The Nation - News from March 8, 1987

Gov. Evan Mecham of Arizona reversed his decision to bar a critical newspaper columnist from his news conferences. On Tuesday, Mecham labeled Phoenix Gazette columnist John Kolbe a “non-person” and said he was banning him because “his writings have no redeeming value whatsoever to inform the readers” about Mecham. But the governor later said he decided not to bar Kolbe. “We’re not going to physically bar the man. As far as my part, he doesn’t exist anymore,” Mecham said.