Emporia Gazette 4142020

TEG Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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MASK UP, EMPORIA Emporia steps up to help with mask shortage; donations still needed

By Ryann Brooks

brooks@emporia.com

Newman Regional Health asked the community for help in filling the need for masks in March, asking locals who were able to sew to consider donating sewn face masks to help curb the nationwide shortage of masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unsurprisingly, Emporians have been stepping up to fill the need both for health care workers and the community as a whole.

“Over the last 2 - 3 weeks, the way that our community has come together has brought me to tears multiple times a day,” McKenzie Cinelli,

“For people who want to do it, just go out and do it.”

BRITTANY PARTRIDGE, Emporia

Please see Masks, Page 3 COURTESY PHOTO

MASKS HELP PREVENT SPREAD FROM ASYMPTOMATIC CARRIERS

By Ryann Brooks

brooks@emporia.com

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began recommending wearing cloth face masks when going out — especially to places like grocery stores and pharmacies. The official recommendation came April 3, but remains optional.

The Emporia Gazette polled Face-

book users on mask use over the weekend, asking the question: “Are you wearing masks in public?” The poll closed Sunday morning and received more than 1,600 votes. Of the 1,618 responses received, 824 said yes while 724 said no.

Flint Hills Community Health Center Public Health Nurse Melissa Smith said the point of the cloth masks is to protect yourself from passing some-

thing on to someone else. If everyone acts as though they are carriers, it would slow the spread of the disease.

“The idea of the cloth mask is, you wear it and that protects you from spreading it to someone else,” Smith said. “If everybody were to do that, we would decrease the spread tremendously.”

Please see Prevent, Page 3

BIG WHEELS KEEP ON TURNIN’ Waechter Logistics moves forward despite setbacks

By Adam Blake

adam@emporia.com

Editor’s Note: COVID-19 has impacted every part of our lives since it first appeared in Kansas on March 7.

From local shops, restaurants and bars having to drastically alter the way they do business, to shutting down many forms of entertainment, the coronavirus’ reach has been tremendous. In the coming days, The Emporia Gazette will be speaking with local business owners and area residents to see how the pandemic is affecting their lives.

Today, The Gazette speaks with Waechter Logistics Managing Member John Waecheter, whose Emporia-based trucking company specializes in the transport of machinery, pipe steel, plastic pipes, lumber, agricultural tools and military equipment throughout the lower 48 states.

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How has the pandemic affected driver staffing, and what precautions are drivers taking for the sake of their health and the health of others?

“We haven’t told any of our people to stay home yet, but we have taken several other precautions. We told our drivers to really stop associating with people if they don’t have to. For instance, we don’t want our drivers going in and hanging around truck stops and mingling. We tell them to get their fuel, take care of any other business, grab themselves some food through a delivery ora window pickup and get back in their trucks. I think we’ve all got along pretty well by being cautious so far, and we’re going to keep things that way until this is over.”

How has the pandemic affected shipments? Are

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drivers seeing more or less work or any other changes to their normal cargo?

“This thing has set us back quite a bit. I would say we’ve cut back business probably by about two-thirds. Some of the plants we work for have cut their capacity clear in half at least, and some of them really don’t know where they’re going

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The Emporia Farmers Market seeks a seasonal coordinator to assist with weekly market operations in north and south Lyon County.

This is a part-time, grant-funded position anticipated to begin in May; evenings and some Saturday mornings required, 5-10 hours weekly.

Resumes may be submitted to emporiafm@gmail.com or EFM, PO Box 1911, Emporia, KS 66801.

to go or what they’re going to do next. This virus has really gotten a lot of the other people we work with pretty spooked. Rightfully so, because in some of those factory settings, the employees are working right next to each other on an assembly line and not really able to distance themselves.

That’s mainly what has caused our problems, because if others

Enhancing life. Excelling in Compassion.

aren’t working, we won’t be getting much work ourselves.

“There hasn’t been a difference on our side as far as what we ship, just how much we’re able to ship. We haul a lot of loads for Amazon and some of their machinery and yard tractors. Those have all been put on hold. “ What is the plan moving forward?

“So far, we’ve kept our drivers busy. But, the question is how long can we keep going? Is this going to linger on for the rest of the year?

We just don’t know at this point.

I think if we could somehow get things back to going here within the next 30 days, I think we’ll be able to keep everybody rolling right along.”

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Large Rooms Available for Long Term Care

Daily & Respite Services 424 Market St, Emporia KS 66801

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THE GAZETTE, EMPORIA, KANSAS

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Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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ALMANAC OBITUARIES

JAMES WADE PEARSON

The John and Frances Ice Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry, located at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, will be open every Saturday and Sunday during the pandemic.

This is a drive-thru service only, located on the north side of Sacred Heart Parish Hall, 106 Exchange St. Pre-packaged food pan-

try items are available for pick-up from 11 a.m.

- 1 p.m. Saturdays and 4 6 p.m. Sundays. There is a limit of one bag per household each weekend.

To-go meals are served at 11 a.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays while supplies last.

For more information visit @sacredheartemporiaks on Facebook.

CITY TO DISCUSS STREET RESURFACING PROJECT BIDS WEDNESDAY

By Ryann Brooks

brooks@emporia.com

The Emporia City Commission will consider awarding a bid for a 2020 street resurfacing project during a 7 p.m. action session Wednesday. The meeting will be conducted virtually and live-streamed on the City of Emporia’s Facebook page.

Other items on the agenda include presenting a CA-

FR award to the Emporia Finance Department, and a weekly update on tax revenues.

Because the public may not attend due to the pandemic, city officials are asking that all items for public comment be sent prior to the meeting. Contact information for all commissioners, as well as city officials can be found at www.emporia-kansas.gov/index.php/ city-commission.

OSAGE CITY - James Wade Pearson, 52, passed away Tuesday, April 7, 2020 at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka.

James Wade Pearson was born April 18, 1967 in Emporia, the son of Frederick Lee and Patricia Ann (Soper) Pearson. He graduated from Osage City High School in 1985 and then Kansas State University with B.S. degree in animal science.

He was joined in marriage to Dawn Shepherd on April 9, 1994 in Burlingame. To this union two children were born, Peyton and Paige.

Jim was a farmer and rancher with his family.

He was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity - Alpha Zeta Chapter, Kansas Livestock Association, Osage County KLA Board of Directors from 2006 - 2008.

Jim will be forever remembered by his wife, Dawn of the home; a daughter, Paige Pearson of Osage City; a son, Peyton Pearson of Osage City; parents, Fred and Pat Pearson of Osage City; two brothers, Jeffrey Pearson and Clark (Bobbi) Pearson, both of Osage City; a nephew, Max Pearson of Osage City.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Adelia and Earl Pearson; maternal grandparents, Frank and Thelma Soper.

A private graveside service will be held at Rapp Cemetery. Memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Willing Workers 4-H and Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church and may be sent in care of VanArsdale Funeral Chapel, 107 N. Sixth, Osage City, KS 66523. Condolences may be expressed at Vanarsdalefs.com.

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TWO INJURED IN LATE NIGHT ROLLOVER ON KTA

By Ryann Brooks

brooks@emporia.com

Two people were injured and transported to Newman Regional Health after a rollover accident on the turnpike Sunday.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, around 1 a.m. 21-year-old Addison Julian Scott Letsch of Wichita was heading northbound in a 2003 Chevy

passenger car when he fell asleep at mile marker 112.9 and struck the median barrier twice and overturned.

Both Letsch and his passenger, 35-year-old Timothy James Wallace of Topeka, sustained suspected minor injuries and were transported to Newman Regional Health for treatment.

The vehicle was removed from the scene by Flint Hills Towing.

In 1902, James Cash Penney opened his first store, The Golden Rule, in Kemmerer, Wyo. In 1912, the British liner RMS Titanic collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic at 11:40 p.m. ship’s time and began sinking. (The ship went under two hours and 40 minutes later with the loss of 1,514 lives.)

In 1935, the “Black Sunday” dust storm descended upon the central Plains, turning a sunny afternoon into total darkness.

In 1939, the John Steinbeck novel “The Grapes of Wrath” was first published by Viking Press.

In 1965, the state of Kansas hanged Richard Hickock and Perry Smith for the 1959 “In Cold Blood” murders of Herbert Clutter, his wife, Bonnie, and two of their children, Nancy and Kenyon.

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Karl Witten, 65, a long-time resident of Emporia, passed away April 9, 2020 at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka, Kansas.

Karl Lyn Witten was born September 12, 1954, in Trenton, Missouri to Gerald Witten and Polly (Warren) Witten. Following the family’s move to Emporia, Karl attended Emporia schools including Roosevelt High School before graduating from Emporia High School after Roosevelt closed. He then earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Emporia State University.

Karl worked at Hetlinger Developmental Services for 19 years as a Vocational Counselor and Workshop Director. In later years, he worked at Walmart until his retirement in 2019.

Karl married Linda (Wiseman) Witten in McPherson, Kansas on May 29, 1982. She survives of the home. He is also lovingly remembered by his three children, Stacy (Brian) Tate of Seattle, Washington, Joshua Witten of the home, and Kelley Witten of Emporia; father, Gerald (Mary Anne) Witten of Emporia; brothers, Mark (Chris) Witten of Tucson, Arizona and Joe (Dana) Witten of Emporia; beloved grandchildren, Elizabeth, Abigail, and Ian Tate, and several nieces and nephews. Karl was preceded in death by his mother.

Karl will always be remembered for his ready smile, his concern for others, and his strong faith in God. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Memorial contributions to Calvary Baptist Church of Emporia may be sent in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, 605 State Street, Emporia, KS 66801.

Online condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website: www.robertsblue.com.

Susan Lee Schulze Susan Lee Schulze, 65, of Dakota Dunes, SD passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 11, 2020 at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Sioux City, IA, whose staff lovingly provided her an incredible atmosphere of care, comfort, and faith.

Susan was born December 21, 1954 in Emporia, KS, the daughter of Fred Anthony and Ima Jean (Varner) Markowitz.

She attended both Emporia Roosevelt High School and Emporia High School, graduating in 1972. Susan subsequently received an associate of science degree from Emporia Kansas State College (now Emporia State University) in 1974. She was united in marriage to the love of her life, Donald William Schulze of Olpe, KS, on August 9, 1975 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Emporia. Together, they were blessed with three children, all of whom were lovingly raised by Susan as a homemaker throughout their childhoods in Nebraska and Michigan.

Susan will be remembered for her exquisite generosity and for a lifelong mission of putting the needs of others before her own. She excelled at playing the piano and was an ardent fan of the Kansas City Royals and Kansas Jayhawks. On gamedays, she could often be found in front of the television intently following along with the action.

More than anything, she loved to be surrounded by her family and cherished all of the times spent in the comfort of home and friends. Her children, their spouses, and grandchildren were the sources of her greatest joy and she was incredibly proud of all of their achievements.

Susan is survived by her mother, Ima Jean, of Emporia, KS; her husband of 44 years, Donald, of Dakota Dunes, SD; her children: Ryan (Autumn) Schulze, of Rochester, MN, Lindsay (Justin) Grissom, of Bluffton, SC, and Lara (Michael) Pedersen, of Tea, SD; a brother, James (Sheila) Markowitz, of Emporia, KS; a sister, Barbara (Jeff) Kohlman, of Cottonwood Falls, KS; her five grandchildren, Logan, Alexis, Crew, Collins, and William; and numerous beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her father.

In light of the COVID-19 regulations, a Celebration of Life memorial service will be held in Emporia, KS followed by inurnment at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Doctors Without Borders (https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org).

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IN WEDNESDAY’S GAZETTE NEWS Tyson adjusts to COVID-19

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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THE GAZETTE, EMPORIA, KANSAS

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PREVENT From PAGE 1 Many people who contract COVID-19 are asymptomatic carriers, which means they will experience little to no symptoms. That means, mask-wearers should act as though they have the virus even if they feel healthy and are not displaying any symptoms, while continuing to observe social distancing guidelines and good hand hygiene.

The “CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others,” according to CDC.gov. “Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.”

These simple cloth masks are not surgical-grade or N95 masks.

“Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for health care workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance,” the CDC said.

Those items can be old T-shirts, bandanas or other cloth materials.

Cloth face coverings should fit snugly — but comfortably — against the side of the face, be secured with ties or ear loops, include be laundered and machine multiple layers of fabric, al- dried without damage or low for breathing without change to shape.

The CDC does not recomrestriction and be able to

MASKS From PAGE 1 director of business development for Newman Regional Health, said. “All the ways people are coming together in this time of need is truly inspiring. And, to top it all off, they’re having to be really creative in how they are helping because of these guidelines and safety protocols. It’s very humbling and emotional to witness all of that, so I think it’s really important for us as the hospital to thank the community for all of its support, because while there is still an urgent need for these masks, we have received an unbelievable amount of assistance.”

And the need for masks continues to rise.

“Cloth fabric masks are still a need for us, in addition to the N95 mask covers that we have also asked the community to help with,” Cinelli said. “Those N95 mask covers have to be made from a certain material, which is surgical drapes, and we at the hospital are providing that material for those community members who are interested in that.”

With both types of masks being made by the public, Cinelli said the N95 masks are reserved for health care workers. The cloth masks — which need to be made of either 100 percent cotton or 100 percent flannel — are being provided for patients, because they do not meet CDC guidelines.

