Gov. Laura Kelly has ordered flags throughout the state of Kansas to be flown at half-staff from sun up to noon on Monday, May 25.
President Donald J. Trump also issued a flag directive honoring Memorial Day, May 25, as a day of prayer for permanent peace.
“The military service women and men of this country have dedicated themselves to protecting the American way of life,” Gov. Kelly said. “We owe our most sincere gratitude and respect to the generations of military personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the United States Armed Forces.”
The Memorial Day flag directive will follow the current order to lower flags to half-staff in honor of victims of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Victim suffers non-life-threatening injuries in shooting
A victim was shot at 1:27 a.m. May 22, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.
Police responded to the 3900 block of Rainbow Boulevard. The victim had non-life-threatening injuries, the report stated.
Shooting reported on South 78th
A suspect entered a home without permission about 2:52 a.m. May 22 in the 900 block of South 78th Street, according to a social media post from the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.
The suspect took property and fled, according to the report. The victim and suspect exchanged gunfire at each other, the report stated. The victim declined to press charges, according to the report.
Gunfire exchanged on Georgia Avenue
The victim and a suspect exchanged gunfire at 5:44 p.m. May 22 in the 1300 block of Georgia Avenue, according to a social media report by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.
The victim was struck and was taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, the report stated. The suspect was taken into custody, according to police.
A KDHE chart showed COVID-19 symptom onset in blue and the date diagnosed in orange in Kansas. (KDHE chart) New cases were in blue and total cases were a yellow line in this KDHE chart, showing the decline of new cases in Kansas. (KDHE chart)This KDHE chart showed the daily case rate of new cases by onset date has declined in Kansas. (KDHE chart)
Kansas today reported 8,958 cases, an increase of 419 cases since Wednesday, according to Dr. Lee Norman, Kansas secretary of health.
Dr. Norman said the number of deaths increased by seven in the state, to 185, since Wednesday.
Hospitalizations and death rates per capita were improving, he said at a news conference. While the number of positive cases is increasing with more testing, the percentage of positive cases is declining, he said.
Gov. Laura Kelly at the news conference took legislators to task for their behavior and for passing complex legislation in the middle of the night that other legislators did not have the opportunity to read and review. The Legislature, which had to leave in March because of COVID-19, adjourned this morning and is not scheduled to return until January.
On Thursday, overnight and this morning, there were many time-honored decorums of the Senate that were thrown out the window, she said. She added that lobbyists and Republican leaders crafted self-serving legislation behind closed doors, and that when the bills reached the floor, all public debate was banned.
She said she could not say yet if she would veto legislation limiting the governor’s power in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she said she would make decisions after reading and reviewing the bills, on their own merits.
Gov. Kelly said she would continue to implement the state’s Ad Astra plan to safely reopen the economy when it is safe. She said she shared the concern that there is a need to get Kansans back to work as safely as possible.
On Friday, the first day of the state’s moving into Phase 2 of the Ad Astra reopening plan, Dr. Norman reminded residents that just because the state is starting this phase, it doesn’t mean the coronavirus is going away.
He mentioned that an outbreak between May 2 and May 10 was attributed to an outing at Lake Perry, and added that anyone with symptoms who went there should see a health care provider.
“If you go out for any reason, wear a mask,” Dr. Norman said. When you don’t wear a mask, you’re not in control of your world, he said, and you don’t know who is on the elevator with you who may have coughed or sneezed. “One way to take control is with a mask.”
Dr. Norman said actions overnight in the Kansas Legislature served as a disappointment, but they try to remain separate from political processes. He said they would try to depoliticize the process and continue to do prevention and public health work. They will continue to do the job they have to do, he said.
Dr. Norman reported that there were 99 clusters in the state, with half of them active, resulting in 4,960 cases and 133 deaths.
Three clusters in corrections facilities resulted in 971 cases and 6 deaths, he said. Ten clusters in gatherings resulted in 126 cases and 11 deaths. Eight of these clusters are now closed cases. Group living situations had 7 clusters, five of which are closed, 68 cases and 2 deaths, he said. Health care had 3 clusters, now closed, with 22 cases, he said. Long-term care facilities had 26 clusters, with 13 closed, 632 cases and 104 deaths, he said. Meatpacking plants had 10 clusters, with 2,398 cases and 7 deaths, he said. Private industry had 40 clusters, with 21 closed, 343 cases and 3 deaths, he said.
On Friday, the KDHE reported that Wyandotte County had 1,269 cases; Leavenworth County, with outbreaks at the state prison, had 1,069 cases; and Johnson County had 711 cases.
In all, 88 counties reported positive COVID-19 cases. Some of the other counties with high numbers were Ford County, 1,558; Finney County, 1,367; Seward County, 815; Sedgwick County, 523; Lyon County, 377; and Shawnee County, 249. Jackson County, Kansas, where there is a meatpacking plant, rose to 82 cases. There were 31 cases there on Wednesday.
Douglas County reported 62 cases and Riley County reported 60.
