NEW YORK (AP) — The second round of loan applications for the government’s small business relief program has been slowed by computer issues at the Small Business Administration.

Lenders complained Monday that they couldn’t get their applications into the SBA system known as ETran that processes and approves loans. The agency said it notified lenders Sunday that it was limiting the number of applications any lender could submit at once.

The SBA began accepting applications at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time for $310 billion in funding. The program’s initial $349 billion was exhausted in less than two weeks after more than 1.7 million loans were approved. That first round was also slowed by computer issues at the SBA,

Banks had thousands of applications ready to go Monday. Richard Hunt, president of the trade group Consumer Bankers Association, said the SBA’s announcement on application limits was too last-minute — bankers had already sent large batches of applications to the agency, not knowing that a new procedure was being planned.

“We learned at the 11th hour that SBA had changed its process. They could have told us well ahead of time,” Hunt said. He said the agency’s computers weren’t able to accept even the reduced number of applications per hour that it had planned.

The ETran system normally handles under 60,000 applications in a year and wasn’t built to handle the volume of applications it has been receiving this month.

The fresh round of funding was expected to go quickly because banks already had thousands of applications in hand and were accepting more as they waited for Congress to approve the additional money. If the new funds do get depleted, it’s feared that many companies will be shut out unless lawmakers are willing to approve a third round.

The loans offer forgiveness for the money owners spend on workers’ pay. Millions of workers lost their jobs as companies such as restaurants, retailers, gyms and entertainment venues were forced to close to curb the spread of the virus.

On Monday, bankers around the country were having trouble getting into the SBA’s system, said Paul Merski, a vice president at the Independent Community Bankers of America.

“Some have been trying all day since it opened,” Merski said. “It’s not different from what happened in the original launch.”

President Donald Trump was asked about the computer issues during a White House news conference.

“I heard there was a glitch. We’ll find out whether or not that’s so. Certainly it did work out very well for the original amount of money. This is the second amount,” Trump said. “We’re relying on the banks to go out and do an accurate job.”

Carol Wilkerson, a spokeswoman for the SBA, said that the agency had created a mechanism that slowed the pace of applications from any one lender at a time.

“If a lender goes above the pacing limit they will get timed out,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588075781384.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The second round of loan applications for the government’s small business relief program has been slowed by computer issues at the Small Business Administration.Lenders complained Monday that they couldn’t get their applications into the SBA system known as ETran that processes and approves loans. The agency said it notified lenders Sunday that it was limiting the number of applications any lender could submit at once.The SBA began accepting applications at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time for $310 billion in funding. The program’s initial $349 billion was exhausted in less than two weeks after more than 1.7 million loans were approved. That first round was also slowed by computer issues at the SBA,Banks had thousands of applications ready to go Monday. Richard Hunt, president of the trade group Consumer Bankers Association, said the SBA’s announcement on application limits was too last-minute — bankers had already sent large batches of applications to the agency, not knowing that a new procedure was being planned.“We learned at the 11th hour that SBA had changed its process. They could have told us well ahead of time,” Hunt said. He said the agency’s computers weren’t able to accept even the reduced number of applications per hour that it had planned.The ETran system normally handles under 60,000 applications in a year and wasn’t built to handle the volume of applications it has been receiving this month.The fresh round of funding was expected to go quickly because banks already had thousands of applications in hand and were accepting more as they waited for Congress to approve the additional money. If the new funds do get depleted, it’s feared that many companies will be shut out unless lawmakers are willing to approve a third round.The loans offer forgiveness for the money owners spend on workers’ pay. Millions of workers lost their jobs as companies such as restaurants, retailers, gyms and entertainment venues were forced to close to curb the spread of the virus.On Monday, bankers around the country were having trouble getting into the SBA’s system, said Paul Merski, a vice president at the Independent Community Bankers of America.“Some have been trying all day since it opened,” Merski said. “It’s not different from what happened in the original launch.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025358752.png" alt="President Trump during Monday's opening moments of the Coronavirus Task Force briefing" />
 <figcaption>President Trump during Monday's opening moments of the Coronavirus Task Force briefing</figcaption>
 </figure>President Donald Trump was asked about the computer issues during a White House news conference.“I heard there was a glitch. We’ll find out whether or not that’s so. Certainly it did work out very well for the original amount of money. This is the second amount,” Trump said. “We’re relying on the banks to go out and do an accurate job.”Carol Wilkerson, a spokeswoman for the SBA, said that the agency had created a mechanism that slowed the pace of applications from any one lender at a time.“If a lender goes above the pacing limit they will get timed out,” she said._____

Small business virus loan program restarts, runs into snags

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House released new guidelines Monday aimed at answering criticism that America’s coronavirus testing has been too slow, and President Donald Trump tried to pivot toward a focus on “reopening” the nation.

The new testing targets would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6% of their populations each month — a figure already met by a majority of states. Areas that have been harder hit by the virus would be able to test at double that rate, or higher, the White House said.

The testing issue has bedeviled the administration for months. Trump told reporters on March 6 during a visit to the CDC in Atlanta that “anybody that wants a test can get a test,” but the reality has proved to be vastly different.

The initial COVID-19 test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was contaminated, and early kits operated only on platforms able to perform a small number of tests per day. While the rate of testing increased as tests developed for higher-capacity platforms, they were still limited by shortages of supplies, from nasal swabs to the reagents used to process the samples.

Administration officials maintained Monday that the limiting factor now is actually the availability of samples from people who have been tested — either because guidelines on who could be tested are too stringent or because there are not enough health workers able to take nasal swab samples from them.

The CDC moved to address one of those concerns Monday, expanding the list of people to be prioritized for virus testing to include those who show no symptoms but are in high-risk settings like nursing homes. And Trump met with leaders of businesses including CVS, Walmart and Kroger, who said they were working to expand access to tests across the country.

“Testing is not going to be a problem at all,” Trump said later in the Rose Garden.

However, many of the administration’s past pledges and goals on testing have not been met.

Jeremy Konyndyk, a disaster preparedness expert who helped lead the Obama administration response to Ebola, said the administration’s testing plans are well short of what is needed.

Researchers at Harvard have estimated the country needs to be testing a minimum of 500,000 people per day, and possibly many more. Konyndyk said the aim should be 2 million to 3 million per day. Trump said the current total, up sharply in recent days, is over 200,000 per day.

Konyndyk said: “Over the past month, we’ve doubled or if you want to be really generous tripled the testing capacity in this country. We need to take where we are now and expand it tenfold.”

The testing blueprint for states provides details missing from the administration’s guidelines for them to return to normal operations, which were released more than a week ago. It includes a focus on surveillance testing as well as “rapid response” programs to isolate those who test positive and identify those with whom they had come in contact. The administration aims to have the market “flooded” with tests for the fall, when COVID-19 is expected to recur alongside the seasonal flu.

Trump and administration medical experts outlined the plan on a call with governors Monday afternoon, before unveiling them publicly in a Rose Garden press conference.

The White House announcements came as Trump sought to regain his footing after weeks of criticism and detours created in part by his press briefings.

Days after he set off a firestorm by publicly musing that scientists should explore the injection of toxic disinfectants as a potential virus cure, Trump said he found little use for his daily task force briefings, where he has time and again clashed with medical experts and reporters. Trump’s aides had been trying to move the president onto more familiar and, they hope, safer, ground: talking up the economy in more tightly controlled settings.

Republican Party polling shows Trump’s path to a second term depends on the public’s perception of how quickly the economy rebounds from the state-by-state shutdowns meant to slow the spread of the virus.

On Monday, the White House initially announced there would be a Trump briefing, but canceled it as Trump’s greatest asset in the reelection campaign — his ability to dominate headlines with freewheeling performances — was increasingly seen as a liability.

But hours later, it became clear Trump had other ideas. He held court in the Rose Garden for a bit less than an hour.

Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said briefings would be held later in the week but “they might have a new look to them, a new focus to them.”

