier Enforcement Division. On average, 20-24 troopers work each MAPS event. Several more events are scheduled to be held throughout the state this summer.

To protect the surprise element of the inspections, all media are asked to withhold any public reporting of the inspections until 3:00 p.m. Wednesday. The results of the MAPS enforcement activity will be released following the conclusion of Wednesday’s enforcement.

NORTH PLATTE — The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) will conduct surprise commercial vehicle inspections on Wednesday, September 16, from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. in North Platte and the surrounding area in Lincoln County.The morning inspections will be conducted at several locations:-18th&nbsp;street just west of Highway 83, near the National Guard facilities-North Carr Ave between Highway 30 and West 9th&nbsp;Street-South Parkway Drive, near Menards-Buffalo Bill Ave south of West Walker Road-Buffalo Bill Ave north of State Farm Road-Victoria Lane south of East Walker RoadIn the afternoon, troopers will perform roving patrols throughout Lincoln County.The inspections are performed by the Metropolitan Aggressive and Preventative Selective (MAPS) Team, which is funded largely by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Troopers assigned to the Carrier Enforcement Division of the Nebraska State Patrol check for compliance with federal safety regulations and enforce laws pertaining to weight, size, registration, and permits associated with commercial vehicles (trucks, semi-trailers, and buses).The MAPS Team was implemented in 1998 and consists of troopers from the Nebraska State Patrol’s Carrier Enforcement Division. On average, 20-24 troopers work each MAPS event. Several more events are scheduled to be held throughout the state this summer.To protect the surprise element of the inspections, all media are asked to withhold any public reporting of the inspections until 3:00 p.m. Wednesday. The results of the MAPS enforcement activity will be released following the conclusion of Wednesday’s enforcement.

Surprise truck inspections in Lincoln County

EAGLE BUTTE, S.D. (AP) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for leads in an unsolved South Dakota homicide from 2016. 

The Minneapolis Field Office of the FBI is offering the reward for information about the murder of Jessie Wallace Cook in Eagle Butte.

 The FBI hopes new tips will lead to a suspect or suspects in the case. 

The 32-year-old Cook was found on Oct. 29, 2016 unresponsive on the ground near the Eagle Butte water tower with severe facial injuries.

 An autopsy determined blunt force trauma caused his death.

 Cook was a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

EAGLE BUTTE, S.D. (AP) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for leads in an unsolved South Dakota homicide from 2016. The Minneapolis Field Office of the FBI is offering the reward for information about the murder of Jessie Wallace Cook in Eagle Butte. The FBI hopes new tips will lead to a suspect or suspects in the case. The 32-year-old Cook was found on Oct. 29, 2016 unresponsive on the ground near the Eagle Butte water tower with severe facial injuries. An autopsy determined blunt force trauma caused his death. Cook was a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

FBI offers reward in 2016 slaying in Eagle Butte, SD

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Some state and local officials around the U.S. are rolling back social-distancing rules again after an abortive effort over the summer, allowing bars, restaurants and gyms to open. Fans are gathering mask-free at football games. President Donald Trump is holding crowded indoor rallies.

While some Americans may see such things as a welcome step closer to normal, public health experts warn the U.S. is setting itself up for failure — again.

“Folks are becoming very cavalier about the pandemic,” said Mark Rupp, professor and chief of infectious diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Nebraska’s governor ended nearly all of his state’s restrictions on Monday, even with new cases of the coronavirus on the rise.

“I think it is setting us up for further transmission and more people getting ill and, unfortunately, more people dying,” Rupp said.

The virus is blamed for more than 6.5 million confirmed infections and 195,000 deaths in the U.S., by far the highest totals of any country, according to the count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

While case numbers have fallen from a peak average of 67,000 new infections per day in late July to about 36,000 now, the numbers remain staggeringly high. Deaths are running at about 750 a day, down from a peak of over 2,200 in late April.

In recent days, Mississippi has allowed restaurants to expand their customer capacity to 75%. New Jersey reopened gyms and indoor dining at restaurants, though with limited capacity. Michigan’s governor allowed gyms to reopen and organized sports to resume. County commissioners in Pinellas County, Florida, on Thursday are set to discuss whether to repeal their mask ordinance.

Public health experts noted that it is safe to resume certain activities in communities where there are low levels of infection.

The nation’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, appeared via video at Vermont Gov. Phil Scott’s virus briefing Tuesday and praised the state’s response and its steps to reopen safely. He chalked it up to Vermont’s emphasis on wearing masks, avoiding crowds and taking other simple precautions.

