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Published 1/31/2012 in Commentary
New legislation hurts in Kansas
A year ago the ball was in the Jayhawker lawmakers' court with two bills in front of them. A new liquor bill and the medical marijuana bill. They dribbled on the first one and didn't hesitate to stand and protect and shot down the other one, then before their game was over they shot down the first one, too. But did any of we the people of Kansas get to go to their game between Topeka and Omaha last spring? That Omaha dominated the whole game until the end when Topeka made the last shot for the interest of the workers compensation insurance companies? When they pushed through and passed the May 15 new workers compensation laws that are not friendly to Kansas workers. I wonder how many millions the lawmakers have saved the workers compensation companies since May 15? Compared to what Kansas farmers collected from their crop insurance companies? I'd bet it was tenfold. Back in '92, they did a workers compensation reform because a boss brought a back injury to work with him and claimed it happened at work lifting a briefcase. So they reformed it and put caps on it so it wouldn't happen again. So if you are a hard-working Kansan, do you see why your boss gives you all the hard, heavy and hazardous work? It's because you are covered by the workers compensation he pays for that doesn't cover him. Now I can't help but wonder if it was the new workers compensation laws or the stand and defend law that made Coleman's upper class take a hike to camp out in Denver? If an assembly line worker is hurt on the job now with a new house, wife and young kids and goes to get his first workers compensation check to see that it's two-thirds less than what they made before the injury, doesn't it give him the right to stand and defend its house and family that have to live on the workers compensation low income?
For 19 years Boeing has seen its workers get hurt on the job and has seen what they made before and after the injury. Now I take it they have looked over the new laws and it's time to get out of Kansas Boeing. So who knows what the lawmakers will do this year, whether they will pass or kill? Who knows how many Ma and Pop liquor stores will close if they pass the liquor bill this year? So go for it lawmakers and pass both of them and if it closes some Ma and Pop liquor stores they can turn into Ma and Pop medical marijuana dispensers. Evidently the lawmakers didn't think about the working men, women and their kids when they did what they did May 15. So don't think abut the Ma, Pop and kids this year and you just do what you think is best for the state we are in. But don't forget abut the 3.2 beer state park laws before you make some more "unhappy campers."
BRUCE D. OCHS,
Garden City
Great support for Heroes Hunt
To the citizens of Garden City and southwest Kansas,
I am writing this note to express our sincerest gratitude for your selfless giving to the fourth annual Heartland Heroes Hunt, which occurred Jan. 19 through 22. As a community you have once again overwhelmed us with your continuing support of this event. It is truly an honor to be a part of this project and very humbling to see so many people come out to welcome our wounded soldiers and their families.
The long list of supporters, donors, volunteers is so long we are not confident we could name them all without forgetting someone. With that in mind we are officially thanking every person, family, business, group and entity that have given so much to make this project a growing success every year.
As we press on to create the next Heartland Heroes Hunt, know that without this community's embrace this experience for those who have sacrificed so much would not be possible.
I tip my hat and salute you all.
With humble respect,
TIM TELINDE,
Garden City
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