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Missouri to temporarily allow curbside liquor sales during COVID-19 outbreak Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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[CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY KMBC] KELLY: SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR THE KANSAS CITY, MISOURI FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIREFIGHTER FOUNTAIN IS ON AFTER AN EMT DIES COVID-19. BILLY BIRMINGHAM WAS IN HIS LATE 60’S. THERE WAS A SPECIAL TRIBUTE LAST NIGHT FOR THE EMT. POLICE SHARED THIS VIDEO OF OFFICERS ESCORTING BIRMINGHAM FROM THE HOSPITAL TO THE FUNERAL HOME. EIGHT FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS. AT LEAST ONE IS BACK TO WORK WITH THREE CLOSE TO RETURNING. ST. LUKE’S IS TAKING A BIG STEP TO HELP FIRST RESPONDERS DURING THE PANDEMIC. IT IS OFFERING DRIVE-THROUGH TESTING TO ANY FIRST RESPONDER WHO MEETS TESTING CRITERIA. THAT COULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO KEEPING THE FRONTLINE WORKFORCE STRONG. THE PEOPLE BEING TESTED AT THIS DRIVE-THROUGH CLINIC ARE ALL FIRST RESPONDERS. POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS, EMT’S, ALL AT HIGH RISK OF EXPOSURE TO THE CORONAVIRUS JUST DOING THEIR JOBS. ST. LUKE’S HEALTH SYSTEM IS OFFERING THIS PRIORITY TESTING WITH 24 HOUR RESULTS. QUICK TURNAROUND CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN KEEPING THOSE PEOPLE ON THE JOB. >> THEY WERE WAITING UP TO 10 DAYS FOR TEST RESULTS. THAT CAN MEAN PUTTING AN OFFICER ON FURLOUGH WHILE WAITING FOR RESULTS. KELLY: IN FACT, THE KANSAS CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS 65 MEMBERS IN QUARANTINE. ONLY EIGHT TESTED POSITIVE. THE REST ARE ON QUARANTINE AS A PRECAUTION. A 24-HOUR TEST MIGHT HAVE PUT MANY OF THEM BACK ON THE STREET. HUGE, TO KEEP US OUT THERE SERVING TH SAFE SO WE CAN SAFETY OF EVERYBODY. KELL FIRST RESPONDERS MUST MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA AND GET A REFERRAL FROM THEIR DEPARTMENT TO BE TESTED. ST. LUKE’S SAYS THIS FAST-TRACK SERVICE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS JUST MAKES SENSE. >> IF YOU HAVE PATIENTS THAT ARE SICK, THOSE FOLKS ARE AT HIGHER RISK THAN I AM BECAUSE OF THE FOREST CLOSE CONTACT -- THE FORCED CLOSE CONTACT THEY HAVE WITH THOSE PATIENTS. >> IT SCARY, BUT WE ARE STILL GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY NEEDS US TO. KELLY: THE HOSPITAL IS STILL EXPANDING ITS COVID-19 TESTING. STARTING THURSDAY, ST. LUKE’S ON THE PLAZA WILL OFFER A WALK-THROUGH SITE. THIS WILL BE FOR THOSE WHO MEET TESTING CRITERIA AND HAVE A NOTE FROM THEIR DOCTOR BUT DON’T HAVE A VEHICLE TO PARTICPATE IN THE DRIVE-THROUGH CLINICS. THE CASS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS ANOTHER RESIDE OF MEADOWVIEW HEALTH AND REHABILITATION IN HARRISONVILLE HAS DIED FROM COVID-19. THIS BRINGS THE TOTAL DEATHS AT THE CENTER TO THREE. THE LATEST RESIDENT WAS A FEMALE HOSPICE PATIENT IN HER 80’S. 10 OTHER RESIDENTS HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS AND ARE IN ISOLTATION. TWO EMPLOYEES HAVE ALSO TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. A KANSAS CITY NURSING HOME IS PROMISING 100% TRANSPARENCY ABOUT COVID-19 CASES IN ITS FACILITIES KMBC 9’S MICHEAL MAHONEY HAS MORE ON BICKFORD SENIOR LIVING. MICHEA BICKFORD HAS THREE FACILITIES IN THE METRO, TWO IN KANSAS, AND THIS ONE IN RAYTOWN ON THE MISSOURI SIDE. CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO COVID 19-CASES IN ANY OF THEM. ONE OF THE OWNERS SAYS IF THEY ARE DETECTED, RESIDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND STAFF WIL BE TOLD. >> THIS THING IS ALL ABOUT FEAR. AND YOU FEAR THAT WHICH YOU DON’T KNOW. MICHEAL: THERE’S A NO VISITOR’S POLICY. EVERYBODY WEARS A MASK. RESIDENTS ARE CHECKED DAILY. AND STAFFERS AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ARE SCREENED AT THE DOOR. UPDATES ON COVID CASES WILL BE ON THEIR OPEN WEBSITE. >> THAT’S SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO PROVIDE SOME HEALING AND AND SOME RELIEF AND SOME SAFETY IN KNOWING WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON. MICHEAL: IN KANSAS, THERE ARE 12 OUTBREAKS OF COVID-19, INCLUDING IN SENIOR CENTERS IN JOHNSON AND WYANDOTTE COUNTIES. 