A Tuesday like no other: An eerie quiet as Kansas City hunkers down in COVID-19 scare
Deserted streets, even during the busiest times of day. Retail businesses shut down with only drive-through restaurants serving customers.
And people staying away from other people.
Tuesday — the first day of the area’s stay at home order — appeared just as quiet as area leaders and health officials hoped it would be. Other than the eerie stillness at times, no major concerns were cited by cities or worries reported by police.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said late Tuesday afternoon that he was impressed with how residents and businesses have responded.
“Look, you go out on the streets, it looks like it’s Christmas morning,” said Lucas, who announced the order on Saturday. “I think Kansas Citians have really taken heed of the recommendations.
“I am sure there are some ne’er do well companies and individuals that are engaging in life as usual, but I think by and large almost every Kansas Citian that I’ve either heard from, interacted with, has said that they do want to comply with the order. “
Ed Harris noticed the difference as soon as he ventured outside for the first time in two weeks. No crowded parking lot at the grocery store. No crowded aisles inside.
“Everyone seemed to be keeping their distance,” Harris said of his time in the grocery store, checking off what he could on his list. “Not much talking or eye contact. ... My plan now for the next two weeks is to stay home.”
The order that went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday requires residents of Kansas City and surrounding counties to remain at home except for activities “essential to the health and safety” of themselves, family members or friends.
After 30 days, the jurisdictions will consider whether to extend the order.
Violations will be considered misdemeanor offenses, punishable by a $500 fine and up to six months in jail.
From morning to mid afternoon, life across the metro was slow and at times almost silent
Just seven weeks after tens of thousands of people crammed the downtown streets to celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory, KC Live! in the Power & Light district remained blocked off. Shops like Rally House remained closed.
An employee at Yard House hung two giant banners proclaiming “OPEN FOR TAKE OUT.”
Nearby, at Suzy’s Deli on Grand, owner U chong Ethrdige, who goes by Suzy, only served five customers. The front door remained locked so customers had to knock before coming in for carry-out orders only.
“Slow, slow,” she said, adding that she spent most of her day wrapping up ingredients in her inventory for the freezer.
While business has dwindled over the past week, she said Tuesday was the slowest yet.
“It looks like a dead city,” she said, pointing to the stillness outside. Inside, the only noise came from a tiny television tuned to CNN for updates on the virus.
Ethridge wasn’t sure if she’d remain open. She’s owned the green-canopied breakfast and lunch spot for 27 years.
“In all those years, I’ve never been closed,” she said. “This is a very stressful time.”
‘Sorry they didn’t do it sooner’
Around 11 a.m. Tuesday, streets and businesses were empty in Martin City. Only a coffee shop was open offering drive-through service. Similar stillness was reported across the state line in Kansas, where even grocery stores didn’t have many customers. At Trader Joe’s on 119th Street in Leawood, management was allowing just 40 customers in at a time.
Yet some on social media wondered if enough people throughout KC were heeding the stay at home order:
“I’ve seen the same amount of cars that I have the past week driving from Independence to the airport,” tweeted Derek Long.
Others said that for them, the stay at home order didn’t seem to change life much.
“It’s no different than the last 7 days,” tweeted Randy Maxwell. “You can still go the store, go to the park, get takeout at any restaurant. Nothing has changed.”
A few cars pulled into the QuickTrip at Noland Road and Interstate 70 around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Most of those vehicles were pickup trucks and vans emblazoned with the names of service companies for such things as auto repair, plumbing and food delivery. Again, all services deemed essential.
Some, though, like Rachel Foley, just needed some fuel for their personal vehicles. Also an activity that’s allowed.
Foley wore clear plastic gloves as she pumped gas at the Quiktrip. She’s a bankruptcy attorney and was working alone in her office — around the corner from the station — because all of her other employees were working from home to comply with the order and slow the spread of COVID-19.
A few miles north at a service station at Noland and 23rd Street, Norma Sinclair pulled in to gas up because she noticed the unusually low prices. After the quick stop, Sinclair was headed home to “hunker down.”
Like others, Sinclair says she thinks the lockdown is important.
“But I’m sorry they didn’t do it sooner,” she said. “I feel for these people who have to be home teaching their children. I had my granddaughter last week and it is a difficult thing to do.”
In Fairway in Johnson County, families have been taking time for walks in Neale Peterson Park. But, as health officials continue to warn, kids need to stay away from the playground equipment during the global coronavirus pandemic.
And if they forget, or some kids are tempted to get in some play time, the city and parks department made sure to provide some noticeable reminders.
The play equipment is wrapped in police tape and warning signs dot the park.
School — and a birthday — at home
The area-wide shutdown had only been in place for a few hours when Bess Hayles in Lee’s Summit was up and ready for the district’s first day of its virtual learning program.
A French teacher, Hayles also has three kids in the district — two in elementary school and one in high school.
“Our day has been a bit chaotic, to say the least,” Hayles told The Star, not even mentioning yet that her daughter was also turning 11 on Tuesday, the first day of the shutdown.
By 9 a.m., Hayles had her two youngest on conference calls with their class. Adelaide, the birthday girl, spent about 30 minutes with her class on the district’s Schoology Conference technology. At the end of that time, Mrs. Mooney, her fifth-grade teacher at Hawthorn Hill Elementary, asked the class if anyone had a question.
One student did: “Shouldn’t we sing Happy Birthday to Adelaide?”
And so they sang, as Adelaide recorded it to show her family later.
You might say the Hayles family has gotten a bit used to celebrating during the coronavirus. Two other children had birthdays in the past week — Ben turned 15 and Kylie 19.
Ben’s may have been the roughest, even though his siblings did throw him a scavenger hunt and give him the day to boss them around. The rough part was his birthday was March 18 and on the 17th, the Department of Motor Vehicles closed for driving permits.
“He had been counting down the hours,” Hayles said. “It has been a big part of his hoping and wishing lately. ... He was heartbroken.”
Now, six days later, the family is hoping to making Adelaide’s day special, even if they are cooped up at home. There wasn’t time to shop, so she picked out a present on Amazon.
And on Monday — when Mom was in virtual meetings for teaching — the fifth-grader wanted to bake her own cake. Vanilla with Funfetti frosting.
Tuesday night they planned to stick in some candles and have a small birthday party fit for a stay at home order.
“I may let her pick a movie to rent,” Hayles said. “Who knows, we may go crazy.”
The Star’s Glenn E. Rice, Allison Kite and Tammy Ljungblad contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 11:44 AM.
