Banneker LINC Caring Communities

On tap for today: An examination of police stops; federal level interest in KC lawsuit against evictions; and the pandemic's unrelenting pain. Links from LINC, ...kclinc.org. 1. Are you a person of color and have a story about being stopped by police? You can contribute to an investigation http://ow.ly/CBjD50C5anD by Flatland and PBS Kansas City in a multi-part series and town hall http://ow.ly/fgdL50C5aog. 2. The federal government is weighing into a court battle against evictions by KCTenants http://ow.ly/jl1850C5aoj. Filings are up in KC despite a CDC moratorium http://ow.ly/gCBx50C5aom in a situation of intense difficulty for renters and landlords http://ow.ly/WmWZ50C5ane. 3. KC’s deadliest month of the pandemic http://ow.ly/ju6F50C5amQ includes the loss of a former chief environmental officer http://ow.ly/vMoc50C5amY. Hospitals are reeling nationwide http://ow.ly/Q5QG50C5aoo. And remember, here’s how local medical directors described pain unlike any we’ve ever seen. https://kclinc.org/news/2020/9/3/doctors-dire-covid-warning

Mail-in ballot urgency, notaries, Covid's shadow over KCPS and more help with food resources for your Tuesday news links from LINC. kclinc.org 1. One week to el...ection day and the Postal Service says if you still have a mail-in ballot, you better send it off today to get there in time http://ow.ly/s2iW50C3Xlz. Missourians must get mail-in ballots notarized. Find notaries at lwvkc.org 2. As virus news worsens more than 80 KC-area deaths the past week http://ow.ly/chPW50C3Xlk Kansas City Public Schools is backing off plans to bring elementary children into classrooms Nov. 9. The new date kids come back in will depend on the data going forward http://ow.ly/6YcM50C3XlU. 3. Missouri has been given a USDA waiver to continue giving eligible food stamps households the maximum benefits possible through November http://ow.ly/1Mmj50C3Xg9. Learn about food stamps as well as emergency food distributions for everyone and other services at our resource page, kclinc.org/help

Feeling winter come on? The new week's links wonder if children will be able to un-learn isolation; provides everyone a source for mental health aid; and tracks... the surge. kclinc.org 1. Will children coming out of formative years during a pandemic learn to share and hug on the other side? KCUR asks the question http://ow.ly/kM4Q50C2P7p. 2. Here are the latest testing opportunities to check for exposure to Covid-19 http://ow.ly/GiBy50C2P6A. Many are concerned: Missouri is right in the thick of a Midwest surge of coronavirus cases that is part of a nationwide record number of new cases http://ow.ly/liA850C2P7n. 3. The week opened dark and snow-covered, hinting at that shut-in feeling that bodes with the coming winter. Remember to watch your mental health and that of others, and remember there’s help at Show-Me Hope Missouri http://ow.ly/JsSu50C2P6V.

Will KCPS be able to open some in-person classes or not? The dilemma in new Covid info that makes that Q so hard for schools; and the KC mayor's Census anxiety ...-- weekend tips from LINC, kclinc.org. 1. The dilemma vexing schools between in-person or virtual classes in the pandemic gets no easier. Latest quandary: Research is suggesting that classrooms may be unlikely to cause surges in cases http://ow.ly/r9Qw50C11eZ, but new CDC rules define risky exposure in a way that will require more quarantines http://ow.ly/L9jd50C11f6. 2. So, Kansas City Public Schools continues to hope for a Nov. 9 return to classes for many students, but warns it might not happen http://ow.ly/reDD50C11fZ. Hospitalizations are soaring nationwide http://ow.ly/vZ2950C11gc, and were rising in Missouri, but data problems again temporarily interrupted the state’s daily reports http://ow.ly/Lau150C11eB. 3. The opportunity to fill out your Census is now over. As Mayor Quinton Lucas nervously tweeted, hope rests now in the work of paid canvassers http://ow.ly/8yNt50C11eT, because much of the central city ended with a self-response rate below 50% http://ow.ly/9rkF50C11eA.

See how to have your say (today!) on our gun violence issues; KCPS's battle with tax abatement (millions of $$); and our #LightsOnAfterschool campaign -- from k...clinc.org. 1. Today at 12:30 p.m. you can join a virtual town hall on Kansas City’s struggle with gun violence with the The Kansas City Star and Report for America in William Jewel’s American Public Square. The subject: The trust between KC communities and police. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gun-violence-in-missouri-seeki 2. Kansas City Public Schools wants you to know that $80 million in potential tax revenue for the district and public charter schools has been abated by tax incentives the past three years. The district has dedicated a web page to keep track of efforts to reform city taxing practices. https://www.kcpublicschools.org/about/tax-incentives-kcps 3. The #LightsOnAfterschool celebration of the role of after-school programs in America is under way, nationally http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/loa.cfm, and here at home at LINC, where the community gatherings have to get particularly creative in a pandemic season https://kclinc.org//lights-on-afterschool-celebrates-commu.

