Coronavirus surge in Kansas touches inmates, taxes, pastures

(AP) Kansas officials are looking for extra hospital beds, releasing jail inmates and bracing for a slump in state tax collections because of the coronavirus pandemic. They also on Thursday added farmers’ and ranchers’ springtime practice of burning pastures to the list of things to avoid during the coronavirus pandemic. Confirmed coronavirus cases have almost quadrupled over the past week, to 168, with three deaths reported since March 11. More than 1.7 million of the state’s 2.9 million residents are facing local stay-at-home orders. That’s taking an economic toll, and Gov. Laura Kelly says it’s likely already hurting state revenues.