GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Two Nebraska men died in two separate one-vehicle crashes. 

The Hall County Sheriff’s office says 76-year-old James Duncan of Hastings died Saturday afternoon after he was thrown from his three-wheeled motorcycle.

 Investigators determined that Duncan lost control of the motorcycle and it rolled shortly after the road’s surface became gravel. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that Johan Lopez of Lincoln died in the other crash on the west side of Lincoln. 

The Nebraska State Patrol says that maintenance crews found Lopez’ 2009 Toyota Corolla in a ditch Friday morning. 

Investigators determined that Lopez had been dead for some time before the crash was discovered.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Two Nebraska men died in two separate one-vehicle crashes. The Hall County Sheriff’s office says 76-year-old James Duncan of Hastings died Saturday afternoon after he was thrown from his three-wheeled motorcycle. Investigators determined that Duncan lost control of the motorcycle and it rolled shortly after the road’s surface became gravel. The Omaha World-Herald reports that Johan Lopez of Lincoln died in the other crash on the west side of Lincoln. The Nebraska State Patrol says that maintenance crews found Lopez’ 2009 Toyota Corolla in a ditch Friday morning. Investigators determined that Lopez had been dead for some time before the crash was discovered.

Two Nebraska men die in separate one-vehicle crashes

OMAHA, Neb. (Omaha World-Herald) — Authorities are investigating a shooting that left a 6-year-old boy and a man with injuries that aren't believed to be life threatening. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that that the shooting happened around 5 a.m. Saturday. 

Police say the 27-year-old man and the boy were taken to the Nebraska Medical Center. 

OMAHA, Neb. (Omaha World-Herald) — Authorities are investigating a shooting that left a 6-year-old boy and a man with injuries that aren't believed to be life threatening. The Omaha World-Herald reports that that the shooting happened around 5 a.m. Saturday. Police say the 27-year-old man and the boy were taken to the Nebraska Medical Center. No suspect information was released.

Man, 6-year-old boy hurt in Omaha apartment complex shooting

OMAHA, Neb. (KETV-TV) — A third inmate in the community corrections center in Omaha has tested positive for the coronavirus. 

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said the inmate went to the hospital for an unrelated medical issue and was tested for COVID-19 when he was admitted, KETV reports that the agency will start contact tracing to identify other individuals who had close contact with the inmate. 

Nine corrections department staff members have also tested positive for COVID-19. 

Officials said some of those staff members have completed their quarantine and have since returned to work.

OMAHA, Neb. (KETV-TV) — A third inmate in the community corrections center in Omaha has tested positive for the coronavirus. The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said the inmate went to the hospital for an unrelated medical issue and was tested for COVID-19 when he was admitted, KETV reports that the agency will start contact tracing to identify other individuals who had close contact with the inmate. Nine corrections department staff members have also tested positive for COVID-19. Officials said some of those staff members have completed their quarantine and have since returned to work.

3rd inmate at Omaha facility tests positive for COVID-19

LINCOLN – A 29-year-old Phelps County man was sentenced May 13 to jail time in Phelps County Court after being convicted of multiple deer hunting violations.

Nebraska conservation officers had investigated Arthur Underwood, Jr. for multiple hunting violations during the 2019 hunting seasons. Underwood pled guilty to 12 counts, including five counts each of over-bagging deer and violation of deer regulations, and one count each of attempted tampering with evidence and false reporting.

The sentence included jail time of 300 days for each charge of tampering and false reporting – to be served consecutively, 30 days for regulation violations and 90 days for the over-bagging of deer – to be served concurrently.

Penalties of $22,000 in liquidated damages and a three-year suspension/revocation of hunting, fishing and trapping privileges also were assessed, plus court costs and fees.

Other persons in Underwood’s hunting party also were cited and had paid fines: Easton Kalb (two counts of violating hunting regulations, $100 fine for each count, $500 liquidated damages and court costs); Halley Helleberg (unlawfully taking/possessing game, $500 fine, $2,000 liquidated damages and court costs); Tristin Wood (violation of hunting regulations, $100 and court costs); and Johnathon Wood (hunting deer without a permit, $150 and court costs).

LINCOLN – A 29-year-old Phelps County man was sentenced May 13 to jail time in Phelps County Court after being convicted of multiple deer hunting violations.Nebraska conservation officers had investigated Arthur Underwood, Jr. for multiple hunting violations during the 2019 hunting seasons. Underwood pled guilty to 12 counts, including five counts each of over-bagging deer and violation of deer regulations, and one count each of attempted tampering with evidence and false reporting.The sentence included jail time of 300 days for each charge of tampering and false reporting – to be served consecutively, 30 days for regulation violations and 90 days for the over-bagging of deer – to be served concurrently.Penalties of $22,000 in liquidated damages and a three-year suspension/revocation of hunting, fishing and trapping privileges also were assessed, plus court costs and fees.Other persons in Underwood’s hunting party also were cited and had paid fines: Easton Kalb (two counts of violating hunting regulations, $100 fine for each count, $500 liquidated damages and court costs); Halley Helleberg (unlawfully taking/possessing game, $500 fine, $2,000 liquidated damages and court costs); Tristin Wood (violation of hunting regulations, $100 and court costs); and Johnathon Wood (hunting deer without a permit, $150 and court costs).

Man sentenced to jail time for deer violations

WASHINGTON (AP) — A 39-year-old former investment manager in Georgia was already facing federal charges that he robbed hundreds of retirees of their savings in a Ponzi scheme when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the rapid spread of COVID-19</a>&nbsp;presented an opportunity.

Christopher A. Parris started pitching himself as a broker of surgical masks amid the nationwide scramble for protective equipment in the first desperate weeks of the outbreak, federal authorities said. He was soon taking in millions of dollars.

Law enforcement officials say Parris is part of what they are calling a wave of fraud tied to the outbreak.

Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, is leading a nationwide crackdown. It has opened over 370 cases and so far arrested 11 people, as part of “Operation Stolen Promise,” according to Matthew Albence, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“It’s incredibly rampant and it’s growing by the day,” Albence said. “We’re just scratching the surface of this criminal activity. ”

Parris was on pretrial release for the alleged Ponzi scheme when he was arrested last month in what authorities say was an attempt to secure an order for more than $750 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs for 125 million face masks and other equipment.

“He was trying to sell something he didn’t even have,” said Jere T. Miles, the special agent in charge of the New Orleans office of Homeland Security Investigations, which worked the case with the VA Office of Inspector General. “That’s just outright, blatant fraud.”

Parris has not yet entered a plea to fraud charges and his lawyers did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

Nationwide, investigators have turned up more than false purveyors of PPE. They have uncovered an array of counterfeit or adulterated products, from COVID-19 tests kits and treatments to masks and cleaning products.

Steve Francis, director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, which is overseen by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, says authorities have tracked counterfeits flowing into the U.S. from 20 countries and for sale through thousands of websites.

“There are people popping up who have never been in the business of securing equipment on a large scale,” Francis said.

From his home outside Atlanta, he claimed to represent a company with 3M respiratory masks and other protective equipment for sale. At the time, there was a mad scramble for supplies that pitted state and local governments against each other.

As outlined in court documents and interviews, his pitch reached a company in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that was trying to help government agencies acquire PPE. In late March, it contacted the VA, which was dealing with a critical shortage of protective equipment.

The VA was suspicious of the price, about 15 times what it was paying amid the shortage, and alerted its inspector general, which brought in Homeland Security. That resulted in a sting that led to Parris.

“He had no means of producing any PPE,” Albence said. “It was just a scam.”

But it had some takers. Federal authorities say a Parris-controlled bank account received more than $7.4 million, with most appearing to come from unidentified entities trying to buy safety gear in March and April, according to court documents. He wired some of the money to accounts overseas, including more than $1.1 million to a Swiss company’s bank that authorities say may be a shell corporation.

The U.S. government seized more than $3.2 million from his accounts.

The Ponzi scheme was unrelated to the alleged attempt to defraud the VA but “is sufficiently similar to the conduct in this case that it is relevant to his plan, intent, and modus operandi,” according to a search warrant affidavit.

In the earlier case, Parris and his partners are accused of defrauding about 1,000 people out of at least $115 million from January 2012 to June 2018. They persuaded the victims to turn over their savings for what turned out to be nonexistent investments, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Another member of the partnership, Perry Santillo, pleaded guilty to fraud in November.