“What we are currently doing with those is, any outpatient who comes in at any point of entry, we are screening them and if they screen positive for any of the questions, then we provide them with one of those masks,” she said. “If a patient comes in and they need to be seen for a sprained ankle, we do not give them a mask — unless they screen positive because they traveled or fit other criteria.”

Should the guidelines change, Cinelli said the hospital will adjust its practices accordingly.

Flattening the Curve While Lyon County’s confirmed positives of COVID-19 have remained relatively flat in the last few days, Lyon County Public Health officials are warning against taking that as a sign that the curve has started to level out locally.

“It’s not that we are seeing less people get tested,”

Verlin Conkle, Public Information Officer for Lyon County Public Health, said.

“It’s just that we haven’t received the positive test confirmations back. That’s due to the lab being behind in getting us those results.

The CDC came out earlier this week and recommended that everyone wear cloth masks while out in public and doing their essential duties, and that’s why; because with the backlog of tests, we truly don’t have a good idea of exactly how many positive cases we have here.”

Conkle said there were between 20 - 35 tests out awaiting confirmation at testing labs. There are other people in the community who are sick and awaiting testing supplies, and others who are sick but may not qualify for a test because of the strict factors involved due to test kit shortages.

That’s why it’s so important to wear a mask when out in public spaces, such as grocery stores and pharmacies.

“Over 5 percent of people who acquire this disease are asymptomatic,” Conkle said. “They don’t realize they even have it. So, if they don’t realize they have it, they think they are relatively OK. Maybe they think they’re just a little bit tired, or it’s an allergy thing, and it’s actually COVID. They could be spreading this and have no idea. If you pair that with the fact that the health department hasn’t been releasing any new positive cases, you could see how that could create a perfect storm for increased virus spread in our community.”

Filling a need Brittany Partridge is one of the many community members who started making masks — first for health care workers. Now, she has expanded into making masks for other members of the community, as well. Partridge, owner and stylist at Alter Image Salon, said with her business closed due to the statewide stay-athome orders, she was feeling restless and wanted to do something to help.

ANSWERS TO LAST PRINTED CROSSWORD PUZZLE

mend using masks on chil- otherwise unable to remove dren ages 2 and under, any- the mask without assistance.

Overall, most health ofone with difficulty breathing, who is unconscious or ficials appear to consider

“I saw on Facebook that someone asked if people could sew and I thought, ‘Oh, this is perfect,’ except I couldn’t provide the supplies,” she said.

Partridge reached out and explained that, because she was not bringing in any money at this time, she could not provide her own materials. Still, she would be happy to help put some masks together if materials were provided for her.

“That’s how it started, and I provided about 75 masks for them,” she said.

“The CDC came out and recommended that everybody start wearing face masks, and that’s when I put it out on Facebook. It costs me about $5 to make a mask and that covers just the supplies, so I don’t have to buy them myself. That’s where this all kind of blew up from, and now I’m making masks for individuals.”

By the time she’s finished with her current order, Partridge said she will have made more than 300 masks. It takes her about nine minutes to complete a mask, which she usually does about a dozen at a time.

While she wouldn’t consider herself an expert with her sewing machine before this project, Partridge said she has definitely seen some improvement.

“I’m definitely more proficient now than when I started,” she said with a laugh.

Partridge said she has been following a CDC-recommended pattern for the masks, and she modifies it for sizes as needed.

“The only thing I’ve messed with is the ear pieces,” she said. “I’ve had to use different materials like headbands and elastics, because those are hard to get ahold of right now.”

Partridge said anyone who has the time and the skills to help should consider doing so. The need is there, and you will not be lacking for things to do.

Still, supplies are getting difficult to come by in some instances and shipping costs may be high for some items.

SUDOKU SOLUTION

masks a good idea. But they agree on three constants in this quickly changing matter: Keep your distance from

others outside your household. Wash your hands often. And don’t touch your face.

“For people who want to do it, just go out and do it,” she said. “It’s really hard to get material right now because the supplies are getting really limited. My advice is to absolutely do it if you have the ability, but if you put it on Facebook, just be prepared to be busy.”

How to help Interested individuals can help by sewing face masks for patients out of fabric as well as by sewing covers for N95 masks for health care workers. There is an immediate need for both.

Newman Regional Health needs approximately 1,021 N95 covers per week.

Cinelli said the hospital partnered with Emporia Main Street in order to provide a centralized location for material pickup and mask donations. Community members interested in picking up surgical drapes for mask construction should call 340-6430, or email main.street@emporia-kansas.gov prior to pick-up or drop-off to make arrangements. When arriving, they are instructed to use the clear garage door on Eighth Avenue, next to the butterfly mural.

“We will continue to have a need until we are no longer seeing a shortage of our personal protective equipment,” Cinelli said, adding that the hospital had been scheduled to receive a shipment of masks this month. That shipment has now been pushed into May. “There’s really no telling, even when we get to THE WHITE CORPORATION 517 Merchant St. Emporia, Kansas 66801

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that first week of May, if it will be pushed even further.

That really pushes us into even more of a shortage.”

Anyone who would like to help, or has questions about sewing the masks, should contact Newman Regional Health Volun-

teer Coordinator Deborah Storrer by calling 3436800, extension 22525 or emailing dstorrer@ newmanrh.org. Require ments for the mask and a preferred pattern can be found online at www.newmanrh.org/facemasks.

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THE GAZETTE, EMPORIA, KANSAS

“What a lovely town is this Emporia, as it is softened by trees and grass and flowers.”

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Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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“Here is our chance to help him who has so greatly and so often helped us.”

WILLIAM LINDSAY WHITE

WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE

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VISUAL VOICES

William Allen White, 1895-1944 William Lindsay White, 1944-1973 Kathrine Klinkenberg White, 1973-1988 Christopher White Walker Editor and Publisher — Ashley Knecht Walker Editor

MANAGEMENT Bettina Shank Operations Manager Tina Pringle Business Manager Montana Cushing Advertising Manager

NEWSROOM Zachariah William Hacker News and Online Editor — Stephen Louis Coleman Sports Editor

Barbara White Walker Senior Editor —

Paul David Walker Publisher Emeritus

EDITORIAL

Lead the way, Kansas

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BIOCHEMISTRY PROFESSOR at Kansas State University has exactly the right idea: Kansas should aggressively test as many people as possible for the corona-

virus.

In a letter to the editor earlier this week, Sally Newton suggested that our state could prove to the rest of the country that this is the way to stop a viral pandemic.

Kansas is not that big, relatively speaking, with a population of 2.9 million people, about a third the size of New York City. The number of confirmed cases is around 500; in New York, there are more than 47,000 confirmed cases About 5,400 people in Kansas have been tested.

Authorities have doled out the tests in a miserly manner in our state, and in the U.S. generally, because of short supplies. We can’t blame local authorities for setting priorities in testing. It is an enormous failure on the part of the federal government.

Other countries are taking a far more aggressive approach: In Germany, they’re testing 500,000 people a week, and they’re looking to ramp up to 200,000 per day. England is aiming for 25,000 people a day by the end of April. Sweden and Austria are at 15,000 tests per day.

The consequence of a lack of testing in the U.S. has been that governments have to shut down everything in order to keep everybody away from each other. “Social distancing” is a logical response, under those circumstances, in order to keep from overwhelming the health care system. Citizens have to do their part by following those rules, and nothing we’re saying here is intended to undermine that. In other words, stay home. It’s our best shot right now.

But it’s not ideal. Shuttered businesses mean lost jobs, among other things.

In Kansas, we could pretty much test everybody if the right people and political forces got behind it. Sally Newton, the K-State biochemistry professor, said in the letter we published Sunday, that it could be called “the Kansas Experiment,” and that could show the rest of the country that it’s the way to move forward.

Mass testing could allow us to quarantine people who actually have the virus or who’ve been in contact with people carrying it. That would prevent infected people who don’t yet show symptoms from giving it to others. It could also shorten the duration of “social distancing,” if done right.

Manhattan Mercury

WHERE TO WRITE Our people in Congress: ✦✦Sen. Pat Roberts✦ 109 Hart Senate Office Bldg.

Washington, DC 20510 www.roberts.senate.gov 202-224-4774

✦✦Rep. Roger Marshall, M.D. 312 Cannon House Office Bldg Washington, D.C. 20515 www.marshall.house.gov 202-225-2715

✦✦Sen. Jerry Moran Room 521, Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.

Washington, DC 20510 www.moran.senate.gov 202-224-6521

Got an opinion?

Share your point of view with our readers.

Letters to The People Speak can be sent to The Emporia Gazette, P.O. Drawer C, Emporia, KS 66801; e-mailed to news@emporia.com; or faxed to 342-8108.

Letters must be no longer than 300 words, be signed and contain an address and daytime phone number.

The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar, advertising, spelling and sense. The Gazette does not publish poetry or letters solely about personal religious beliefs.

C O M M E N TA RY

Happy Easter to everyone I hope and pray this newsletter finds everyone safe and healthy. Linda and I wish you and your family the hope and assurance in the message of Easter.

As your representative for our state government, I have been very busy with constituent issues coming my way.

The common issues include unemployment benefits, GPS tracking of our movements, religious services, Parks and Wildlife, water, agriculture sector decline, interim meetings and essential business designation. I also continue to participate in radio interviews with KMAN in Manhattan and KVOE in Emporia. Here is the link to my KMAN interview on Friday: 1350kman.com/legislative-update-with-51st-districtrep-ron-highland-4-10-20 Important issues that I am addressing

Ron Highland District 51 Rep.

Agriculture markets We are receiving several complaints concerning what could be market manipulation by packers and distributors of beef and dairy products. This is serious, and I wrote a letter to the US Secretary of Agriculture asking for an investigation.

Thirty-two legislators cosigned the letter with me. Recently, Representative John Barker invited me to cover the Ag issues more in depth in his TV interview: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUH9TvIt4qU&feature=youtu.be

GPS tracking Ad agencies have been tracking your phones and in some cases your automobiles, as well. They have given the public access to this information via a website called Unacast.

Because it is public information, and the right for them to collect it was given when we accepted the conditions for owning a smart phone, there isn’t much we can do.

We can, however, let our US Congressmen and Congresswomen know we would rather not have our movements monitored.

The data is anonymous and aggregated; and from what I can determine it is delayed and not very accurate. The use of this data to grade counties on their compliance with health official’s recommendations is problematic.

Landowner Net Income (LNI) The Agriculture Economics Department at Kansas State University is working with me to determine if there is a more reasonable and fair system for calculating LNI. We are looking at data over several years, manipulating with different methods, and evaluating what changes in the complex calculations could result in a better outcome.

The goal is to lessen the volatility and large swings in LNI calculations resulting in property tax fluctuations. Our work so far indicates that changing from an eight-year rolling average to an eight year straight average or a five-year rolling average both accomplish this.

More calculations will be made to convince everyone that any change will be fair to the landowners and the counties. Our goal is to have a plan in place for inclusion in the tax bill if we eventually return to Topeka to finish the session.

Executive orders mandating stay-athome Many are writing concerned about the stay-at-home orders.

The first order has been followed by everyone I know, due to the risk of exposure by venturing out unnecessarily. The new order[last week] singled out churches and funeral services, mandating they cannot meet in groups of 10 or more.

I feel churches in my district are following the original mandate and having virtual services. The Legislative Coordinating Council stuck down her order after conferring with the Attorney General. The rea-

Commercial Hemp I wrote a letter to US Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, listing my frustration with the rules and regulations concerning hemp production.

Agriculture Departments

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emporiagazette.com

son is that the right to practice one’s religion is protected by both the US and Kansas Constitutions.

A more productive and workable approach would have been for the Governor to ask the churches and other houses of worship to voluntarily honor the first order that is still in force regardless of LCC actions. Most, if not all, are already complying. Why cause all the confusion and discord during Holy Week, and at the same time declare abortions an essential business in Kansas?

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from several additional states wrote similar letters, also voicing their concerns with the regulations as written. We are in the public comment period that is ending soon. Kansas has submitted their rules and regulations for approval by the USDA and they have reported to me that they feel good about having them approved. When and if approved, there will be notification by all available means so the work can begin.

KOMA and KORA The Kansas Open Meetings Act and the Kansas Open Records Act are laws that regulate whatever legislators say or do during meetings. The pandemic is making it difficult to attend meetings in an open setting and to make the materials discussed available to anyone who wishes to attend the meetings.

My committee is all electronic format, and that gives me some expertise in how this can be done. I have been working with the state attorneys and the IT department to design a system that will comply with the laws in time for the necessary scheduled meetings this month.

Conference calls Legislators have conference calls weekly with the Governor where she updates us on what the state government is doing.

This is only informational, and we do not converse with her, only listen. We also have similar meetings with House leadership to hear what they are doing and to hear their views on how the state is doing.

Honey Dos Like everyone else, I am using this time between calls and emails to catch up on chores around the property. Linda has challenged me in pinochle and dominoes. So far, she leads in dominoes and I am the pinochle champ. Linda and I miss meeting with people and are hopeful this will pass quickly.

But until then, stay safe.