Trump said he hoped that virus deaths would end up no more than 60,000 to 70,000, slightly revising upward his public estimate of recent days as the U.S. toll neared 56,000 on nearly 1 million cases. Still, he claimed a victory given dire, tenfold-higher predictions if the U.S. hadn’t adopted restrictive social distancing measures.

On his conference call with governors, Trump suggested that many states should consider reopening schools before the end of the academic year, easing the way for parents to go back to work.

“Some of you might start thinking about school openings because a lot of people are wanting to have the school openings,” Trump told the governors. The Associated Press obtained an audio recording of the call.

Meanwhile, the CDC was beginning to release more detailed guidelines on reopening schools, restaurants and other establishments. Draft guidelines sent by the CDC to Washington include a long list of recommendations for organizations as they begin to reopen, such as closing break rooms at offices, spacing desks six feet apart at schools and using disposable plates and menus at restaurants. The draft guidance was obtained by The Associated Press from a federal official who was not authorized to release it.

<a href="https://apnews.com/fbc35dc7c386447347d7254597b95b3b">Some states</a>&nbsp;have started to ease closure orders, and Trump is expected to spend coming days highlighting his administration’s efforts to help businesses and employees. Aides said the president would hold more frequent roundtables with CEOs, business owners and beneficiaries of the trillions of dollars in federal aid already approved by Congress, and begin to outline what he hopes to see in an additional recovery package.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c52eb7fc343906ac2dbb9c60b3cf423e">last left the White House complex</a>&nbsp;a month ago, and plans are being drawn up for a limited schedule of travel within the next few weeks, aides said. It would be a symbolic show that the nation is beginning to reopen.

The shift toward the economy comes in conjunction with what the White House sees as encouraging signs across the country, with the pace of new infections stabilizing and deaths declining.

Still, medical experts warn that the virus will continue to haunt the country at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b89077d3a652cc564a5b01083de8dbce">until a vaccine</a>&nbsp;is developed. And they say the risk of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c5cbe2bb3160af9054a1ea5249fff091">severe second wave&nbsp;</a>is high if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fa1fda126fe191425abc20ab461dfbe7">social distancing</a>&nbsp;measures are relaxed too quickly or if testing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/588a99e650336bd3e2dda838e0725a67">contact tracing</a>&nbsp;schemes aren’t developed before people return to normal behaviors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025544339.png" alt="Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D.,&nbsp;Assistant Secretary for Health during Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing" />
 <figcaption>Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D.,&nbsp;Assistant Secretary for Health during Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House released new guidelines Monday aimed at answering criticism that America’s coronavirus testing has been too slow, and President Donald Trump tried to pivot toward a focus on “reopening” the nation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025311828.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The new testing targets would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6% of their populations each month — a figure already met by a majority of states. Areas that have been harder hit by the virus would be able to test at double that rate, or higher, the White House said.The testing issue has bedeviled the administration for months. Trump told reporters on March 6 during a visit to the CDC in Atlanta that “anybody that wants a test can get a test,” but the reality has proved to be vastly different.The initial COVID-19 test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was contaminated, and early kits operated only on platforms able to perform a small number of tests per day. While the rate of testing increased as tests developed for higher-capacity platforms, they were still limited by shortages of supplies, from nasal swabs to the reagents used to process the samples.Administration officials maintained Monday that the limiting factor now is actually the availability of samples from people who have been tested — either because guidelines on who could be tested are too stringent or because there are not enough health workers able to take nasal swab samples from them.The CDC moved to address one of those concerns Monday, expanding the list of people to be prioritized for virus testing to include those who show no symptoms but are in high-risk settings like nursing homes. And Trump met with leaders of businesses including CVS, Walmart and Kroger, who said they were working to expand access to tests across the country.“Testing is not going to be a problem at all,” Trump said later in the Rose Garden.However, many of the administration’s past pledges and goals on testing have not been met.Jeremy Konyndyk, a disaster preparedness expert who helped lead the Obama administration response to Ebola, said the administration’s testing plans are well short of what is needed.Researchers at Harvard have estimated the country needs to be testing a minimum of 500,000 people per day, and possibly many more. Konyndyk said the aim should be 2 million to 3 million per day. Trump said the current total, up sharply in recent days, is over 200,000 per day.Konyndyk said: “Over the past month, we’ve doubled or if you want to be really generous tripled the testing capacity in this country. We need to take where we are now and expand it tenfold.”The testing blueprint for states provides details missing from the administration’s guidelines for them to return to normal operations, which were released more than a week ago. It includes a focus on surveillance testing as well as “rapid response” programs to isolate those who test positive and identify those with whom they had come in contact. The administration aims to have the market “flooded” with tests for the fall, when COVID-19 is expected to recur alongside the seasonal flu.Trump and administration medical experts outlined the plan on a call with governors Monday afternoon, before unveiling them publicly in a Rose Garden press conference.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025311828.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The White House announcements came as Trump sought to regain his footing after weeks of criticism and detours created in part by his press briefings.Days after he set off a firestorm by publicly musing that scientists should explore the injection of toxic disinfectants as a potential virus cure, Trump said he found little use for his daily task force briefings, where he has time and again clashed with medical experts and reporters. Trump’s aides had been trying to move the president onto more familiar and, they hope, safer, ground: talking up the economy in more tightly controlled settings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025386191.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Republican Party polling shows Trump’s path to a second term depends on the public’s perception of how quickly the economy rebounds from the state-by-state shutdowns meant to slow the spread of the virus.On Monday, the White House initially announced there would be a Trump briefing, but canceled it as Trump’s greatest asset in the reelection campaign — his ability to dominate headlines with freewheeling performances — was increasingly seen as a liability.But hours later, it became clear Trump had other ideas. He held court in the Rose Garden for a bit less than an hour.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588069680758.png" alt="President Trump makes his way to the microphone to open Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump makes his way to the microphone to open Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said briefings would be held later in the week but “they might have a new look to them, a new focus to them.”Trump said he hoped that virus deaths would end up no more than 60,000 to 70,000, slightly revising upward his public estimate of recent days as the U.S. toll neared 56,000 on nearly 1 million cases. Still, he claimed a victory given dire, tenfold-higher predictions if the U.S. hadn’t adopted restrictive social distancing measures.On his conference call with governors, Trump suggested that many states should consider reopening schools before the end of the academic year, easing the way for parents to go back to work.“Some of you might start thinking about school openings because a lot of people are wanting to have the school openings,” Trump told the governors. The Associated Press obtained an audio recording of the call.Meanwhile, the CDC was beginning to release more detailed guidelines on reopening schools, restaurants and other establishments. Draft guidelines sent by the CDC to Washington include a long list of recommendations for organizations as they begin to reopen, such as closing break rooms at offices, spacing desks six feet apart at schools and using disposable plates and menus at restaurants. The draft guidance was obtained by The Associated Press from a federal official who was not authorized to release it.<a href="https://apnews.com/fbc35dc7c386447347d7254597b95b3b">Some states</a>&nbsp;have started to ease closure orders, and Trump is expected to spend coming days highlighting his administration’s efforts to help businesses and employees. Aides said the president would hold more frequent roundtables with CEOs, business owners and beneficiaries of the trillions of dollars in federal aid already approved by Congress, and begin to outline what he hopes to see in an additional recovery package.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c52eb7fc343906ac2dbb9c60b3cf423e">last left the White House complex</a>&nbsp;a month ago, and plans are being drawn up for a limited schedule of travel within the next few weeks, aides said. It would be a symbolic show that the nation is beginning to reopen.The shift toward the economy comes in conjunction with what the White House sees as encouraging signs across the country, with the pace of new infections stabilizing and deaths declining.Still, medical experts warn that the virus will continue to haunt the country at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b89077d3a652cc564a5b01083de8dbce">until a vaccine</a>&nbsp;is developed. And they say the risk of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c5cbe2bb3160af9054a1ea5249fff091">severe second wave&nbsp;</a>is high if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fa1fda126fe191425abc20ab461dfbe7">social distancing</a>&nbsp;measures are relaxed too quickly or if testing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/588a99e650336bd3e2dda838e0725a67">contact tracing</a>&nbsp;schemes aren’t developed before people return to normal behaviors.___

White House releases new coronavirus testing guidelines

BATES COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 7a.m. Monday in Bates County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1992 Chevy 3500 driven by Alvin J. Briscoe, 70, Rich Hill, was northbound on Route U just north of SW Country Road 4508.