As part of the alleged scheme, Parris and the others bought the businesses of investment advisers who were retiring and leveraged the trust those advisers had built up over the years to pitch the bogus investments, with relatively modest returns, to their newly acquired clients.

Florida attorney Scott Silver, who represented some investors who sought to get their money back after the SEC shut down the operation, said there was little to recover because Parris and the others spent most of it.

He wasn’t surprised that Parris had been arrested in the COVID fraud case. “He’s already facing 20 years in prison,” he said. “What’s he worried about?”

Parris, who was charged in the case in January, grew up in Rochester, New York, and worked as an insurance agent, owned a dry cleaner and got involved in local politics. He ran unsuccessfully for city council and said he was vice president of a local African American Republican committee.

“So many people that know me, you know, trust me,” Parris said in a 2015 hearing with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which later suspended his broker license.

One of Parris’ alleged victims in the Ponzi scheme, Jane Naylon, said she took guitar lessons from Parris’ father, a reverend at a local church and lost $150,000 in the fraud.

Naylon was dismayed when Parris was released on his own recognizance in the Ponzi scheme. When she learned he had been charged for PPE fraud, she said she was in shock, but also pleased.

“I’m ecstatic,” she said. “I hope he goes to jail for life.”

Parris is now jailed in Atlanta and is expected to be transferred to Washington to face charges in the VA case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585145128626.png" alt="Counterfeit COVID-19 test kits-photo courtesy&nbsp;U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement" />
 <figcaption>Counterfeit COVID-19 test kits-photo courtesy&nbsp;U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A 39-year-old former investment manager in Georgia was already facing federal charges that he robbed hundreds of retirees of their savings in a Ponzi scheme when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the rapid spread of COVID-19</a>&nbsp;presented an opportunity.Christopher A. Parris started pitching himself as a broker of surgical masks amid the nationwide scramble for protective equipment in the first desperate weeks of the outbreak, federal authorities said. He was soon taking in millions of dollars.Except there were no masks.Law enforcement officials say Parris is part of what they are calling a wave of fraud tied to the outbreak.Homeland Security Investigations, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security, is leading a nationwide crackdown. It has opened over 370 cases and so far arrested 11 people, as part of “Operation Stolen Promise,” according to Matthew Albence, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.“It’s incredibly rampant and it’s growing by the day,” Albence said. “We’re just scratching the surface of this criminal activity. ”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589472461621.png" alt="From a fake #COVID19 test kit photo courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Patrol" />
 <figcaption>From a fake #COVID19 test kit photo courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>Parris was on pretrial release for the alleged Ponzi scheme when he was arrested last month in what authorities say was an attempt to secure an order for more than $750 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs for 125 million face masks and other equipment.“He was trying to sell something he didn’t even have,” said Jere T. Miles, the special agent in charge of the New Orleans office of Homeland Security Investigations, which worked the case with the VA Office of Inspector General. “That’s just outright, blatant fraud.”Parris has not yet entered a plea to fraud charges and his lawyers did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.Nationwide, investigators have turned up more than false purveyors of PPE. They have uncovered an array of counterfeit or adulterated products, from COVID-19 tests kits and treatments to masks and cleaning products.Steve Francis, director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, which is overseen by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, says authorities have tracked counterfeits flowing into the U.S. from 20 countries and for sale through thousands of websites.“There are people popping up who have never been in the business of securing equipment on a large scale,” Francis said.Enter Parris.From his home outside Atlanta, he claimed to represent a company with 3M respiratory masks and other protective equipment for sale. At the time, there was a mad scramble for supplies that pitted state and local governments against each other.As outlined in court documents and interviews, his pitch reached a company in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that was trying to help government agencies acquire PPE. In late March, it contacted the VA, which was dealing with a critical shortage of protective equipment.The VA was suspicious of the price, about 15 times what it was paying amid the shortage, and alerted its inspector general, which brought in Homeland Security. That resulted in a sting that led to Parris.“He had no means of producing any PPE,” Albence said. “It was just a scam.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589472644008.png" alt="Coronavirus test kits that were not FDA approved-photo U.S. courtesy Customs and Border patrol" />
 <figcaption>Coronavirus test kits that were not FDA approved-photo U.S. courtesy Customs and Border patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>But it had some takers. Federal authorities say a Parris-controlled bank account received more than $7.4 million, with most appearing to come from unidentified entities trying to buy safety gear in March and April, according to court documents. He wired some of the money to accounts overseas, including more than $1.1 million to a Swiss company’s bank that authorities say may be a shell corporation.The U.S. government seized more than $3.2 million from his accounts.The Ponzi scheme was unrelated to the alleged attempt to defraud the VA but “is sufficiently similar to the conduct in this case that it is relevant to his plan, intent, and modus operandi,” according to a search warrant affidavit.In the earlier case, Parris and his partners are accused of defrauding about 1,000 people out of at least $115 million from January 2012 to June 2018. They persuaded the victims to turn over their savings for what turned out to be nonexistent investments, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.Another member of the partnership, Perry Santillo, pleaded guilty to fraud in November.As part of the alleged scheme, Parris and the others bought the businesses of investment advisers who were retiring and leveraged the trust those advisers had built up over the years to pitch the bogus investments, with relatively modest returns, to their newly acquired clients.Florida attorney Scott Silver, who represented some investors who sought to get their money back after the SEC shut down the operation, said there was little to recover because Parris and the others spent most of it.He wasn’t surprised that Parris had been arrested in the COVID fraud case. “He’s already facing 20 years in prison,” he said. “What’s he worried about?”Parris, who was charged in the case in January, grew up in Rochester, New York, and worked as an insurance agent, owned a dry cleaner and got involved in local politics. He ran unsuccessfully for city council and said he was vice president of a local African American Republican committee.“So many people that know me, you know, trust me,” Parris said in a 2015 hearing with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which later suspended his broker license.One of Parris’ alleged victims in the Ponzi scheme, Jane Naylon, said she took guitar lessons from Parris’ father, a reverend at a local church and lost $150,000 in the fraud.Naylon was dismayed when Parris was released on his own recognizance in the Ponzi scheme. When she learned he had been charged for PPE fraud, she said she was in shock, but also pleased.“I’m ecstatic,” she said. “I hope he goes to jail for life.”Parris is now jailed in Atlanta and is expected to be transferred to Washington to face charges in the VA case.___

Virus unleashes wave of fraud in US amid fear and scarcity

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats powered a massive $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill through the House on Friday, an election-year measure designed to brace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e95a6d2d0a721fcffb4efb9435b84f4f">a U.S. economy in free fall</a>&nbsp;and a health care system struggling to contain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8ab8ee4bdac227eb98804d3200d7d9e7">a pandemic still pummeling the country</a>.

The 208-199 vote, over strong Republican opposition, advances what boils down to a campaign-season display of Democratic economic and health-care priorities. It has no chance of becoming law as written, but will likely spark difficult negotiations with the White House and Senate Republicans. Any product would probably be the last major COVID-19 response bill before November’s presidential and congressional elections.

The enormous Democratic measure would cost more than the prior four coronavirus bills combined. It would deliver almost $1 trillion for state and local governments, another round of $1,200 direct payments to individuals and help for the unemployed, renters and homeowners, college debt holders and the struggling Postal Service.

“Not to act now is not only irresponsible in a humanitarian way, it is irresponsible because it’s only going to cost more,” warned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “More in terms of lives, livelihood, cost to the budget, cost to our democracy.”

Republicans mocked the bill as a bloated Democratic wish-list that was dead on arrival in the GOP-led Senate and, for good measure, faced a White House veto threat. Party leaders say they want to assess how $3 trillion approved earlier is working and see if some states’ partial business reopenings would spark an economic revival that would ease the need for more safety net programs.

Republicans are also sorting through internal divisions and awaiting stronger signals from President Donald Trump about what he will support.

“Phase Four is going to happen,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, using Washington insider-speak for the measure. “But it’s going to happen in a much better way for the American people.”

Trump and top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are insisting the next measure should protect reopening businesses from liability lawsuits. The president is also demanding a cut to payroll taxes, but GOP leaders are not yet onboard.

