Month: October 2020

COVID-19 cases rising in state; governor announces details of testing strategy

There has been a significant daily increase in COVID-19 cases in Kansas recently. This chart shows statewide Kansas COVID-19 cases by symptom onset date. (KDHE chart)
Wyandotte County reported an additional 15 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the cumulative total to 7,525, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 website. There were an additional four deaths, for a cumulative total of 142. (From UG COVID-19 webpage)

Gov. Laura Kelly announced more information about the state’s unified testing strategy at a news conference Tuesday.

She also announced that the state is joining the bipartisan Rockefeller Foundation COVID-19 Testing Solutions Group, which will provide more information and resources, including advice about best practices.

The announcements came during the same time that Gov. Kelly said Kansas has just set another record last week for the highest number of COVID-19 cases per day during a single week. There were more than 700 new cases a day last week, she said.

There also was an increase in hospitalizations and clusters in the state, she said, and there were 65 COVID-19 deaths in Kansas reported last week. On Monday, Kansas announced an additional 2,055 COVID-19 cases and eight new deaths, she said.

Gov. Kelly said although it may seem difficult, there is still time to turn the virus around. She encouraged everyone to wear masks, socially distance and avoid gatherings.

Gov. Kelly said she was on a White House task force call on Tuesday, and Kansas is in the red zone with a significant increase in the number of positive tests coming in every day for the past few weeks. No doubt the virus is still here and still virulent, she said.

“Please keep following public health safety guidelines that have been proven to stem the tide of COVID,” she said.

The new state strategy will coordinate the state, public and private testing efforts, she said. It will include routine testing in areas with high community spread, including congregate settings like nursing homes, correctional facilities and school.

Last week, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment posted requests for proposals for communities interested in receiving a portion of funding, she said. There was $53 million earmarked by the SPARK task force, and communities can begin submitting proposals for review, she said.

Wyandotte County reported an additional 15 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the cumulative total to 7,525, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 website. There were an additional four deaths, for a cumulative total of 142.

The University of Kansas Health System saw an increase in the patients at the hospital on Tuesday morning, with 30 acute COVID-19 inpatients, an increase from Monday’s 24, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. There were seven patients in the intensive care unit, down from 11 on Monday, and six patients on ventilators, a decrease from eight on Monday. There were another 28 COVID-19 patients who were not in the acute infection phase but were still in the hospital. HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, reported 18 inpatients on Tuesday, an increase of one from Monday.

During their news conference, the doctors said there is a trend around the Kansas City area of more COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Two local nurses survive COVID-19

During the Tuesday news conference at KU Health System, two cases of local nurses who survived COVID-19 were discussed.

A 58-year-old nurse spent 64 days in the hospital, including 45 days on the ventilator, while a 21-year-old nurse had a milder case.

The 58-year-old nurse is now recovering at home and trying to rebuild her strength. Over her long illness, she had no memory of the time she was on the ventilator. She advised people to wear a mask, to think of others and be vigilant.

The 21-year-old nurse said she is always wearing her mask at work, but she let down her guard when she went to watch the Chiefs game on television on Sept. 10 with friends. She had to spend time isolating at home while she had the virus. Her symptoms included shortness of breath, being very tired and having a fever. She also lost her sense of taste and smell, although the sense of taste is now back. She advised that it’s much easier than people think to get the disease.

Free testing continues

Free tests are available from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Faith Deliverance Family Worship Center, 3043 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.

The tests are available through the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force and Vibrant Health.

Free tests also continue from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday at the UG Health Department, 619 Ann Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.

The tests now are open to asymptomatic people as well as those who have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Check with the UG Health Department’s Facebook page to see if there have been any changes in the schedule because of the weather or for other reasons.

Next week, the Health Department testing location is changing to the former Kmart parking lot at 78th and State.

More information about testing is at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.

To view the governor’s news conference, visit https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/videos/2772924946299136

The KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/345856516473014

The KDHE’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/.

The UG COVID-19 webpage is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.

