GOP Fights Mask Policy
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75¢ COLBY Wednesday March 31, 2021 Volume 132, Number 50 FREEREE PRESSRESS Serving Thomas County since 1888 8 pages F P GOP fights mask policy; variant grows By John Hanna nal decision about mask mandates AP Political Writer and restrictions on businesses and public gatherings to counties. TOPEKA — Republicans in the But Kelly’s planned order would GOP-controlled Kansas House require their elected county com- formally registered their opposi- missions to take a specific public tion Tuesday to Democratic Gov. vote to opt out of a statewide poli- Laura Kelly’s plan for encourag- cy requiring people to wear masks ing counties to keep mask man- in indoor businesses and public dates in place as a potentially spaces. more infectious strain of corona- Kelly said in a statement that virus became more widespread in the resolution is “unnecessary” the state. because counties can opt out her The House voted 84-39 along planned order and said Repub- party lines for a resolution telling licans are engaged in “political legislative leaders to revoke any games.” order from Kelly for a statewide Fellow Democrats noted con- mask policy. Kelly issued such an cerns about coronavirus variants. Marvin Cloe (above, at center) received one of the Quilts of The seven veterans honored were (at bottom, from left) order in November that is due to One potentially more infectious Valor given at a presentation earlier this month to a group of Vaughn, Larry Short, Cloe, Carlos Saddler, Max Perkins, expire Wednesday, and she has variant first identified in the Unit- Thomas County veterans. Max Vaughn (below) was wrapped Richard Michel and Michael Turner. said she will issue a new order ed Kingdom is responsible for 64 in another. The quilts were all made by volunteers to be given EVAN BARNUM/Colby Free Press Thursday. cases in 11 of the state’s 105 coun- out by the Quilts of Valor Foundation. The measure was sponsored ties so far, the state health depart- by House Speaker Ron Ryckman ment said. Jr., of Olathe; Speaker Pro Tem “We’re not at the end of the Blaine Finch, of Ottawa, and Ma- pandemic yet,” said Rep. Kathy jority Leader Dan Hawkins, of Wolfe Moore, a Kansas City, Kan- Quilts for vets honor valor Wichita, who’ve all publicly said sas, Democrat. “I do absolutely By Evan Barnum they will oppose Kelly’s planned agree that things are getting better, erts, who had a son in Iraq. Her Colby Free Press order. but let’s not put all the sacrifices dream became the Quilts of Valor A law that took effect last week that we’ve all made at risk.” Foundation, the mission of which What is valor? Everyone likely extends a state of emergency for In Shawnee County, home to “is to cover service members and the coronavirus pandemic from Topeka, officials on Tuesday has their own definition, but to veterans touched by war with March 31 until May 28, but it also confirmed the county’s first three those in the military, it is being comforting and healing Quilts of allows eight top legislative lead- cases of the United Kingdom vari- willing to put your life on the line Valor.” Nominations for quilts ers, including Ryckman, Finch ant. Neighboring Douglas County for the good of your country. come from family and friends for and Hawkins, to revoke orders the confirmed a cases of the variant In early March, a group of men living veterans only. - governor issues during a state of last week. who did just that were each hon The quilts, given in a ceremony emergency. Two counties in the Kansas ored with one-of-a-kind quilts at the Prairie Museum of Art and The state has seen a sharp de- City area, Wyandotte and Leav- given to each on behalf of Quilts History, went to seven veterans cline in new Covid-19 cases in enworth, have had cases of the of Valor, a group dedicated to from Thomas County. An eighth recent months, and they’re now variant, as has Sedgwick County, honoring servicemen and women. veteran, J.B. Cox of Atwood, who at levels seen last summer. Finch home to the state’s largest city of Dana Pfanenstiel of Scott City served in World War II, was to get said during a brief House debate Wichita. Finney and Ford coun- made the presentations on behalf his a few days later. The seven veterans honored on the resolution that no circum- ties in southwest Kansas and Ellis of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, - stances justify an “overreaching” County in northwest Kansas have which in western Kansas is repre that Sunday were Marvin Cloe, order on masks from Kelly. had cases, and so have Crawford, sented by the High