We are not at the Capitol, so the best way to reach me is by email. I check my emails several times a day and either of the following emails will reach me: ron.highland@house.ks.gov or rep.highland@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading this newsletter. As always, it is an honor and privilege to serve you.

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517 Merchant Street, Emporia, Kansas 66801

1 620 342 4805

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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CASA volunteers change children’s lives Special to The Gazette

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and SOS CASA of the Flint Hills is raising awareness of the need for more dedicated members of the community to step up and become Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA volunteers) to help break the cycle of abuse and neglect through supporting children and families.

CASA volunteers are everyday people from all walks of life who are specially trained to advocate for children in foster care and provide a consistent, reliable adult presence for them during a difficult time in their life. One thing all CASAs have in common is their relentless dedication to children who need them.

CASA volunteers are assigned to one child or sibling group to advocate for their best interest in court, in school and in other settings. Most of the children served by CASA are in foster care due to abuse or neglect.

The CASA gets to know the child and everyone involved in their life, such as parents and other family members, foster parents, therapists,

Flint Hills Area

caseworkers and teachers, in order to develop a realistic picture of the child’s unique situation. They engage those important to the child and family in order to build a network of support around them, so that the family has access to support and resources after CASA and D C F involvement has ended.

They make recommendations to the judge overseeing the child’s case, with the goal of ensuring that the child is safe and the family has the resources, support and healthy relationships needed to heal.

Last year, 44 CASA volunteers served 99 children in the foster care system in Lyon and Chase counties, but many more children still need a volunteer to advocate for their best interests. This April, consider stepping up to make a difference by becoming a CASA volunteer.

Certain types of cases are significantly more likely to receive CASA services,

including children in larger sibling groups, children who experience more types of maltreatment leading to removal, and children who do not have family options.

Additionally, children whose family has a higher number of caregiver risk factors, more prior CPS investigations, and children whose homes show indications of past or current domestic violence, are more likely to be appointed a CASA. When faced with the toughest cases, judges call upon CASA, knowing CASA volunteers are dedicated and well-trained to take on any challenge. Their determination creates a lasting impact in the lives of children.

By acting as the eyes and ears for the courts and providing key insight on the unique needs of children to keep them from slipping through the cracks, CASA volunteers are actively a part of the solution. These dedicated volunteers work

to move the children they serve out of the system and into safe, permanent homes as quickly as possible. Their role not only impacts the children they serve, but ultimately helps to break the cycle of abuse and neglect for the next generation.

National Volunteer Appreciation week is April 1925. SOS CASA of the Flint Hills is honored to recognize CASA volunteers past and present who have stepped up and used their voice as a powerful tool of advocacy for children. Everyone can help celebrate the CASA volunteers’ tireless efforts in advocating for our most vulnerable abused and neglected children. They recognize these volunteers who refuse to sit back and hope for a day when our overburdened

system is no longer an issue, but are instead stepping up to help build a better life for the child today.

“Thank you, CASA volunteers, and all the other volunteers in our community who offer their time and talents to make our communities safer, healthier and stronger,” read a statement from SOS. “The issues facing our child welfare system cannot be fixed overnight, and while progress is happening, too many children are stuck in the system without a CASA volunteer advocating for their best interest. Every child deserves a chance at a bright future, and you can be that chance by becoming a CASA volunteer.”

SOS CASA of the Flint

Hills is currently accepting applications. The organization is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation and is regularly providing updates and resources to help CASA volunteers. Pre-service training is scheduled begin online in June. Applicants must be 21 years old to apply, and acceptance subject to criminal background checks.

For more information, contact CASA at csanchez@ soskansas.com or visit us at www.casagalforchildren. org.

Church Directory

ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHRISTIAN CENTRO CRISTIANO DE EMPORIA 902 Constitution St. Emporia, 342-6177 BAPTIST COUNTRYSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH 6 First St., Americus BETHEL BAPTIST 1300 W. 12th Ave. Emporia, 342-7036 CALVARY BAPTIST 702 Arundel St. Emporia, 342-0170 CEDAR CROSS MISSIONARY BAPTIST 310 Whildin Emporia, 573-300-3811 CORNERSTONE BAPTIST 315 S. Commercial St. Emporia, 343-6061 FIRST BAPTIST 807 Constitution Emporia, 343-3112 IGLESIA BAUTISTA 2 Constitution St. Emporia, 343-3929 LIGHTHOUSE BAPTIST 4602 W. 18th Ave. Emporia, 785-521-2110 READING FIRST BAPTIST 101 Vine St. Reading, 341-3106 ST. JAMES BAPTIST 730 Sylvan St. Emporia, 342-8218

This devotional directory is brought to you by these businesses who encourage all of us to attend worship services.

SUNRISE FREE WILL BAPTIST 1720 E. US Hwy 50 Emporia, 342-3382

TWELFTH AVENUE BAPTIST 2023 W. 12th Ave. Emporia, 342-8830 WEST SIDE BAPTIST 2200 Prairie St. Emporia, 342-4142 CATHOLIC DIDDE CATHOLIC CAMPUS CENTER 1415 Merchant St. Emporia, 343-6765

SACRED HEART CATHOLIC 101 Cottonwood St. Emporia, 342-1061 ST. CATHERINES 205 S. Lawrence St. Emporia, 342-1368

ST. JOSEPH’S 306 Iowa St, Olpe, KS 66865 ST. MARY’S 501 Mechanic St. Hartford

CHRISTIAN CHRISTIAN MISSION MINISTRIES 2910 W. US Hwy. 50 Emporia, 341-9620 FIRST CHRISTIAN 202 E. 12th Ave. Emporia, 342-1582 FLINT HILLS BIBLE CHURCH 1836 E. US Hwy. 50 Emporia, 342-0081 HARTFORD CHRISTIAN 401 Mechanic St. Hartford, 392-5865

ELMDALE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Elmdale, 273-8691

NEW LIFE CHRISTIAN 1505 Road 175 Emporia, 342-1144

FIRST UNITED METHODIST 823 Merchant St. Emporia, 342-6186

THE CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY 721 Corinth Emporia, 366-2974

GRACE UNITED METHODIST 2 Neosho St. Emporia, 342-2240

CHURCH OF CHRIST CHURCH OF CHRIST 502 W. 12th Ave. Emporia, 342-3999

HARTFORD UNITED METHODIST 201 E. Park Ave. Hartford, 392-5752

EPISCOPAL ST. ANDREWS EPISCOPAL 828 Commercial St. Emporia, 342-1537

HOPE COMMUNITY FREE METHODIST CHURCH 428 Union St. Emporia, 342-5331

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

MT. OLIVE AME 601 Congress St., Emporia

KINGDOM HALL OF JEHOVAHS WITNESSES 631 E. Logan Ave. Emporia, 343-3008

NEOSHO RAPIDS UNITED METHODIST 139 Commercial St. Neosho Rapids

LUTHERAN FAITH LUTHERAN 1348 Trailridge Rd. Emporia, 342-3590

OLPE UNITED METHODIST 120 E. Listerschied St. Olpe, 475-3256

MESSIAH LUTHERAN 1101 Neosho St. Emporia, 342-8181

READING UNITED METHODIST 25 Franklin St. Reading, 699-3808

ST. MARKS LUTHERAN 1508 W. 12th Ave. Emporia, 342-5850

SAFFORDVILLE UNITED METHODIST 2450 YY Road Emporia, 620-412-9455

METHODIST AMERICUS UNITED METHODIST 413 Walnut St. Americus, 443-5371

TRI-PARISH UMC ADMIRE UMC 505 Market St Admire, KS 66830

EBENEZER UNITED METHODIST 4 1/2 miles west of Olpe on Rd 70, Olpe

NAZARENE FIRST CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 2931 W. 24th Ave. Emporia, 342-2858 PENTECOSTAL HERITAGE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH 1827 Road G (Americus Rd.) Emporia, 342-2333 PRESBYTERIAN EMPORIA PRESBYTERIAN 802 Commercial St. Emporia, 342-0375 FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 200 Maple St. Cottonwood Falls, 273-6650

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN 557 Broadway St. Americus, 443-5529 OTHER CALVARY CHAPEL FELLOWSHIP 1130 E. 9th Ave. Emporia, 229-3186

CHURCH OF THE NEW COVENANT 2300 E. 6th Ave. Emporia, 343-0032

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL 326 W. 12th Ave. Emporia, 342-6854 FIRST FRIENDS 615 E. 6th Ave. Emporia, 342-6734

FRIENDS IN FAITH 517 Merchant St., Ste. 201 Emporia, 342-8100 ISLAMIC CENTER OF EMPORIA 1125 Mechanic St. Emporia, 343-9229 LIFE 1801 Graphic Arts Rd. Emporia, 342-8620

REJOICE EVERMORE 22 E. 5th Ave., Emporia 620-344-2322

THE SALVATION ARMY 327 Constitution St. Emporia, 342-3093

SARDIS CONGREGATIONAL Rds 140 & J Emporia

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS 2313 Graphic Arts Road Emporia, 316-288-3736

VICTORY FELLOWSHIP 693 Road 190 Emporia, 342-3676

www.thurstonsplusautobody.com

BODY SHOP (620) 342-2613

ALLEN UMC 521 Grimsley St. Allen, KS 66833

Pay Your Respects, Not Your Life’s Savings!

501 W. 6th Ave. • 620-342-5522

MILLER UMC 4th St., Miller, KS 66848

MECHANICAL (620) 343-7063 RICK GRIFFIN Broker & Auctioneer NANCY GRIFFIN Associate Broker “Your Satisfaction is our top priority”

Office: 620-273-6421 Toll Free: 1-866-273-6421 Home: 620-274-4336 Rick, Mobile: 620-343-0473 griffinrealestate@sbcglobal.net

305 Broadway, Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845

www.GriffinRealEstateAuction.com

2000 Prairie St. • 620-342-8317

2611 West Hwy. 50 Emporia, KS 66801 (620) 342-5502

Residential - Commercial - Industrial 601 West 6th • Emporia • 342-2176

www.bluestemfarmandranch.com "Celebrating 50 years of service!"

State Farm Insurance

MASTER’S MECHANIC

Everett “Pete” Euler, LUTCF

Cummins Service Center 343-2030 802 Graphic Arts Rd. • Emporia

920 Commercial • Emporia • 620-342-6272 CAR • HOME • HEALTH • LIFE 24 Hour Good Neighbor Service © Good Neighbor Agent Since 1981

Engines • Transmissions • Rearends • And More

REEBLE MONUMENTS

REEBLE’S COUNTRY MARTS 1020 Merchant 342-1461

Mr. G’s Carwash & Storage

2703 West Highway 50

2700 W. 30th Avenue

www.holidayresorts.net

Featuring Water Wizard Automatics Danny & Betty Giefer, Owners

716 East 12th Ave. • 101 South Commercial • 1901 West 6th Ave. E-Mail Address: dagiefer@cableone.net • (620) 343-0772

(800) 800-7505

Adult Care and Rehabilitation

620-343-9285

OWNER SHAWN MILLER

1 S. Commercial • Emporia (620) 342-5573 • TOLL FREE 1-866-345-5573 Hours: 8-5 Weekdays • 8-12 Saturday After Hours by Appointment • 620-343-0717 Accredited by the Better Business Bureau

Kari’s Diamonds & Bridal

www.karisdiamonds.com kari@karisdiamonds.com 1015 Industrial Rd. Emporia, KS 66801 Phone: (620) 342-3899 Fax (620)342-7455

Page 6

THE GAZETTE, EMPORIA, KANSAS

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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P H O T O S B Y R E G I N A M U R P H Y/ M U R P H Y ’ S M E N U

A Pet Project

By Regina Murphy Murphy’s Menu

H

appy Easter — Christus Resur-

rexit!

Like many of you, I have come into the possession of a sourdough starter. This was a gift from friend Tracy Freeze, the percussion professor at Emporia State University, and he had it from a friend out on the west coast who kept it alive somewhere around 30 years. Tracy has had it for 10, so my starter is in the neighborhood of 40 years old — wow!

Yes, it is alive. ALIVE! Middle-aged yeasts and bacteria floating in a bath of flour and distilled water, happily eating and, well, “pooping.”

Yes, this is a form of poop.

Tasty; still poop.

Fortunately, I was not aware of that bit of science when, as a child, I helped Mom make tray after tray of sourdough rolls on warm Saturday afternoons at our rural home in Cabot, Arkansas.

Friends would come over and make a day of it, the children often relegated to sitting on the porch “churning” butter in Mason jars, using cream from the dairy up near Old Austin. (Lest you think I am ancient, this was circa 1975).

But, I digress. Caring for a starter is a lot like having a pet. You need to feed it every day. You can board it in the refrigerator, but when you take it back out it needs warmth and food before it will love you (and start pooping) again.

Now, there are all kinds of advice on the sourdough starter out there, some draconian, some more relaxed. I’m not trying to make a living off baking and if my starter dies, I can always get some more,

Murphy’s Menu REGINA MURPHY V V V so I try to just relax. The whole point of this product is enjoyment, and if you stress out over keeping it perfectly fed and coddled, then you won’t enjoy the product quite as much.

Tracy gave me a cup of starter. I fed it equal amounts of distilled water and bread flour (although you can use AP). Ideally, I should have used a cup each, but I wanted to start small, so I did — and have been doing — a quarter cup of water and flour every day or two. The more you feed it, the more you will get and you face the horrible choice of perhaps actually throwing away some off it to keep the colony under control.