The Unified Government COVID-19 hub outbreak map at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/.

To see an NEA list of schools that have had COVID-19 cases, visit https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=aa3f2ede7cb2415db943fdaf45866d2f.

The KC Region COVID-19 Hub dashboard is at https://marc2.org/covidhub/.

The CDC’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.

Questionnaire from Rep. Jeff Pittman, candidate for state Senate, 5th District

Name and office sought
Rep. Jeff Pittman, seeking state Senate District 5, Democrat
http://www.votepittman.com

Age
49

Occupation and experience

I am currently a supply chain engineer at a software company. I have worked there applying algorithms, technology and industry best practices to save companies hundreds of millions of dollars, while enabling them to deal with major disruption and uncertainty.
I was formerly a big data technology consultant, focused on creating data intersections and analytics used to help drive insights into companies bottom lines. My wife and I also have a small business around property rentals.
Serving two terms as a state representative, my experience and education have helped position me well for handling the current state challenges around budgets, technology and working through the challenges of the pandemic.

Education

Graduated high school, Leavenworth High
Bachelors of Arts Degree from NCF
Masters in Engineering, MIT
Masters in Business Administration, Oxford University, UK

Organizations, clubs, groups to which you belong

VFW Post 56 Auxiliary Officer;
Honorary Member of American Legion Post 94;
Rotarian;
Criminal Justice Chair of the Leavenworth Chapter NAACP;
Member of the Lansing High School Site Council;
PTA;
Ducks Unlimited Leadership team;
Member Chamber of Commerce of Leavenworth/Lansing;
Member Chamber of Commerce of Bonner Springs/Edwardsville;
Member Chamber of Commerce of KCK ;
Board member of Unity in the Community;
Past board member of the Leavenworth County Humane Society;
Leavenworth Main Street Investor (Downtown development organization);
Parents As Teacher Advisory Board;
Member of Leavenworth County Mental Health Task Force;
Member of Kansas Information Technology Executive Council;
National Legislator of the year from Educational Theatre Association;
Kansas Legislator of the Year from Kansas Thespians;
Buffalo soldier award from the Local Buffalo Soldier Club;
Richard Allen Cultural Center member;
Leavenworth/Lansing Young Professional Club member;
Leavenworth County Historic Society member;
Traveling Youth Baseball 13-14 coach
Leavenworth-Wyandotte Caucus;
Democratic Military & Veterans Caucus;

Endorsed by:
Firefighters #64 Covering EMT and Firefighters in LVCO, WYCO and Edwardsville;
Fraternal Order of Police #4;
Fraternal Order of Police #40;
Kansas Mental Health Coalition;
Kansas Hospital Association;
KNEA Teachers;
KC Biz Pac of the Greater KC Chamber;
Main PAC;
3.14 Organization Promoting Science in Politics;
Equality Kansas;
Laborers 1290;
Operators 101;
IBEW Local 51;
UAW local 31;
AFL-CIO;
Kansas AFT;
SMART;
KSRA;
and more

Reasons for running

The state Senate needs a change. I have enjoyed my time as a state Representative and developed skills and understanding I can bring to this broader area, my home town area, in the state senate. We need more voices like mine of moderation and of solutions. I have fought for and will continue to build on a proven track record of supporting properly funded public education. During this time of crisis, we need proven, trusted, reliable leadership, and that’s what I bring. We need to make sure that people can go back to work, that they can reopen their businesses, and we need to do it so that everyone feels safe. From our manufacturing industries, to small businesses in our downtown. We need to make sure businesses have access to the capital they need to stay afloat, and we support workers getting back employed as long as they are safe, so they can provide for their families.

What are the three most important issues facing this district and how would you handle them?

One of the biggest issues facing us now is getting through this COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has hit our jobs and businesses hard. Making sure our citizens are safe, and balancing that with ensuring our economy gets ramped back up. Small business needs access to capital. Our schools are affected by it; our ability to provide for our families is affected by it; our socializing is affected by it. By working together we can recover from this and pandemic and move our economy forward. My professional background is in helping businesses find innovative solutions to challenges they are experiencing. I am uniquely qualified to help our local businesses navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic and get our economy thriving again.