But elsewhere, experts said, case counts are too high to resume higher-risk activities, such as going to bars, gyms, theaters and stadiums, participating in close contact sports or eating inside a restaurant.

In most communities in Florida, bars were allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity on Monday, while keeping some precautions in place. But Florida’s three biggest counties — Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach — are keeping their bars closed because of high case numbers.

Even in places where drinking establishments have been given the OK to reopen, some owners and customers alike are hesitant.

At The Leon Pub, a smoky bar a mile up the road from Florida’s Capitol in Tallahassee, the Monday night crowd was sparse, as it has been for much of the long, oppressive summer.

“It’s been crickets and tumbleweeds,” said bartender Lauren Bryant.

Among the few there were Allie Preston and her husband. “We’ve been cooped up for a while. It was nice to have normalcy,” she said.

Florida bars were shuttered on St. Patrick’s Day in March, allowed to reopen in June, then ordered closed again about two weeks later as virus cases surged. The Leon Pub was allowed to reopen in July because it had a restaurant license.

Jim Smith. owner of Poor Paul’s Pourhouse in Tallahassee, intends to keep his place closed until the outbreak is over.

“I miss going to work every day. I miss seeing the customers and employees,” he said. “We have to get this thing under control.”

It’s not just government officials who are letting up on restrictions. In Milwaukee, the Roman Catholic archbishop said he will no longer excuse people from in-person worship unless they are ill or are caring for someone who is sick. Meanwhile, cases in Wisconsin are on the rise.

Some local officials are cracking down as they see cases climb.

In Wichita, Kansas, health officials made bar curfews and mask wearing mandatory. In Framingham, Massachusetts, officials said they have starting issuing $500 fines to property owners who violate the rules on gatherings and mask-wearing.

Public health experts said they worry they are seeing a pattern: A drop in cases leads officials and regular Americans to relax measures to stay safe, and infections and deaths make a comeback.

“Please, you’ve done so well, don’t let your guard down,” Fauci said during a call-in news conference during the video call with Vermont’s governor. “Because if we do, we are going to see surges that are going to put us back to where we were months ago.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Some state and local officials around the U.S. are rolling back social-distancing rules again after an abortive effort over the summer, allowing bars, restaurants and gyms to open. Fans are gathering mask-free at football games. President Donald Trump is holding crowded indoor rallies.While some Americans may see such things as a welcome step closer to normal, public health experts warn the U.S. is setting itself up for failure — again.“Folks are becoming very cavalier about the pandemic,” said Mark Rupp, professor and chief of infectious diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Nebraska’s governor ended nearly all of his state’s restrictions on Monday, even with new cases of the coronavirus on the rise.“I think it is setting us up for further transmission and more people getting ill and, unfortunately, more people dying,” Rupp said.The virus is blamed for more than 6.5 million confirmed infections and 195,000 deaths in the U.S., by far the highest totals of any country, according to the count kept by Johns Hopkins University.While case numbers have fallen from a peak average of 67,000 new infections per day in late July to about 36,000 now, the numbers remain staggeringly high. Deaths are running at about 750 a day, down from a peak of over 2,200 in late April.In recent days, Mississippi has allowed restaurants to expand their customer capacity to 75%. New Jersey reopened gyms and indoor dining at restaurants, though with limited capacity. Michigan’s governor allowed gyms to reopen and organized sports to resume. County commissioners in Pinellas County, Florida, on Thursday are set to discuss whether to repeal their mask ordinance.Public health experts noted that it is safe to resume certain activities in communities where there are low levels of infection.The nation’s top infectious-disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, appeared via video at Vermont Gov. Phil Scott’s virus briefing Tuesday and praised the state’s response and its steps to reopen safely. He chalked it up to Vermont’s emphasis on wearing masks, avoiding crowds and taking other simple precautions.But elsewhere, experts said, case counts are too high to resume higher-risk activities, such as going to bars, gyms, theaters and stadiums, participating in close contact sports or eating inside a restaurant.In most communities in Florida, bars were allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity on Monday, while keeping some precautions in place. But Florida’s three biggest counties — Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach — are keeping their bars closed because of high case numbers.Even in places where drinking establishments have been given the OK to reopen, some owners and customers alike are hesitant.At The Leon Pub, a smoky bar a mile up the road from Florida’s Capitol in Tallahassee, the Monday night crowd was sparse, as it has been for much of the long, oppressive summer.“It’s been crickets and tumbleweeds,” said bartender Lauren Bryant.Among the few there were Allie Preston and her husband. “We’ve been cooped up for a while. It was nice to have normalcy,” she said.Florida bars were shuttered on St. Patrick’s Day in March, allowed to reopen in June, then ordered closed again about two weeks later as virus cases surged. The Leon Pub was allowed to reopen in July because it had a restaurant license.Jim Smith. owner of Poor Paul’s Pourhouse in Tallahassee, intends to keep his place closed until the outbreak is over.“I miss going to work every day. I miss seeing the customers and employees,” he said. “We have to get this thing under control.”It’s not just government officials who are letting up on restrictions. In Milwaukee, the Roman Catholic archbishop said he will no longer excuse people from in-person worship unless they are ill or are caring for someone who is sick. Meanwhile, cases in Wisconsin are on the rise.Some local officials are cracking down as they see cases climb.In Wichita, Kansas, health officials made bar curfews and mask wearing mandatory. In Framingham, Massachusetts, officials said they have starting issuing $500 fines to property owners who violate the rules on gatherings and mask-wearing.Public health experts said they worry they are seeing a pattern: A drop in cases leads officials and regular Americans to relax measures to stay safe, and infections and deaths make a comeback.“Please, you’ve done so well, don’t let your guard down,” Fauci said during a call-in news conference during the video call with Vermont’s governor. “Because if we do, we are going to see surges that are going to put us back to where we were months ago.”——