The reason to use distilled water is that tap water has chemicals added that will affect the starter, perhaps even kill it. You can also boil, and then cool water to purify it.

The more you feed the starter, the more starter you will have. I’m using a widemouth, quart-size Mason jar since most recipes only need a cup or two of starter to make. You reserve a quarter cup of each batch to keep the starter alive, and then use the remainder to cook. Kind of like shaving your poodle.

(Apologies for the continued pet analogies!)

If you need a break from baking, you put the starter in the refrigerator for a couple of days and up to two weeks.

This will put it to sleep.

When you are ready to use it again, or if you’re approaching two weeks, bring it back out, let it warm to room temperature and feed it. After a day, it should be ready to go and you can start building it up to cook with or put it back to bed.

Some facts to know: 1. Starter likes to live in glass or ceramic. It likes to be stirred with wood or stainless steel. IT likes to be kept covered, unless you want to attract some wild yeasts to make it a “local” flavor.

2. If starter smells like something you don’t want to eat, throw it out. Starter should smell like yeasty, fresh, unbaked bread dough.

3. A dark liquid layer on top of the starter indicates it is starving! If there is just a little bit, stir it back in and enjoy a stronger sour flavor. If there is a lot, pour off the liquid to avoid giving it alcohol poisoning.

Feed your pet right then and there.

4. You can make your own starter and you can freeze starter.

Learn even more at bakeclub.com.au/blogs/bakeclub-blog/ Tracy, who is such a master baker he even uses grams instead of ounces, and makes things like brioche, shared this wonderful recipe for sourdough scones. I’ve made many batches these past few weeks, and it’s just perfect.

Add-in extra ingredients as you like: chopped nuts; diced, dried fruit; chocolate chips; small, fresh berries — My latest batch included

In a separate bowl, stir together sourdough starter and cream until combined. Add this mixture to flour mixture, stirring with a fork or spatula just until dough comes together. Word of caution: If you haven’t prepared your pan, do it now because things are about to get really messy.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until a slightly sticky dough is formed.

Gently pat dough into an 8-inch circle, about 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges. dried apricots (diced) and crumbled bacon. Just wait until I get some blueberries.

Let’s get cooking!

SOURDOUGH SCONES 1 1/2 cups all-purpose (or bread) flour 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar 1 Tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 5 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cubed 1/2 cup of mix-ins (give or take) 1 cup sourdough starter discard 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, plus more for brushing 1 tablespoon Demerara or turbinado sugar (Optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or baking mat or prepare a small baking dish (round is traditional) with non-stick spray.

This recipe calls for the food processor, but I have made all my batches by hand.

Part of the “meaning” for me in working with sourdough, is actually working with it — getting my hands in there, doing what my mother and I did so many times back home.

RECIPE SAYS: In the work bowl of a food processor, place flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt;

pulse until combined, about 3 times. Add cold butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly with some larger pieces of butter remaining, 10 to 12 quick pulses. Turn out dough into a large bowl, and stir in desired mix-ins.

REGINA SAYS: Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter, scraping the cutter clean after a few strokes to keep the butter from recombining.

I have seen bakers actually use their hands to “smoosh” the butter and flour together, rubbing it all between fingertips, but I feel like I can’t get it incorporated as well that way. Plus, they were making biscuits. The mixture will become crumbly, but you can still see a few lumps of butter.

Use a spatula to fold in any additives you choose. The quantity can be increased if you think the dough can take it. One-half cup total was perfect for white chocolate chips and walnut pieces — not too sweet. A cup would have been fine, too. A cup-and-a-half would have been better for my apricot and bacon scones, and I probably should have substituted one tablespoon of butter for one tablespoon cold bacon fat to make it even baconier.

RECIPE SAYS: You can also shape dough into a square, and cut into 9 square scones, if you like.)

REGINA SAYS: After kneading and patting, I move the dough to an 8-inch round casserole I inherited from my paternal grandmother; this is an act of honor and love and makes me feel good. A cake pan will work, too. I make the cuts as proscribed, but let it bake as a loaf. I recut along the indentations after it has baked and lift the pieces out with a cake server.

Place scones on prepared pan. Brush top of scones with cream, and sprinkle with Demerara sugar. (This is a chunky sugar that makes a lovely visual effect, but it is not necessary and does add sugar and all the evils thereof) Bake until tops and edges are lightly golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on (or in) pan for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Scones can be breakfast, snack or dessert; eaten straight, buttered or covered with whipped cream and brandied fruit (Yes, my brandied fruit jar is still going!); with milk, coffee or fortified wine. Treat yo’ self!

FISHING OUTINGS AND HOME PROJECTS

By Lovina Eicher

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen

W

e are all still home from the “stay home, stay safe” order due to the coronavirus.

We were to host church services this past Sunday, but church services in our community were postponed until further notice. Maybe too often we take going to church for granted. It didn’t seem right to not meet with our fellow church members to worship God. We were home reading from the scriptures in the Bible, still honoring our Heavenly Father. I know that we have so much more family time while all this is going on.

My husband Joe and the boys head for the lake with our boat when they get too bored and need a way to relax. They came home tonight with their limit of bluegill, which helps a lot on

the grocery bill when they aren’t bringing in money at their jobs while things are closed.

With church being delayed, we have time to get some more jobs done around here. We are painting our basement walls with Drylok paint that helps keep moisture out. It seems since we had a fire a few years ago, with all the water ending up in our basement, it has been more damp down there. Hopefully sealing off the walls with white paint will also brighten it up. It’s really looking good so far.

Joe has also set up a mini greenhouse and is growing some vegetable plants from

COURTESY PHOTO

This week Lovina’s daughters made pizza, pictured, with the recipe from her new cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, shared in today’s column.

seed. It is very small, but it’s a start. He enjoys doing that.

I told him when he started planting seeds in trays that I am not interested in that, so he said I don’t have to help. It’s kind of like a hobby to him, but it will save us money to grow our own tomato, pepper, etc. plants. If he’s willing to do it, I won’t complain.

The girls made pizza tonight using the pizza dough recipe in my new cookbook,

Amish Family Recipes. I will share the recipe at the end of this column.

This is now over a day later and I neglected to finish this column. Yesterday was spent painting in the basement again. I am sore from using muscles I don’t use every day. Our basement walls have a brick-like finish, so it is taking much longer than I had anticipated. I love how it looks though, so it is worthwhile.

Joe and the boys took the boat out on a nearby lake again and came home with their limit of bluegill. The fish were filleted and bagged for the freezer. We will have quite a few meals of fish now. It warmed up to 75 degrees yesterday, so they were a little sunburned.

Joe put some chicken on the grill and that was our supper. We sat outside and ate it from the grill. It was nice, but then started cooling off fast.

This morning it’s windy and 45 degrees and the temperature keeps dropping. Joe is going to put a little heat out in the greenhouse. We had let our coal stove go out since it has been so warm.

We might have to start it up again, but Joe wants to clean it up first. It shouldn’t be too long before we can let it go out for the summer.

Easter will be on Sunday, reminding us of Jesus’ resurrection. Easter brings hope!

Let us keep our faith! Until next week, stay healthy, be safe and may God bless each of you!

M Y FAVO R I T E P I Z Z A DOUGH 1 cup warm water 1 tablespoon active dry yeast 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups flour

In a medium bowl, mix water, yeast and sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add oil, salt and flour and mix well.

Press dough into a greased 10x15-inch jellyroll pan. Layer on sauce and toppings of choice and bake at 350 degrees until crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

— Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife and mother of eight. Readers can write to Eicher at PO Box 1689, South Holland, IL 60473 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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ANSWERING THE CALL

LCECC urges public to celebrate public safety telecommunicators week

By Ryann Brooks

brooks@emporia.com

The Lyon County Emergency Communications Center is celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, an event honoring the thousands of dispatchers responding to emergency calls and rendering life-saving assistance to people around the world.

The week kicked off Sunday and goes through Saturday.

LCECC Director Roxy Van Gundy said local dispatchers have been working hard through the COVID-19 pandemic, providing an essential service every single day. But while the team is still working alongside local law enforcement and emergency responders, dispatchers are not technically considered protective service workers.

“I think a lot of people will be surprised that dispatchers are not considered first responders,” Van Gundy said. “The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) classifies us federally as ‘Office and Administrative Support Occupation.’ We are in the same category as a hotel/motel clerk, a filing clerk and secretaries. While I have the utmost respect for individuals who work in those fields, that’s not the type of work that a dispatcher does.”

Other professions that have protective service designation include crossing guards, parking enforcement and lifeguards.

“For years dispatchers haven’t really believed that they deserved to be called first responders, but as our

“Worst days of people’s lives, we are there, protecting every citizen that needs our help.”

ROXY VAN GUNDY, Lyon County Emergency Communications Center director

duties have changed and grown, along with the level of certifications we are required to have, that conversation has gained more traction, especially over the last few years,” Van Gundy said. “Rep. Norma Torres [of California] introduced the 911 Saves Act, HB1629, which attempted to reclassify us [last year]. It passed in the House, but died in the Senate. Since the bill was voted down, dispatchers in many states have worked to pass statewide resolutions to reclassify dispatchers as first responders. Currently, Texas and California recognize their dispatchers as first responders. Iowa, Tennessee, West Virginia and many other states are working towards this reclassification.”

Dispatchers work with cutting-edge technology and require certifications in order to provide the highest level of service possible.

“Kansas is incredibly progressive in their NG911 service statewide,” Van Gundy said. “They are continually getting new tech thrown at them. Dispatchers also have an incredible amount of demands on their attention and time. Every time you call, they have anywhere from 8 - 20 people on their radios, maybe one or two callers on hold and seven

FILE PHOTO

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Brittany Jones works at her desk as a 911 dispatcher. Lyon County is celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

screens they have to pay attention to.”

Van Gundy said there are a lot of factors that go into an average day for LCECC dispatchers. The communications center coordinates calls for local law enforcement officers, fire and EMS, correctional officers, court security and animal control.

All of those services are labeled as protective service occupations, and in many cases, the first contact starts with a call to dispatch.

“I think the other part in our ‘average day’ is that we are a part of everyone’s most awful day,” Van Gundy said.

“For every death a family has experienced, a dispatcher has also experienced it, too. For every domestic violence incident, for every sexual assault, a dispatcher had to be a part of that, too.

I think something to consider, is that in our down time — if that’s a large amount or a small amount of time — we have paperwork to enter such as warrants and protection orders. No day in dispatch is idle.”

Even the more “mundane” calls, such as a simple

burn call, can make a shift busy.

“We can enter 150 burn calls in a day,” Van Gundy said. “Each burn generates two calls: the call to call it in and the call to say it’s over. While that isn’t hard, maybe three of them get out of control and turn into a four-department fire, with 20 people talking to you on the radio. This could last several hours. Then those fires are over and you take a dog running loose. Then someone stops a vehicle, and it decides to run. They catch the guy, take him to jail, then you have someone calling to report a scam.

“It’s not so much that it’s always busy every single second, but it’s a lot of highs and lows. Adrenaline kicks, then adrenaline dumps; that’s what makes it the most stressful. During the Hobby Lobby incident [last year], there were eight dispatchers working to keep you safe. We had no idea what was happening. We have to think in worst case scenario in all things. That can be incredibly draining and hard for someone. We

FILE PHOTO

may never know what actually happens on a call.”

Van Gundy said she felt it was important for dispatchers to receive the distinction because of the work they do.

Local dispatchers recently helped walk a father through a successful birth while EMS arrived on scene. By the time the EMS team arrived, “all they had to do was catch the little girl coming out,” she said.

“I don’t believe that’s something that a secretary would be doing, or a bank teller, or a hotel worker,” Van Gundy said. “I believe that father was thankful to have someone who was trained to tell him how to deliver his daughter safely, until someone could physically be there. If that isn’t protective service, or being a first responder, I don’t know what is. It’s an acknowledgement of the work being done. We are here 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. During the COVID-19 response, we are there. Tornados, we are there. Floods, we are there.

Car chases, we are there.

Worst days of people’s lives, we are there, protecting every citizen that needs our help.”

Van Gundy said the distinction would open up funds for mental health studies, as well. Dispatchers experience post-traumatic stress disorder at a high rate, like other first responders, but there are not many studies being done in that area.

She said statistics from 2015 — the most recent available — stated about 25 percent of dispatchers experience some form of mental health issues.

“Being classified in protective service could help open up more studies to show the mental struggles dispatchers are facing,” Van Gundy said.

“Canada had a rash of dispatchers who died by suicide.

Those instances drove them to include dispatchers in their first responder health studies.

I don’t want another dispatcher to feel alone, or scared, or afraid, because of the work we do. I don’t want a dispatcher to feel that there is no way to get help. Maybe if we are reclassified, the conversation of mental health in our profession will grow. Maybe we can help someone.”

Van Gundy said the community can reach out to its local legislators to help support the classification.

Reaching out Van Gundy said the added stress of the pandemic is taking a toll on the LCECC dispatch team. She is asking the community to reach out via social media or letters to help bring some joy to the office. These are people that are “devoted” to their jobs.

Who care about what they do and care about keeping responders and citizens safe day after day.