The vehicle crossed the center of the road, traveled off the road and through a fence.

Briscoe was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the Bates County Coroner. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

BATES COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 7a.m. Monday in Bates County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1992 Chevy 3500 driven by Alvin J. Briscoe, 70, Rich Hill, was northbound on Route U just north of SW Country Road 4508.The vehicle crossed the center of the road, traveled off the road and through a fence.Briscoe was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the Bates County Coroner. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man dies after pickup travels off road, through fence

Central District Health Department reports that as of today, April 27, 2020, the number of positive COVID-19 cases confirmed by a laboratory is 954, and there are 25 deaths. There are 8 cases in Merrick County, 47 cases in Hamilton County and 899 in Hall County.

The Department of Health of the Central District reports that today April 27, 2020, the number of positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed by a laboratory is 954, and there are 25 deaths. There are 8 cases in Merrick County, 47 cases in Hamilton County, and 899 in Hall County.

News Release CDHDCentral District Health Department reports that as of today, April 27, 2020, the number of positive COVID-19 cases confirmed by a laboratory is 954, and there are 25 deaths. There are 8 cases in Merrick County, 47 cases in Hamilton County and 899 in Hall County.The Department of Health of the Central District reports that today April 27, 2020, the number of positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed by a laboratory is 954, and there are 25 deaths. There are 8 cases in Merrick County, 47 cases in Hamilton County, and 899 in Hall County.

Cases of COVID-19 climb to 899 in Hall County

By GREG DOERING <a href="https://kansaslivingmagazine.com/articles/2020/04/27/kansas-couple%E2%80%99s-single-n-95-mask-a-%E2%80%98snapshot-of-humanity%E2%80%99">Kansas Living Magazine</a>

The smallest things have the biggest impact precisely because they are beautiful, selfless, giving.

For all he’s seen over the past few weeks, the donation of a single 
N-95 mask could have easily been overlooked by New York Gov. Andrew 
Cuomo.

Accompanying the mask was a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z74hwIRPp7E&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;t=173" target="_blank">letter</a> from Dennis and Sharon Ruhnke. Cuomo read the letter in its entirety during a press conference on April 24.

“I am a retired farmer hunkered down in N.E. Kansas with my wife who 
has but one lung and occasional problems with her remaining lung,” the 
hand-written letter from Dennis reads. “We are in our 70s now and 
frankly I am afraid for her.”

Dennis went on to say he found five masks left over from his farming 
days. Sharon says he used them when cleaning out grain bins that held 
the corn and soybeans he grew. He kept four for his family, but the 
fifth one went to the governor to give to a doctor or a nurse in New 
York.

“It’s that love, that courage, that generosity of spirit that makes 
this country so beautiful,” Cuomo said. “And it’s that generosity for me
 that makes up for all the ugliness that you see. Take one mask, I’ll 
keep four.”

From her home near Troy, Sharon, who retired after 45 years of 
teaching, says she didn’t know Cuomo had read the letter until her son 
called later that afternoon.

“He said, ‘I knew that was you because of dad’s terrible handwriting,’” she says.

Sharon says her husband checked that a niece who’s a paramedic in 
Atchison had enough masks before boxing up the one they didn’t need. He 
sent it to the governor because that’s the first address he found on the
 internet.

“We try to give back as much as we can,” Sharon says. “We help out if
 we can. We don’t have a lot, but we’ll share what we have. We’re just 
thankful that one nurse is going to be able to have the proper mask.”

Sharon says she and Dennis are fortunate to have the support of 
friends and family to help with grocery shopping and running errands, so
 they don’t have to risk their health by going out. Still, times are 
tough for everyone.

“I’m not going to the museum and donating my time,” she says. “I miss
 my grandkids so much. My little granddaughter, she’s 2, and it’s hard 
for her to understand why she’s kissing grandma through the patio door.”

The attention the letter has garnered is a pleasant distraction though.

“I was so moved by a text I received from someone in New York,” 
Sharon says. “They thanked us for the mask and asked if we needed 
anything. Their problems are just unbelievable … for them to even think 
we needed something or think of sending us anything made us feel so 
grateful.”

For his part, Cuomo called the mask and letter a “snapshot of humanity.”

“You have five masks, what do you do,” the governor asked. “Do you keep all five? Do you hide the five masks, do you keep them for yourself or others? No, you send one mask. You send one mask to New York to help a doctor or nurse. How beautiful is that? How selfless is that? How giving is that?”

Kansas Living Magazine is a publication of Kansas Farm Bureau.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588017629918.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG DOERING <a href="https://kansaslivingmagazine.com/articles/2020/04/27/kansas-couple%E2%80%99s-single-n-95-mask-a-%E2%80%98snapshot-of-humanity%E2%80%99">Kansas Living Magazine</a>The smallest things have the biggest impact precisely because they are beautiful, selfless, giving.For all he’s seen over the past few weeks, the donation of a single 
N-95 mask could have easily been overlooked by New York Gov. Andrew 
Cuomo.Instead, it made a lasting impression.Accompanying the mask was a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z74hwIRPp7E&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;t=173" target="_blank">letter</a> from Dennis and Sharon Ruhnke. Cuomo read the letter in its entirety during a press conference on April 24.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588017690927.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“I am a retired farmer hunkered down in N.E. Kansas with my wife who 
has but one lung and occasional problems with her remaining lung,” the 
hand-written letter from Dennis reads. “We are in our 70s now and 
frankly I am afraid for her.”Dennis went on to say he found five masks left over from his farming 
days. Sharon says he used them when cleaning out grain bins that held 
the corn and soybeans he grew. He kept four for his family, but the 
fifth one went to the governor to give to a doctor or a nurse in New 
York.“It’s that love, that courage, that generosity of spirit that makes 
this country so beautiful,” Cuomo said. “And it’s that generosity for me
 that makes up for all the ugliness that you see. Take one mask, I’ll 
keep four.”From her home near Troy, Sharon, who retired after 45 years of 
teaching, says she didn’t know Cuomo had read the letter until her son 
called later that afternoon.“He said, ‘I knew that was you because of dad’s terrible handwriting,’” she says.Sharon says her husband checked that a niece who’s a paramedic in 
Atchison had enough masks before boxing up the one they didn’t need. He 
sent it to the governor because that’s the first address he found on the
 internet.“We try to give back as much as we can,” Sharon says. “We help out if
 we can. We don’t have a lot, but we’ll share what we have. We’re just 
thankful that one nurse is going to be able to have the proper mask.”Sharon says she and Dennis are fortunate to have the support of 
friends and family to help with grocery shopping and running errands, so
 they don’t have to risk their health by going out. Still, times are 
tough for everyone.“I’m not going to the museum and donating my time,” she says. “I miss
 my grandkids so much. My little granddaughter, she’s 2, and it’s hard 
for her to understand why she’s kissing grandma through the patio door.”The attention the letter has garnered is a pleasant distraction though.“I was so moved by a text I received from someone in New York,” 
Sharon says. “They thanked us for the mask and asked if we needed 
anything. Their problems are just unbelievable … for them to even think 
we needed something or think of sending us anything made us feel so 
grateful.”For his part, Cuomo called the mask and letter a “snapshot of humanity.”“You have five masks, what do you do,” the governor asked. “Do you keep all five? Do you hide the five masks, do you keep them for yourself or others? No, you send one mask. You send one mask to New York to help a doctor or nurse. How beautiful is that? How selfless is that? How giving is that?”Kansas Living Magazine is a publication of Kansas Farm Bureau.

