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75¢ COLBY Friday April 2, 2021 Volume 132, Number 52 FREEREE PRESSRESS Serving Thomas County since 1888 8 pages F P School hears about new tennis facility By Marian Ballard would be entirely built with dona- Colby Free Press tions, with the college foundation [email protected] collecting the money. The $1 mil- lion fundraising goal was reached The Colby School Board heard in 54 days. Monday from tennis coach Wen- The original cost estimate dy Weishaar, along with Mark was $1,045,000, Carter said, but Weishaar, Greg Bellamy and col- with changes, that increased to lege President Seth Carter, about $1,059,721, but there are pledges the Colby Tennis Center just ahead for $1,202,000. of its groundbreaking Wednesday. “The generosity of people Much work has already been has been outstanding,” Coach done to prepare the site. Weishaar said. “There’s several of “Mr. Bellamy and his crew did you in this room who have con- a wonderful job of going through tributed to this project.… I didn’t and getting the site torn apart pret- realize so many people cared ty quickly. He was a bit over-zeal- about having a project like this, ous. We were talking, and then and (it’s) a win-win for the entire when I walked out there it looked community even. So, I’m very like this,” Dr. Carter said, showing grateful for that; thank you.” a photo of the torn-up court. Weishaar said they sent letters Bellamy said the city pitched in to all the alumni of the tennis pro- and hauled the trees out after they gram since it started in 1976, and had been cut. Public Works Direc- got an overwhelming response, tor Omar Weber said there were far more than expected. several loads, but he didn’t know “We’re getting $250,000 from how many. Dane Hansen,” Bellamy added. Carter said the facility will cov- Carter said they have not yet er about 21,328 square feet and heard about a grant application include two full-size indoor tennis submitted to the Summit Founda- Tennis Center courts, two pickleball courts and a tion for $250,000. 21-foot-wide walking perimeter. One of the changes which in- “What’s really unique about this creased the cost, Carter said, is project,” he said, “is there are a lot that access to the facility will be of people who are excited about through RFID (radio-frequency breaks ground it for a lot of different reasons. identification) sensors. People Some people are excited about the will register with the college and College and community leaders reached for shovels tennis component, some are really can then scan their phone to get (above) at the groundbreaking Wednesday afternoon excited about the pickleball and in at any hour of the day or night. for the newest addition to the Colby Community College then some are really excited about That will provide a level of secu- campus, the new indoor Colby Tennis Center. After the the ability to walk. rity while keeping the building ceremony, kids continued to stir up the dirt (left), “helping” “Someone who runs … when available. He said the college had with groundwork started for the 21,328-square-foot center, it’s really cold outside – is pretty dealt with homeless people trying which will replace the old outdoor tennis courts. miserable. It will be very nice to to get into dorms and similar situ- The building will house two full-size tennis courts, two have something like this.” ations. pickleball courts and a walking area. Money from grants Carter said the other three had “We also will have security and donations has been secured to pay for the $1 million approached him in December to cameras inside and out,” Weishaar building, college officials said. see if the college would be inter- said. Stephens Construction expects work to be done in ested in working with the city and Weishaar talked about the setup September. The center will be open to the public and the schools to create the center. In of the inside. Lighting will be in- available 24 hours a day. that discussion, they concluded direct to cut glare for players. Nets “The concept for the Colby Tennis Center was first that it was a need, and the issue of will separate the courts to keep envisioned by a group of community members several location came up. balls where they belong. If enough years ago,” said college President Seth Carter. Discussions The city had logistical issues, extra money is raised, the parking picked up last year, and Dr. Carter said the college formally he said, and the college had old, lot will be upgraded from asphalt became involved in December. neglected tennis courts, complete millings to hard asphalt, and side- By February, the college said that, along