December 16th – U.S. media reported that a mayor of Kansas announced his resignation on Tuesday (15th) after being threatened after publicly supporting the mandatory mask order, which took effect immediately.
According to USA Today, Dodge Mayor Joyce Warshaw resigned on the 15th due to concerns about his safety, with immediate effect. According to the report, since USA Today published a report that Washoe supported the mandatory mask order on December 11, Washoe said that she had been violated, including threats from Dodgers by telephone and email. Warshaw said that some threatening emails had been handed over to the police.
Dodge is reported to be the most populous municipality in Ford County and one of the largest cities in western Kansas. A committee in Dodge City passed a mandatory mask order on November 16 after more than one in 10 citizens contracted the coronavirus.
Washoe said she had no regrets voting for a mandatory mask order, “we just feel like we have to do something to make everyone realize how important it is to be accountable for the health and well-being of our citizens.”
The Kansas Department of Health reported 4,914 cases of COVID-19 in Ford County, where Dodge City is located, has recorded since the pandemic began. There are about 33,600 residents in the county.