Kansas couple’s single N-95 mask a ‘snapshot of humanity’

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A former Omaha Public Schools principal who failed to immediately report to authorities inappropriate behavior by a teacher was sentenced Monday to two weeks in jail.

Douglas County District Judge Thomas Otepka also imposed a year of probation on Eric Nelson, the former principal of Fontenelle Elementary, for misdemeanor failure to report child abuse, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://www.omaha.com/news/crime/former-ops-principal-sentenced-for-failing-to-report-child-molesting-teacher/article_defef329-8535-5710-a052-6a48400361b8.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

Nelson was ordered to begin serving his term on Tuesday.

Six girls said they were assaulted by Greg Sedlacek, a former teacher who is now serving 40 to 65 years in prison for sexually assaulting children.

Two staff members of the school told Nelson in November 2018 that they saw Sedlacek sitting on the end of a slide with a girl in his lap and his hand under her dress.

When the staffers returned to school the next morning, they found Sedlacek in his classroom tutoring first-grade students before school began. Nelson was at a doctor's appointment at the time and an assistant principal contacted authorities.

Nelson was placed on leave and resigned from his position in June.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A former Omaha Public Schools principal who failed to immediately report to authorities inappropriate behavior by a teacher was sentenced Monday to two weeks in jail.Douglas County District Judge Thomas Otepka also imposed a year of probation on Eric Nelson, the former principal of Fontenelle Elementary, for misdemeanor failure to report child abuse, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://www.omaha.com/news/crime/former-ops-principal-sentenced-for-failing-to-report-child-molesting-teacher/article_defef329-8535-5710-a052-6a48400361b8.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.Nelson was ordered to begin serving his term on Tuesday.Six girls said they were assaulted by Greg Sedlacek, a former teacher who is now serving 40 to 65 years in prison for sexually assaulting children.Two staff members of the school told Nelson in November 2018 that they saw Sedlacek sitting on the end of a slide with a girl in his lap and his hand under her dress.When the staffers returned to school the next morning, they found Sedlacek in his classroom tutoring first-grade students before school began. Nelson was at a doctor's appointment at the time and an assistant principal contacted authorities.Nelson was placed on leave and resigned from his position in June.

Ex-Omaha principal sentenced to jail for not reporting child abuse

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune) — Wyoming has received 50,000 protective face masks from the Taiwanese government to protect health care workers and others from the coronavirus.

 Gov. Mark Gordon says in a Facebook post Wyoming will distribute the masks soon to where they are needed most.

 The U.S. government has provided far fewer masks, gloves and other protective items than Wyoming has requested and in some cases has diverted requested supplies for use elsewhere in the U.S. 

The Casper Star-Tribune reports Taiwan has maintained a close relationship with Wyoming in recent years. 

Wyoming opened a trade office in Taipei in 2018.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune) — Wyoming has received 50,000 protective face masks from the Taiwanese government to protect health care workers and others from the coronavirus. Gov. Mark Gordon says in a Facebook post Wyoming will distribute the masks soon to where they are needed most. The U.S. government has provided far fewer masks, gloves and other protective items than Wyoming has requested and in some cases has diverted requested supplies for use elsewhere in the U.S. The Casper Star-Tribune reports Taiwan has maintained a close relationship with Wyoming in recent years. Wyoming opened a trade office in Taipei in 2018.

Taiwan gives Wyoming 50,000 face masks for COVID-19 effort

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Meat isn't going to disappear from supermarkets because of outbreaks of the coronavirus among workers at U.S. slaughterhouses. But as the meat plants struggle to remain open, consumers could face less selection and slightly higher prices.

Industry leaders acknowledge that the U.S. food chain has rarely been so stressed and that no one is sure about the future, even as they try to dispel concerns about shortages.

On Sunday, the meat processing giant Tyson Foods ran a full-page advertisement in the&nbsp;New York&nbsp;Times and other newspapers outlining the difficulty of producing meat while keeping more than 100,000 workers safe and shutting some plants.

“This means one thing — the food supply chain is vulnerable,” the statement said. “As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain.”

Company spokesman Gary Mickelson said the Tyson family thought it was important to explain their perspective.

“The letter encourages government leaders to unite to address food supply chain challenges," Mickelson said. "We are taking a proactive approach to balance safety and production by moving aggressively with testing and plant closures when necessary."

COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, has infected hundreds of workers at meat-processing plants and forced some of the largest to close and others to slow production. While the output at beef and poultry plants has diminished, pork plants in the Midwest have been hit especially hard. The viral outbreaks have persisted despite efforts by the meat companies to keep workers at home with pay if they become sick.

The 15 largest pork-packing plants account for 60 percent of all pork processed, so when even one of those plants closes for days or weeks, the consequences ripple across the industry. That has become abundantly clear with two of the nation's biggest plants now closed: Tyson suspended operations at its plant in Waterloo,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>. And Smithfield Foods halted production at its plant in Sioux Falls,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-dakota">South Dakota</a>. Each plant can butcher nearly 20,000 hogs a day. Some plants have reopened days after cleaning.

The result is that the nation's pork processing capacity had declined by about 25% as of last week, said Steve Meyer, an industry economist with Kerns and Associates in Ames, Iowa.

Sarah Little, a spokeswoman for the North American Meat Institute, an industry trade group, said: “It’s down across the board right now, so the next couple of weeks we should see how the system works. It’s never been tested like this before.”

A beef production plant in Green Bay,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin">Wisconsin</a>, is the latest to shut down because of infections among employees. JBS USA said the JBS Packerland plant, which employs 1,200, would be closed temporarily. The Green Bay Press Gazette reported that at least 189 COVID-19 infections had been linked to JBS Packerland as of Friday.

Nationally, although the reduced meat supply is expected to cause consumer prices to rise, expectations are that the increases will be slight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said late last week that it expects beef prices to climb 1% to 2% this year, poultry as much as 1.5% and pork between by from 2% and 3%.

The agency acknowledged that consumer buying patterns change weekly and that some products face supply-chain disruptions that could affect prices. But the USDA said its planned $3 billion purchase of fresh produce, dairy and meat should help stabilize prices. The government will work with food distributors to provide the purchased products to food banks, community and faith-based organizations and other nonprofits serving the needy.

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers, said last week that 10 U.S. food-processing and meatpacking union workers in the U.S. have died and that an estimated 5,000 are sick or have been exposed to the virus while working near someone who tested positive.

Marc Perrone, the union president, said 13 plants in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana">Indiana</a>, Iowa,&nbsp;Minnesota,&nbsp;Missouri,&nbsp;Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin and Alberta, Canada, have been closed at least temporarily because of the pandemic. Those union plants represent about 10 percent of beef production and 25 percent of pork production, the union said.

The union is urging state and federal officials to ensure that workers have access to protective equipment, mandate social distancing at work and halt federal waivers that allow faster line speeds.

Many employees of the meatpacking plants fear going to work, said Margarita Heredia, who has worked at the JBS pork processing plant in Marshalltown, Iowa, for 11 years. She joined a UFCW union call with reporters to discuss the pandemic's effects on workers.

Heredia credited the company with improving sanitation, including treating hallways and common areas with bleach and placing hand sanitizer stations around the plant. JBS also now takes workers' temperatures and encourages those who are sick to stay home. But she said the company increased pay by $4 an hour from April 20 through May as an incentive for healthy employees to go to work.

“Even then, we’re still shorthanded, but we are trying to do our best,” she said.

