Letters to the editor (Aug. 14, 2020)

Pass HEROES Act

The HEROES Act, a comprehensive COVID-19 relief package, has been sitting in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s lap for nearly three months. As the coronavirus continues to spread and the economic situation gets worse, Sen. McConnell continues to do nothing for the working people in Kansas.

The relief package proposed by Sen. McConnell on July 27 is $2 trillion short and 73 days late. The bill drastically reduces the $600 in weekly unemployment benefits that thousands of Kansas families, laid off through no fault of our own, are relying on right now as a lifeline. And during a time where millions of working people are without a job, health care or retirement security, the package also includes a bill from Sen. Mitt Romney that fast-tracks Social Security and Medicare cuts. This is the wrong direction at a time when many are hurting.

I am calling on Senators Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran to step up and show what it means to be a leader in a time of crisis: The Senate must pass the HEROES Act.

COVID-19 at the jail

We had the opportunity to prevent a predictable disaster. We missed our window.

It is increasingly clear, with 123 cases and counting: COVID-19 will not be controlled in the Sedwick County Jail.

Outside accountability has been silent, or worse, repeating the company line. Who has asked for specifics regarding the jail’s quarantine plan? Why is the jail population back to pre-pandemic levels? Why did the jail refuse to test and isolate all new inmates?

We must act quickly to save lives.

The jail’s current quarantine plan, grouping inmates by test result, is called “cohorting.” It is a harm reduction strategy, not true quarantine. Quarantine requires individual isolation of inmates exposed to COVID-19. If the jail cannot accommodate true quarantine with its current population, the only humane response is releasing non-violent inmates until it is possible.

We also must test and isolate all new inmates to prevent new infections entering.

Non-violent crimes do not deserve this punishment. It is not justice for the many innocent people held in jail to face life-threatening illness. We can learn from our failure and decide that it is never too late to do the right thing. Anything less will ensure that this predictable disaster will be repeated.

Toxic commission

The atmosphere at Sedgwick County Commission meetings has taken on a chronically toxic quality when the discussion turns to issues of health. That is ironic, isn’t it?

For one commissioner a health problem is much more an economic problem and anyone — health officials, citizens, but particularly another commissioner who supports a careful approach to opening of businesses and schools — is a fool to be personally attacked.

The introduction of photos of a private outdoor gathering where Commissioner Lacey Cruse was not wearing a mask and the snide comments by one commissioner who has taken it upon himself to be the voice of anti-maskers and critic of Cruse increased the toxicity. The other members of the commission sit and let this happen over and over.

Do citizens need to step in and teach a short course in professionalism and civility? If Michael O’Donnell cannot limit his comments to issues, he should refrain from speaking.

His comments about Cruse being the least kind person there belonged in a discussion between them or in a closed-door session of the commission refereed by some sixth party.

This is not the first time he has behaved this way. His behavior at the meeting at which she reported on her trip to Africa was abominable, and since then, he has chosen to oppose almost anything she supports.

I force myself to watch these videos knowing there is going to be something vitriolic. I watch to find out what the commission is doing. I don’t want drama.

Perhaps Chairman Pete Meitzner could have a session with these two commissioners and go over acceptable behavior. But he is also going to have to intervene when personal comments begin. As things stand he leaves Cruse the choice of sitting and absorbing the nastiness or taking a stance and confronting O’Donnell and being criticized for provoking theatrics.

This sniping needs to stop yesterday.