Take a look at what we're doing with #LightsOnAfterschool. #PlayingItSafe and promoting #Reading at the same time. https://kclinc.org//lights-on-afterschool-celebrates-commu

See what's concerning in school civil rights data, the virus vengeance and a critical reminder if you want to vote by mail -- midweek links from LINC, kclinc.or...g. 1. Today is the deadline in Missouri to make an application for a mail-in or absentee ballot. Here is the form to fill out http://ow.ly/vvKV50BYTkD which has to be delivered to your local election board office by 5 p.m. Find your election board’s location here http://ow.ly/bgYx50BYTka. 2. The U.S. Department of Education has a released its latest civil rights data http://ow.ly/TuTP50BYTkR. Here’s one look at what it shows including a rise in the seclusion and restraint of students with disabilities, and an increase in sexual assaults http://ow.ly/bSLm50BYTk6. 3. The virus is surging with a vengeance, http://ow.ly/TxaU50BYTkC reports the NYT as the CDC now estimates 300,000 excess deaths likely attributable to Covid-19 http://ow.ly/dQ8050BYTk2. There is some relief though that the virus’ death rate seems in decline http://ow.ly/efqU50BYTly.

What does science say about more schools opening? What's the deal with Missouri's 'inactive voter' list? Do you have your flu shot? Here are answers to at least... two of those Q's, in news links from LINC, kclinc.org. 1. The common flu on top of the coronavirus pandemic is simply a bad, bad mix in so many ways. A statewide campaign, Boo to the Flu, urges vaccinations by Oct. 31 http://ow.ly/Y1LJ50BXLm1. And here’s how Genesis charter school is helping get its community flu shots http://ow.ly/UXkd50BXLlQ. 2. Does science support more openings of schools? A KCUR report says yes http://ow.ly/Mv5J50BXLm2. But the risks are real as school communities have experienced coronavirus deaths among staff and quarantined, including these KC Star reports in Olathe http://ow.ly/6Jfn50BXLm0 and in Park Hill http://ow.ly/I8JX50BXLlV. 3. Here’s a reminder to check your voter registration http://ow.ly/JECd50BXLlY if you’ve moved or not voted in some time because The Beacon reports your Election Day could become complicated if you’re on Missouri’s inactive voter list http://ow.ly/61nc50BXLlW.

There is a universal message in this joint effort by the City of Kansas City, Mo., Health Department and Genesis School for everyone: Get your flu shot. https://www.kcmo.gov//genesis-schoolyard-flu-shot-clinic-t

Gun violence and the struggle for trust with KC police; more Covid testing than labs can handle; and the return of the new Wonderscope -- the new week's first t...ips from LINC, kclinc.org. 1. Our coronavirus page keeps track of all your testing opportunities http://ow.ly/H2HF50BWqpI, and the AP reports there are more rapid tests available than ever before, but keeping track of the results is now the problem http://ow.ly/9PIX50BWqoM as the global total of confirmed cases passed 40 million http://ow.ly/vVT350BWqp2. 2. A KC Star report on violence went deep into the struggle for trust between much of the KC community and its police department http://ow.ly/wYKp50BWqpm. You can join in the conversation as the American Public Square at William Jewell College takes on the issues in an online forum Oct. 22 http://ow.ly/Xbkv50BWqq8. 3. Another diversion for families has returned as Wonderscope.org opens its new facilities in south KC this week with lots of coronavirus safety measures in place for attractions including its new high-energy zone. http://ow.ly/Q7yl50BWqpv

For a complicated election season, here is pertinent voting advice from attorney Jon R. Gray, a partner with Shook, Hardy & Bacon, a retired Jackson County Circuit Court judge and former attorney for the Kansas City Election Board.

TOMORROW! Join Kansas City Young Audiences in a virtual luncheon celebrating arts education. Oct. 14 at noon. https://secure.givelively.org//spark-the-arts-in-young-hea

You've got help for voting! Share with everyone you know. With League of Women Voters of Kansas City, Jackson, Platte & Clay Counties VOTE411 #MakeAPlan and #Vote #Vote #Vote