Experts worry as US virus restrictions are eased or violated

By NOMIN UJIYEDIIN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-09-14/leavenworth-leads-federal-prisons-in-covid-19-cases-and-inmates-families-are-worried">Kansas News Service</a>

LAWRENCE — For months, the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth avoided the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. But that’s changed.

Leavenworth has the highest number of <a href="https://www.bop.gov/coronavirus/" target="_blank">COVID-19 cases in the entire federal prison system</a>, with 206 inmates and five staff members with the virus. There are currently 1,594 people incarcerated at the prison.

Family
 members of Leavenworth inmates say that, like in other federal and 
state prisons, their loved ones are living in close quarters with other 
inmates and prison employees, not all of whom wear masks. The families 
allege medical staff can be inattentive and that inmates have no choice 
but to congregate closely around phones and showers because of the 
months-long restrictions on leaving their dorms or cells.

Amanda Karch is even worried about her boyfriend’s mental health.

“He says he’s depressed. He’s anxious,” she said. “He’s just unsure. He doesn’t know what’s going to happen.”

The
 federal Bureau of Prisons declined multiple requests for interviews, 
but emailed a statement in response to questions. The agency said it 
follows the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
 and provides appropriate treatment for COVID-19.

“For safety, 
security, and privacy reasons, we do not discuss the conditions of 
confinement for any individual or group of inmates,” spokesman Scott 
Walker said in an email. “Additionally, for privacy reasons, we do not 
share personal information about staff.”

An inmate at Leavenworth 
tested positive for COVID-19 on Sept. 1, Walker said. Previously, only 
five inmates had tested positive. As of Monday, eight inmates and five 
staff members had recovered, and no one has died.

“Per CDC 
guidance, a contact tracing investigation is conducted for each positive
 case,” Walker said. “While in general population, any inmate displaying
 symptoms for COVID-19 will be tested and placed in isolation.”

Most inmates who test positive are asymptomatic, Walker said, while inmates with severe symptoms are sent to the hospital.

The
 Leavenworth federal prison is in the same county as the Lansing 
Correctional Facility, a state prison that saw about half of its 
population come down with COVID-19 earlier this year. Overall, five 
inmates in Kansas-run prisons <a href="https://www.doc.ks.gov/kdoc-coronavirus-updates/kdoc-covid-19-status" target="_blank">have died</a> from the virus, as well as three <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-14/kansas-prison-workers-want-more-covid-19-protection-after-2-guards-and-3-inmates-die" target="_blank">staff members</a>.

Randy
 Dyke, who is incarcerated at the Leavenworth federal prison, said not 
all staff members or inmates follow the rules when it comes to wearing 
masks. Family members of other inmates backed that up.

“We do wear
 masks, except in the dorms. As for the staff, most do wear masks. 
However, we have some who totally refuse to do so, putting us all at 
risk,” said Dyke, who is serving a sentence in the minimum-security 
satellite camp at Leavenworth. He spoke to the Kansas News Service 
through email.

