75¢ COLBY Thursday January 14, 2021 Volume 132, Number 7 FREEREE PRESSRESS Serving Thomas County since 1888 6 pages F P Governor talks about vaccinations By Steve Haynes she said during a brief telephone [email protected] interview. “It’s been enough for what we need to do.” “It’s all about vaccines now,” She said it might be June be- Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday, as fore the state can work through Kansas moves toward protecting the next three phases and open up its population and hopefully end- the vaccination drive to everyone. ing the corona-virus pandemic in Children would be included then, our part of the world. assuming the government ap- The state is just wrapping up proves one or more vaccines for Phase 1 of a newly-revised vac- their use. cination protocol announced last “We’d like to set up robust vac- week. Shots are being given to cination sites,” Kelly said. “I can’t health-care workers, residents and give you an absolute deadline or patients in long-term care and se- date. We are aiming for June.” nior housing facilities and “criti- The next phase of the state plan cal workers.” “We’re getting a steady supply,” See “GOVERNOR,” Page 2 College hires Rock facing vice president An Ohio native with a long aca- nearly done demic resume, Dr. Tiffany Evans, began her new role as vice presi- The stonework at the new Colby Event Center, which dent for academic affairs at as has been underway for months, is only days away from Colby Community College when being done. It has been laid in fits and starts, as long as staff returned to campus after the the weather was warm enough for the mortar. holidays. Stonemasons (above) were working on the north wall of Evans fills the position vacated the building this week and a supervisor for Coonrod and by Brad Bennett, who stepped Associates said they needed about 10 more good days to down in October to become presi- finish. dent of Seward County Commu- Large sandstone blocks could be dropped in, but nity College in Liberal. smaller blocks had to be cut to size, raising a cloud of dust “Colby Community College (right) obscuring the mason as the saw bit in. Mortar was is extremely excited to have Dr. slathered on the bottom and sides as the blocks were put Evans join our team,” said Presi- in place, and more was added as needed (below). dent Seth Carter. “She brings an Excess mortar that oozed out around the blocks then incredible depth and breadth of Tiffany Evans was smoothed (below right) with a brick jointer. Anchors knowledge, and we feel she is a between many of the blocks keep the rock wall straight wonderful addition to the Colby serving in the Kentucky Commu- and in place against the steel structure. family.” nity and Technical College Sys- EVAN BARNUM/Colby Free Press A native of Cleveland, Evans tem as the special assistant to the has also lived in Texas, Utah, chancellor. North Carolina and Kentucky. Her appointment here comes after See “COLLEGE,” Page 2 Courthouse windows next With renovations going on at dan room to move the lift around the courthouse, Thomas County the building. commissioners heard on Monday, As work continues on the build- workers will remove panels from ing, Aaron Tilden with Willdan windows, starting as soon as next Energy had said he was seeing week. what several months of hard work “Willdan (Energy) will have on everyone’s part looks like. a lift here all next week to start “We’d like to thank Shelly for removing panels from window being very accommodating,” he areas,” said County Clerk Shelly said, “and allowing us to come in Harms. “I would recommend find- and kind of be a nuisance to her ing another place to park your ve- at times.” hicles and use the south entrance Commissioners haven’t yet for gaining access to the building, moved into the old courtroom for safety reasons.” upstairs, as work continues on re- She also suggested giving Will- modeling there. – Deitra Wedd Impeachment trial could begin on Inauguration Day By Lisa Mascaro day by the House over the deadly Capitol The impeachment trial will be the ber divided 50-50. That tips the majority Ten Republicans fled Trump, joining and Mary Clare Jalonick siege, the only president in U.S. history first for a president no longer in tooffice. the Democrats once Kamala Harris Democrats who said he needed to be The Associated Press twice impeached, after a pro-Trump mob And, politically, it will force a reckoning takes office, as the vice president is aheld tie- accountable and warned ominously stormed the building. The attack has left among some Republicans who have stood breaker. of a “clear and present danger” if Con- WASHINGTON – President Donald the nation’s capital, and other capital cit- by Trump throughout his presidency and In a note to colleagues Wednesday, gress should leave him unchecked before Trump’s impeachment trial could begin ies, under high security amid threats of largely allowed him to spread false at- McConnell said he had “not made a finalDemocrat Joe Biden’s inauguration Jan. on Inauguration Day, just as Democrat more violence around the inauguration. tacks against the integrity of the 2020 decision on how I will vote” in a Senate 20. It was the most bipartisan presidential Joe Biden takes the oath of office, in anHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not election. impeachment trial. impeachment in modern times, more so extraordinary end to the defeated presi- said when she will take the next step to Senate Republican leader Mitch Mc- With the Capitol secured by armed Na- than against Bill Clinton in 1998. dent’s tenure in the White House. transmit the impeachment article, a sole Connell is open to considering impeach- tional Guard troops inside and out, the The Capitol insurrection stunned The trial timeline and schedule are charge of incitement of insurrection. ment, having told associates he is done House voted 232-197 on Wednesday to and angered lawmakers, who were sent largely set by Senate procedures and will Some senior Democrats have proposed with Trump, but has not signaled how he impeach Trump. The proceedings moved start as soon as the House delivers the ar- holding back the article to give Biden and would vote. at lightning speed, with lawmakers vot- See “TRIAL,” Page 2 ticle of impeachment. That could mean Congress time to focus on his new admin- Convening the trial will be among his ing just one week after violent pro-Trump starting the trial at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The istration’s priorities. last acts as majority leader, as two new loyalists stormed the Capitol, egged on ceremony at the Capitol starts at noon. Biden has said the Senate should be senators from Georgia, both Democrats, by the president’s calls for them to “fight Trump was impeached last Wednes- able to split its time and do both. are to be sworn into office leaving cham- like hell” against the election results. Page 2 Colby Free Press Thursday, January 14, 2021 Area/State Weather Briefly The clean The deadline for Briefly is noon the day before. Items submitted in the morning will be set up for the follow- between ing day. the storms Free drive-thru Covid testing continues Nobody was using the TourHealth continues to offer free hand washing bays, but drive-thru Covid-19 testing from 8:30 plenty were lined up Tues- a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays in the park- day for the automatic wash ing lot in front of the Thomas County at the Kansas Quick Wash Office Complex, 350 S. Range Ave. on West Fourth Street. It You can make appointment at www. was a chance to get the tourhealth.com. Testing will continue vehicle clean between the through the end of the month, the state National Weather Service snows of the past, the wind says. Results may take several days. For High Wind Warning and dust today and the questions, call the county Health De- Red Flag Warning next storm down the road. partment at (785) 460-4596. EVAN BARNUM Today: Areas of blowing Colby Free Press Adult-ed prep classes dust before 5 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 44. Very windy, with offered at college a northwest wind 30 to 35 mph The Colby Community College Adult increasing to 40 to 45 mph in the Education department has open enroll- afternoon. Winds could gust as ment for free academic skill-building high as 65 mph. classes to help people prepare for the Tonight: Mostly clear, with a Governor talks about vaccinations high school equivalency exam. Follow- low around 23. Very windy, with ing corona-virus safety protocols, class- a northwest wind 30 to 40 mph, From “GOVERNOR,” Page 1 from legislators and the press lockdown coming that would more people protected. es will use a combination of online and with gusts as high as 55 mph. about putting convicts ahead of close down the state’s economy Kansas is already giving sec- face-to-face formats. For questions, call Nance Munderloh at 460-4663. Friday: Sunny, with a high includes anyone 65 and older, average Kansans. again. ond doses to the first people near 39. Very windy, with a high-contact critical workers, “We’ve gotten some blow- “That’s sort of conspiracy- vaccinated here, she noted, and northwest wind 35 to 40 mph firefighters, police officers,back first from the git-go on that,” theory stuff,” she said.