The national slowdown in meat processing has surfaced in federal statistics. The daily cattle slaughter for the week of April 13 fell nearly 24 percent from the same period a year ago. Pig slaughter was down 13 percent. And given the most recent plant closures, those figures have likely fallen further.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587239834149.png" alt=" Meat on sale at a grocery store in Garden City, Kansas. Four large meatpacking plants employ thousands of workers in southwest Kansas. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Meat on sale at a grocery store in Garden City, Kansas. Four large meatpacking plants employ thousands of workers in southwest Kansas. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Meat isn't going to disappear from supermarkets because of outbreaks of the coronavirus among workers at U.S. slaughterhouses. But as the meat plants struggle to remain open, consumers could face less selection and slightly higher prices.Industry leaders acknowledge that the U.S. food chain has rarely been so stressed and that no one is sure about the future, even as they try to dispel concerns about shortages.On Sunday, the meat processing giant Tyson Foods ran a full-page advertisement in the&nbsp;New York&nbsp;Times and other newspapers outlining the difficulty of producing meat while keeping more than 100,000 workers safe and shutting some plants.“This means one thing — the food supply chain is vulnerable,” the statement said. “As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain.”Company spokesman Gary Mickelson said the Tyson family thought it was important to explain their perspective.“The letter encourages government leaders to unite to address food supply chain challenges," Mickelson said. "We are taking a proactive approach to balance safety and production by moving aggressively with testing and plant closures when necessary."COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, has infected hundreds of workers at meat-processing plants and forced some of the largest to close and others to slow production. While the output at beef and poultry plants has diminished, pork plants in the Midwest have been hit especially hard. The viral outbreaks have persisted despite efforts by the meat companies to keep workers at home with pay if they become sick.The 15 largest pork-packing plants account for 60 percent of all pork processed, so when even one of those plants closes for days or weeks, the consequences ripple across the industry. That has become abundantly clear with two of the nation's biggest plants now closed: Tyson suspended operations at its plant in Waterloo,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>. And Smithfield Foods halted production at its plant in Sioux Falls,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-dakota">South Dakota</a>. Each plant can butcher nearly 20,000 hogs a day. Some plants have reopened days after cleaning.The result is that the nation's pork processing capacity had declined by about 25% as of last week, said Steve Meyer, an industry economist with Kerns and Associates in Ames, Iowa.Sarah Little, a spokeswoman for the North American Meat Institute, an industry trade group, said: “It’s down across the board right now, so the next couple of weeks we should see how the system works. It’s never been tested like this before.”A beef production plant in Green Bay,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin">Wisconsin</a>, is the latest to shut down because of infections among employees. JBS USA said the JBS Packerland plant, which employs 1,200, would be closed temporarily. The Green Bay Press Gazette reported that at least 189 COVID-19 infections had been linked to JBS Packerland as of Friday.Nationally, although the reduced meat supply is expected to cause consumer prices to rise, expectations are that the increases will be slight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said late last week that it expects beef prices to climb 1% to 2% this year, poultry as much as 1.5% and pork between by from 2% and 3%.The agency acknowledged that consumer buying patterns change weekly and that some products face supply-chain disruptions that could affect prices. But the USDA said its planned $3 billion purchase of fresh produce, dairy and meat should help stabilize prices. The government will work with food distributors to provide the purchased products to food banks, community and faith-based organizations and other nonprofits serving the needy.The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers, said last week that 10 U.S. food-processing and meatpacking union workers in the U.S. have died and that an estimated 5,000 are sick or have been exposed to the virus while working near someone who tested positive.Marc Perrone, the union president, said 13 plants in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana">Indiana</a>, Iowa,&nbsp;Minnesota,&nbsp;Missouri,&nbsp;Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin and Alberta, Canada, have been closed at least temporarily because of the pandemic. Those union plants represent about 10 percent of beef production and 25 percent of pork production, the union said.The union is urging state and federal officials to ensure that workers have access to protective equipment, mandate social distancing at work and halt federal waivers that allow faster line speeds.Many employees of the meatpacking plants fear going to work, said Margarita Heredia, who has worked at the JBS pork processing plant in Marshalltown, Iowa, for 11 years. She joined a UFCW union call with reporters to discuss the pandemic's effects on workers.Heredia credited the company with improving sanitation, including treating hallways and common areas with bleach and placing hand sanitizer stations around the plant. JBS also now takes workers' temperatures and encourages those who are sick to stay home. But she said the company increased pay by $4 an hour from April 20 through May as an incentive for healthy employees to go to work.“Even then, we’re still shorthanded, but we are trying to do our best,” she said.The national slowdown in meat processing has surfaced in federal statistics. The daily cattle slaughter for the week of April 13 fell nearly 24 percent from the same period a year ago. Pig slaughter was down 13 percent. And given the most recent plant closures, those figures have likely fallen further.

Virus is expected to reduce meat selection, raise prices

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — State and local governments across the United States have obtained about 30 million doses of a malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump to treat patients with the new coronavirus, despite warnings from doctors that more research is needed. 

The states acquired the medication as Trump regularly promoted it from the podium in White House briefings. 

The Associated Press' reporting shows at least 22 states and Washington, D.C., secured shipments of the drug, hydroxychloroquine. 

Sixteen of those states were won by Trump in 2016.

 Five of them, including North Carolina and Louisiana, are now led by Democratic governors.&nbsp;

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — State and local governments across the United States have obtained about 30 million doses of a malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump to treat patients with the new coronavirus, despite warnings from doctors that more research is needed. The states acquired the medication as Trump regularly promoted it from the podium in White House briefings. The Associated Press' reporting shows at least 22 states and Washington, D.C., secured shipments of the drug, hydroxychloroquine. Sixteen of those states were won by Trump in 2016. Five of them, including North Carolina and Louisiana, are now led by Democratic governors.&nbsp;

U.S. states build stockpiles of malaria drug touted by Trump

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Investor Warren Buffett says his company's scaled-back annual meeting will feature an abbreviated question-and-answer session this weekend.

Berkshire Hathaway is planning to hold a smaller, online annual meeting this Saturday without any shareholders present. All the other events surrounding the meeting, which normally attracts roughly 40,000 people to Omaha, Nebraska, have been cancelled.

Buffett said Monday that he and Berkshire Vice Chairman Greg Abel, who oversees Berkshire's non-insurance businesses, will answer questions from a reporter at the meeting on Saturday afternoon. Berkshire will also release its first-quarter earnings report Saturday.

Berkshire's online annual meeting will be broadcast by Yahoo Finance, so shareholders can watch. The company said Buffett and Abel will be the only directors present at the meeting.

The meeting usually attracts a huge crowd of people who want to hear Buffett and Berkshire Vice Chairman Charlie Munger answer questions over several hours.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Investor Warren Buffett says his company's scaled-back annual meeting will feature an abbreviated question-and-answer session this weekend.Berkshire Hathaway is planning to hold a smaller, online annual meeting this Saturday without any shareholders present. All the other events surrounding the meeting, which normally attracts roughly 40,000 people to Omaha, Nebraska, have been cancelled.Buffett said Monday that he and Berkshire Vice Chairman Greg Abel, who oversees Berkshire's non-insurance businesses, will answer questions from a reporter at the meeting on Saturday afternoon. Berkshire will also release its first-quarter earnings report Saturday.Berkshire's online annual meeting will be broadcast by Yahoo Finance, so shareholders can watch. The company said Buffett and Abel will be the only directors present at the meeting.The meeting usually attracts a huge crowd of people who want to hear Buffett and Berkshire Vice Chairman Charlie Munger answer questions over several hours.

Warren Buffett to answer questions at annual meeting

South Dakota health officials reported about 50 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and one new death tied to the coronavirus. 

About 1,850 of the state’s  2,212 coronavirus cases have been reported in Minnehaha County, which is South Dakota’s most populous county and the location of a large outbreak at a pork processing plant. 

More than 1,000 COVID-19 cases have been tied to the Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls. 

One new death was reported Sunday, leaving the South Dakota total at 11.

 Health officials said 64 people were hospitalized.&nbsp;

South Dakota health officials reported about 50 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and one new death tied to the coronavirus. About 1,850 of the state’s 2,212 coronavirus cases have been reported in Minnehaha County, which is South Dakota’s most populous county and the location of a large outbreak at a pork processing plant. More than 1,000 COVID-19 cases have been tied to the Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls. One new death was reported Sunday, leaving the South Dakota total at 11. Health officials said 64 people were hospitalized.&nbsp;

South Dakota COVID-19 cases grow, additional death reported

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A staff member at a Nebraska prison in Lincoln has tested positive for the coronavirus.

