Butler County Records First COVID-19 Death

Butler County Health Department Director Jamie Downs appeared before the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, August 4th to give an update with the latest information on the spread of COVID-19 in Butler County.  

Butler County Health Director Jamie Downs gives Commissioners COVID-19 updates during work session.

Butler County has experienced their first COVID-19 related death.  The individual, who was between the ages of 55-64, died on or around July 25th and was originally thought to be a Sedgwick County resident. 

According to Downs, since the Commissioners issued their repeal of Governor Kelly’s Executive Order 20-52 “Requiring masks or other face coverings in public,” cases in Butler County have climbed.  

From March 13th, when the first positive case in Butler County was documented until July 2, the date of the repeal, only 60 positive cases were reported.  

In the month following the Commissioners repeal, from July 3rd to August 3rd, that number has more than doubled to 168 positive cases and the numbers continue to trend upwards.

Within the Proclamation, Kelly identifies one reason for issuing her mandate, “Whereas, after a steady trend of decreasing metrics, recent weeks have seen the numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths spike in Kansas and across the nation.”

The spike in positive cases in Butler County have been associated with individuals attending softball camp, dance camp, band camp, weight room lifting and a church gathering.  

Certainly wearing a mask, alone, will not prevent the spread, however in combination with limiting mass gatherings, practicing social distancing and good hygiene, the risk to exposure could be minimized. 

“Remember – my mask protects you, and your mask protects me,” Governor Kelly said. “We’re all in this together.”

In this journalist’s humble opinion, the decision by the Commissioners to repeal the Governor’s mandate, which included guidance on limiting mass gatherings was not in the best interest of public safety.

State Moves to Phase 1.5 of Reopening

With only a few days left in Phase One, many people have been wondering about the status of Governor Kelly’s reopening plan. 

On Thursday, May 14th, Kelly announced that the state will not remain in Phase One. And, it will not progress to Phase Two. Instead, Kelly added an intermediary step (Phase 1.5) that will last for at least the next two weeks.

This new phase goes into effect on Monday, May 18th and looks very similar to Phase One in that the mass gathering limit stays the same at no more than 10 people and many of the facilities and activities that were restricted in Phase One are still restricted in Phase 1.5. 

A few of the restrictions are being relaxed are:

Hair and nail salons, tattoo parlors, tanning salons and other personal service businesses can reopen with restrictions/modifications

Gyms can reopen for individual use (no fitness classes), but also with restrictions/modifications

Graduations can occur…. again, with restrictions/modifications

The online version of the plan has been updated with all of the new Phase 1.5 information:

https://covid.ks.gov/ad-astra-a-plan-to-reopen-kansas/

The governor’s office is also working on a new FAQ document to help answer the questions they are already getting

Can Do Attitude Needed

A ‘Can Do’ attitude helped to engage our nation during World War II when there was a shortage of workers to support the war effort. That same attitude is what is needed now to help support the frontline heroes battling coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes.

The Marion County Emergency Management Director, Randy Frank, has created an initiative designed to do just.  In order to help him get his message out, he has called back into service an original “Rosie the Riveter” Virginia Ball of El Dorado, Kansas.  His goal with this campaign is to encourage all Kansans to practice safe social distancing and wear a protective mask while in public. 

“There is a plan in place, as established by Governor Kelly,  to help us carefully move back to our previous routines,” said Frank. 

Frank reached out to Ball, better known by her moniker “Rosie the Riveter,” to help lead the campaign for a safe and healthy transition.  

Randy Frank and Virginia Ball hope to encourage all Kansans to do their part to fight the spread of COVID-19.

As Kansas nears the end of Phase 1, and transitions into Phase 2 of the Governor’s plan to reopen the state, more restrictions will be lifted but Kansans need to be diligent in order to reach the goal of flattening the curve and preventing any further outbreaks.  

“Our biggest challenge is patience,” Ball said. “But Kansans have shown that they are willing to do what is necessary when times are tough.  Together, ‘We Can Do It!’” 

“I think the ‘Can Do’ attitude is in all of us. That attitude will help us as we move into our new normal,” said Ball.

Easter Online

Maundy Thursday is the day celebrated by Christians to commemorate the Washing of the Feet and the Last Supper of Jesus Christ.  

On Maundy Thursday this year, I visited with Jordan Friesen, the Senior Pastor at El Dorado First Baptist Church to learn how they are adjusting Easter Week services in light of the mandated stay home order.

While Easter celebration will look different for everyone, there is an exceptionally poignant reality to Friesen‘s Easter celebration this year. 

In addition to celebrating his first Easter at El Dorado First Baptist Church, Friesen is celebrating his first Easter as a Pastor. 

Friesen’s wife, Mary, has family in Wichita but due to the stay home order, and increased spread of COVID-19 in Sedgwick County, they will not be gathering in person. 

“We are not able to see one another face-to-face,” Friesen began, “thankfully, with God’s good, sovereign timing and His good, sovereign plan, I have a background in video.” 

With a degree in communications media, Friesen and made small films prior to attending seminary.

“It’s been neat to be able to utilize those skills to help communicate with our congregation even though we’re not seeing each other face-to-face, at least we are able to see each other face-to-face at a computer screen.” Friesen said. 

Friesen, along with Associate Pastor Matt Click, has been putting those skills to good use by creating daily encouragement videos that are shared via the church’s Facebook page. 

In addition to the lighthearted, yet intentional daily videos designed to give a reprieve from the bombardment of news media, they are creating daily 5-10 minute videos during Holy Week to help the congregation prepare their hearts for the celebration of Easter.

The Holy Week vidéos will culminate in Live Stream services and will be performed on both Good Friday and Easter. Those services can be accessed by visiting the church website: https://www.edfbc.com

Butler Community College Cancels May Commencement Exercises

Butler Community College has decided to cancel its in-person commencement ceremonies which were scheduled for May 13 – 15, 2020. This includes Nurses’ Pinning, Order of the Purple and Graduation exercises.  

Regretfully, we make this announcement as the faculty and staff at Butler share in the disappointment of the current day circumstances.

Celebrating the personal growth of our students is always a highlight for us as well. Butler is reviewing alternative ways we can celebrate the academic accomplishments of our students and we will release those details at a later date.