As I talk to citizens at the door (at a distance), I also see affordable healthcare as a major challenge for our citizens who are not retired military. Whether it’s those on a fixed income facing increasing pharmaceutical costs or workers making minimum wage who can’t take care of their chronic conditions, healthcare costs are making access increasing difficult for many people. Rising healthcare costs drive workers from local businesses to bigger businesses that offer health insurance benefits—and that makes it harder to find stable workers in local businesses. An educated workforce is good for business. I stepped up before to ensure our education system was funded and provided every student an equitable education no matter their zip code. We face a new crisis as students go online for education during COVID. Students who are most at risk are even more at risk. Whether access to internet, quality of homelife, self-discipline or unfortunately abuse, we must work toward better solutions and be willing to flex our public education system.

Lastly innovation fuels growth. We need to encourage entrepreneurialism and business to business innovation. Collaboration between local businesses fosters cross-marketing and regional identity building. Unaffordable healthcare plagues many people. Simply stated, the Chambers of Leavenworth and KCK have jumped on board and understand that Medicaid expansion is a workforce development tool and infrastructure stimulus. We have given up $4 billion in federal funding over five years. It’s time to get past the politics in the Senate and move forward. Regarding fostering growth, the government should have bipartisan stability. We must foster innovation, show economic leadership and develop strategic long term plans in conjunction with local, state and federal partners.

If you are an incumbent, list your top accomplishments in office. If you are not an incumbent, what would you change if elected?

The state of Kansas was in a financial crisis with our credit rating dropping 3 times in 18 months during Governor Brownback’s tax experiment. I promised to put fiscally responsible measures in place to properly fund public education, support funding our KPERs promise to the people, supporting investment in roads and I kept that promise. I have served on the following committees: Veterans and Military Affairs, Agriculture, Transportation, Publics Safety Budget, Joint Committee on IT, and the Information Technology Executive Committee. I have sponsored in my time over 18 bills, many bipartisan in nature. I was a key driver in the Cybersecurity Act creating a framework for security. I positioned amendments for COLA (cost of living adjustment) increases in KPERs repeatedly. I brought forward increased funding amendments to meet our federal special education funding requirements. I fought to ensure Corrections workers infected with COVID that died would have automatic death benefits for their families from workers comp. I repeatedly fought to get rid of the sales tax on food, and to allow itemization of tax deductions at the state level, even when taking the federal standard deduction. And being from Leavenworth, I introduced numerous bills, one of which ended up working in the budget to stablize lottery fund disbursement resulting in hundreds of thousands more each year to be used for military service organizations like VFW and American Legion, giving restitution to Native American veterans and being the first to introduce two bills that would start the process of bringing a new veterans home to Northeast Kansas.

Have you run for elected office previously? When, results?

Yes, I’m proud to have been elected in a general election twice for Kansas State Representative. My first term was in 2016 when I promised to reverse Governor Brownback’s tax experiment and we did so. I was then re-elected in 2018. Raising my family here with my wife Holly, we have been heavily involved in our community. I understand the unique needs of our area. I have worked on behalf of my constituents every day. I hope for your support as state Senator.

Simple ways to bring calm into your home

From the global devastation of COVID-19 to the national grief, horror, and widespread protests set off by the killing of George Floyd, the world is reeling with chaos. No wonder waves of fear, pain, and uncertainty are infiltrating our thoughts and emotions—and thus, our homes, says Karen McGregor.

“We’re witnessing the most disease the world has seen in our lifetimes,” said McGregor, author of “The Tao of Influence: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Leaders and Entrepreneurs” (Mango, September 2020, ISBN: 978-1-64250-275-6, $24.95; available at www.karenmcgregor.com). “As individuals, we can’t be untouched by what we’re seeing and hearing and imagining. What we can do is make our home a haven from the worst of the chaos.”