The daylong debate painted a Capitol scene that’s become common in the era of coronavirus, even as it remains disconcerting. The sparsely populated House floor was dotted with lawmakers and aides wearing protective masks and even gloves, though some Republicans lacked them.

Many members looked shaggier and sported beards they had not worn weeks ago. Roll call votes lasted over an hour each because lawmakers were voting in small groups to limit crowding.

To enhance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/95f4b1ce45413f5e6b162221a456894a">the bill’s political impact</a>, Democrats named their measure “The Heroes Act” for the payments it would provide front-line emergency workers. With more than 86,000 Americans dead, 1.4 million confirmed infections and 36 million filing unemployment claims in an frozen economy, Democrats saw GOP opposition as an easy campaign-season target.

“Are you kidding me?” said Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, of Republican assertions that it was time to stop spending more money. “Where do you guys live? Food lines at our food banks around the block? In the United States of America?”

Republicans saw the bill as a Democratic political blunder. They said overly generous unemployment benefits discouraged people from returning to work, and attacked language helping immigrants in the U.S. illegally get federal benefits. They also singled out provisions helping states set up voting by mail and easing the marijuana industry’s access to banks.

“It may help the cannabis industry, but it won’t help Main Street,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

Clearly, the bipartisan consensus that produced four previous coronavirus bills is crumbling quickly. Polls show GOP voters are satisfied with the federal response and aren’t agitating for more. Self-branded deficit hawks are citing the massive increase in the spiraling $25 trillion national debt.

Some congressional aides said the Democratic bill’s real price tag could breach $3.5 trillion. A partial estimate of tax provisions alone revealed eye-popping costs: $412 billion to renew $1,200 cash payments to individuals, more than $100 billion to pay health insurance premiums for the unemployed and $164 billion to make an “employee retention” tax credit for businesses more generous.

Republicans leaders faced disunity between conservatives who feel enough has been done and pragmatists who back rescuing the Postal Service from looming insolvency and delivering cash to revenue-starved state and local governments. The huge price tag and a lack of consultation with Republicans by Pelosi cemented GOP opposition.

“This bill is nothing more than the Democratic policy agenda masquerading as a response to the coronavirus crisis,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. He said the bill is “going nowhere, and is going nowhere fast.”

Pelosi overcame party divisions of her own. Some moderate Democrats opposed the package for its price tag and politically fraught provisions like assisting marijuana businesses. A few progressive Democrats were upset because it did not do more, such as guaranteeing workers’ salaries and bolstering their health insurance coverage.

Those for whom the vote was most politically risky were the 30, mostly freshmen, from House districts that backed Trump in 2016. One, Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, labeled the measure “bloated” and said she’d vote no.

Liberal Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., told reporters that she’d also oppose the bill. She said if constituents ask her if the bill would put money in their pockets or preserve their health care, “I can’t tell them yes.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589593696332.png" alt="Moments after the U.S. House passed a new $3 trillion coronavirus aid package, which includes money for state and local governments, coronavirus testing, and cash payments to individuals. Members will also take up a House rules change to allow proxy voting-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Moments after the U.S. House passed a new $3 trillion coronavirus aid package, which includes money for state and local governments, coronavirus testing, and cash payments to individuals. Members will also take up a House rules change to allow proxy voting-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats powered a massive $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill through the House on Friday, an election-year measure designed to brace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e95a6d2d0a721fcffb4efb9435b84f4f">a U.S. economy in free fall</a>&nbsp;and a health care system struggling to contain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8ab8ee4bdac227eb98804d3200d7d9e7">a pandemic still pummeling the country</a>.The 208-199 vote, over strong Republican opposition, advances what boils down to a campaign-season display of Democratic economic and health-care priorities. It has no chance of becoming law as written, but will likely spark difficult negotiations with the White House and Senate Republicans. Any product would probably be the last major COVID-19 response bill before November’s presidential and congressional elections.The enormous Democratic measure would cost more than the prior four coronavirus bills combined. It would deliver almost $1 trillion for state and local governments, another round of $1,200 direct payments to individuals and help for the unemployed, renters and homeowners, college debt holders and the struggling Postal Service.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589593817267.png" alt="House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her news conference Thursday" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her news conference Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>“Not to act now is not only irresponsible in a humanitarian way, it is irresponsible because it’s only going to cost more,” warned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “More in terms of lives, livelihood, cost to the budget, cost to our democracy.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m in Washington to vote against Speaker Pelosi’s $3 trillion spending bill. This is a partisan attempt to take advantage of a crisis to pass a socialist wish list &amp; reckless spending. Instead, Congress needs to work together on meaningful legislation for Kansans and Americans. <a href="https://t.co/eTl3QiKMWw">pic.twitter.com/eTl3QiKMWw</a>&mdash; Rep. Ron Estes (@RepRonEstes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRonEstes/status/1261414271788826624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republicans mocked the bill as a bloated Democratic wish-list that was dead on arrival in the GOP-led Senate and, for good measure, faced a White House veto threat. Party leaders say they want to assess how $3 trillion approved earlier is working and see if some states’ partial business reopenings would spark an economic revival that would ease the need for more safety net programs.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerPelosi</a>’s 1,800 page, $3 trillion boondoggle: -Funds Planned Parenthood -Bails out fiscally irresponsible states -Hands out millions to the “arts” -Discourages people from going back to work This socialist wish list is a sham, and a waste of time.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1261378054900920321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republicans are also sorting through internal divisions and awaiting stronger signals from President Donald Trump about what he will support.“Phase Four is going to happen,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, using Washington insider-speak for the measure. “But it’s going to happen in a much better way for the American people.”Trump and top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are insisting the next measure should protect reopening businesses from liability lawsuits. The president is also demanding a cut to payroll taxes, but GOP leaders are not yet onboard.The daylong debate painted a Capitol scene that’s become common in the era of coronavirus, even as it remains disconcerting. The sparsely populated House floor was dotted with lawmakers and aides wearing protective masks and even gloves, though some Republicans lacked them.Many members looked shaggier and sported beards they had not worn weeks ago. Roll call votes lasted over an hour each because lawmakers were voting in small groups to limit crowding.To enhance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/95f4b1ce45413f5e6b162221a456894a">the bill’s political impact</a>, Democrats named their measure “The Heroes Act” for the payments it would provide front-line emergency workers. With more than 86,000 Americans dead, 1.4 million confirmed infections and 36 million filing unemployment claims in an frozen economy, Democrats saw GOP opposition as an easy campaign-season target.“Are you kidding me?” said Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, of Republican assertions that it was time to stop spending more money. “Where do you guys live? Food lines at our food banks around the block? In the United States of America?”Republicans saw the bill as a Democratic political blunder. They said overly generous unemployment benefits discouraged people from returning to work, and attacked language helping immigrants in the U.S. illegally get federal benefits. They also singled out provisions helping states set up voting by mail and easing the marijuana industry’s access to banks.“It may help the cannabis industry, but it won’t help Main Street,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.Clearly, the bipartisan consensus that produced four previous coronavirus bills is crumbling quickly. Polls show GOP voters are satisfied with the federal response and aren’t agitating for more. Self-branded deficit hawks are citing the massive increase in the spiraling $25 trillion national debt.Some congressional aides said the Democratic bill’s real price tag could breach $3.5 trillion. A partial estimate of tax provisions alone revealed eye-popping costs: $412 billion to renew $1,200 cash payments to individuals, more than $100 billion to pay health insurance premiums for the unemployed and $164 billion to make an “employee retention” tax credit for businesses more generous.Republicans leaders faced disunity between conservatives who feel enough has been done and pragmatists who back rescuing the Postal Service from looming insolvency and delivering cash to revenue-starved state and local governments. The huge price tag and a lack of consultation with Republicans by Pelosi cemented GOP opposition.“This bill is nothing more than the Democratic policy agenda masquerading as a response to the coronavirus crisis,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. He said the bill is “going nowhere, and is going nowhere fast.”Pelosi overcame party divisions of her own. Some moderate Democrats opposed the package for its price tag and politically fraught provisions like assisting marijuana businesses. A few progressive Democrats were upset because it did not do more, such as guaranteeing workers’ salaries and bolstering their health insurance coverage.Those for whom the vote was most politically risky were the 30, mostly freshmen, from House districts that backed Trump in 2016. One, Rep. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, labeled the measure “bloated” and said she’d vote no.Liberal Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., told reporters that she’d also oppose the bill. She said if constituents ask her if the bill would put money in their pockets or preserve their health care, “I can’t tell them yes.”