Walker did not answer a question about whether 
there are staff members at Leavenworth who do not wear masks, but said 
that “all staff and inmates have been issued facial coverings and are 
required to wear them when social distancing is not available per CDC 
guidelines.”

Laundry machines at the prison don’t have water hot 
enough to wash the cloth masks issued by the prison, Dyke said. Many 
people wash their masks by hand, and don’t have access to bleach to 
sanitize them. He said the prison first gave out disposable masks, then 
gave three cloth masks to inmates and replaced those two months later.

“Most
 of the wash machines here are hooked up to cold water and are worn out 
and do not function correctly,” Dyke said, “so the clothes are not 
getting as clean as they should.”

Walker responded in his email 
that inmates regularly receive replacement masks and that prison laundry
 facilities use enough bleach, detergent and hot water to wash clothing 
adequately.

Since 
March, inmates across the federal prison system have had their movement 
restricted to prevent the spread of the virus. Social distancing in 
prison is basically impossible, Dyke said.

In the dorms at the 
minimum-security camp, Dyke said, some people sleep in bunks less than 
four feet apart. He shares a dorm with about 25 other men.

“It is just overcrowded here,” he said.

Before
 the full lockdown began in early September, inmates in the 
medium-security section of the prison couldn’t leave their cells except 
for one to two hours a day, according to family members of inmates.

Karch,
 whose boyfriend is in the medium-security unit, said he sometimes had 
to choose between showering and making a phone call, because the lines 
were so long.

Another woman whose husband also is in the 
medium-security unit said the long lines resulted in dozens of inmates 
standing too close to allow for proper social distancing. She spoke with
 the Kansas News Service on the condition of anonymity because she was 
afraid prison staff would retaliate against her husband.

“When it 
was time to use the phones, my husband said they were packed in there 
like sardines,” she said. “Basically shoulder to shoulder.”

Her 
husband, who is nearly 70, rarely seeks medical care because the prison 
doesn’t provide treatment for illnesses. She said inmates are instead 
told to buy over-the-counter medication from the prison commissary.

The conditions make the inmates uneasy about their physical health and safety during the pandemic, the woman said.

“These guys don’t know if they could wake up tomorrow and be really sick,” she said.

Since
 cases began to rise in the past two weeks, the woman and other people 
said that the lockdown had been extended to 24 hours a day and that they
 had not been able to contact their family members.

“Recently, the medium-security facility was temporarily secured with no movement occurring,”

The added worry of having a family member in Leavenworth has made the pandemic even more stressful for those on the outside.

Jammie
 Rothchild, Dyke’s daughter, says she worries about her father, who is 
60 years old and at higher risk of dying from COVID-19 due to his age.

“It sucks,” Rothchild said. “Our hands are tied. There’s nothing we can do.”

