VIRUS OUTBREAK-KANSAS

Kansas tops 20,000 coronavirus cases after worst-ever spike

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has had its worst week-long spike in coronavirus cases since the pandemic began. It reported another 1,447 confirmed cases over three days to bring the total to more than 20,000. The state Department of Health and Environment said Monday that 20,058 novel coronavirus cases have been reported since early March for an increase of 7.8% from Friday. The department also reported four additional COVID-19-related deaths to bring the total to 284. Kansas reported an average of 451 new coronavirus cases a day during the seven-day period ending Monday. Gov. Laura Kelly issued a statewide order July 2 directing people to wear masks in public.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-KANSAS STATE FAIR

Kansas State Fair canceled this year amid pandemic concerns

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas State Fair Board has decided to cancel this year’s fair amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Hutchinson News reports that Monday’s reversal came a week after the board initially voted to continue with the fair. That initial decision sparking concern from vendors and the community. About half of the vendors had canceled amid worries about delays with travel quarantines, difficulties in putting crews together and cancellations of other fairs. Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska cancelled their fairs shortly after the board’s decision last week. The board is still interested in finding a way to safely hold livestock and 4H event.

MISSING GIRL-KANSAS

Father, girlfriend charged in 3-year-old Kansas girl’s death

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors say they have charged the father of a 3-year-old Kansas girl who was found dead and his girlfriend with felony murder in the child’s death. Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree said Sunday 29-year-old Howard Jansen III and his girlfriend, 33-year-old Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick, were also charged with aggravated endangerment of a child and criminal desecration in the death of Olivia Ann Jansen. Olivia’s body was found around 5:45 p.m. Friday nearly nine blocks from her Kansas City home, from which her father had reported her missing.

KANSAS-BOY SCOUT LEADER

Former Boy Scout leader charged with rape, child abuse

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A former Boy Scout leader was charged with rape and child abuse for crimes dating back years. The Kansas City Star reported 45-year-old Andrew Rowland of Overland Park faces charges of rape, aggravated indecent liberties with a child involving sex, and two counts of child abuse. The allegations in a July 4 criminal complaint date from 2010 to 2018. Rowland was the scoutmaster for Boy Scouts of America Troop 284 in Overland Park.

POLICE CHASE-COW INJURED

2 arrested after fleeing police and crashing into cow

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities said two people were arrested after fleeing from officers in northeast Kansas and crashing into a cow and a fence. Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse said 18-year-old Skye Joe Covers Up, of Mayetta, Kansas, and 21-year-old Santana Kay Noriega, of Holton, Kansas, were both arrested after the chase on Saturday afternoon. Morse said the cow that they hit with their car suffered two broken legs and was expected to be euthanized. The chase began after a Jackson County Sheriff’s deputy pulled over the Chevrolet Malibu that Covers Up was driving. Covers Up fled southeast into neighboring Jefferson County before crashing.

KANSAS CITY HOMICIDE

Man killed, woman injured in overnight Kansas City shooting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Sheriff’s deputies say a man has died and woman has been injured in an overnight shooting at Longview Lake in southern Kansas City. Officials say the shooting happened around 1 a.m. Monday. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says the shooting stemmed from a domestic disturbance, during which a man shot a woman in the leg. The office says that as deputies approached the scene, a 39-year-old man shot himself and died at the scene. Officials say the woman who was shot is expected to recover. Authorities have not released the names of the man or the woman.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-KANSAS SCHOOLS

Handwashing, masks among fall guidelines for Kansas schools

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Draft safety guidelines for school this fall from the Kansas State Department of Education say students, teachers and staff should wear masks, but that students up to fifth or sixth grade shouldn’t be required to wear them unless local officials mandate it. The Kansas City Star and Wichita Eagle are reporting that draft guidelines about how to reopen schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic were shared with superintendents this week. The guildlines say everyone should wash their hands when arriving at school and every hour afterward. Space should be made in classrooms to allow social social distancing and locker use is discouraged.

FEDERAL DEATH PENALTY-HISTORY-Q&A

Q&A: US government not as prolific an executioner as states

CHICAGO (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration wants to restart federal executions this month, 17 years after the last one. Executions carried out by federal authorities have stopped, restarted and stopped again for long stretches since the first one in 1790, when U.S. marshals hanged a mariner in Maine for fatally shooting the captain of a slave ship. The federal government has never been a prolific executioner, putting to death just a few hundred people since the 1700s. States, meanwhile, have executed more than 15,000 people. The vast majority of executions in recent decades have been by lethal injection. That’s the only method authorized for federal executions.