House approves new $3T coronavirus relief bill

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials have record one more COVID-19 death and 95 new confirmed coronavirus cases. 

The new figures bring the state’s death toll to 44 and its confirmed case count to 3,887.

 Health officials have warned the the actual number of infections is higher because many people may not display symptoms or have not sought testing for mild symptoms. 

The state's most populated area, Minnehaha County, has seen about 80% of confirmed cases. But cities like Aberdeen and Rapid City experienced a rise in cases this week. 

Two Native American tribes also reported a handful of cases, prompting strict lock downs.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials have record one more COVID-19 death and 95 new confirmed coronavirus cases. The new figures bring the state’s death toll to 44 and its confirmed case count to 3,887. Health officials have warned the the actual number of infections is higher because many people may not display symptoms or have not sought testing for mild symptoms. The state's most populated area, Minnehaha County, has seen about 80% of confirmed cases. But cities like Aberdeen and Rapid City experienced a rise in cases this week. Two Native American tribes also reported a handful of cases, prompting strict lock downs.

South Dakota reports 1 more coronavirus death, 95 new cases

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — It happens all the time. Someone will start dancing on the 12th fairway. Or they’ll inquire if the striped fedora for sale in the pro shop comes with a complimentary bowl of soup. “Caddyshack” fans understand.

 The film that sparked countless gems, most of them made up on the fly by the likes of Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield and Ted Knight, has not lost one bit of its popularity. 

“Caddyshack” is ranked No. 4 on The Associated Press’ list of all-time top sports movies.

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — It happens all the time. Someone will start dancing on the 12th fairway. Or they’ll inquire if the striped fedora for sale in the pro shop comes with a complimentary bowl of soup. “Caddyshack” fans understand. The film that sparked countless gems, most of them made up on the fly by the likes of Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield and Ted Knight, has not lost one bit of its popularity. “Caddyshack” is ranked No. 4 on The Associated Press’ list of all-time top sports movies.

Fore! 'Caddyshack' tees off at No. 4 on AP sports movie list

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming Legislature will convene its first special session in 16 years Friday to help businesses and workers, allocate federal funding and take other action in response to the coronavirus. 

Besides holding a rare special session, the full Legislature will convene in a way unlike ever before. 

A small number of lawmakers will meet in the state Capitol in Cheyenne and the rest will take part by video conference. 

Lawmakers have drafted five bills, four of which have mirror versions so the House and Senate can consider them simultaneously. 

They plan to wrap up no later than Saturday.&nbsp;

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming Legislature will convene its first special session in 16 years Friday to help businesses and workers, allocate federal funding and take other action in response to the coronavirus. Besides holding a rare special session, the full Legislature will convene in a way unlike ever before. A small number of lawmakers will meet in the state Capitol in Cheyenne and the rest will take part by video conference. Lawmakers have drafted five bills, four of which have mirror versions so the House and Senate can consider them simultaneously. They plan to wrap up no later than Saturday.&nbsp;

Rare Wyoming Legislature special session to take on COVID-19

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump named a former pharmaceutical executive to lead his administration’s all-out effort to produce and distribute a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year.

Moncef Slaoui, a former GlaxoSmithKline executive, will lead “Operation Warp Speed,” Trump’s push to accelerate the vaccine development process for COVID-19.

Slaoui is to serve in a volunteer capacity, and will be assisted by Army Gen. Gustave Perna, the commander of United States Army Materiel Command. 

The move comes as the president and White House aides hope to produce vaccines for the coronavirus faster than what many scientists believe is realistic.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump named a former pharmaceutical executive to lead his administration’s all-out effort to produce and distribute a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Operation Warp Speed is &quot;a massive scientific, industrial, and logistical endeavor unlike anything our country has seen since the Manhattan Project.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/dkfU3vPnnA">pic.twitter.com/dkfU3vPnnA</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1261354450259763200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Moncef Slaoui, a former GlaxoSmithKline executive, will lead “Operation Warp Speed,” Trump’s push to accelerate the vaccine development process for COVID-19.Slaoui is to serve in a volunteer capacity, and will be assisted by Army Gen. Gustave Perna, the commander of United States Army Materiel Command. The move comes as the president and White House aides hope to produce vaccines for the coronavirus faster than what many scientists believe is realistic.

🎥 Trump names virus vaccine development team

FREMONT, Neb. (Omaha World-Herald) — Authorities have identified a body that was found near the Fremont Lakes State Recreation Area as that of a missing woman. 

The Fremont Police Department says the body is that of 61-year-old Michelle Sell, who was reported missing May 2. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that police detectives and the Douglas County Crime Lab were called Thursday to assist Dodge County sheriff’s deputies after Sell's body was found. 

An autopsy is set to be conducted in Douglas County. 

No other information on how Sell may have died was released.

FREMONT, Neb. (Omaha World-Herald) — Authorities have identified a body that was found near the Fremont Lakes State Recreation Area as that of a missing woman. The Fremont Police Department says the body is that of 61-year-old Michelle Sell, who was reported missing May 2. The Omaha World-Herald reports that police detectives and the Douglas County Crime Lab were called Thursday to assist Dodge County sheriff’s deputies after Sell's body was found. An autopsy is set to be conducted in Douglas County. No other information on how Sell may have died was released.

Police identify woman whose body was found near Fremont

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials are planning to test everyone in nursing homes and assisted living facilities over the next month. 

The Department of Health will be working with facilities that care for the elderly to test over 26,000 people in the coming weeks.

 Nursing homes have been most susceptible to deaths from COVID-19. 

The state has acquired more supplies needed for tests, allowing them to hold mass testing events. 

Health officials also plan to conduct random testing among vulnerable people to try to catch infections before they spread. 

Health officials are also planning a mass testing event next week with one Native American tribe.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota health officials are planning to test everyone in nursing homes and assisted living facilities over the next month. The Department of Health will be working with facilities that care for the elderly to test over 26,000 people in the coming weeks. Nursing homes have been most susceptible to deaths from COVID-19. The state has acquired more supplies needed for tests, allowing them to hold mass testing events. Health officials also plan to conduct random testing among vulnerable people to try to catch infections before they spread. Health officials are also planning a mass testing event next week with one Native American tribe.

South Dakota plans mass testing in elder care facilities

K-State beef team outlines feeding options during online workshop

MANHATTAN – Several members of Kansas State University’s Extension beef team hosted an online workshop Thursday to help producers with looming decisions on managing their herds in light of unique challenges in the market.

The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed Kansas’ beef supply chain to as much as 40 percent capacity, though the state has rebounded in recent days, according to K-State agricultural economist Glynn Tonsor.

Tonsor noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on March 30 that Kansas’ commercial cattle slaughter numbers were 120,000 head per day, “but then throughout the month of April, we’ve had almost day after day decline in the number of animals we were able to harvest,” he said.

Though the numbers from USDA are preliminary, Tonsor said the volume fell to as low as 72,000 – a nearly 40 percent reduction in the number of animals harvested over the same period in 2019.

“The good news is that over the last 10 days, we’ve had improvement,” Tonsor said, noting that the May 13 numbers indicate that 91,000 animals were harvested that day. “We continue to make progress. I anticipate that to continue, but there is a long road ahead to get closer to a feasible total capacity in the weeks and months ahead.”

The bottleneck in beef processing facilities due to COVID-19 has led to less meat available at grocery stores, as well as higher meat prices, and lower livestock prices for producers and processors.

Because they can’t move their animals to processing, livestock producers have had to adjust their management strategy to feed animals longer and sell them at heavier weights. To manage that most efficiently, K-State Research and Extension beef extension specialist Dale Blasi said producers should know the average weight of the calves currently in their operation.

“Knowing this is critical to assess your marketing strategy,” he said. “It allows you to examine how rations can be formulated with available feed ingredients at the least possible cost.”

He encourages cattlemen to use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agmanager.info/k-state-feeder-cattle-risk-management-tool">feeder cattle risk management tool</a>&nbsp;available from the K-State Department of Agricultural Economics, which compares net selling prices under futures market hedging, buying put options and the USDA’s Livestock Risk Protection insurance plan.