Plains Quilts Richard Michel, Max Perkins, - “What we do not need are more Labette and Neosho counties in of Valor Group. Started in 2018, it Larry Short, Carlos Saddler, Mi - statewide mandates,” Finch said. southeast Kansas. serves mainly Lane, Scott, Wich chael Turner and Max Vaughn. - The new law also leaves the fi- ita, Greeley, Wallace, Gove and All seven veterans joined volun Logan counties. tarily – none had been drafted. “These quilts are a tangible re- Several volunteers work to - cre minder of America’s appreciation ate each quilt, as they are pieced, and gratitude to our military,” she quilted and bound by different Lower tax cuts said. members around the country. Pfanenstiel stressed that a quilt As the quilts were presented, of valor was not a charity quilt, they were unveiled for the veteran blanket or present, but a way to to see first, before being shown to letting servicemen and women the audience. pass in Topeka know that “we on the home front Volunteers then wrapped the respect and appreciate our free- quilt around each veteran, as- Pfa By John Hanna But that earlier measure also dom that they helped sustain.” nenstiel read their service record. AP Political Writer revived memories of a notorious “Recipients often state it means THE VETERANS tax-cutting experiment in 2012 more to them than any of the mili- Cloe enlisted in the Army in TOPEKA – Most Republicans and 2013 under GOP Gov. Sam tary medals they have received,” 1965. After being trained in per- on Tuesday downsized their am- Brownback. Those tax cuts were she said, “because it comes from sonnel management he was sent bitions for cutting Kansas income followed by large and persistent the heart and hands of the makers to Tuy Hoa, South Vietnam. Re- taxes and pushed a narrower pro- budget shortfalls until lawmakers and their community.” turning to the states as a chief posal through the GOP-controlled reversed most of them in 2017. At the time of the presentation, warrant officer 5 in 1968, he was Legislature in hopes of overcom- Senate tax committee Chair she said the national web site released from active service. In ing Democratic Gov. Laura Kel- Caryn Tyson, a Parker Repub- showed 269,505 quilts had been 1971 he became a member of the ly’s resistance to reducing rev- lican, said she supported much awarded nationally, with 2,277 in Kansas Army National Guard and enues. of the bigger plan and parts of it just the previous two weeks. served for 30 years, including The House voted 81-43 to ap- made GOP senators “feel good,” The program was started in prove a bill that would save tax- but, “It’s another thing to get it 2003 by a mother, Cathrine Rob- See “QUILTS,” Page 2 payers $284 million over three into law. We need it into law.” years. Top GOP legislators started “All or nothing? Sometimes with a goal of providing relief to you end up with nothing,” she told businesses and individuals whose her colleagues Tuesday evening state income taxes have risen be- before their vote. “I would rather cause of changes in federal in- get pieces and have true reform come tax laws at the end of 2017. and get the money to the taxpay- The measure also includes a mod- ers, where it belongs.” est increase in the standard deduc- Kelly vetoed two GOP tax- tion for all individual filers. cutting plans in 2019 after win- The Senate approved the mea- ning the governor’s office the year sure hours later, 30-10, sending it before largely by running against to Kelly. Most GOP senators last Brownback’s legacy. She said month showed a larger appetite earlier this month than Kansas is for tax cuts, passing a package still “digging out” from the ex- that would have cost the state $1.3 periment and shouldn’t cut taxes billion over three years and gone because it is recovering from the far beyond Republican leaders’ corona-virus pandemic. stated goal of returning the unan- Some Republicans had hoped ticipated state revenue “windfall” to pass a plan with the two-thirds tied to federal tax changes. majorities necessary in both chambers to override a Kelly veto. Backers of the bill had three votes See “TAX,” Page 2 Page 2 Colby Free Press Wednesday, March 31, 2021 Area/State Weather Briefly The deadline for Briefly is noon the day before and for Monday’s paper, noon Friday. Gather today to mark Mark Boeger retirement Join us to say thank you and happy retirement to Mark Boeger after 22 years with the Thomas County Road and Bridge Department. A reception will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. today at the 4-H Building on the Thomas County Fairgrounds. For questions, call Clair Schrock at 443-3661.