Nomin
 Ujiyediin reports on criminal justice and social welfare for the Kansas
 News Service. You can email her at nomin@kcur.org and follow
 her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/nominuj" target="_blank">@NominUJ</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600183865325.png" alt="The federal prison in Leavenworth houses about 1,600 inmates in a medium-security facility and minimum-security camp. Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>The federal prison in Leavenworth houses about 1,600 inmates in a medium-security facility and minimum-security camp. Nomin Ujiyediin / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOMIN UJIYEDIIN, <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-09-14/leavenworth-leads-federal-prisons-in-covid-19-cases-and-inmates-families-are-worried">Kansas News Service</a>LAWRENCE — For months, the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth avoided the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. But that’s changed.Leavenworth has the highest number of <a href="https://www.bop.gov/coronavirus/" target="_blank">COVID-19 cases in the entire federal prison system</a>, with 206 inmates and five staff members with the virus. There are currently 1,594 people incarcerated at the prison.Family
 members of Leavenworth inmates say that, like in other federal and 
state prisons, their loved ones are living in close quarters with other 
inmates and prison employees, not all of whom wear masks. The families 
allege medical staff can be inattentive and that inmates have no choice 
but to congregate closely around phones and showers because of the 
months-long restrictions on leaving their dorms or cells.Amanda Karch is even worried about her boyfriend’s mental health.“He says he’s depressed. He’s anxious,” she said. “He’s just unsure. He doesn’t know what’s going to happen.”The
 federal Bureau of Prisons declined multiple requests for interviews, 
but emailed a statement in response to questions. The agency said it 
follows the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
 and provides appropriate treatment for COVID-19.“For safety, 
security, and privacy reasons, we do not discuss the conditions of 
confinement for any individual or group of inmates,” spokesman Scott 
Walker said in an email. “Additionally, for privacy reasons, we do not 
share personal information about staff.”An inmate at Leavenworth 
tested positive for COVID-19 on Sept. 1, Walker said. Previously, only 
five inmates had tested positive. As of Monday, eight inmates and five 
staff members had recovered, and no one has died.“Per CDC 
guidance, a contact tracing investigation is conducted for each positive
 case,” Walker said. “While in general population, any inmate displaying
 symptoms for COVID-19 will be tested and placed in isolation.”Most inmates who test positive are asymptomatic, Walker said, while inmates with severe symptoms are sent to the hospital.The
 Leavenworth federal prison is in the same county as the Lansing 
Correctional Facility, a state prison that saw about half of its 
population come down with COVID-19 earlier this year. Overall, five 
inmates in Kansas-run prisons <a href="https://www.doc.ks.gov/kdoc-coronavirus-updates/kdoc-covid-19-status" target="_blank">have died</a> from the virus, as well as three <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-14/kansas-prison-workers-want-more-covid-19-protection-after-2-guards-and-3-inmates-die" target="_blank">staff members</a>.<h2>Masks and sanitation</h2>Randy
 Dyke, who is incarcerated at the Leavenworth federal prison, said not 
all staff members or inmates follow the rules when it comes to wearing 
masks. Family members of other inmates backed that up.“We do wear
 masks, except in the dorms. As for the staff, most do wear masks. 
However, we have some who totally refuse to do so, putting us all at 
risk,” said Dyke, who is serving a sentence in the minimum-security 
satellite camp at Leavenworth. He spoke to the Kansas News Service 
through email.Walker did not answer a question about whether 
there are staff members at Leavenworth who do not wear masks, but said 
that “all staff and inmates have been issued facial coverings and are 
required to wear them when social distancing is not available per CDC 
guidelines.”Laundry machines at the prison don’t have water hot 
enough to wash the cloth masks issued by the prison, Dyke said. Many 
people wash their masks by hand, and don’t have access to bleach to 
sanitize them. He said the prison first gave out disposable masks, then 
gave three cloth masks to inmates and replaced those two months later.“Most
 of the wash machines here are hooked up to cold water and are worn out 
and do not function correctly,” Dyke said, “so the clothes are not 
getting as clean as they should.”Walker responded in his email 
that inmates regularly receive replacement masks and that prison laundry
 facilities use enough bleach, detergent and hot water to wash clothing 
adequately.<h2>On lockdown</h2>Since 
March, inmates across the federal prison system have had their movement 
restricted to prevent the spread of the virus. Social distancing in 
prison is basically impossible, Dyke said.In the dorms at the 
minimum-security camp, Dyke said, some people sleep in bunks less than 
four feet apart. He shares a dorm with about 25 other men.“It is just overcrowded here,” he said.Before
 the full lockdown began in early September, inmates in the 
medium-security section of the prison couldn’t leave their cells except 
for one to two hours a day, according to family members of inmates.Karch,
 whose boyfriend is in the medium-security unit, said he sometimes had 
to choose between showering and making a phone call, because the lines 
were so long.Another woman whose husband also is in the 
medium-security unit said the long lines resulted in dozens of inmates 
standing too close to allow for proper social distancing. She spoke with
 the Kansas News Service on the condition of anonymity because she was 
afraid prison staff would retaliate against her husband.“When it 
was time to use the phones, my husband said they were packed in there 
like sardines,” she said. “Basically shoulder to shoulder.”Her 
husband, who is nearly 70, rarely seeks medical care because the prison 
doesn’t provide treatment for illnesses. She said inmates are instead 
told to buy over-the-counter medication from the prison commissary.The conditions make the inmates uneasy about their physical health and safety during the pandemic, the woman said.“These guys don’t know if they could wake up tomorrow and be really sick,” she said.Since
 cases began to rise in the past two weeks, the woman and other people 
said that the lockdown had been extended to 24 hours a day and that they
 had not been able to contact their family members.“Recently, the medium-security facility was temporarily secured with no movement occurring,”Walker confirmed in an email.The added worry of having a family member in Leavenworth has made the pandemic even more stressful for those on the outside.Jammie
 Rothchild, Dyke’s daughter, says she worries about her father, who is 
60 years old and at higher risk of dying from COVID-19 due to his age.“It sucks,” Rothchild said. “Our hands are tied. There’s nothing we can do.”Nomin
 Ujiyediin reports on criminal justice and social welfare for the Kansas
 News Service. You can email her at nomin@kcur.org and follow
 her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/nominuj" target="_blank">@NominUJ</a>.