“It would be amazing to hear from the public,” she said. “We are currently locked down, so people can’t come visit, but dispatchers would love to hear from citizens through Facebook, or letters, pictures kids color.

Hearing from people would mean a lot.”

Connect with LCECC by liking @LyonCounty911 on Facebook. Letters and cards can be sent to 518 Mechanic St., Emporia, KS 66801.

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Tuesday, April 14, 2020

What’s their ‘why?’

Dispatchers give insight into their jobs and what keeps them coming back

By Ryann Brooks

brooks@emporia.com

Lyon County Emergency Communications Center dispatchers work hard day after day to coordinate responses with local law enforcement and first responders.

Many people in the community may not realize who it is on the other side of the phone when they are calling during an emergency situation.

We reached out to LCECC and asked the dispatch team to send us “their whys” in celebration of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

Name: Madison Dragonas How long have you been working in dispatch? 3 1/2 Years What’s been the most challenging part of the job for you so far? I get attached to my calls, as I am sure most dispatchers do or have done before. It’s hard to go right back into dispatching after a call you took didn’t end the way you’d hoped it would. Dispatching definitely was more stressful than I thought it would be. We lean on our partners a lot to get us through the really tough calls.

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about being a dispatcher? We care. We really do. Whether you’re calling because it’s your worst day, or calling for a non-emergency, we want to help you. A lot of times throughout the day we are multitasking and having to do quite a few things at once.

If we ask you to wait, or to hold on for a second, it’s not because we don’t think you’re important, it’s because we may have something just a tad bit more important going on with our officers/deputies/EMS. Just be patient with us, we aren’t ignoring anyone!

What keeps you coming back to the communications center, even on the hard days?

The individuals on the other end of the phone. They need us. We need to be there for them even when it’s tough for us in dispatch. It’s their worst day when they make that phone call, and I come back because I want to be the person they can trust, that will get someone to them to help them on what may be their very worst day.

I go back to a call that I will never forget. The female

Laaser

Dragonas

Van Gundy

Smith

called 911 because someone broke into her house. She got out before he attacked her, and I answered the phone.

She was so scared, as anyone would be in that situation. She made it back to her house, after the male left. Locked all the doors, and stayed on the phone with me. Officers arrived and were dealing with the male subject. I asked her if she wanted to disconnect with me on the phone. She told me no, that she felt I was keeping her safe, and until an officer was at her door she didn’t want me to hang up. When she said she felt that I kept her safe, that made me realize I was in the right profession.

I’ve always wanted to do something that helped people. This job isn’t about recognition. We don’t get into this for all the glory and the thank you’s. We do this job to be there for anyone who needs it, day or night, 24/7.

Name: Roxy Van Gundy How long have you been working in dispatch? 15 years What’s been the most challenging part of the job for you so far? When someone doesn’t make it no matter how hard you’ve tried. Death is hard. Hearing it is sometimes harder, because there’s no true sense of what’s really happening. Even though you know that all the chips are stacked against you, when you don’t win on a call, and you lose someone, it’s tough.

As a leader, it’s tough for see my folks hurting from calls that they’ve taken and giving them the support they need.

Sometimes it’s a long journey to overcome calls. The varying hours, the consistent stress. Dispatch never ends.

It’s 24/7/365.

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about being a dispatcher?

That we don’t just sit around and wait for calls. It’s busy ALL. OF. THE. TIME. We have to enter warrants, do paperwork, have contact with citizens, listen for responders, send responders, answer questions from responders, watch the weather, etc. We have to remember to breathe, eat and go to the bathroom in there somewhere.

Also, I see new hires who don’t realize that this job requires an immense amount of training, patience and the ability to be a friend, counselor and voice of reason to many, many people.

What keeps you coming back to the communications center, even on the hard days?

The people. They are some of the most giving, extraordinary humans that I have ever met. I’m lucky to lead 16 of the most fabulous human beings. I’m really proud of each and every one of them. When the days are hard, their smiles get me through.

Name: Nate Weaver How long have you been working in dispatch? 6 weeks What’s been the most challenging part of the job for you so far? Learning all the different things we do on a daily basis.

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about being a dispatcher? That they don’t just answer 911 calls. There is more to this job than I could possibly write in a brief sentence.

What keeps you coming back to the communications center, even on the hard days?

Every day I learn something new and that makes the job exciting.

Name: Julia Smith How long have you been working in dispatch? 10-plus years (saying anything more than 10 makes me feel old ;) What’s been the most challenging part of the job for you so far? Most would probably think our stress comes from calls, and it definitely can.

But, really, the schedule and being understaffed is far more stressful, in my opinion.

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about being a dispatcher? How much training and work that goes into it. When we have observers or visitors to our center, they are usually blown away at how many screens and channels we have to keep track of.

What keeps you coming back to the communications center, even on the hard days?

After a brutally busy 12-hour day without eating anything, I decided to help out my selfpity party and grab some

food after work. When the carhop brought the food out to my car, I noticed she was watching me closely and kept looking at the 911 logo on my shirt. As I handed her my money she said, “I think you’re the dispatcher that helped me when my mom died. I recognize your voice.”

Totally caught off guard, I asked her what the address was and realized that I did, in fact, take her call. She thanked me over and over and told me how caring I was over the phone as she cried outside my car window. After a hug, she walked away, and I remember sitting in my car for several minutes staring at my steering wheel trying to wrap my head around what just happened. I instantly forgot how tired I was just 10 minutes before and it was as if my stressful day never existed.

Although sometimes it might be few and far between, the appreciation and support is definitely what keeps us going.

Name: Brittany Jones How long have you been working in dispatch? Almost 8 years! A majority of that time I have been part-time.

What’s been the most challenging part of the job for you so far? This question evokes

so many feelings and responses. Emotionally speaking, taking emergency calls from friends or loved ones. There are things that you can’t unhear. Professionally speaking, policies, procedures and technology are ever-changing. There is a constant need to practice and maintain this particular skill set, and it can be extremely challenging at times.

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about being a dispatcher? The amount of pride and fulfillment you feel, not only for yourself, but for your partners and agencies we provide services for.

What keeps you coming back to the communications center, even on the hard days?

The people. They are some of the best humans I have ever met, and I am better for knowing them.

Name: Selena Laaser How long have you been working in dispatch? 14 years What’s been the most challenging part of the job for you so far? Lyon County is not a huge population and there have been several times I have taken emergency calls from my family or friends. I had to be professional and not allow myself to become overly emo-

tional while working the call.

This job may not be physically demanding, but it can be mentally exhausting.

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about being a dispatcher? We closely monitor the weather and set off the tornado sirens in Emporia and surrounding towns in Lyon County. Or since this is burn season; the person that takes your burn permit information for a controlled burn is the same person that answers 911 and dispatches the Fire Department when there is a grass fire.

What keeps you coming back to the communications center, even on the hard days?

We are family and I am extremely devoted and protective of all my first responders (Communications, LEO, Fire, EMS). Being a member of this family gives me self-satisfaction of keeping them and Lyon County safe.

Name: Arianna Gutierrez How long have you been working in dispatch? 2 years What’s been the most challenging part of the job for you so far? The most challenging part has been the bad calls.

You have to remind yourself that you did the absolute best and knowing when to reach out to get help in processing all the “what ifs.”

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about being a dispatcher? Expert Multitasker times 1,000, how quickly we adapt to new changes.

What keeps you coming back to the communications center, even on the hard days?

Every day is different, and whether good or bad, I know that I have sent the best help to our community members in their time of need. Also, these courageous men and women have become my second family.

4 Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Romance is in the stars.

A relationship will turn into an asset. Your outgoing personality will help you progress professionally. An application you submit will be approved.

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an intelligent assessment. Don’t take risks.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Your mood swings will confuse the people around you. Take a break, sort out your feelings and say little until you know what you want. Put TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- Exaggeration could your energy into a creative project. lead to a costly mistake. Discipline will be required LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Expand your knowledge, awarewhen temptation tries to take charge. If you stick to ness and interests, and express your feelings. Don’t take what you do well, you will excel. on something that doesn’t interest you. Gravitate toward

Tuesday, April 14, 2020 THE GAZETTE, EMPORIA, KANSAS

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prise you with information you thought was a secret. Tread SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Expect to encounter a carefully, as temptation will set in if you are gullible or too change. If you look at the positive aspect of what’s unfold- trusting. You should question everyone and everything. ing, you will be able to let go of the past and take advantage AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- Let your memories lead you in the right direction. Gravitate toward the people of what’s available.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- If you network or attend ed- SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Don’t trust a dubi- and things that have always brought you the greatest joy. ucational events, you’ll make new connections. Mix business ous fast-cash offer. Stick to what and who you know, and Personal gain is within reach, and romance is encouraged. with pleasure to discover new ways to optimize your time. avoid any sort of risk that could disrupt your personal life. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- Someone from your past change will enhance your appearance.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- A romantic gesture will people who share your sentiments, and establish lasting LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Don’t get involved in other Romance is on the rise. will offer insight into a life-change you are experiencing. take you by surprise. Proceed with caution. Someone friendships. people’s personal affairs. Concentrate on what will make CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Someone will sur- Embrace the inevitable and do what’s best for you. A new may neglect to be forthright about his or her past. Make beginning looks promising. a difference in your life and help you advance. A physical

MODERATELY CONFUSED

DEAR ANNIE

HERMAN

Forgiving Friends in Frightening Times DEAR ANNIE: My best friend had planned a vacation to visit friends in Florida for several weeks. Despite being asked to stay home by our nation’s health care advisers, to stop the spread of coronavirus, she and her husband went on their vacation. When I told her I couldn’t believe they were still going, she said, “Well, at least we’ll be in warm weather.”

I consider it extremely irresponsible and dangerous that my friend and her husband disregarded the directive to cancel all nonessential travel to keep everyone safe. People throughout the country are stepping up, making the necessary sacrifices and staying home as we’ve been asked to do -- and is often mandated now. I have four of the preexisting conditions that could make getting the virus very deadly. I am so furious at my friend and her husband for their reckless choice. How do I deal with my anger toward my friend and save this friendship?

-- Angry in New England DEAR ANGRY IN NEW ENGLAND: You have every right to be angry with your friend. According to the experts, to slow the spread of the virus and not overwhelm our hospitals and medical staff, who are working ‘round the clock, we must all do our part and stay home.

Everyone wants a warm-weather vacation. In normal times, I would say, yes, go take that well-earned holiday. But these are unprecedented times, and we all must stay home.

Now you seem to be a very responsible citizen and already know that. I’m guessing that your friend is running scared. She doesn’t want to deal with the anxiety of what is going on in the world and thinks she can escape to Florida. It was a poor decision. That said, she is your friend and she made a mistake. We all make mistakes. But let it go. If you hold a grudge, then it will hurt you more than her.

However, once she returns from Florida, make sure she self-quarantines for 14 days before you get together.

Please be safe and well.

DEAR HEALTH CARE WORKERS, DOCTORS, NURSES, HOSPITAL CLEANING CREWS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTS AND EVERYONE ON THE FRONT LINES FIGHTING THIS PANDEMIC: Thank you, thank you, thank you!

You go into the danger when most people run away from it. You put your own life on the line day after day and night after night, to protect those who are sick and need you.

You are soldiers in a different kind of war. A war against an invisible enemy.

You exemplify courage and bravery. You might be scared, as is natural, but you go in despite your fear, for a greater good -to save lives.

I’d like to extend another huge thankyou to the grocery store workers, pharmacists, big-box store workers, mail carriers, teachers and so many others that are supporting society during these uncertain times.

The rest of us are being called upon to stay on the couch. The experts have said that the most important thing the average person can do is to keep your distance from other people, wash your hands and don’t touch your face. These seemingly small measures will make a world of difference.

Please stay home and do your part to stop the spread of this virus. And if you have access to medical protective gear, please give it to those who are on the front lines of this battle. We are all in this together and need to help each other. It is the only way things will get better.

FRANK AND ERNEST

ALLEY OOP

V V V E-MAIL:dearannie@creators.com DEAR ANNIE

is written by Annie Lane, and is the successor column to ‘’Annie’s Mailbox,’’ whose writers, Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, have retired.

BIG NATE

Annie Lane

THE GRIZZWELLS

THAT A BABY

THE BORN LOSER

CUL DE SAC

The Abilene

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DESPITE CLOSURE, EMPORIA ZOO STAFF KEEPING BUSY

By Ryann Brooks

brooks@emporia.com

The David Traylor Zoo of Emporia may be temporarily closed to the public, but staff members are working hard on a number of projects and continue to keep animals safe and cared for through the COVID-19 pandemic.

That’s what Zoo Director Lisa Keith said during a virtual Coffee and Conversation talk hosted by the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce last week. Keith provided an online tour of the zoo and discussed ongoing projects, such as the Oasis Campaign renovation project.

While progress on the Oasis Campaign renovations is not as far along as expected, Keith said that had more to do with weather than the ongoing pandemic. Still, the pandemic is causing some delays.

“Right now with some doctors’ offices and dentists being closed, I know our contractor is focusing on [another project] that is currently closed,” she told The Emporia Gazette in a phone interview after the talk. “They are trying to get

“There’s a lot of behindthe-scenes stuff happening right now, and our staff is still working really hard.”