Jaymelynn Farney, a beef systems specialist at the Southeast Research-Extension Center in Parsons, noted that the slowdown in the supply chain has come at a time when one of producers’ preferred feed ingredients – dried distiller’s grains – is also limited due to COVID-19 and factors related to the availability of crude oil.

“So right now, we’re trying to replace distiller’s grains with protein alternatives,” she said. “The best options depend on where you’re located in the state or country.”

In the eastern part of the state, she said some of the commodities that can match or exceed distiller’s grains for the animal's protein needs include corn gluten meal, corn steep, soybean meal, whole soybeans or sunflower meal.

“You always want to evaluate what commodities you have in your area, and the cost per pound, depending on what you’re wanting to use that commodity for – protein or energy,” she said.

In western Kansas, Justin Waggoner, a beef systems specialist for the Southwest Research-Extension Center in Garden City, also has looked at alfalfa as an alternative protein source. “It’s a good forage,” he said, “but it’s still variable in quality.”

Farney and Waggoner note that before deciding on the best protein source to substitute for distiller’s grains, producers should visit with their nutritionist.

To view the full May 14 webinar with the members of K-State’s beef extension team, visit<a href="http://www.ksubeef.org/">KSUBeef.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589548550406.png" alt="K-State Research &amp; Extension" />
 <figcaption>K-State Research &amp; Extension</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>K-State beef team outlines feeding options during online workshop</h2>K-State Research &amp; ExtensionMANHATTAN – Several members of Kansas State University’s Extension beef team hosted an online workshop Thursday to help producers with looming decisions on managing their herds in light of unique challenges in the market.The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed Kansas’ beef supply chain to as much as 40 percent capacity, though the state has rebounded in recent days, according to K-State agricultural economist Glynn Tonsor.Tonsor noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on March 30 that Kansas’ commercial cattle slaughter numbers were 120,000 head per day, “but then throughout the month of April, we’ve had almost day after day decline in the number of animals we were able to harvest,” he said.Though the numbers from USDA are preliminary, Tonsor said the volume fell to as low as 72,000 – a nearly 40 percent reduction in the number of animals harvested over the same period in 2019.“The good news is that over the last 10 days, we’ve had improvement,” Tonsor said, noting that the May 13 numbers indicate that 91,000 animals were harvested that day. “We continue to make progress. I anticipate that to continue, but there is a long road ahead to get closer to a feasible total capacity in the weeks and months ahead.”The bottleneck in beef processing facilities due to COVID-19 has led to less meat available at grocery stores, as well as higher meat prices, and lower livestock prices for producers and processors.Because they can’t move their animals to processing, livestock producers have had to adjust their management strategy to feed animals longer and sell them at heavier weights. To manage that most efficiently, K-State Research and Extension beef extension specialist Dale Blasi said producers should know the average weight of the calves currently in their operation.“Knowing this is critical to assess your marketing strategy,” he said. “It allows you to examine how rations can be formulated with available feed ingredients at the least possible cost.”He encourages cattlemen to use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agmanager.info/k-state-feeder-cattle-risk-management-tool">feeder cattle risk management tool</a>&nbsp;available from the K-State Department of Agricultural Economics, which compares net selling prices under futures market hedging, buying put options and the USDA’s Livestock Risk Protection insurance plan.Jaymelynn Farney, a beef systems specialist at the Southeast Research-Extension Center in Parsons, noted that the slowdown in the supply chain has come at a time when one of producers’ preferred feed ingredients – dried distiller’s grains – is also limited due to COVID-19 and factors related to the availability of crude oil.“So right now, we’re trying to replace distiller’s grains with protein alternatives,” she said. “The best options depend on where you’re located in the state or country.”In the eastern part of the state, she said some of the commodities that can match or exceed distiller’s grains for the animal's protein needs include corn gluten meal, corn steep, soybean meal, whole soybeans or sunflower meal.“You always want to evaluate what commodities you have in your area, and the cost per pound, depending on what you’re wanting to use that commodity for – protein or energy,” she said.In western Kansas, Justin Waggoner, a beef systems specialist for the Southwest Research-Extension Center in Garden City, also has looked at alfalfa as an alternative protein source. “It’s a good forage,” he said, “but it’s still variable in quality.”Farney and Waggoner note that before deciding on the best protein source to substitute for distiller’s grains, producers should visit with their nutritionist.To view the full May 14 webinar with the members of K-State’s beef extension team, visit<a href="http://www.ksubeef.org/">KSUBeef.org</a>.

Beef bottleneck pushes producers into critical decisions

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials on Thursday released some of their long-delayed guidance that schools, businesses and other organizations can use as states reopen from coronavirus shutdowns.

<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html">Click here</a> to read the guidelines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted six one-page “decision tool” documents that use traffic signs and other graphics to tell organizations what they should consider before reopening.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html" target="_blank">tools</a>&nbsp;are for schools, workplaces, camps, childcare centers, mass transit systems, and bars and restaurants. The CDC originally also authored a document for churches and other religious facilities, but that wasn’t posted Thursday. The agency declined to say why.

Early versions of the documents included detailed information for churches wanting to restart in-person services, with suggestions including maintaining distance between parishioners and limiting the size of gatherings. The faith-related guidance was taken out after the White House raised concerns about the recommended restrictions, according to government emails obtained by The Associated Press and a person inside the agency who didn’t have permission to talk with reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity.

On Thursday, a Trump administration official also speaking on condition of anonymity said there were concerns about the propriety of the government making specific dictates to places of worship.

And Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services, said “protections against religious discrimination aren’t suspended during an emergency. This means the federal government cannot single out religious conduct as somehow being more dangerous or worthy of scrutiny than comparable secular behavior.”

President Donald Trump has championed religious freedom as a way to connect with conservative evangelical voters and has shown eagerness for in-person religious services to restart. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97d56433ec9ece3f8a74ec8ab2b32abf">consulted</a>&nbsp;interfaith leaders last month for suggestions on how to reopen and said on a recent Fox News town hall that “we have to get our people back to churches, and we’re going to start doing it soon.”

The CDC drafted the reopening guidance more than a month ago and it was initially shelved by the administration, the AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7a00d5fba3249e573d2ead4bd323a4d4">reported</a>&nbsp;last week.

The agency also had prepared even more extensive guidance — about 57 pages of it — that has not been posted.

That&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6889330-Guidance-for-Opening-Up-America-Again-Framework.html" target="_blank">longer document</a>, which the AP obtained, would give different organizations specifics about how to reopen while still limiting spread of the virus, including by spacing workers or students 6 feet apart and closing break rooms and cafeterias to limit gatherings. Many of the suggestions already appear on federal websites but they haven’t been presented as reopening advice.

Some health experts and politicians have been pushing for the CDC to release as much guidance as possible to help businesses and organizations decide how to proceed.

“They want to be able to tell their own employees the guidance of the federal government,” Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University, said at a congressional hearing Wednesday. “They want to be able to tell their customers, ‘We’ve done everything that’s been asked of us.’”

The guidance relates to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/" target="_blank">another document</a>&nbsp;released by the Trump administration on April 17. That phased-in reopening plan broadly outlines how to move away from stay-at-home orders, school closures and other measures designed to stop the spread of the new coronavirus that has caused more than 1.3 million reported U.S. illnesses and more than 80,000 deaths.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, on Wednesday offered a resolution — blocked by Republicans — to encourage release of all the documents.

“America needs and must have the candid guidance of our best scientists unfiltered, unedited, uncensored by president Trump or his political minions. The CDC report on reopening the country is an important piece of that guidance,” Schumer said.

The decision tools have been undergoing review by different federal officials, and they’ve been edited from earlier versions.

For example, an earlier draft of the one-page document on camps obtained by the AP asked organizers if their program would limit attendance to people who live nearby. If the answer was no, the camp was advised not to reopen. That local attendance limitation was dropped and was not in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/Camps-Decision-Tree.pdf" target="_blank">the version</a>&nbsp;posted Thursday.

And in that document and others, language has been dropped that asked if the organization is in a community that is still requiring significant disease mitigation. If the answer was yes, the organization was advised not to reopen.

Many of the changes provide more wiggle room than what was in the initial versions.

