CBS plans to visit tax festivities at post office

It’s been nearly 20 years since a novelty string band first gave an impromptu performance in the downtown Lawrence post office and made the night of April 15 fun for procrastinating taxpayers.

This year, a CBS news crew wants to get in on the party. A story about Friday’s tax night festivities is expected to air Sunday on the show “CBS News Sunday Morning,” hosted by Charles Osgood.

“We’re just going to do what we do. That’s the whole beauty of it,” said Matt Kirby, one of the members of the Alferd Packer Memorial String Band, which began the tax night tradition.

A year ago, on April 16, Kirby called “Sunday Morning” correspondent Bill Geist and suggested that he consider doing a story about the Lawrence tax night event. Geist was interested, Kirby said. Kirby said he has since exchanged several e-mails and phone calls with Geist about the CBS crew covering this year’s event.

A CBS producer could not be reached to confirm whether the program would air.

The Alferd Packer band isn’t the only tax night attraction. The event has evolved to include a cast of regular characters that include Lecompton’s Michial Coffman, with his roadkill stew and other dishes, and City Commissioner Mike Rundle, who does a clog dance.

There have been surprises as well. One year Ralph Nader showed up when he was in Lawrence to lecture at Kansas University. Another year a Lawrence couple was married during the party.

“He (Geist) thought it was pretty funny,” Kirby said. “He laughed when I told him about the roadkill stew. He usually covers funny, quirky little festivals and strange events. He just goes to these funny, interesting events, and I thought this event seemed right up his alley.”

The band will start playing at 9 p.m. Friday. Others will have a chance to play later during a jam session. The band has traditionally played the “William Tell Overture” during the last few minutes before midnight’s tax deadline.

Matt Kirby of the Alferd Packer Memorial String Band dances to the delight of taxpayers at the post office, 645 Vt., during last year's tax party. A CBS crew is planning to film festivities Friday at the same downtown location.

The roadkill menu might be served this year from an open tent outside the post office, 645 Vt., and include meat from musk ox, elk and deer, said Coffman, who is on lists at the Douglas and Jefferson county sheriff’s offices to be called to pick up deer carcasses found along roads. Also on the menu will be wild greens enchiladas and wild turkey and dumplings.

Coffman said he looked forward to a CBS visit.

“I think that’s great,” he said.

Kenn Peters and Cyndy Lester were married during tax night five years ago. The marriage ceremony was videotaped, and CBS is interested in using some of the video in the show, Kirby said. The unorthodox wedding had the couple saying vows of “with this stamp I thee wed” and then placing stamps on each other’s tax return before dropping them in the mail.

Peters recently found the tape and watched it for only the second time since the wedding, he said. The couple already considered themselves married, but no official ceremony had taken place that would satisfy laws that require witnesses, Peters said.

“We were basically sticking our tongues out at the federal and state governments,” Peters said of the wedding.

Alferd Packer band member Steve Mason came up with the idea for a tax night performance at the post office 18 years ago. He remembered how he felt the previous year after mailing his taxes at the last minute. He said he felt a tremendous relief that the ordeal was over but couldn’t find a place to party.

“There was kind of a letdown,” Mason said of his mood that night. “It’s the physical feeling you get when you’re walking out of a big test you had prepared for. It’s like somebody has taken their thumb off your head.”

“CBS New Sunday Morning” airs from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Sundays on Sunflower Broadband Channels 5 and 13.

“CBS New Sunday Morning” airs from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Sundays on Sunflower Broadband Channels 5 and 13.