LISA KEITH, David Traylor Zoo director

that done before the office reopens to everybody. Hopefully we’re next, and hopefully the weather cooperates. Next week the weather is supposed to be just horrible, and we’re not liking that.”

Keith said it was strange not having visitors walking around in the zoo. The zoo closed to the public March 20 as a safety measure for staff and animals as COVID-19 began to appear in the area.

“During the winter we slow down, but we still have people who frequent the zoo,” she said. “Now we have it where every day the gates are locked. At this point, we have a foot bath at the entrance of the zoo and every person who enters the zoo — whether it be horticulture or animal care staff — they all have to go through that foot bath before

they enter and right before they exit just to protect the animals in the zoo.”

Keith said the recent discovery of a tiger testing positive for COVID-19 at the Bronx Zoo in New York has caused the zoo to take extra precautions to protect all of its animals. That means wearing personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves in all areas, instead of just with the primates. Because of the extra need, Keith said the zoo was starting to run low on its supply of masks and gloves.

“Personal protective equipment is an ongoing thing here,” she said. “I hate to take this away from the human-medical side of things here, but we could use masks here, too.”

Reusable masks can be used by zoo staff in certain areas and habitats, she said.

“If anybody is making those and would want to donate those, we would be greatly appreciative of those donations,” she said. “We’ve always used PPE with our lemurs and tamarins because they can give us stuff and vice

Zoo Director Lisa Keith speaks about the David Traylor Zoo of Emporia during a Zoom meeting last week.

versa, but now that we’ve learned that we can give things to our cats — it’s just dangerous, and our supply is dwindling. I’m glad we closed the zoo when we did. I think we did something proactively enough that we saved our animals from catching it at this point.”

Keith said the zoo is also

accepting donations of colored bottle caps for its next bottle cap mural project. Bottle caps in blues, greens, tans and greens are greatly appreciated and can be donated by calling the zoo office at 3414365.

And in the meantime, zoo staff is working on projects that they can’t otherwise

work on while visitors are inside the park.

“There’s a lot of behindthe-scenes stuff happening right now, and our staff is still working really hard,” Keith said. “Animal care is still essential, kind of like our veterinarians. It’s very much needed during this time.”

KANSAS SUPREME COURT INVALIDATES REVOCATION OF KELLY’S EXECUTIVE ORDER

By Ryann Brooks

brooks@emporia.com

The Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the Legislative Coordinating Council exceeded its authority when it tried to overturn a gubernatorial executive order banning religious and funeral services of more than 10 people during the coronavirus pandemic.

The LCC had issued the revocation of Executive Order No. 20-18, which limited religious and funeral gatherings to groups of 10 or less. Kelly sued the LCC on Thursday, prompting a fast-track of proceedings via video-conferencing Saturday morning.

“In this time of crisis, the question before the court is whether a seven-member legislative committee has the power to overrule the governor. The answer is no,” Clay Britton, chief counsel for the governor, said during the hearing.

Attorneys for the LCC said the court should consider that the resolution that gave the panel its authority was a “compromise.” The LCC is comprised of seven members, five of whom are Republicans.

“My top priority has always been the safety and

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Signs declare sentiments while school is not in session, outside Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry on Friday.

well-being of all Kansans,” Kelly said in a written release after the decision was rendered. “I know this pandemic is extremely hard for everyone. Each unprecedented action I’ve been forced to make in recent weeks has been taken in close consultation with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, the Attorney General, legislators and key stakeholders.

That process will continue.

“Most other states, at the urging of the White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have taken similar steps to protect Americans to slow the

spread of COVID-19.”

“I want to thank the Supreme Court for its expedited review under difficult circumstances,” the governor said. “Our response to this unprecedented pandemic has necessitated that even our most fundamental institutions find alternative methods that preserve public health.”

Both sides agree that worshipers should avoid gathering in large groups to avoid the risk of spreading the coronavirus. Many churches have been conducting services online for weeks,

and none have publicly announced plans to re-open their doors to worshippers.

The state has identified four outbreaks stemming from religious gatherings.

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state grew Saturday by 102, to 1,268. Kansas also reported five more deaths, bringing the total to 55.

According to a press release sent by the Kansas Supreme Court, the court narrowly ruled that “the revocation could not stand, because the resolution failed to give the LCC the necessary

power to override the Governor’s order.”

The decision did not address other issues mentioned during the written filings, according to the release, including whether the Kansas Legislature’s “attempt to give the LCC authority to act while it was away from Topeka was lawful and whether the Governor’s order infringed on religious freedom.”

“This controversy arises in the wake of an emergency proclamation issued by Governor Kelly on March 12, 2020, in response to the global public health crisis related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and her follow-up executive orders,” the majority opinion reads. “The LCC purported to revoke one executive order. We are asked to determine whether it acted within its lawful authority. We hold that it did not. As ultimately acknowledged by all counsel during oral arguments today, even if we accept House Concurrent Resolution 5025 as an otherwise valid exercise of legislative authority, its plain text

did not authorize the LCC to revoke Executive Order 2018. That acknowledgment ends this controversy.

“We need not and do not decide the merits of other arguments advanced or attempted to be advanced by the parties — including whether a concurrent resolution passed by the Legislature can delegate its oversight authority under KEMA to the LCC; whether the statutes creating and enabling the LCC affect the KEMA analytical framework; whether due process is violated by the type of notice about the Governor’s executive orders; or whether Executive Order 20-18 was a legally valid or constitutional exercise of the Governor’s authority, despite its limitation on religious gatherings.”

Access to a recording of Saturday’s oral argument is available on the Supreme Court’s oral argument archive webpage. All documents filed in this case are available to the public on the Kelly v LCC case page at www.kscourts.org.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS Notices

EMPLOYMENT

0020 Help Wanted

FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY to children and animals, the Humane Society of the Flint Hills, 620-342-4477.

Like us on Facebook, Humane Society of the Flint Hills.

LIVESTOCK 0380 Pets, Supplies

Construction Help Needed for work at Emporia State. 10-12 week duration. Possibility of seasonal work in Kansas City upon completion. Construction experience desired, but not required.

913-262-9336

BUSINESS SERVICES Business Services Offered

METAL BUILDING Construction employees needed.

Full time and Part time.

Kenco Construction 620-343-1103.

0210

0560

PLEASE BE AWARE: Sometimes out-of-state transactions, particularly those requesting advance shipping charges or other prepayment, may be scams. Investigate thoroughly before committing your resources.

MERCHANDISE

ADDITIONS, REMODELING, kitchens, 0780 bathrooms, painting, decks. Licensed, Farm Equipment bonded, insured. Free estimates.

620-366-1101.

For sale: Haybuster 77 no-till drill, hardly used, stored inside. 816-8350860 Sheetrock finishing, new and remodel; water damage; knock down; replacing texture, wall and ceiling.

620-342-3815, 620-366-2460.

0930

Houses For Rent

YOU MAY QUALIFY for low cost spay or neuter for your pet! Call or e-mail today for an application. 620-343-3377 or thebuckfund@hotmail.com

BLACK TOP SOIL Garden dirt or rotted manure. Fill dirt. Delivered.

620-343-2407.

A1B MANAGEMENT & LAWNCARE LLC Rental Management for houses and apartments.

Mowing and odd jobs.

You name it, we can do it!

Cheaper than most!

5 Commercial St., Emporia 620-481-1571 a1benitezlawncare@gmail.com

$495 A MONTH Right next to ESU 2 BEDROOM Like new condition, nice kitchen cabinets, dishwasher, full basement.

1315 1/2 Merchant.

West side of campus.

620-412-7906 ergrentals@gmail.com Available now!

RANCH HOUSE 1/2 mile south of Cottonwood Falls on Hwy. 177. 3 bedroom, 2 bath, new wood floors. Fireplace, barn and large shop/garage included. $1000/month.

620-343-0344

Grain auger and grain wagon for sale.

816-835-0860.

REAL ESTATE

LEGALS

FOR RENT 0870

Apartments for Rent

1 Bedroom. $580. Very Spacious with gas, electric, cable, internet all included. Nate 620-344-2505.

APARTMENTS Studio, 1 and 2 bedrooms available. No pets. 620-344-3531, 620-343-1774.

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LAPS 4 LANDON CANCELED, BUT STILL MANY WAYS TO SUPPORT THE CAUSE

By Ryann Brooks brooks@emporia.com

The 13th Annual Laps 4 Landon fundraiser may have been canceled this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but organizers say there are still many ways to raise awareness for Cystic Fibrosis and those who battle the disease every day.

Laps 4 Landon is an event named for 13-year-old Landon Dody, who was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when he was just a few months old. CF is a hereditary disease of the lungs and digestive system by causing the body to produce thick and sticky mucus that can clog the lungs and obstruct the pancreas. People with the condition tend to have a shorter-than-normal life span.

Jen Thomas, an associate professor of health and human performance at Emporia State University, along with students from her Strategies, Marketing and Management in Health and Human Performance class, organize the event each year to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Because the federal government provides little funding for CF research, every dollar counts.

About $2,000 was raised with T-shirt sales last month, and there are still several ways to get involved and help support Laps 4 Landon.

Throughout the week, students from Thomas marketing class will be posting to the Facebook event page with information, words of encouragement for those living with CF and more to raise awareness for the disease. On Friday, the community is invited to take part in an online live auction via Facebook.

“If you search for ‘Laps 4 Landon 2020’ and mark yourself as going, you’ll have access to the page,” Thomas said, adding that some great items will be up for grabs during the event. People will have a chance to bid via comments before the auction closes at 9 p.m. Afterward, Thomas said she will contact the winners and arrange delivery of the items.

All of the funds raised goes back to the CF Foundation, Thomas said, to aid in research for possible treatments. In fact, research funded through the CF Foundation recently discovered a treatment that promises to help approximately 90 percent of people living with the disease.

“About 90 percent of people who have CF have this certain mutation, and 10 percent have this other rare mutation,” Thomas said.

“They have found a treatment through all of the money raised — and we helped — that’s going to treat 90 percent of CF patients. It’s just amazing.”

Four-year-old Aiden Drier, a Lyon County resident who has the common mutation, will be eligible for the new treatment. But Landon is among those who will not be eligible for this treatment due to his type of mutation, said father Aron Dody.

“In the world of CF mutations, there are two categories: the stop mutations and change mutations,” he said.

“When you break it down into very simplistic terms, all CF is the body’s inability to break down sodium chloride.”

Instead of breaking down the mucus and excreting it through the normal waste process, Dody said the mutations make it so the mucus can clog the airways, leading to a number of infections and complications. The disease also makes Landon especially susceptible to COVID-19, so the family is taking strict precautions to limit exposure.

But, with an effective treatment for the majority of CF patients coming available, Dody said the family remains hopeful that a treatment for the remaining 10 percent with rare stop mutations is on the horizon.

“Even if this huge step in research doesn’t affect Landon, it’s one step closer,” he said. “It will get them closer to hopefully, someday help impact Landon. It’s unfortunate that Landon doesn’t fall into that 90 percent, but at the same time, it’s just one step closer to the time where they do find some sort of cure or a treatment. The problem with the drug companies in the United States is that no one is going to invest in the research and development of a drug for CF privately, because it’s just not profitable. The billions of dollars it takes to research and development a drug, when you only have 30,000 or 40,000 people living with it — you’re just never going to recover your money. That’s why the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is so important.”

Dody said it was disappointing that the event could not go on this year, but he hoped people still took the time to support those living with CF. “One of the cool things that Dr. Thomas and her students are doing is sharing videos throughout the week,” he said, adding that he would like to see those posts get shared around as much as possible. “It’s just a way to bring awareness and have some fun, especially during this pandemic we’re

C O U R T E S Y

in. So, we want to make sure that we’re understanding the importance of flattening the curve during the pandemic but also raising awareness, celebrating life and celebrating each other and humanity, and what it means to come together and support something so important. To be

P H O T O S

able to do that is just amazing.”

Those wishing to make a donation to the CF Foundation on behalf of Team Landon can contact Thomas at jthomas@emporia.edu, or check out the Facebook event page by searching “Laps 4 Landon 2020.”

Digital Extra Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING

FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1895

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WWW.EMPORIAGAZETTE.COM

KANSAS UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS DON’T SHOW THE FULL PICTURE Lower-wages bearing more of the crisis Leisure and hospitality workers accounted for 64% of the private sector jobs lost in March and yet earn 41% less than than the average hourly earnings of the private-sector worker.

JOBS LOST Workers in leisure and hospitality All private sector jobs

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS

-713,000 -459,000

$16.83 $28.62

Source: U.S. Census; U.S. Dept. of Labor The Associated Press

BELLE PLAINE — When Denise Romero was laid off four weeks ago from her job as a waitress at a family-owned restaurant in Wichita, she had little choice but to scramble to find some other way to put food on the table amid the coronavirus outbreak that’s putting record numbers of Kansans out of work.

Even though Romero had worked at the restaurant for a year and a half, the 28-year-old single mother does not qualify for unemployment insurance because she came to the United States from Mexico as a tourist and does not have a work visa. Her father is an American citizen and she has been trying to get her US citizenship.

“I need a hustle. I need to go

out there and make my money any type of a way that I can,” Romero said, adding that she has been cleaning houses and mowing lawns for people who are trying to help her out.