 The Department of Correctional Services says the staffer works for its Diagnostic and Evaluation Center in Lincoln and has been isolated at home for five days. 

Department Director Scott Frakes says the individual reported no close contact with any other staff members of inmates. 

He says the prison will take additional precautions and monitor the temperatures of the people in the housing unit where the employee worked. 

This is the second known case of coronavirus among department employees. 

The department says no inmates have tested positive.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A staff member at a Nebraska prison in Lincoln has tested positive for the coronavirus. The Department of Correctional Services says the staffer works for its Diagnostic and Evaluation Center in Lincoln and has been isolated at home for five days. Department Director Scott Frakes says the individual reported no close contact with any other staff members of inmates. He says the prison will take additional precautions and monitor the temperatures of the people in the housing unit where the employee worked. This is the second known case of coronavirus among department employees. The department says no inmates have tested positive.

Nebraska prison staffer tests positive for coronavirus

WASHINGTON (AP) — Spend what it takes, Washington said as it confronted the coronavirus. Well over $2 trillion later, it’s unclear where that spending will end.

One of the lasting legacies of the coronavirus pandemic will be staggering debts and deficits on the U.S. balance sheet, with shortfalls hitting levels that would have been unthinkable just a few decades ago.

It’s a fiscal clamp that is likely to persist for a generation, or even into perpetuity, with debt levels having passed the point of easy return in a capital where lawmakers are increasingly incapable, or unwilling, to constrain them.

The latest, and dire, projection from the Congressional Budget Office, released Friday, states the U.S. deficits will mushroom to $3.7 trillion in 2020, fueled by the four coronavirus relief bills signed into law by President Donald Trump. A fifth bill is already in the works, and will be “expensive,” according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

The deficit for 2021 is estimated to tally $2.1 trillion, double previous CBO estimates.

The report predicts a devastating hit to the economy this quarter at an annualized rate of decline of 40% — probably the sharpest economic shock ever — accompanied by a 15% unemployment rate this spring and summer. For the entire year, the economy is predicted to shrink by 5.6%.

CBO Director Phillip Swagel cautioned that there is “enormous uncertainty” to the projections, given the unprecedented nature of the crisis, but it’s plain the economic shock is unlike anything seen since the Great Depression.

“Challenges in the economy and the labor market are expected to persist for some time,” Swagel wrote in a blog post. He said the economy is likely to begin rebounding in the third quarter, but the jobless rate will remain about 10% by the end of 2021.

On the government front, coronavirus-related figures point to red ink unparalleled since World War II. Economists generally say the most significant measure of debt and deficits is to compare it against the size of the economy, and by that measure the debt is soon to rival the record. CBO says publicly held debt will reach 101% of gross domestic product by the end of this year, just below the post-war high.

The deficit was entrenched long before the virus, with federal revenues shrinking to well below historic averages and the spending side of the ledger rising thanks to record Pentagon expenditures and the addition of baby boomers to Medicare and Social Security.

Even Washington’s few remaining spending hawks say red ink should not be a focus for now as the government faces unemployment levels not seen since the Great Depression and shutdown orders lasting well into next month or beyond.

“Right now, I think the wise move for Congress is to keep the economy afloat regardless of what it costs,” said Brian Riedl, an economic and budgetary policy analyst at the free market Manhattan Institute think tank. “That being said, the budgetary cost is enormous, cannot be ignored, and makes it even more important that lawmakers begin thinking about how to fix the federal budget after this is over.”

But when policymakers inevitably are forced to take on deficits, virtually none of them will have any experience in doing so. The era of successful action ended long ago, with a hard-won 1997 law that capped a decade’s worth of politically costly but ultimately effective reduction measures.

In the interim, a divisive brand of politics has taken hold. No one has even seriously tried tackling the debt since a failed effort by former GOP Speaker John Boehner of Ohio and President Barack Obama almost a decade ago.

Republicans are beginning to warn of the coronavirus costs now — GOP Sen. Ben Sasse on Friday called Washington’s spending habit “suicidal” — but the party passed deficit-financed tax cuts when controlling all of government in 2001 and 2017. Those twin tax bills mean that a steadily more liberal Democratic Party won’t endorse the kinds of deficit-cutting steps they endorsed in the 1990s.

There’s also no agreement on what levels of debt and deficits are sustainable, and the number of deficit doves has swelled over the past decade. Those skeptical of the fiscal warnings note that the government has run large deficits for well over a decade without the predicted increase in interest rates, economic stagnation or a European-style fiscal crisis.

“There’s zero reason to be concerned about the short-term macroeconomic impact of the deficit,” said Harvard University economist Jason Furman, a former economic policy adviser to Obama. “Interest rates are very low. The Fed has a lot of tools to ensure that they stay very low, and the bigger short-run macroeconomic concern is an insufficient response.”

The CBO has long said that lawmakers eventually will be forced to tackle the government’s chronic financial woes, if for no other reason than the looming insolvency of Social Security and Medicare. When Social Security runs out of reserves in the next decade, the system will be able to pay only 79% of benefits.

The problem is landing in the lap of whoever is elected in November in a race that’s been transformed by the crisis.

The presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, supported numerous deficit-reduction bills over his long career but has moved significantly to the left in hopes of uniting party progressives behind him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587763100698.png" alt="President Trump signed the latest relief bill Friday -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump signed the latest relief bill Friday -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Spend what it takes, Washington said as it confronted the coronavirus. Well over $2 trillion later, it’s unclear where that spending will end.One of the lasting legacies of the coronavirus pandemic will be staggering debts and deficits on the U.S. balance sheet, with shortfalls hitting levels that would have been unthinkable just a few decades ago.It’s a fiscal clamp that is likely to persist for a generation, or even into perpetuity, with debt levels having passed the point of easy return in a capital where lawmakers are increasingly incapable, or unwilling, to constrain them.The latest, and dire, projection from the Congressional Budget Office, released Friday, states the U.S. deficits will mushroom to $3.7 trillion in 2020, fueled by the four coronavirus relief bills signed into law by President Donald Trump. A fifth bill is already in the works, and will be “expensive,” according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.The deficit for 2021 is estimated to tally $2.1 trillion, double previous CBO estimates.The report predicts a devastating hit to the economy this quarter at an annualized rate of decline of 40% — probably the sharpest economic shock ever — accompanied by a 15% unemployment rate this spring and summer. For the entire year, the economy is predicted to shrink by 5.6%.CBO Director Phillip Swagel cautioned that there is “enormous uncertainty” to the projections, given the unprecedented nature of the crisis, but it’s plain the economic shock is unlike anything seen since the Great Depression.“Challenges in the economy and the labor market are expected to persist for some time,” Swagel wrote in a blog post. He said the economy is likely to begin rebounding in the third quarter, but the jobless rate will remain about 10% by the end of 2021.On the government front, coronavirus-related figures point to red ink unparalleled since World War II. Economists generally say the most significant measure of debt and deficits is to compare it against the size of the economy, and by that measure the debt is soon to rival the record. CBO says publicly held debt will reach 101% of gross domestic product by the end of this year, just below the post-war high.The deficit was entrenched long before the virus, with federal revenues shrinking to well below historic averages and the spending side of the ledger rising thanks to record Pentagon expenditures and the addition of baby boomers to Medicare and Social Security.Even Washington’s few remaining spending hawks say red ink should not be a focus for now as the government faces unemployment levels not seen since the Great Depression and shutdown orders lasting well into next month or beyond.“Right now, I think the wise move for Congress is to keep the economy afloat regardless of what it costs,” said Brian Riedl, an economic and budgetary policy analyst at the free market Manhattan Institute think tank. “That being said, the budgetary cost is enormous, cannot be ignored, and makes it even more important that lawmakers begin thinking about how to fix the federal budget after this is over.”But when policymakers inevitably are forced to take on deficits, virtually none of them will have any experience in doing so. The era of successful action ended long ago, with a hard-won 1997 law that capped a decade’s worth of politically costly but ultimately effective reduction measures.In the interim, a divisive brand of politics has taken hold. No one has even seriously tried tackling the debt since a failed effort by former GOP Speaker John Boehner of Ohio and President Barack Obama almost a decade ago.Republicans are beginning to warn of the coronavirus costs now — GOP Sen. Ben Sasse on Friday called Washington’s spending habit “suicidal” — but the party passed deficit-financed tax cuts when controlling all of government in 2001 and 2017. Those twin tax bills mean that a steadily more liberal Democratic Party won’t endorse the kinds of deficit-cutting steps they endorsed in the 1990s.There’s also no agreement on what levels of debt and deficits are sustainable, and the number of deficit doves has swelled over the past decade. Those skeptical of the fiscal warnings note that the government has run large deficits for well over a decade without the predicted increase in interest rates, economic stagnation or a European-style fiscal crisis.“There’s zero reason to be concerned about the short-term macroeconomic impact of the deficit,” said Harvard University economist Jason Furman, a former economic policy adviser to Obama. “Interest rates are very low. The Fed has a lot of tools to ensure that they stay very low, and the bigger short-run macroeconomic concern is an insufficient response.”The CBO has long said that lawmakers eventually will be forced to tackle the government’s chronic financial woes, if for no other reason than the looming insolvency of Social Security and Medicare. When Social Security runs out of reserves in the next decade, the system will be able to pay only 79% of benefits.The problem is landing in the lap of whoever is elected in November in a race that’s been transformed by the crisis.The presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, supported numerous deficit-reduction bills over his long career but has moved significantly to the left in hopes of uniting party progressives behind him.