For example, in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/Childcare-Decision-Tree.pdf" target="_blank">document</a>&nbsp;for people who run child care centers, the older version obtained by the AP stated that CDC recommended “checking for signs and symptoms of children and staff.” The new guidelines add “as feasible” to the end.

Similar new language about feasibility appears in sections about promoting healthy hygiene such as hand washing and employees wearing cloth masks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589540522116.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials on Thursday released some of their long-delayed guidance that schools, businesses and other organizations can use as states reopen from coronavirus shutdowns.<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html">Click here</a> to read the guidelinesThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted six one-page “decision tool” documents that use traffic signs and other graphics to tell organizations what they should consider before reopening.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html" target="_blank">tools</a>&nbsp;are for schools, workplaces, camps, childcare centers, mass transit systems, and bars and restaurants. The CDC originally also authored a document for churches and other religious facilities, but that wasn’t posted Thursday. The agency declined to say why.Early versions of the documents included detailed information for churches wanting to restart in-person services, with suggestions including maintaining distance between parishioners and limiting the size of gatherings. The faith-related guidance was taken out after the White House raised concerns about the recommended restrictions, according to government emails obtained by The Associated Press and a person inside the agency who didn’t have permission to talk with reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity.On Thursday, a Trump administration official also speaking on condition of anonymity said there were concerns about the propriety of the government making specific dictates to places of worship.And Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services, said “protections against religious discrimination aren’t suspended during an emergency. This means the federal government cannot single out religious conduct as somehow being more dangerous or worthy of scrutiny than comparable secular behavior.”President Donald Trump has championed religious freedom as a way to connect with conservative evangelical voters and has shown eagerness for in-person religious services to restart. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/97d56433ec9ece3f8a74ec8ab2b32abf">consulted</a>&nbsp;interfaith leaders last month for suggestions on how to reopen and said on a recent Fox News town hall that “we have to get our people back to churches, and we’re going to start doing it soon.”The CDC drafted the reopening guidance more than a month ago and it was initially shelved by the administration, the AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7a00d5fba3249e573d2ead4bd323a4d4">reported</a>&nbsp;last week.The agency also had prepared even more extensive guidance — about 57 pages of it — that has not been posted.That&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6889330-Guidance-for-Opening-Up-America-Again-Framework.html" target="_blank">longer document</a>, which the AP obtained, would give different organizations specifics about how to reopen while still limiting spread of the virus, including by spacing workers or students 6 feet apart and closing break rooms and cafeterias to limit gatherings. Many of the suggestions already appear on federal websites but they haven’t been presented as reopening advice.Some health experts and politicians have been pushing for the CDC to release as much guidance as possible to help businesses and organizations decide how to proceed.“They want to be able to tell their own employees the guidance of the federal government,” Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University, said at a congressional hearing Wednesday. “They want to be able to tell their customers, ‘We’ve done everything that’s been asked of us.’”The guidance relates to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/" target="_blank">another document</a>&nbsp;released by the Trump administration on April 17. That phased-in reopening plan broadly outlines how to move away from stay-at-home orders, school closures and other measures designed to stop the spread of the new coronavirus that has caused more than 1.3 million reported U.S. illnesses and more than 80,000 deaths.U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, on Wednesday offered a resolution — blocked by Republicans — to encourage release of all the documents.“America needs and must have the candid guidance of our best scientists unfiltered, unedited, uncensored by president Trump or his political minions. The CDC report on reopening the country is an important piece of that guidance,” Schumer said.The decision tools have been undergoing review by different federal officials, and they’ve been edited from earlier versions.For example, an earlier draft of the one-page document on camps obtained by the AP asked organizers if their program would limit attendance to people who live nearby. If the answer was no, the camp was advised not to reopen. That local attendance limitation was dropped and was not in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/Camps-Decision-Tree.pdf" target="_blank">the version</a>&nbsp;posted Thursday.And in that document and others, language has been dropped that asked if the organization is in a community that is still requiring significant disease mitigation. If the answer was yes, the organization was advised not to reopen.Many of the changes provide more wiggle room than what was in the initial versions.For example, in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/Childcare-Decision-Tree.pdf" target="_blank">document</a>&nbsp;for people who run child care centers, the older version obtained by the AP stated that CDC recommended “checking for signs and symptoms of children and staff.” The new guidelines add “as feasible” to the end.Similar new language about feasibility appears in sections about promoting healthy hygiene such as hand washing and employees wearing cloth masks.___

U.S. officials release edited coronavirus reopening guidance

DENVER (AP) — Denver Mayor Michael Hancock says thousands of city employees, including himself, will be furloughed for eight days this year to help close what is expected to be a $226 million budget gap caused by the coronavirus. 

Denver has seen steep declines in sales, lodging and other taxes since the pandemic hit Colorado two months ago, and the state is still under a safer-at-home order that has placed restrictions on businesses. 

City leaders say the drop in tax revenue is affecting the fund that pays for police and fire services, as well as street maintenance. 

Several American cities, large and small, have already furloughed employees to save money in the face of dire economic forecasts.

DENVER (AP) — Denver Mayor Michael Hancock says thousands of city employees, including himself, will be furloughed for eight days this year to help close what is expected to be a $226 million budget gap caused by the coronavirus. Denver has seen steep declines in sales, lodging and other taxes since the pandemic hit Colorado two months ago, and the state is still under a safer-at-home order that has placed restrictions on businesses. City leaders say the drop in tax revenue is affecting the fund that pays for police and fire services, as well as street maintenance. Several American cities, large and small, have already furloughed employees to save money in the face of dire economic forecasts.

Denver to furlough thousands of workers amid coronavirus

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Rick Bright warned on Thursday that the U.S. lacks a plan to produce and fairly distribute a coronavirus vaccine when it becomes available. The nation could face “the darkest winter in modern history” unless leaders act decisively, he told a congressional panel.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?471986-1/vaccine-official-dr-rick-bright-testifies-coronavirus-pandemic-response">&nbsp;Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;a replay of this testimony

Bright alleges he was ousted from a high-level scientific post after warning the Trump administration to prepare for the pandemic.

Bright said, “We don’t have (a vaccine plan) yet, and it is a significant concern.” Asked if lawmakers should be worried, he responded, “absolutely.”

Bright, a vaccine expert who led a biodefense agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, said the country needs a plan to establish a supply chain for producing tens of millions of doses of a vaccine, and then allocating and distributing them fairly. He said experience so far with an antiviral drug that has been found to benefit COVID-19 patients has not given him much confidence about distribution. Hospital pharmacies have reported problems getting limited supplies.

The White House has begun what it calls “Operation Warp Speed” to quickly produce, distribute and administer a vaccine once it becomes available.

Appearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Bright said one of his lowest moments came when his repeated efforts to jump-start U.S. production of respirator masks went nowhere.

Bright recalled getting emails in late January from Mike Bowen, an executive at a medical supply company called Prestige Ameritech, indicating that our N95 mask supply was “completely decimated.”

“And he said, ‘We’re in deep shit. The world is. And we need to act,’” Bright said. “And I pushed that forward to the highest levels I could in HHS and got no response. From that moment I knew that we were going to have a crisis for our health care workers because we were not taking action. We were already behind the ball.”

Republican lawmakers on the panel for the most part were careful not to attack Bright directly. But Rep. Markwayne Mullins, R-Okla., slammed Bright for continuing to collect his $285,000 salary while first on sick leave for a spike in blood pressure, and now on vacation as he tries to straighten out his work situation.

“You’re too sick to go into work, but you’re well enough to come here while getting paid,” said Mullin. “I have a hard time understanding that.”

A federal watchdog agency has found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/cf330095df7c03adcfb326fb90d48d24">“reasonable grounds”</a>&nbsp;that Bright was removed from his post as head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority after sounding the alarm at the Department of Health and Human Services.

“Our window of opportunity is closing,” Bright said in his prepared testimony. “If we fail to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities.”

Bright’s testimony follows this week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">warning by Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>, the government’s top infectious disease expert, that a rushed lifting of store-closing and stay-at-home restrictions could “turn back the clock,” seeding more suffering and death and complicating efforts to get the economy rolling again.