At a time when Kansas is struggling to keep up with an avalanche of unemployment claims, even those record numbers do not capture the full extent of job losses in the state.

Some people do not qualify for unemployment benefits and others choose to find temporary work to tide them over until businesses reopen. And many others simply cannot get through to the overwhelmed Kansas Department of Labor, where the 43-year-old Please see Jobs, Page 15

Job losses outpace the Great recession’s Within three weeks a total of 16.8 million people have filed for unemployment aid. By comparison it took 10 months for that many Americans to file for unemployment aid in 2007-2009 recession.

Coronavirus pandemic Mar. 21 - April 4

The Great Recession Dec. 2007 - June 2009

16.8 million jobs lost

16.7 million jobs lost

3 week period

44 week period

16.8 million 4/04

3.3 mil.

3/21 2020

9.6 mil.

5/01 2008 1.7 mil.

12/01 2007

Graphic: Phil Holm & Larry Fenn; Source: U.S. Department of Labor

INMATES MOVED AFTER CORONAVIRUS CONFIRMED AT 2ND FACILITY

Kansas prison officials said Monday that 113 inmates at a work-release facility where a resident tested positive for the coronavirus have been relocated to a facility where an outbreak is ongoing and that last week staged a riot.

The Kansas Department of Corrections said the Wichita Work Release Facility inmates who were relocated Sunday night lived in the same housing unit as the infected resident. They were moved to a newly reconstructed building at the Lansing Correctional Facility, which is battling its own outbreak with 18 inmates and 21 staff testing positive.

The Lansing prison, which was the site of a riot last week, is un-

health department. The data was incomplete, though, with racial information missing for 26percent of cases.

Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said the state is monitoring 23 outbreaks, including 12 in long-term care facilities.

The largest is at the Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation of Kansas City, where 90 residents and 20 staff tested positive. Twelve have died and five are hospitalized, health officials said Monday.

Nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities have been particularly hard hit by the outbreak nationwide because they serve a vulnerable population.

Norman also said the number of outbreaks at religious setting

The Associated Press

had risen to five. One stemming from a minister’s conference last month in Wyandotte County has resulted in 46 positive cases and four deaths.

The outbreaks led to Kelly’s fight last week to limit religious and funeral services to no more than 10 people in advance of Easter. After a legislative council overturned her executive order, the Kansas Supreme Court upheld it Saturday.

There is no indication that any churches were cited for holding excessively large Easter services, although one in Leavenworth County is under investigation, said Leavenworth County Undersheriff Jim Sherley.

Please see Inmates, Page 15

Please see Meat, Page 15

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

dergoing a massive construction project and hadn’t moved inmates into the new building until the outbreak. That is allowing the building to be used as an isolation facility, said Gov. Laura Kelly.

Kelly also reiterated at her daily news briefing that efforts are underway to identify inmates who are close to finishing their sentences and can be released.

Statewide, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 grew Monday to 1,376, up 39 from Sunday. The number of deaths increased by six to 62. As has been the case elsewhere in the country, it’s hitting black Kansans harder, with nearly 29 cases per 100,000 white residents and nearly 104 per 100,000 black residents, according to data from the state’s

VIRUS CLOSES MEAT PLANTS OMAHA — Some massive meat processing plants have closed at least temporarily because their workers were sickened by the new coronavirus, raising concerns that there could soon be shortages of beef, pork and poultry in supermarkets.

The meat supply chain is especially vulnerable since processing is increasingly done at massive plants that butcher tens of thousands of animals daily, so the closure of even a few big ones can quickly be felt by customers. For instance, a Smithfield Foods plant that was forced to close in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after nearly 300 of the plant’s 3,700 workers tested positive for the virus produces roughly 5 percent of the U.S. pork supply each day.

In addition, conditions at plants can be ripe for exploitation by the virus: Workers stand shoulder-to-shoulder on the line and crowd into locker rooms to change their clothes before and after shifts.

The virus has infected hundreds of workers at plants in Colorado, South Dakota, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Mississippi and elsewhere. The capacity of plants that remain open has also been hurt by workers who are sick or staying home because of fears of illness — though it’s not clear by how much.

While company owners promise to deep clean their plants and resume operations as quickly as possible, it’s difficult to keep workers healthy given how closely they work together.

“There is no social distance that is possible when you are either working on the slaughter line or in a processing assignment,” said Paula Schelling, acting chairwoman for the food inspectors union in the American Federation of Government Employees.

The reduced production so far has been offset by the significant amount of meat that was in cold storage, said Glynn Tonsor, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University. Producers are also working to shift meat that would have gone to now-closed restaurants over to grocery stores.

State prison officials say inmates in one cell house at the Lansing Correctional Facility were out of their cells and destroying property last week.

Prison spokesman Randy Bowman says the riot started Thursday when several inmates refused to return to their cells.

The Associated Press

16.7 million 9/01 2008

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NURSING HOME DEATHS SOAR PAST 3,600 IN ALARMING SURGE

OFFICIALS WANT DELAY IN NATION’S HEAD COUNT DUE TO VIRUS The Associated Press

ORLANDO, FLA. — The U.S. Census Bureau wants to delay deadlines for the 2020 head count of all U.S. residents because of the coronavirus outbreak, a move that if approved by lawmakers would push back timetables for releasing data used to draw congressional and legislative districts, officials said Monday.

Census Bureau officials said they were postponing all field operations until June 1 and the deadline for wrapping up the nation’s head count was being pushed back to Oct. 31.

Field operations for the 2020 census have been suspended since mid-March and were set to resume this week. The deadline for finishing the head count also had been pushed back from the end of July to mid-August because of the pandemic.

Census Bureau director Steven Dillingham and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, whose department oversees the bureau, said they are seeking to delay the deadline for delivering state population counts used for apportionment — the process of carving up congressional districts — from the end of this year to the end of April 2021.

They also want to push back the deadline for giving states data for redistricting from the end of March 2021 to the end of July 2021.

Both deadlines are established by federal law and any changes would require congressional approval.

The White House arranged a call on Monday with congressional leaders about the requested changes, but no one from the Census Bureau was on the call. The House Committee on Over-

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — More than 3,600 deaths nationwide have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, an alarming rise in just the past two weeks, according to the latest count by The Associated Press.

Because the federal government has not been releasing a count of its own, the AP has kept its own running tally based on media reports and state health departments.

The latest count of at least 3,621 deaths is up from about 450 deaths just 10 days ago.

But the true toll among the 1 million mostly frail and elderly people who live in such facilities is likely much higher, experts say, because most state counts don’t include those who died without ever being tested for COVID-19.

Outbreaks in just the past few weeks have included one at a nursing home in suburban Richmond, Virginia, that has killed 42 and infected more than 100, another at nursing home in central Indiana that has killed 24 and infected 16, and one at a veteran’s home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, that has killed 38, infected 88 and prompted a federal investigation. This comes weeks after an outbreak at a nursing home in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland that has so far claimed 43 lives.

And those are just the outbreaks we know about.

Most states provide only total numbers of nursing home deaths and don’t give details of specific outbreaks. Notable among them is the nation’s leader, New York, which accounts for 1,880 nursing home deaths out of about 96,000 total residents but has so far declined to detail spe-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

An envelope containing a 2020 census letter mailed to a U.S. resident is shown in Detroit.

sight and Reform will carefully examine the request, said U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who chairs the committee.

“The director of the Census Bureau was not even on today’s call, and the administration has refused for weeks to allow him to brief members of our committee, despite repeated requests,” said Maloney, a Democrat from New York. “If the Administration is trying to avoid the perception of politicizing the census, preventing the Census director from briefing the committee and then excluding him from a call organized by the White House are not encouraging moves.”

The Census Bureau said that the goal of the delays is to ensure a complete and accurate count.

When field operations start in June, workers will be given personal protective equipment and guidelines for social distancing, the bureau said in a statement.

“In-person activities, including all interaction with the public, enumeration, office work and processing activities, will incorporate the most current guidance to promote the health and

safety of staff and the public,” the statement said.

Census historian Margo Anderson said the statutory deadlines are more than four decades old. The bureau has been flexible in dealing with past unexpected hurdles, such as during the 1850 census when returns from California were lost at sea. In that case, another state count was conducted in 1852, she said.

Former Census Bureau director John Thompson said the bureau was “caught between a rock and a hard place.”

“If they start the census again too early, it’s going to be a disaster because you are going to get people sick, you’re not going to get people to respond and they couldn’t get protective equipment for enumerators if they wanted it,” said Thompson, who headed the bureau in the Obama administration. “I’m sure this is what the career people at the Census think is the best action.”

The 2020 census started in January in remote villages of Alaska, but most U.S. residents didn’t get to start filling out the questionnaire until last month, when the 2020 census website went live and people started getting notifi-

cations in the mail that they could respond. About a week later, cities and states around the country started issuing stay-at-home orders because of the virus.

The Census Bureau is hoping a majority of people respond online, by telephone or through the mail. Census takers will be sent out later this year to knock on the doors of homes where residents haven’t yet responded.

As of Sunday, more than 48 percent of households had answered the census questionnaire.

Census Counts, a coalition of advocacy and civil rights groups conducting census outreach, said it supported the deadline delays.

NALEO Educational Fund, a Hispanic advocacy group, urged Congress to step in.

The group said the proposed revised deadline for redistricting doesn’t give states license to proceed in a way that compromises public participation and constitutional rights.

The 2020 census will help determine how many congressional seats and Electoral College votes each state gets, as well as the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending.

cific outbreaks, citing privacy concerns.

Experts say nursing home deaths may keep climbing because of chronic staffing shortages that have been made worse by the coronavirus crisis, a shortage of protective supplies and a continued lack of available testing.

And the deaths have skyrocketed despite steps taken by the federal government in mid-March to bar visitors, cease all group activities, and require that every worker be screened for fever or respiratory symptoms at every shift.

But an AP report earlier this month found that infections were continuing to find their way into nursing homes because such screenings didn’t catch people who were infected but asymptomatic.

Several large outbreaks were blamed on such spreaders, including infected health workers who worked at several different nursing home facilities.

This past week, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that regulates nursing homes issued recommendations urging nursing homes to use separate staffing teams for residents, and to designate separate facilities within nursing homes to keep COVID-19 positive residents away from those who have tested negative.

Dr. Deborah Birx, who leads the White House coronavirus response, suggested this past week that as more COVID-19 tests become available, nursing homes should be a top priority.

“We need to really ensure that nursing homes have sentinel surveillance. And what do I mean by that? That we’re actively testing in nursing homes, both the residents and the workers, at all times,” Birx said.

RELIEF MONEY IS COMING — FOR SOME. HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW. The Associated Press

Americans are beginning to see the first economic impact payments hit their bank accounts.

The IRS tweeted Saturday that it had begun depositing the funds into taxpayers’ bank accounts and would be working to get them out as fast as possible. The one -time payments were approved

by Congress as part of an emergency relief package intended to combat the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic.

The exact timing of when people get their money depends on a few factors, such as income and payment delivery method.

Here is what you should expect:

Who is getting a check?

Any adult earning up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income who has a valid Social Security number will receive a $1,200 payment.

The payment steadily declines for those who make more and phases out for those who earn more than $99,000. For married couples, both adults receive $1,200, with the phase-out starting at $150,000 of income and falling to zero for couples who earn $198,000.

Parents will also get payments of $500 for each eligible child; this is generally those 16 years old or younger.

For heads of household with one child, the benefit starts to decline at $112,500 and falls to zero at $136,500.

Even those who only receive Social Security or other government benefit programs can receive a check.

Who doesn’t get one?

High-income filers are excluded, as is anyone without a valid Social Security number.

If someone can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return, such as an adult child or student, they will not get a payment.

People who are not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national and do not yet have a green card or have not met the IRS resident requirement know as “substantial presence test” aren’t eligible. People who filed Form 1040-PR or 1040-SS for 2019 are not eligible; these are IRS forms used for certain types of self-employment income in Puerto Rico.

What do I have to do to get one?

For most people, nothing.

Checks will arrive via direct deposit if a taxpayer included the relevant information on their tax return filed this year or last.

Some Americans are not required to file a tax return — such as low-income taxpayers, Social Security recipients, some veterans and people with disabilities.

After some back and forth with lawmakers, the Treasury and IRS ultimately decided Social Security recipients and railroad retirees, who aren’t typically required to file taxes, would not need to file a simple tax return to get the payment.

Anyone else who isn’t typically required to file taxes and does not receive Social Security will still need to file an abbreviated return to get the payment. On Friday, the Treasury unveiled an online tool that allows these non-filers to more quickly register to get their check.

If someone didn’t file a tax return for either the 2018 or 2019 tax year, the IRS is urg-

Widespread support for economic interventions A new AP-NORC poll finds deep support for economic policies to protect hospitals, small businesses and individuals. Support is thin for policies supporting airlines and tourism industries.

Do you favor, oppose, or neither favor nor oppose ___ ?

Oppose

20% somewhat favor Providing funding to hospitals

71% strongly favor

Providing funding to small businesses

55

34

Suspending evictions and foreclosures

54

28

Increasing unemployment benefits

53

28

Ordering manufacturers to produce medical equipment

52

27

Providing lump sum payments to Americans

50

Suspending student loan payments

48

Providing funding to public transportation agencies

27

Providing funding to airlines

12

24

Providing funding to tourism industries

11

25

0%

Why so long?