If we weren’t impacted by the suffering caused by a global pandemic and clear evidence of racial injustice and abuse of power, we’d hardly be human. Speaking out and taking action to create a better world is a healthful and productive response. But dwelling on fearful, negative, stressful thoughts and images isn’t. Not only does it make you miserable, it weakens your immune system, says McGregor. This is why bringing calm into your home is so important.

And there’s another reason. When you take the steps needed to create a calmer home, you’re leading by example. You’re teaching family members how to rise above stress and anxiety also. This is what being a positive influencer (the central message of The Tao of Influence) is all about. The book lays out a path—rooted in the ancient wisdom of the 4,000-year-old Tao Te Ching—for identifying and breaking the “power patterns” that undermine your influence, create dysfunctional relationships, and otherwise squelch your potential.

“When you do the work needed to overcome your power patterns, you’re building spiritual habits that create an inner sense of calm,” McGregor said. “That sense of calm will naturally permeate your home and impact the way your family experiences daily life.”

Building those habits involves paying attention to your thoughts and emotions and getting intentional about your daily routines. Here are six tips to get you started creating a calmer home:

Start the day with a calming morning routine. Do you wake up a little early so you can enjoy some relaxing time to yourself? Or do you sleep as late as possible and then rush to get everything together for your family or work obligations?

Try setting your alarm a half hour earlier (which may mean getting to bed earlier as well), suggests McGregor. In this bonus time, you can journal, sip a cup of coffee, pray, or meditate. Also, set a positive intention for the day ahead.

Decide what a “calm home” means to you, then express it through your surroundings. Is it happy, fun, joyful, out-of-the-box, connected, or something else? Find ways to start bringing that feeling into reality. For example, if you want to fill your home with the energy of love, you might add candles, essential oils, salt lamps, or prayer beads.

“For me, a calm, peaceful home means I have lots of windows to let in the light, white walls, and no clutter,” McGregor said. “I intentionally don’t own a lot of stuff.”

Do some cleaning… A messy space at home contributes to a disorganized and chaotic mind. But if we can take small steps toward establishing stillness on the outside of us, we can experience more internal peace, wellness, and harmony within.

“If you haven’t already done so, take advantage of the extra time you may have at home to clean and organize your space to promote balance and stillness,” McGregor said.

…and include your thoughts, not just your possessions. Your home is comprised of “stuff,” and all of that “stuff” contains the energy of your thoughts, McGregor said. Are you filling your home with stressful thoughts? And what are you doing that reinforces those thoughts? Cleaning might also mean turning off the news and calling a moratorium on social media. No question those in your house can feel the energy of your thoughts.

“I remember the year before going through a divorce, I went into my five-year-old son’s bedroom to check on him while he was sleeping,” says McGregor. “He was talking in his sleep and I heard him say, ‘Mommy is sad.’ I never told him I was sad, and I didn’t cry in front of him, because at the time I believed it was better to hide those things. But my thoughts were sad, and he picked up on it. Your thoughts are present in the very fabric of your home.”

Once you are aware of negative thoughts, release them. “When a negative or fearful thought crosses your mind, release it and watch it energetically drift out of your home and dissolve into Mother Earth,” McGregor said. “Several times each day, ask yourself, What am I holding on to in this moment that could be released? Encourage each of your family members to release thoughts in this same way, too.”

By the way…it’s important to fully feel your emotions. Your thoughts and emotions are meant to move through you like a wave that arrives and then dissipates, says McGregor. After you completely feel them, replace them with empowering thoughts that generate peace. For example: I am so thankful for the opportunity to practice letting go of this situation.

“Every time you are grateful and accept a situation, it calms your mind, thereby calming your body, impacting those around you and the energy of your home,” McGregor said.

“It may be a mad world outside of your home, but choosing what you allow inside your living space is a radical act of love and empowerment for you and your family,” concluded McGregor. “Make your environment a place of nurture and safety, and you will feel more grounded and in control, even in these troubled times. And you’ll influence your family in a positive and meaningful way.”