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June 12 blog: Unified Government announces furloughs amid coronavirus-fueled revenue decline

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, continues to spread across the world, and in Missouri and Kansas.

41 Action News is keeping track of all closings and cancellations, as well as tracking where positive coronavirus cases are located.

If you are a business finding unique ways to serve our community, check our KC Open for Business Facebook group to share your ideas.

Updates on the spread of the virus and how it is affecting the metro can be found below for June 12.

8:22 p.m. | After the coronavirus forced the Big 12 to cancel its men's and women's basketball tournaments in March, the conference announced Friday that is has extended its deal with Kansas City, Missouri, and will remain in town through 2025.

5:45 p.m. | The Kansas City T-Bones will not take the field in 2020 as a result of league changes due to COVID-19.

5:25 p.m. | Coronavirus-related revenue shortfalls are forcing the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas to implement cost-saving measures, which include a 10-day furlough program for most UG employees. The furlough program is expected to provide additional relief for a remaining $2.5 million shortfall in the 2020 budget.

4:42 p.m. | Jackson County Sheriff Daryl Forte announced Friday that five staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Jackson County Detention Center and three inmates are currently in "precautionary quarantine due to possible exposure."

4:20 p.m. | City playgrounds in Merriam reopened Monday. Health officials still encourage social distancing in public, including at municipal parks, but they are open for use.

4 p.m. | The top health official in Kansas City, Missouri, says the virus is greater now than it was before. Dr. Rex Archer, director of the KCMO Health Department, says the city already is experiencing its second wave of the virus.

3:05 p.m. | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued some recommendations for people who may have questions about how to resume daily activities as safely as possible.

3 p.m. | Mid-Continent Public Library branches will reopen to the public for limited services on Tuesday, June 16. Customers will be allowed inside branches for 90 minutes per day to use public computers, as well as printing, copying and faxing services. Customers who need to pick up items on hold must still use the library's curbside service.

2:30 p.m. | On Friday, COVID-19 cases in Missouri rose past 16,000, while Kansas surpassed 11,000 total confirmed cases. In the Kansas City metro, the rate of growth of COVID-19 cases exceeds the rate of growth both in Kansas and Missouri, as well as nationally. 41 Action News continues to analyze the latest data from state and local health departments.

1:05 p.m. | Every weekend, starting this Friday, Westport businesses will begin offering sidewalk cafe service in order to better accommodate guests while social distancing. Certain blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue, Archibald Street and Westport Alley will be closed. This weekend, Kelly's Westport Inn, Sweet Combforts & Wingman Kitchen, Gambals Social Club, Clothz Minded, Fidel's and Mickey's Hideaway will participate in the outdoor business model.

1 p.m. | Johnson County Libraries will reopen June 15 with limited services. Items checked out prior to the shutdown are due back by June 30. There will still be no public events, meeting room usage or maker space usage, and things like computer use will be limited to an hour. Patrons are encouraged to wear a mask.

12:28 p.m. | The Unified Government of Wyandotte County will allow certain businesses to use sidewalks, yards, parking and parklets to conduct business under an emergency ordinance signed this week. The outdoor expansion will allow for better social distancing.

12:20 p.m. | On Friday, Lake Olathe Park opened its beach and sprayground. The sprayground is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The swim beach, however, has a few more restrictions. You must be an Olathe resident to use the beach, and online registration is required.

11 a.m. | As gyms across the Kansas City metro begin to reopen, members should be prepared to see some changes.

9:46 a.m. | Gov. Mike Parson announced Friday that Missouri launched an online recovery dashboard to track things like employment and business changes in the state.

8:46 a.m. | University of Kansas Health System officials gave their daily COVID-19 update.

8:37 a.m. | Johnson County is providing free COVID-19 testing for residents Friday off of College Boulevard and South Lone Elm Road in Olathe.

7:25 a.m. | Metropolitan Community College summer camps for kids will be held virtually this year. They begin on June 15.

5:30 a.m. | Though typically thought of for their innovations in space research, NASA has spent the last several months helping fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The team of scientists helped create N-95 mask patterns, mask sterilization, new types of ventilators and other breathing resources to help give patients a fighting chance.

5 a.m. | Testing of COVID-19 vaccines will begin on a larger scale next month in both the U.S. and Brazil, according to the Associated Press. Neither of the two major vaccines being tested are guaranteed to work and studies on the side effects have not been published yet.

Previous coverage:
March 2020 updates
April 2020 updates
May 2020 updates
Monday, June 1
Tuesday, June 2
Wednesday, June 3
Thursday, June 4
Friday, June 5
Monday, June 8
Tuesday, June 9
Wednesday, June 10
Thursday, June 11

Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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