26 29 34

20

40

60

80

100

Results based on interviews with 1,057 U.S. adults conducted March 26-29. The margin of error is ±4.1 percentage points for the full sample.

SOURCE: AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research ing them to file as soon as they can.

And for people who filed taxes for those years but did not include direct deposit information, the IRS plans to have a “Get My Payment” app available later this week that will allow them to add their bank information so their payment can be deposited.

For everyone else, the government will mail a check.

When will I get my payment?

Direct deposits began this weekend. The Treasury said that tens of millions will receive direct deposit payments

by Wednesday.

Everyone who gets a payment will receive written notice within 15 days after the payment that specifies how

process could take through August.

The Treasury, however, said that paper checks payments would begin later in April. It did not confirm an exact date or how long it would take to complete those distributions. But it did say Monday that it expects “a large majority of eligible Americans” will receive the payment within the next two weeks.

All payments will be made based on income, with lower-income individuals receiving payment first.

much you received and how it was delivered. The IRS also said the “Get My Payment” app will allow taxpayers to track the status of their payment.

A memo from lawmakers earlier in the month said that paper checks wouldn’t start being mailed until May. And because the paper checks would be issued at a rate of about 5 million a week, the

It’s a tough wait for those who are struggling financially.

However, the Treasury and the IRS need to sort through a tremendous amount of data and create a complex distribution method plan quite quickly, said Mark Mazur, director of the nonprofit Tax Policy Center. The IRS’ outdated technology could also slow things down.

“For the vast majority of people this will work, it may not be as fast as they may like but it will work.” Mazur said.

Another program overseen

by Treasury, the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses, also just began issuing payments over the weekend.

Be aware Additionally, the IRS is urging people to be on the lookout for any scams related to the economic impact payments.

The IRS will not call, text, email or contact people via social media asking for personal or bank account information ever. It also warns taxpayers to watch out for emails with attachments or links claiming to have special information about economic impact payments or refunds.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

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THE GAZETTE, EMPORIA, KANSAS

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MEAT From PAGE 13 Whether shoppers start to see more empty shelves or higher prices will depend on how many plants close and for how long.

At least half a dozen plants have closed temporarily, but that’s across the pork, chicken and beef sectors, and Tonsor said the industry can manage for now.

“You could shut multiple plants down for a day or two, and we’ve got wiggle room to handle that,” Tonsor said.

“But if you took four or five of those big plants ... and they had to be down for two weeks, then you’ve got a game changer.”

Still, the reduced meat processing capacity is already driving down the prices farmers and ranchers receive for cattle, hogs and chickens.

“It’s like people on an escalator. Stopping the pork chain at the top of an escalator is just going to cause all sorts of tragedy and disaster all the way back up the system,” said Dermot Hayes, professor of economics and finance at Iowa State University.

Farmers are being forced to kill baby pigs because the space in the barns where they were supposed to go is still filled by the pigs that should have been slaughtered last week, Hayes said.

INMATES From PAGE 13 Junction City police Chief John Lamb said a commanding office went to Calvary Baptist Church after Pastor Aaron Harris disparaged the

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Amid concerns of the spread of COVID-19, Belia Alvarado wipes the meat counter display Monday at El Rancho grocery store in Dallas.

The meat from those baby pigs cannot be sold.

That has driven prices for those feeder pigs — which generally are fattened over the course of six months — to zero, Hayes said. The value of those big enough for the market is down about 50 percent from a month ago.

The value of the meat is down about 30 percent.

Lower prices for producers could mean higher prices for consumers eventually, if production falls off, according to Chad Hart, an agricultural economist at Iowa State University.

Tyson, Cargill and other major meat processing companies say they are adopting several measures: taking the temperature of everyone entering plants, adding clear plastic shields between work stations and erecting tents

court’s decision in a tweet, writing that he would proceed with services and prayed law enforcement would “respect the constitution.” Lamb said less than 10 people were in attendance at each service, so no one was cited.

“It made our job easier,” he said.

to allow workers to spread out more at lunch. But critics worry that workers too often continue working in close proximity and that measures are being adopted piecemeal.

The League of United Latin American Citizens recently asked federal regulators to establish uniform rules after a number of immigrant workers complained to the rights group about tight quarters.

The new coronavirus is highly contagious. For most people, it causes mild or moderate symptoms, but for some, especially older adults and people with health problems, it can cause more severe illness and lead to death.

Federal health officials do not consider COVID-19 to be a food safety concern, but

In the Lawrence area, around 40 cars were parked at Heritage Baptist Church.

But Douglas County County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Jenn Hethcoat said the church wasn’t cited because of a technical issue — the Secretary of State had not yet published Kelly’s execu-

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Giovani Garcia weighs chicken at the butcher counter of El Rancho grocery store in Dallas.

they recommend that workers maintain a safe distance from one another.

But Lily Ordaz Prado, who recently quit her job at the Smithfield plant in Sioux Falls, said she didn’t see those recommendations being put into practice, noting the crowded conditions in locker rooms and on assembly lines. The 30-year-old called her decision to leave “the best decision that I have ever made.”

Smithfield officials have defended operations in Sioux Falls and said the company is taking “the utmost precautions and actions to ensure the health and wellbeing of our employees.”

tive order on church gatherings in the Kansas Register.

A news release said that the department would attempt to secure voluntary compliance but was prepared to enforce the order if there is “a danger to the public, or flagrant or repeated violations.” Violations can result

Meanwhile, Hector Gonzalez, senior vice president of human resources at Tyson Foods, said the food giant is making important changes for its roughly 140,000 workers, such as slowing down production lines and adding plastic barriers between work stations.

Other meat companies say they have stepped up the cleaning of their plants and prohibited visitors. Several major meat companies are also paying workers more for continuing to work during the pandemic. For instance, JBS USA is paying workers a one-time $600 bonus. Cargill has temporarily boosted pay by $2 an hour.

in fines of up to $2,500 and possible jail time.

Kelly said enforcement was up to local law enforcement.

“I am hoping that we don’t see any other clusters as a result of what we saw over the weekend,” she said.

“Time will tell.”

VIRUS-ERA DECISIONS: WAY TOO MANY, AND EACH WITH HIGH STAKES The Associated Press

Should you wash your hands?

Are you going out to get the mail? Should you touch the mailbox? Should you touch the mail? Should you clean the mail?

Should you take a walk?

Should you wear a mask?

What about gloves? What about neighbors — stay six feet away? Ten? Will they approach? What will you do?

Will you be standoffish, or laugh it off?

Should you go to the supermarket? Should you wipe down the groceries? What if you run out of wipes?

Should you stop to get gas? Should you wear gloves at the pump? Should you douse your credit card in sanitizer after sticking it in the slot? Should you remove the gloves before you handle your steering wheel? Should you throw the gloves on the car floor or use the gas station trash can?

Can you wear your mask twice? Should you sew your own? Let someone in your family wear your mask?

Are you overreacting? Are you under-reacting?

Should you wash your hands again?

What kind of soap?

V V V “We are living, and in some cases, dying by snap judgments.” — Michael R. LeGault, “ Think: Why Crucial Decisions Can’t be Made in the Blink of an Eye” (2006)

V V V The notion of decision fatigue has been around for a long time — long before the virus came.

But for many of us, it was the fatigue of a consumer society. If you struggled financially, it meant making rolling decisions about which groceries were affordable and which stayed on the shelf. For others, it was selecting channels and streaming services and apps.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hot meals are distributed in southeast Washington. Stand six feet away or 10? Wear a mask? Wipe down the groceries? Wash the hands? Everything’s a decision as the coronavirus spreads, and the little decisions that matter have suddenly multiplied.

Choosing tech. Swiping Tinder. Navigating, say, the average New Jersey diner menu, which hovers around at 150 items.

Yes, if you bought the MacBook Air instead of the MacBook Pro, you’d have portability but a smaller screen and weaker processor.

Yes, buying the Oikos Greek Blueberry Blended Yogurt might make your mouth happier than the regular Dannon with the fruit on the bottom.

First-world problems, mostly.

The thing about those tiny decisions, though, was that we didn’t HAVE to make many of them. And if we screwed up, the stakes were often low.

Now, though, the problems around tiny decisions are not first-world but worldwide. The most fleeting of daily choices — no matter where you are — have taken on the most monumental of potential consequences.

Kat Boogaard, a Wisconsin freelancer who has written about decision fatigue, grapples with this. On one hand, like many of us, some of her decisions are now pre-

made — there’s little debate about whether to stay home or eat out. But that’s offset by the fraughtness of other once-routine decisions.

“I never thought I’d agonize over the perfect time to grab groceries or whether I should visit my OBGYN,” says Boogaard, who is 35 weeks pregnant. “It increases my anxiety, hinders my focus and has had a negative impact on my productivity.”

For many right now, duress is a daily companion that wears countless coats.

And as social scientists will tell you, an agitated state is not the best moment to decide things — particularly momentous ones. “We seem to do our best thinking when we’re feeling good,” psychologist Barry Schwartz wrote in his 2004 book, “ The Paradox of Choice.”

“What we’re up against in this kind of situation is our long-ingrained habits,” says Carrie Bulger, a psychology professor at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut who teaches decision fatigue.

Picture this, she says: You decide to go to the grocery

store. You see strawberries.

Are they bruised? Normally you’d pick them up and check for freshness. Not now.

So you move through the supermarket landscape hyperaware of decisions — from social distancing to choosing a cut of meat — and walk out to the parking lot exhausted.

“We’re up against decisions that never even crossed our minds before,” Bulger says. “You wonder what norms and rules you might have violated along the way from aisle one to aisle 14.”

V V V “The task of making sense of ourselves and our behavior requires that we acknowledge there can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis.” — Malcolm Gladwell, “ Blink ” (2005)

V V V There’s another problem.

There always is.

This one is that we’re often making these little decisions — weighty decisions — without ever knowing how they turn out.

Did we infect someone with coronavirus by delivering their takeout order?

Did we catch it by walking through air that someone with a cough just vacated?

Probably not. But hey — maybe.

Asia Wong, a social worker and life coach who oversees student health services at Loyola University New Orleans, says the sheer strangeness of the decision-making process throughout the past month has been an aggravating factor in many lives.

Not only do tiny decisions matter more, but they must be repeated — contemplated again and again — and they are changing daily. Just the notion of whether to wear a mask has evolved — a choice laden not only with self-preservation but even morality.

“In the past, you could say, ‘I’m a good person, I donate to charity, I am nice to the persons around me, I don’t kick dogs,’” Wong says.

“Now people have to ask themselves: Does it make me a bad person if I go to the store to buy a bag of chips?

That’s very heavy, and in many ways it’s new to the American consciousness.”

In NBC’s philosophical comedy “ The Good Place,” a moment comes when the main characters come to a realization: Being “good” has become impossible because life has grown so intricate that even good decisions can, somewhere downstream, cause something bad.

Perhaps even more relevant right now would be this scenario, unfathomable to Americans four weeks ago: a world where miniature decisions have multiplied and increased in gravity to the point where a paralysis of choice might seem — to many — a reasonable alternative.

Maybe it’s useful that so many of us are locked down right now. Lots of time to think about this. And wash our hands again. And contemplate the right soap.

Most major meatpacking companies also have relaxed attendance and sick leave policies to ensure that workers can receive at least some pay if they have to stay at home after testing positive or coming in contact with someone who has.

“Most of the employers that we deal with right now are really making a solid attempt to try and fix stuff,” said Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers union. “We’re just working as hard as we can to protect as many people as possible right now and make sure that we keep the food supply open.”

JOBS

From PAGE 13 mainframe computer cannot keep up with claims and telephone lines are jammed with frustrated callers.

Last week 50,345 new unemployment claims were filed in Kansas, compared to 1,405 claims for the the same week a year ago. Those new claims come on the heels of 55,428 new claims the week before, according to labor department figures.

Earlier this week, Gov. Laura Kelly told reporters the unemployment division shattered a “grim new record,” receiving 1.6 million calls in a single day.

On Thursday, the governor said state officials had deployed 78 employees from other agencies to help staff Department of Labor phone lines, with a second wave of staff on the way. Kelly also announced that the department has launched a new phone system.

“Disconnects and busy signals will inevitably happen, but the new phone system combined with our new staff capacity should ensure callers are connected with experts at the Department of Labor in a more timely fashion so that their claims can be processed,” she said.

The governor acknowledged one of the problems stems from a “horrendously outdated” unemployment insurance mainframe computer. She said the state has been working to see if it can use federal stimulus money to upgrade the technology.

Greg Zuercher doesn’t plan to claim his unemployment benefits after losing his job last month at the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, where he worked as a blackjack dealer for the past three years.

“I am not one of those guys. I am not a government relief guy unless it is the absolutely last option,” the 62-year-old Wichita man said. “I am just not the kind of guy to go do that. I’ve applied at Walmart, believe it or not, and I think I’ll get hired there fairly soon to be a stocker.”

Zuercher, an Army veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is unmarried, has no children and no mortgage. He has been living on his military pension since losing his job.

“I am not frustrated or bitter. I just take it as, ‘oh well, my job wasn’t critical,’ so I knew it was going to end,” he said. “I knew we would be laid off temporarily while this thing is going on. I am just a realist.”