Latest news with #BeckyTuttle
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tension rises at Sedgwick GOP meeting; censure of council member looms
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Tempers flared at Thursday night's Sedgwick County Republican Party meeting, but no censure was announced against Wichita City Council Member Becky Tuttle. The chairman of the Sedgwick County Republican Party says the motion to censure — a formal statement expressing the council's disapproval of a member's conduct — did not originate from the party leadership team. Instead, it came from someone who was an elected precinct person. A resolution posted online says Tuttle did not uphold the core principles of the GOP when she voted in favor of the Transgender Day of Visibility Proclamation. It also discusses other votes she made, including adding the Crown Uptown to the historical registry, as well as using taxpayer money to install bathrooms in a city park and fund public art. The motion claims that by doing that, she is not aligned with their traditional values. Council Member Brandon Johnson, who is aligned with the Democratic party, took to Tuttle's defense on social media: 'Actions like the proposed censure of Council Member Tuttle continue to discourage thoughtful good people from running for office, regardless of party, because doing the right thing is hard enough without the misguided and sometimes hateful rhetoric or actions in this case, that come with it,' he said in part. 'My support for Becky is because Becky is a good human and tries to do what is right, even when it is hard.' A precinct chair took to the microphone directly after it was announced there would be no discussion on the possibility of censuring Tuttle. He said he wanted his voice heard about the process before he was cut short. Free coupon to dump large trash items Joseph Texdozier is a Sedgwick County Republican Party precinct committeeman. His statement was cut short as the meeting was voted to adjourn after a tense back-and-forth. He says that after hearing last week, they would discuss the potential censure on Thursday night, he wanted to discuss the proper procedure. 'It's important to have a clear process in place to respect the duly elected responsibilities of precinct chairs in this county and our time,' Texdozier said. John R. Whitmer, the chair of the SCRP, says that while that was the plan, he believes those in the party who brought the censure, along with Tuttle, should be the ones figuring out the next move. 'I think they were hoping to have the debate and the censure, or at least a discussion on it, but I really felt like that was premature, let's go ahead and have that conversation, and we can move beyond this,' Whitmer said. He says the right move forward is to work together without censure for now. 'As a republican party, we need Becky Tuttle, we need her to work with the other republicans on the city council,' Whitmer said. He also said that if a future censure were to be brought and voted through, it would mean a public statement disapproving of Tuttle's votes. He says there are no conditions on the conversations between Tuttle and those bringing the censure to continue the conversation. KSN has reached out to Tuttle via email, text, and phone, but has yet to hear back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
House Bill aims to support firefighters' cancer screenings
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – State lawmakers are considering a bill that aims to support firefighters facing health risks due to their work. Wichita Fire Union and city leaders traveled to Topeka to show their support. The Wichita Fire Union President told KSN that this is a first step to bring awareness to an issue that he says has now become an epidemic among firefighters, and that is cancer. The 'Fighting Chance For Firefighters Act,' if passed, would provide an annual tax credit of $250 to firefighters who get cancer screenings. The bill recognizes the prevalence of cancer among this group, saying firefighters are at a higher risk of developing cancer due to prolonged exposure to chemicals and smoke. The proposed tax credit would offset un-reimbursed medical expenses related to cancer screenings. Kansas lawmakers considering child support before birth Multiple studies have found that firefighters have a higher risk of some forms of cancer. 'Our firefighters protect us every day, and I believe it is our duty to protect them. By allocating dedicated funding for firefighter screenings, we can ensure that these brave individuals who run into buildings that we are trying to run out of have access to the lifesaving tools they need to detect cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages,' said Becky Tuttle, Wichita City Councilmember, District 2. Councilmember Tuttle added that the number one line of duty death is caused by cancer. At the House Committee hearing, the only testimony was in support of the bill. No one testified against it. The hearing has adjourned. You can find more information on the bill here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