218 CASES AT SENIOR CENTERS, 42 HOSPITALIZED 26 OF KANSAS’S DEATHS. BUT OTHER EXPERTS IN THE BUSINESS SAY THE RANGE AND TYPES OF SENIOR CARE VARY. SO ONE POLICY OR TREATMENT DOES NOT FIT ALL. NURSING HOMES IN FLORIDA HAVE BEEN A BIG COVID-19 HOTSPOT. FACILITIES AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN CRITICIZED FOR A LACK OF INFORMATION SHARING. >> I WOULD SAY THE HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY IS A LITTLE BIT MORE PROTECTIVE OF THE INFROMATION WHICH THEY HAVE. MICHEAL: AS EBY SAYS, SOMETIMES TRANSPARENCY IS AN ISSUE IN THE HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY AND INDUSTRY. HE HOPES THEIRS IS A PRACTICE THAT OTHERS TAKE UP. MICHEAL MAHONEY, KMBC 9 NEWS. KELLY: MISSOURI’S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES JUST CHANGED ITS RULES REQUIRING SENIOR FACILITIES TO REPORT ALL COVID-19 CASES TO THE STATE IMMEDIATELY. HERE ARE THE LATEST NUMBERS OF CORONAVIRUS CASES IN KANSAS AND MISSOURI. THERE ARE MORE THAN 4600 CASES OF THE VIRUS IN MISSOURI THE RED LINE ON THIS CHART SHOWS GROWTH IN MISSOURI OVER THE PAST THREE WEEKS. THE KANSAS CASES ARE REPRESENTED BY THE GOLD LINE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE STATE HAS NOW REACHED MORE THAN 1400 CASES. OF COURSE, WE ARE HOPING FOR THE NUMBER OF NEW CASES TO LEVEL OFF. THERE WERE 298 NEWLY REPORTED CASES OF COVID-19 IN MISSOURI TODAY. KANSAS REPORTED 50 NEW CASES TODA A SYSTEM OFFLINE. THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR IS DEALING WITH HUGE TECHNOLOGY ISSUES, GETTING PEOPLE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. TODAY, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER MATT FLENER IS TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS DIRECTLY TO THE TO LEADERS OF THE STATE. HE’S LIVE IN KCK TONIGHT. MATT: MORE THAN 100,000 PEOPLE HAVE FILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. MANY WHO WORKED IN BUSINESSES NOW WITH DOORS LOCKED. AS PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO FILE THOSE CLAIMS, THEY ARE WORKING WITH A SYSTEM THAT IS MORE THAN 40 YEARS OLD. IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. TODAY THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WAS SCHEDULED TO TAKE DOWN ITS WEBSITE TWICE. WE PRESSED AND FOUND OUT WHY. THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH A GO-BETWEEN COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT TAKES CLAIMS FROM THE WEBSITE AND INTERPRETS THOSE CLAIMS INTO A COMPUTER MAINFRAME THAT IS 43 YEARS OLD, BUILT IN 1977. THEY’RE STILL USING THAT SYSTEM TODAY. IT’S SO OLD, THEY’VE ASKED RETIRED STAFF TO COME BACK TO HELP. I ASKED A VERY DIRECT QUESTION TO THE SECRETARY OF LABOR TODAY ABOUT THESE TECHNOLOGICAL ISSUES. ARE YOU WILLING TO SAY WHEN THESE ARE GOING TO BE FIXED? >> I DON’T WANT TO SAY A TIMEFRAME AND NOT DELIVE I’VE BEEN VERY CLEAR FROM DAY ONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE COMMUNICATIVE AS WELL AS TRANSPAREN MATT: AT THE SAME TIME, THOSE BILLS ARE NOT GETTING PAID FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED THESE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. WE HAVE MADE IT OUR MISSION TO KEEP CHECKING EVERY DAY THIS WEEK AND WE WILL REPORT BACK ON WHAT WE FIND. MATT FLENER, KMBC 9 NEWS. KELLY: THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES KMBC COVERED IN A 15 MINUTE CONVERSATION TODAY, INCLUDING THE EXTRA MONEY PROMISED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THE CARES ACT. MATT HAS POSTED THAT TO HIS KMBC FACEBOOK PAGE. UNEMPLOYED MISSOURIANS ARE GETTING AN EXTRA $600. THE EXTRA CASH IS PART OF TH CORONAVIRUS AID PACKAGE CONGRESS PASSED IN MARCH. ACCORDING TO MISSOURI’S DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, ANYONE RECEIVING AT LEAST A DOLLAR OF UEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE A WEEK WILL GET THE EXTRA $600. THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SAYS $66 MILLION ARE GOING OUT TO MORE THAN 115,000 MISSOURIANS 80 MILLION AMERICANS ARE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE CORONAVIRUS STIMULUS PAYMENTS BY TOMORROW. IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE NEXT FEW ROUNDS OF PAYMENTS, Y MUST HAVE ALREADY FILED YOUR TAX RETURNS AND AUTHORIZED DIRECT DEPOSIT. PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T FILE RETURNS CAN ENTER THEIR INFORMATION ON THE IRS WEBSITE. TAXPAYERS WHO DO FILE, BUT DON’T USE DIRECT DEPOSIT, WILL BE ABLE TO ENTER T