Leavenworth tops all federal prisons in COVID-19 cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday the House will remain in session until lawmakers deliver another round of COVID-19 relief, a move that came as Democrats from swing districts signaled discontent with a standoff that could force them to face voters without delivering more aid.

“We are committed to staying here until we have an agreement, an agreement that meets the needs of the American people,” Pelosi said on CNBC.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday the House will remain in session until lawmakers deliver another round of COVID-19 relief, a move that came as Democrats from swing districts signaled discontent with a standoff that could force them to face voters without delivering more aid.“We are committed to staying here until we have an agreement, an agreement that meets the needs of the American people,” Pelosi said on CNBC.Pelosi told her Democratic colleagues on a morning conference call that “we have to stay here until we have a bill.” That’s according to a Democratic aide speaking on condition of anonymity but authorized to quote her remarks.Pelosi’s comments came as moderate Democrats, many from areas won by President Donald Trump four years ago, signed on to a $1.5 trillion rescue package endorsed by the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of about 50 lawmakers who seek common solutions to issues.The plan contains many elements of COVID rescue packages devised by both House Democrats and Republicans controlling the Senate, including aid to schools, funding for state and local governments, and renewal of lapsed COVID-related jobless benefits.The price tag is significantly less than the $2.2 trillion figure cited by Pelosi but it’s also well above an approximately $650 billion Senate GOP plan that failed last week due to Democratic opposition.Talks between Pelosi and the Trump administration broke down last month and there had been little optimism they would rekindle before Election Day. And last week, Senate Democrats scuttled a scaled-back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/4cb7902f0f3f1d9ad3a9207d01782c6c">GOP coronavirus rescue package</a>.Pelosi has maintained a hard line in negotiations and has been at odds with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. She orchestrated passage of a $3.4 trillion COVID rescue package back in May, but the effort was immediately dismissed by Senate Republicans and the Trump administration.Tuesday’s remarks, said Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill, don’t mean that the speaker is adopting a more flexible position. She instead seems to be signaling continued determination to press ahead and won’t adjourn the House without an agreement with the administration.Success is by no means guaranteed and many people on Capitol Hill remain very skeptical that an agreement between the White House and Democrats is likely before the election.“My sense is the clock is running out,” said Senate GOP Whip John Thune of South Dakota. “I don’t see any intention or desire on the part of the Democrat leadership at the moment — regardless of what their members are saying — to cooperate and to work together on a solution. I think they feel like they’ve got the issue and they want to try and ride it in November.”As the leadership talks collapsed, some moderate Democrats have been agitating for greater compromise. Their talks with pragmatic Republicans yielded common ground but the group does not have much of a track record of broadening their efforts and dominating debates.“This is how Congress is supposed to work,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., a member of the Problem Solvers group, describing a lengthy, bipartisan negotiation that produced a consensus. The group hopes the package illustrates the kinds of compromises that top Democrats and the administration would have to agree to in order to actually get a measure through the warring House and Senate and get signed into law.“I hope our leadership is paying attention. I hope our leadership is looking hard at what we’re doing,” said Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore. “We consider this the basic tenets of any package that comes out of the House and the Senate and is signed by the president of the United States.”No. 2 House Democrat Steny Hoyer of Maryland said the moderates had developed “useful ideas, important ideas” but said it did not do enough to address the ongoing needs of helping the economy recover from the COVID-19 crisis.“We believe that getting to a compromise is absolutely essential,” Hoyer told reporters Tuesday. “Getting to a compromise that does not deal with the problems, however, is not useful, because the longer you delay addressing many of the problems, the greater you weaken both the economy and the response to COVID-19.”And a set of powerful Democratic committee chairs swung against the moderates’ proposal as well, saying it “leaves too many needs unmet” — a leadership effort that signals that the Problem Solvers bill is going nowhere.The Problem Solvers measure contains another round of $1,200 direct payments favored by Trump and Democrats but rejected by Senate Republicans in their most recent bill. It contains a liability shield against lawsuits brought against businesses that have reopened their doors that’s favored by Republicans but opposed by Pelosi and trial lawyers.It also offers a two-month extension of bonus pandemic jobless benefits that splits the difference between the Pelosi-backed extension of the expired $600 weekly benefit that lapsed at the end of July and the $300 benefit favored by Senate Republicans. After two months, the benefit would increase back to $600 but not if that benefit causes a worker to exceed their wages.