Wenatchee Mayor says His City Must Begin Re-Opening Ahead of Gov. Inslee’s Plan
Wenatchee mayor Frank Kuntz talks to KOHO Morning Show host Chris Hansen about Gov. Jay Inslee’s recently-announced plan to phase in the re-opening of the state’s economy and why he feels his city must do so more expeditiously.
There is a lot of political and economic pressure here in NCW to accelerate the reopening of the economy, but the science is not behind this idea. The Wenatchee World recently published the front pages from the days of the “Spanish Flu”, 102 years ago. They read just like the pages would read today. There were deniers. There were people that wouldn’t wear masks. There were repeated re-openings, only to be followed by outbreaks.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED, we are two months down the road, but we don’t have herd immunity, no vaccine, no cure, not enough respirators or ventilators. And we look doomed to repeating the premature mistakes of 1918.
Whatever happened to “Patience is a virtue”, or caring about someone else?
What would Jesus do? Just wondering
In the previous pandemic in 1917, Wenatchee opened earlier than the government said , and the pandemic came right back worse , Just so we are alllllll clear in the area republicans believe economy over lives . This mayor is gonna wipe the RED TO BLUE , because the republicans will all be dead . Let him come work a cashier booth and try it 1st . The stupid leading the DUMB
Good on you Mayor! We don’t have the problems big city Seattle has to any large degree, so bring it on. Open up shop! Start with Churches, bars and others with choices of wearing or not of the safety masks. Just limit size to 25% for now. Again…good job!
YES. Awsome job ! Let’s save our city.
good for you Steve, the Doctors are recognizing that this covd-19 is a farce.
Churches seriously you can pray at home
Okay Mayor you want to open get the facts and testing needed. How many tests have been done on a large scale? Not many and the ones that have been done have come back positive. you are not above the law. You are uninformed. Read the facts. want to make it worse for the god almighty dollar go for it. Keep it shut down until you yes you are told to reopen. Lives come first
I agree with the Mayor, we know the precautions we need to follow, we need to practice living with this virus and using common sense rather than legal threats to make our own choices to function and live our lives. We need to allow individuals to handle their risk management.
Let the sick stay in quarantine and free the rest of us! Open our churches, stores and restaurants please!
I agree with the fact that the west side of the mountains is more densely populated. We are not children and have common sense. We have the guidelines so give us the credit that we will follow them.
You are going to kill us…every death will be on you!
Don’t be to hasty on your decision. My Dad always said if you’re going to do something right, take your time and do it right the first time, so you won’t have to turn around later and do it all over again. Think about what you’re doing long and hard then you decide . You are our Mayor.
The price of reopening the economy: tens of thousands of American lives
(CNN)President Donald Trump now knows the price of the haunting bargain required to reopen the country — tens of thousands more lives in a pandemic that is getting worse not better.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/05/politics/donald-trump-coronavirus-economy-models/index.html
https://www.doh.wa.gov/emergencies/coronavirus
Really. And he calls himself a mayor and studied person. I can’t believe money is more important then people’s life. More important then health,
I want to see him in 1 month and see if he still thinks the same when his family members start getting sick and die …
Bunch of idiots , you have to see it and leave it to believe..
Frank what a shame that money moves your soul .
Thank you frank for realizing that citizens need to take some risks in life. As a CPA AND being a great mayor of our city you realize that life must continue. Normal daily routines are necessary to provide for mental stability. Jobs are necessary to bring in the necessities of life for everyone. Begins with our children to the parents all the way to retirees .
Tom
Both my wife and I fall into the compromised category. But the world must keep spinning.
Protect yourself if needed, all others please use the brain’s you have and be smart.
I really hope East Wenatchee follows the lead and get the 2 cities back up and running much sooner then later. Let’s get the shops open and all the people back to work.
I know that we are all feeling like we are going to go crazy! If Wenatchee speeds up the opening to early that we could see our city covid- 19 numbers sky rocket. Their are people that could be carrying the virus but not show any type of symptoms and still expose someone to the virus. What if it was one of your children or family member to end up getting the virus. Take it from me who now has partial covid-19.
Way to go Mayor. Jay Inslee has a greatly flawed plan. How can you allow 5 workers in a 2500 sf residential construction project and not allow 8 workers in a 60 ooo sf manufacturing operation. It’s called lobbying! So inconsistent. Too bad we are saddled with such an inept Govenor.
Yes, please. We really need the DOL office to open soon. I need to get my license and be able to get our Trail Blazer on the road.
Being cooped up is depressing. It’s also difficult and costly for us to ride public transportation to get groceries for our family of 5.
I wish ALL of our elected leaders would promote safe distancing & use of masks when out on the public. We are much too lax in these two practices.
Then drive your Trailblazer.
The reason why the rest of the Washington state has fewer cases of Covid is simple. The Governor made the wise decision to shut down the state at the same time the epicenter of the Washington epidemic was starting to hit full bloom. Imagine if Trump would have treated the whole country the same back in January (when I bought masks and gloves). There would be almost no cases and a lot less loss of life. There would of course be those of you out there saying what Epidemic? See it wasn’t so bad.
I agree with the Mayor, we need to look out for our town, our County and move forward. Living life is essential .
You have petitioned the Governor to reopen earlier. Wait for an answer! Unless that is you have more and better science than the Governor! This is a public health issue! Right now all life is more important than economy! Slow your roll!
A whay to open economy with the less deaths, hmm let me think. What’s more important? Open business now and let people get sick and die .. or let some business that don’t prepared them self close down and save life’s ? Big debate.
What do I care about more. Ohh yeah let’s open business and who cares about people’s life’s .. thank you mayor Frank and Bryan police carelessness for our health and life’s .
And they gave permits to continue working on construction, and who gave the permits didn’t care on checking that construction sites have toilets and portable hand wash stations, garbage cans and or hand sanitizer. And if you call them they say that’s the health department, and you call the health department and they say who ever grave you the permit to continue should check before giving it .
And you call the police and they don’t care …
thanks for opening construction again without making sure all the steps are followed…
I think before giving the ok permits , whoever’s going to give them should go to the sites and check,, I mean how long would that take ???
If I get sick at the job site who’s responsible?
Douglas county transportation and land services
Shoot go check job sites. Construction sites before giving constructors permit to continue .
No portable bathroom No portable hand washing station. No running water. No trash cans . No first aid kits available around . No one to inform you or someone to check.
Job job Douglas county Transportation and land services.
Then you call to ask why they gave permits to continue without checking and or making sure they followed rules of work rules And they said that’s not their job. That’s health department. Then you call health department and they said. We didn’t give the permits so whoever is giving the permits should make sure before giving them.
What a shame of government employees..