with the Colby with trees growing up in the fence walks would connect the center to Public Schools, the City of Colby and private donors, it and weeds on the courts. That site other areas of the campus. was raising the money and already had over $550,000 in was chosen for the new construc- pledges. tion, with the understanding that it See “SCHOOL,” Page 2 EVAN BARNUM/Colby Free Press Breakfast for a cause State expects policy to cost millions in taxes By John Hanna ed that relief legislation approved in 2012 and 2013 under then- AP Political Writer in December by Congress cre- GOP Gov. Sam Brownback that ated a new income tax deduction was followed by persistent bud- TOPEKA – Kansas expects to for businesses that received fed- get shortfalls. Kelly has not said lose a total of $360 million in tax eral Paycheck Protection Program whether she will veto this year’s revenues over three years because loans. bill, but she called Thursday for of a change in federal policies on “This new deduction will have caution. Covid-19 relief for businesses, a negative impact on the state’s “We cannot risk passing any tax complicating legislative debates revenue forecast that had not been bill that would put Kansas back over state spending and cutting accounted for in previous revenue into a self-inflicted budget -cri income taxes. estimates,” the memo said. sis, and jeopardize our Covid-19 The disclosure of the state’s Kansas has experienced what recovery efforts,” Kelly said in expected loss is a cloud in what many GOP lawmakers see as a statement issued as the Depart- for months has otherwise been a an unanticipated “windfall” in ment of Revenue reported that tax sunny fiscal picture, with tax col- tax collections from changes in collections in March exceeded the lections exceeding expectations federal income tax laws in 2017 state’s official forecast by more and the unemployment rate back championed by former President than $52 million, or 9.7 percent. to lows seen before the coronavi- Donald Trump. Republican lead- The state anticipated taking in rus pandemic. The disclosure this ers want to provide relief to peo- $538 million in taxes and instead week came as Republicans pushed ple and businesses paying more collected more than $590 million. a bill cutting income taxes through taxes to the state because of those Tax collections have been better the GOP-controlled Legislature. changes, and the GOP’s bill would than forecast for eight consecutive The expected loss was outlined save taxpayers $284 million over months and all but four months in a short memo to six legislative three years. Several 4-H families, with help from the Thomas County Fair Board, put on a special breakfast See “STATE,” Page 2 to raise money for the medical bills of the Chad Focke family. Those who sat down March 20 leaders from Mark Burghart, the Kelly vetoed two Republican at the 4-H building to eat biscuits and gravy, hash browns, scrambled eggs and drinks showed state Department of Revenue’s top tax-cutting bills in 2019, arguing their generosity to Focke, who faces some big tickets from cancer treatment. The family has administrator, and Adam Proffitt, that they would return Kansas to a budget director for Democratic nationally notorious, now-mostly been active in 4-H. KATHRYN BALLARD/Colby Free Press Gov. Laura Kelly. The memo not- repealed tax-cutting experiment Page 2 Colby Free Press Friday, April 2, 2021 Area/State Weather School hears about facility Briefly From “SCHOOL,” Page 1 only way we can use that facil- lic funds utilized, because it will ity is if all coaches at that tour- go on the college’s utilities. We Brewster Grocery fish fry set for tonight Scheduling for the center can nament agree that we can use will have to have a custodial The Brewster Grocery will hold its fish-fry fundraiser from 5 to 9 p.m. be done through an online cal- the facility, and (then, we could) person in it. And then we’ll have tonight at 325 Kansas Ave. in Brewster. Cost is $14 for one plate or $25 for endar for individuals, and teams only do one of the events. Like, to have some level of supervi- two, including a 20-ounce drink, catfish, coleslaw and potato wedges. The will have priority for practices the No. 1 singles out there, or sion, oversight of it. store is a nonprofit community-owned grocery, and its annual fundraiser and competitions where needed. the No. 2 doubles. So that all the “I just want to make sure ev- helps put groceries on the shelf. For information, call the store at (785) “If you get there, and you’re schools in that position play in eryone know 100 percent of 694-2824.

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