President Donald Trump on Thursday dismissed Bright in a tweet as “a disgruntled employee, not liked or respected by people I spoke to and who, with his attitude, should no longer be working for our government!” It’s a sentiment some of the president’s political allies have expressed about Fauci as well.

More than 84,000 people have died in the U.S., representing more than one-fourth of global deaths and the world’s highest toll, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html">figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University</a>. On the planet more than 4.3 million have been infected and about 298,000 have died.

Eager to restart the U.S. economy, Trump has been urging states to lift restrictions, and many governors are doing so gradually, though consumers remain leery of going back to restaurants, social events and sporting competitions.

In his prepared testimony, Bright said, “The undeniable fact is there will be a resurgence of (COVID-19) this fall, greatly compounding the challenges of seasonal influenza and putting an unprecedented strain on our health care system.”

“Without clear planning and implementation of the steps that I and other experts have outlined, 2020 will be darkest winter in modern history,” Bright wrote.

Bright, who has a doctoral degree in immunology, outlined a path forward that would be based on science, even as researchers work to develop better treatments and an effective vaccine. The steps include:

— Establishing a national testing strategy. The White House has urged states to take the lead on testing, even as the federal government pushes to make more tests and better ones widely available. Trump says the U.S. has “prevailed” on testing through this strategy, but in Congress Democrats are demanding a federal framework to encompass the whole nation.

— Doubling down on educating the public about basic safety measures such as frequent hand-washing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/86d5776eb83a8921c6e80100fdc223eb">wearing masks in public places</a>&nbsp;as guidelines indicate. “Frankly, our leaders must lead by modeling the behavior,” said Bright, in a not-too-subtle reference to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/227fa2d005b3923157b9eb736c12e6c5">a president who conspicuously goes maskless</a>.

— Ramping up production of essential equipment and supplies, from cotton swabs for testing to protective gear for health care workers and essential workers.

As part of his whistleblower complaint, Bright is seeking to be reinstated in his old job. HHS, his employer, says it strongly disagrees with his allegations and that it reassigned him to a high-profile position helping to lead the development of new coronavirus tests at the National Institutes of Health.

— Setting up a system to fairly distribute equipment and supplies that are scarce and highly sought. Eliminating state vs. state competition would increase efficiency and reduce costs, he wrote.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. immunologist who says he lost his government job because he warned the Trump administration to prepare for the coronavirus pandemic isn't backing off his bleak forecast.&nbsp;

Dr. Rick Bright is preparing to tell Congress that America faces the “darkest winter in modern history" unless its leaders act decisively to prevent a rebound of the coronavirus.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?471986-1/dr-rick-bright-testifies-coronavirus-pandemic-response">Click here </a>to watch his testimony 9:05 a.m. CDT

Bright appears Thursday before the the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In prepared testimony, Bright says failing to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, could mean the pandemic will get far worse and cause unprecedented illness and fatalities.

Read his prepared testimony below:

Good morning Chairwoman, Eshoo, Ranking Member Burgess and distinguished

Members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for inviting me to testify today.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589465159544.png" alt="R<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?rickbright">ick Bright</a>, the recent director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) testifies Thursday morning before members of&nbsp; congress who were practicing social distancing-Image courtesy House Energy and Commerce subcommittee." />
 <figcaption>R<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?rickbright">ick Bright</a>, the recent director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) testifies Thursday morning before members of&nbsp; congress who were practicing social distancing-Image courtesy House Energy and Commerce subcommittee.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Rick Bright warned on Thursday that the U.S. lacks a plan to produce and fairly distribute a coronavirus vaccine when it becomes available. The nation could face “the darkest winter in modern history” unless leaders act decisively, he told a congressional panel.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?471986-1/vaccine-official-dr-rick-bright-testifies-coronavirus-pandemic-response">&nbsp;Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;a replay of this testimonyBright alleges he was ousted from a high-level scientific post after warning the Trump administration to prepare for the pandemic.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589465492376.png" alt="Dr. Bright prior to his testimony Thursday morning in the Rayburn House Office Building" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Bright prior to his testimony Thursday morning in the Rayburn House Office Building</figcaption>
 </figure>Bright said, “We don’t have (a vaccine plan) yet, and it is a significant concern.” Asked if lawmakers should be worried, he responded, “absolutely.”Bright, a vaccine expert who led a biodefense agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, said the country needs a plan to establish a supply chain for producing tens of millions of doses of a vaccine, and then allocating and distributing them fairly. He said experience so far with an antiviral drug that has been found to benefit COVID-19 patients has not given him much confidence about distribution. Hospital pharmacies have reported problems getting limited supplies.The White House has begun what it calls “Operation Warp Speed” to quickly produce, distribute and administer a vaccine once it becomes available.Appearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Bright said one of his lowest moments came when his repeated efforts to jump-start U.S. production of respirator masks went nowhere.Bright recalled getting emails in late January from Mike Bowen, an executive at a medical supply company called Prestige Ameritech, indicating that our N95 mask supply was “completely decimated.”“And he said, ‘We’re in deep shit. The world is. And we need to act,’” Bright said. “And I pushed that forward to the highest levels I could in HHS and got no response. From that moment I knew that we were going to have a crisis for our health care workers because we were not taking action. We were already behind the ball.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589484712953.png" alt="Members of the&nbsp;House Energy and Commerce subcommittee during Dr. Bright's testimony -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Members of the&nbsp;House Energy and Commerce subcommittee during Dr. Bright's testimony -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Republican lawmakers on the panel for the most part were careful not to attack Bright directly. But Rep. Markwayne Mullins, R-Okla., slammed Bright for continuing to collect his $285,000 salary while first on sick leave for a spike in blood pressure, and now on vacation as he tries to straighten out his work situation.“You’re too sick to go into work, but you’re well enough to come here while getting paid,” said Mullin. “I have a hard time understanding that.”A federal watchdog agency has found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/cf330095df7c03adcfb326fb90d48d24">“reasonable grounds”</a>&nbsp;that Bright was removed from his post as head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority after sounding the alarm at the Department of Health and Human Services.“Our window of opportunity is closing,” Bright said in his prepared testimony. “If we fail to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities.”Bright’s testimony follows this week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e64f20bbacb7d48d15e1d76339220486">warning by Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>, the government’s top infectious disease expert, that a rushed lifting of store-closing and stay-at-home restrictions could “turn back the clock,” seeding more suffering and death and complicating efforts to get the economy rolling again.President Donald Trump on Thursday dismissed Bright in a tweet as “a disgruntled employee, not liked or respected by people I spoke to and who, with his attitude, should no longer be working for our government!” It’s a sentiment some of the president’s political allies have expressed about Fauci as well.More than 84,000 people have died in the U.S., representing more than one-fourth of global deaths and the world’s highest toll, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html">figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University</a>. On the planet more than 4.3 million have been infected and about 298,000 have died.Eager to restart the U.S. economy, Trump has been urging states to lift restrictions, and many governors are doing so gradually, though consumers remain leery of going back to restaurants, social events and sporting competitions.In his prepared testimony, Bright said, “The undeniable fact is there will be a resurgence of (COVID-19) this fall, greatly compounding the challenges of seasonal influenza and putting an unprecedented strain on our health care system.”“Without clear planning and implementation of the steps that I and other experts have outlined, 2020 will be darkest winter in modern history,” Bright wrote.Bright, who has a doctoral degree in immunology, outlined a path forward that would be based on science, even as researchers work to develop better treatments and an effective vaccine. The steps include:— Establishing a national testing strategy. The White House has urged states to take the lead on testing, even as the federal government pushes to make more tests and better ones widely available. Trump says the U.S. has “prevailed” on testing through this strategy, but in Congress Democrats are demanding a federal framework to encompass the whole nation.— Doubling down on educating the public about basic safety measures such as frequent hand-washing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/86d5776eb83a8921c6e80100fdc223eb">wearing masks in public places</a>&nbsp;as guidelines indicate. “Frankly, our leaders must lead by modeling the behavior,” said Bright, in a not-too-subtle reference to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/227fa2d005b3923157b9eb736c12e6c5">a president who conspicuously goes maskless</a>.— Ramping up production of essential equipment and supplies, from cotton swabs for testing to protective gear for health care workers and essential workers.As part of his whistleblower complaint, Bright is seeking to be reinstated in his old job. HHS, his employer, says it strongly disagrees with his allegations and that it reassigned him to a high-profile position helping to lead the development of new coronavirus tests at the National Institutes of Health.— Setting up a system to fairly distribute equipment and supplies that are scarce and highly sought. Eliminating state vs. state competition would increase efficiency and reduce costs, he wrote.-------WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. immunologist who says he lost his government job because he warned the Trump administration to prepare for the coronavirus pandemic isn't backing off his bleak forecast.&nbsp;Dr. Rick Bright is preparing to tell Congress that America faces the “darkest winter in modern history" unless its leaders act decisively to prevent a rebound of the coronavirus.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?471986-1/dr-rick-bright-testifies-coronavirus-pandemic-response">Click here </a>to watch his testimony 9:05 a.m. CDTBright appears Thursday before the the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In prepared testimony, Bright says failing to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, could mean the pandemic will get far worse and cause unprecedented illness and fatalities.Read his prepared testimony below:Good morning Chairwoman, Eshoo, Ranking Member Burgess and distinguishedMembers of the Subcommittee. Thank you for inviting me to testify today.I am Dr. Rick Bright, a career public servant and a scientist who has spent 25 years of my career focused on addressing pandemic outbreaks. I received my bachelor’s degree with honors in both biology and physical sciences from Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama. I earned my PhD in Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis from Emory University in GeorgiaMy dissertation was focused on pandemic avian influenza. I have spent my entire career leading teams of scientists in drugs, diagnostics and vaccine development -- in the government with CDC and BARDA, for a global non-profit organization and also in the biotechnology industry.Regardless of my position, my job and my entire professional focus has been on saving lives. My professional background has prepared me for a moment like this – to confront and defeat a deadly virus like COVID-19 that threatens Americans and people around the globe.I joined the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) in 2010 and from November of 2016 until April 21 of this year, I had the privilege of serving our country as its Director. During the time I was Director of BARDA we successfully partnered with private industry to achieve an unprecedented number of FDA approvals for medical countermeasures against a wide variety of national health security threats. This was a major and unprecedented accomplishment and one that I and the conscientious employees of BARDA take great pride in.On April 21, 2020, I was removed from my positions as the Director of BARDA and HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response by HHS leadership and involuntarily transferred to a more limited and less impactful position at the National Institutes of Health. I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest funding allocated to BARDA by Congress to address the COVID-19 pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions, and not in drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit. While my intention in testifying today is to be forward looking, I spoke out then and I am testifying today because science – not politics or cronyism – must lead the way to combat this deadly virus.The world is confronting a great public health emergency which has the potential to eclipse the devastation wrought by the 1918 influenza which globally claimed over 50 million lives. We face a highly-transmissible and deadly virus which not only claims lives but is also disrupting the very foundations of our societies. The American health-care system is being taxed to the limit, our economy is spiraling downward -- leading to mass unemployment -- and our population is being paralyzed by fear stemming from the lack of a coordinated response and a dearth of accurate, clear communication about the path forward. Americans yearn to get back to work, to open their businesses and provide for their families. I get that. We need a national coordinated strategy to look at all of these pieces and to ensure that they fit well together. To conceive and implement this strategy, our government must draw on the guidance of the best scientific minds.In my position as BARDA Director, I led portions of a coordinated response; development of vaccines, drugs and diagnostics. In January of this year, I pushed for our government to obtain virus samples from China and to secure more funding for BARDA to be able to get started quickly on the development of critical medical countermeasures. HHS leadership was dismissive about my dire predictions about what I assumed would be a broader outbreak and the pressing need to act, and were therefore unwilling to act with the urgency that the situation required. Understanding that the United States had a critical shortage of necessary supplies and PPE to deal with a pandemic, in January, February and March, 2020, I pushed HHS to ramp up US production of masks, respirators and other critical supplies, such as medicine, syringes and swabs. Again, my urgency was dismissed and I was cut out of key high-level meetings to combat COVID-19. When I was nevertheless able to convey these urgent concerns by speaking directly with a senior White House advisor and with members of Congress who better understood the urgency to act, I faced hostility and marginalization from HHS officials. And finally, when I resisted efforts to promote and enable broad access to an unproven drug, chloroquine, to the American people without transparent information on the potential health risks, I was removed from BARDA.While I am unfortunately no longer leading BARDA, I am an expert in these areas and fully understand the grave risks we are facing. I continue to believe that we must act urgently to effectively combat this deadly disease. Our window of opportunity is closing. If we fail to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities. While it is terrifying to acknowledge the extent of the challenge that we currently confront, the undeniable fact is there will be a resurgence of the COVID19 this fall, greatly compounding the challenges of seasonal influenza and putting an unprecedented strain on our health care system. Without clear planning and implementation of the steps that I and other experts have outlined, 2020 will be darkest winter in modern history.First and foremost, we need to be truthful with the American people. They want the truth. They can handle the truth. Truth, no matter how unpleasant, decreases the fear generated by uncertainty. The truth must be based on scientific evidence – and not filtered for political reasons. We must know and appreciate what we are up against. We have the world’s greatest scientists –they must be permitted to lead. Let them speak truthfully without fear of retribution. We must listen so that the government can then take the most powerful steps to save lives.Most Americans want the same thing – a return to normal. The normal of 2019 is not going to return, but we all have an opportunity to shape the new normal of 2020 and beyond. With the participation and cooperation of every American, this can be achieved. We have a long history of uniting in response to adversity. Each of us can and must do our part now. However, it is critical to get this right. As my colleague Dr. Anthony Fauci testified on May 12, 2020, we must not rush blindly, or act too quickly, in returning to our daily lives. If we ignore the science, we stand a dramatically increased risk of worsening the spread of the virus in the coming months. This could lead to more widespread outbreaks and to many more lives lost throughout the remainder of this year.To do our part, we need to hear one message in a voice that is clear, consistent, trustworthy, and backed by the best science available. In previous outbreaks, Americans listened to our public health experts at the CDC. They were the daily face and the voice guiding Americans during prior outbreaks including Ebola, Zika, and the H1N1 influenza pandemic. As an example, in 2009, the CDC, along with Elmo, taught Americans how to sneeze in a way that minimizes risk of contagion.Today, we need clear and simple messages to teach us how wear a face cover, when and how to safely go outside or back to work or back to school. It’s that simple.While waiting for a cure (which, I believe, will come, there is much we MUST do. With clear leadership, honest communication, and data-driven solutions. We must:• Increase public education regarding the basics -- handwashing, social distancing, appropriate face covering, self- and dependent monitoring, and frankly, our leaders must lead by modeling the behavior.o These simple measures reduce the number of people exposed and can buy us valuable time.• Ramp up production of essential equipment and supplies, including raw materials and critical components.o Shortages of critical supplies and protective gear increase the risk to our frontline healthcare workers; they deserve the necessary equipment to protect themselves while treating their patients. First responders must also be given protective equipment. And we now see a courageous segment of our workforce – essential workers who keep food on our tables and keep our society running. They too deserve our appreciation and support.• Facilitate equitable distribution of essential equipment and supplies – eliminate the state vs. state competition. Establishing a national standard of procurement and distribution increases efficiency and reduces costs.• Finally, we need a national testing strategy. The virus is out there, it’s everywhere. We need to be able to find it, to isolate it and to stop it from infecting more people. We need tests that are accurate, rapid, easy to use, low cost, and available to everyone who needs them. We need be able to trust the results so that we can trace contacts, isolate and quarantine appropriately while striving to develop a cure.As I reflect on the past few months of this outbreak, it is painfully clear that we were not as prepared as we should have been. We missed early warning signals and we forgot important pages from our pandemic playbook. There will be plenty of time to identify gaps for improvement. For now, we need to focus on getting things right going forward. We need to ensure that we have a plan to recovery and that everyone knows the plan and everyone participates in the plan. Congress has taken important steps to support the response; and we have more to do. We need your help to get us through the crisis.We Americans, working cooperatively with our global friends, can and will succeed in finding a cure for COVID19, but that success depends on what we do today. We must unite and use all available tools and measures we have to stem the damage this virus has wrought.We will either be remembered for what we did or for what we failed to do to address this crisis.I call on all of us to act – to ensure the health, safety, and prosperity of all Americans. You can count on me to continue to do my part.