Coronavirus relief pushing US deficits to staggering heights

VALLEJO, Calif. (Times-Herald) — A planning commissioner of Vallejo, California, resigned after throwing his pet cat and apparently drinking a beer during a Zoom meeting between city officials. 

During the teleconference, Chris Platzer announced, “I’d like to introduce my cat,” and then picked up his pet before suddenly tossing the animal off-screen. 

The Times-Herald says Platzer was seen sipping from a green bottle during the meeting. 

In an email to the newspaper, Platzer apologized and said he has resigned from the planning commission, effective immediately. The resignation comes days before the City Council was set to consider a resolution removing him from the panel.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587947678710.png" alt="Bill Kuffrey (publicdomainpictures.net)" />
 <figcaption>Bill Kuffrey (publicdomainpictures.net)</figcaption>
 </figure>VALLEJO, Calif. (Times-Herald) — A planning commissioner of Vallejo, California, resigned after throwing his pet cat and apparently drinking a beer during a Zoom meeting between city officials. During the teleconference, Chris Platzer announced, “I’d like to introduce my cat,” and then picked up his pet before suddenly tossing the animal off-screen. The Times-Herald says Platzer was seen sipping from a green bottle during the meeting. In an email to the newspaper, Platzer apologized and said he has resigned from the planning commission, effective immediately. The resignation comes days before the City Council was set to consider a resolution removing him from the panel.&nbsp;

Official resigns after throwing cat during online meeting

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo (AP) — Last autumn, when schools were in session, sports stadiums full and no one had even heard of the COVID-19 disease, the Missouri health department made an eerily foreshadowing request.

It asked the state for $300,000 to buy supplies and services in case of a large-scale disease outbreak. The goal was to fill a gap between local and federal sources.

Today, as states are spending billions of dollars buying supplies in the fight against the coronavirus, that October funding request appears woefully insufficient. Yet it highlights a stark fact: States were not stocked for a pandemic and have been scrambling to catch up.

An Associated Press review of more than 20 states found that before the coronavirus outbreak many had at least a modest supply of N95 masks, gowns, gloves and other medical equipment. But those were often well past their expiration dates — left over from the H1N1 influenza outbreak a decade ago.

The shortage of supplies stemmed from a variety of factors — a decline in public health funding, a cost-saving dependence on having inventory on hand only for immediate use and a belief that the federal government could come to the rescue with its Strategic National Stockpile.

In hindsight, the federal stockpile proved insufficient for a nationwide viral outbreak, and a worldwide competition for scarce supplies revealed the folly of counting on rapid deliveries.

“You could see it in almost every state, in every locality, and the federal government level: depleting the resources, depleting the inventory, and hoping when you need them they will be available,” said Gerard Anderson, a health policy professor at Johns Hopkins University, which has tracked coronarivus cases and deaths across the world.

The coronavirus crisis spawned a political blame game over the shortage of protective gear for medical workers and the hunt for ventilators. Some governors harangued the federal government for leaving them in the lurch. President Donald Trump faulted states, tweeting earlier this month: “The complainers should have been stocked up and ready long before this crisis hit.”

Before the World Health Organization issued a Jan. 9 advisory about the coronavirus emerging in China, Missouri had a supply of 663,920 N95 respirator masks, 253,800 surgical masks, 154,000 gloves, 17,424 face shields and 14,048 gowns. All were leftovers provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control after the H1N1 flu pandemic of 2009-2010, and well beyond their shelf life.

Other states also were relying on old supplies. Officials in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia all told the AP that their stashes included at least some leftovers from the H1N1 flu.

Some old N95 masks no longer sealed properly on people’s faces or had elastic bands that disintegrated. But a CDC study found that many expired masks still could work, and states distributed them to hospitals and medical clinics.

Missouri, like some other states, had spent nothing to replenish the expired equipment. And even when asking for $300,000 last October, the state Department of Health and Senior Services stressed that it wasn’t trying to build a big reserve.

“Since outbreaks and the resources needed are not predictable, purchasing a large stock of supplies that could expire or become obsolete is not a responsible use of state funds,” the health agency said in a budget document submitted to Gov. Mike Parson and state lawmakers.

That funding request for the fiscal year that starts in July still was pending in the state House when Missouri’s first coronavirus case was confirmed last month. Since then, Missouri has ordered about $40 million of protective medical supplies for health care workers and emergency responders.

Missouri Health Director Randall Williams told the AP that it didn’t make sense to load up on supplies ahead of time without knowing what was needed. For example, he said, bug spray would have been more useful than face masks during the 2015-2016 epidemic of the Zika virus, which is spread by mosquitoes.

“If you spend money on prevention and whatever comes your way isn’t that, then you have less money for response” when an emergency occurs, Williams said.

Federal public health funding for states has been on a downward slide since new programs were launched after the 2001 terrorist attacks and anthrax scare. The Public Health Emergency Preparedness program provided $675 million last year — down 28% since 2003, according to the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health. The Hospital Preparedness Program provided $265 million last year — down by almost half during that same period.

Colorado used to have two medical stockpiles. But the state received minimal federal funding for storing supplies left over from the H1N1 pandemic and none to buy new supplies. The stockpile in Denver was dissolved last fall and its remnants transferred to one in Grand Junction. Those supplies had all been distributed by the beginning of March, as the coranavirus was spreading.

Ohio, like many states, began storing some supplies after the 2001 terrorist attacks. But its financial commitment has waned after each crisis was averted, said Deborah Arms, president of the Ohio Nurses Association, who led the state health department’s prevention division from the late 1990s to 2008.

“It’s always difficult for public health in these kinds of disasters to be able to advocate for continual funding ... for something that might take 10 years to see a result,” she said.

Michigan, which has the third-highest coronavirus death toll among U.S. states, had 53,500 gloves left over from past epidemics, 5,120 N95 masks, 5,000 surgical masks and just 500 face shields among its pre-coronavirus supplies.

The state could not afford the cost of replacing expired items nor the warehouse fees for storing more, said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Lynn Sutfin.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the state had counted on the federal government to be prepared for a pandemic.

“No one could have said that they would come in and build a state stockpile. That’s never been the role and the assumption,” she told the AP. “Yet if I could turn back the clock, that’s precisely what we would have started doing.”

Contrary to Trump’s assertion that states bore the primary responsibility for stockpiling medical supplies, many states had depended on the federal government to store provisions in case of emergencies.

New Hampshire’s emergency operations plans call for maintaining a small reserve of supplies, but then “very much relying on the national stockpile for anything more than, say a week,” said state Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette.

Virginia Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne said he had viewed stockpiling supplies as a federal responsibility.

“Are we probably going to start stockpiling stuff now?” Layne asked. “The answer is yes.”

Even before the latest crisis, some experts had urged stocking up on supplies as a way to lessen the disruption to supply chains and avoid having to compete with other governments as a crisis is unfolding. A&nbsp;<a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/15/6/08-1196_article" target="_blank">June 2009 report</a>&nbsp;published in the CDC’s journal Emerging Infectious Diseases recommended a “stratified purchase plan” — buying essential items periodically as money became available.

“Supplies need to be ordered far in advance of a pandemic to avoid major problems with back orders and supply shortfalls,” the report concluded.

Instead, public health offices, hospitals and medical clinics have largely been ordering supplies as they are needed. But just-in-time buying doesn’t work when supply chains collapse and every state and country competes in world markets for scarce equipment during a pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587674507600.png" alt="Missouri Governor Mike Parson watches as PPE arrives at a state warehouse on March 26- photo office of Missouri governor" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Governor Mike Parson watches as PPE arrives at a state warehouse on March 26- photo office of Missouri governor</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo (AP) — Last autumn, when schools were in session, sports stadiums full and no one had even heard of the COVID-19 disease, the Missouri health department made an eerily foreshadowing request.It asked the state for $300,000 to buy supplies and services in case of a large-scale disease outbreak. The goal was to fill a gap between local and federal sources.Today, as states are spending billions of dollars buying supplies in the fight against the coronavirus, that October funding request appears woefully insufficient. Yet it highlights a stark fact: States were not stocked for a pandemic and have been scrambling to catch up.An Associated Press review of more than 20 states found that before the coronavirus outbreak many had at least a modest supply of N95 masks, gowns, gloves and other medical equipment. But those were often well past their expiration dates — left over from the H1N1 influenza outbreak a decade ago.The shortage of supplies stemmed from a variety of factors — a decline in public health funding, a cost-saving dependence on having inventory on hand only for immediate use and a belief that the federal government could come to the rescue with its Strategic National Stockpile.In hindsight, the federal stockpile proved insufficient for a nationwide viral outbreak, and a worldwide competition for scarce supplies revealed the folly of counting on rapid deliveries.“You could see it in almost every state, in every locality, and the federal government level: depleting the resources, depleting the inventory, and hoping when you need them they will be available,” said Gerard Anderson, a health policy professor at Johns Hopkins University, which has tracked coronarivus cases and deaths across the world.The coronavirus crisis spawned a political blame game over the shortage of protective gear for medical workers and the hunt for ventilators. Some governors harangued the federal government for leaving them in the lurch. President Donald Trump faulted states, tweeting earlier this month: “The complainers should have been stocked up and ready long before this crisis hit.”Before the World Health Organization issued a Jan. 9 advisory about the coronavirus emerging in China, Missouri had a supply of 663,920 N95 respirator masks, 253,800 surgical masks, 154,000 gloves, 17,424 face shields and 14,048 gowns. All were leftovers provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control after the H1N1 flu pandemic of 2009-2010, and well beyond their shelf life.Other states also were relying on old supplies. Officials in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia all told the AP that their stashes included at least some leftovers from the H1N1 flu.Some old N95 masks no longer sealed properly on people’s faces or had elastic bands that disintegrated. But a CDC study found that many expired masks still could work, and states distributed them to hospitals and medical clinics.Missouri, like some other states, had spent nothing to replenish the expired equipment. And even when asking for $300,000 last October, the state Department of Health and Senior Services stressed that it wasn’t trying to build a big reserve.“Since outbreaks and the resources needed are not predictable, purchasing a large stock of supplies that could expire or become obsolete is not a responsible use of state funds,” the health agency said in a budget document submitted to Gov. Mike Parson and state lawmakers.That funding request for the fiscal year that starts in July still was pending in the state House when Missouri’s first coronavirus case was confirmed last month. Since then, Missouri has ordered about $40 million of protective medical supplies for health care workers and emergency responders.Missouri Health Director Randall Williams told the AP that it didn’t make sense to load up on supplies ahead of time without knowing what was needed. For example, he said, bug spray would have been more useful than face masks during the 2015-2016 epidemic of the Zika virus, which is spread by mosquitoes.“If you spend money on prevention and whatever comes your way isn’t that, then you have less money for response” when an emergency occurs, Williams said.Federal public health funding for states has been on a downward slide since new programs were launched after the 2001 terrorist attacks and anthrax scare. The Public Health Emergency Preparedness program provided $675 million last year — down 28% since 2003, according to the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health. The Hospital Preparedness Program provided $265 million last year — down by almost half during that same period.Colorado used to have two medical stockpiles. But the state received minimal federal funding for storing supplies left over from the H1N1 pandemic and none to buy new supplies. The stockpile in Denver was dissolved last fall and its remnants transferred to one in Grand Junction. Those supplies had all been distributed by the beginning of March, as the coranavirus was spreading.Ohio, like many states, began storing some supplies after the 2001 terrorist attacks. But its financial commitment has waned after each crisis was averted, said Deborah Arms, president of the Ohio Nurses Association, who led the state health department’s prevention division from the late 1990s to 2008.“It’s always difficult for public health in these kinds of disasters to be able to advocate for continual funding ... for something that might take 10 years to see a result,” she said.Michigan, which has the third-highest coronavirus death toll among U.S. states, had 53,500 gloves left over from past epidemics, 5,120 N95 masks, 5,000 surgical masks and just 500 face shields among its pre-coronavirus supplies.The state could not afford the cost of replacing expired items nor the warehouse fees for storing more, said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Lynn Sutfin.Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the state had counted on the federal government to be prepared for a pandemic.“No one could have said that they would come in and build a state stockpile. That’s never been the role and the assumption,” she told the AP. “Yet if I could turn back the clock, that’s precisely what we would have started doing.”Contrary to Trump’s assertion that states bore the primary responsibility for stockpiling medical supplies, many states had depended on the federal government to store provisions in case of emergencies.New Hampshire’s emergency operations plans call for maintaining a small reserve of supplies, but then “very much relying on the national stockpile for anything more than, say a week,” said state Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette.Virginia Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne said he had viewed stockpiling supplies as a federal responsibility.“Are we probably going to start stockpiling stuff now?” Layne asked. “The answer is yes.”Even before the latest crisis, some experts had urged stocking up on supplies as a way to lessen the disruption to supply chains and avoid having to compete with other governments as a crisis is unfolding. A&nbsp;<a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/15/6/08-1196_article" target="_blank">June 2009 report</a>&nbsp;published in the CDC’s journal Emerging Infectious Diseases recommended a “stratified purchase plan” — buying essential items periodically as money became available.“Supplies need to be ordered far in advance of a pandemic to avoid major problems with back orders and supply shortfalls,” the report concluded.Instead, public health offices, hospitals and medical clinics have largely been ordering supplies as they are needed. But just-in-time buying doesn’t work when supply chains collapse and every state and country competes in world markets for scarce equipment during a pandemic.“We’ve short-shrifted our public health structure, because we don’t need it until it happens. But then it’s too late to build it when there’s a pandemic,” said California state Sen. Richard Pan, a pediatrician.Sean Dunn, an Ohio lobbyist who has represented hospitals, product distributors and a health care services company, said government and health officials need to rethink their approach.“The notion of having to keep stores of anything, until a couple of weeks ago, was an old-fashioned notion,” Dunn said. “This is going to change our mindset.”___