As the COVID-19 global pandemic brings uncertainty to the world, local governments are working to respond each day. Sometimes, those response efforts are adjusted almost as soon as they are announced.
Earlier this week, the Cincinnati streetcar was ordered by the mayor and health commissioner to stop operating, part of the ongoing effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
But on Thursday, Councilman Chris Seelbach tweeted that the streetcar would continue to run, without passengers, in order to avoid what he called a $1 million price tag to restart the system when it is able to run again.
The fast-moving developments on the streetcar took place as the city announced steep cuts to its workforce and budget projections that paint a difficult picture for the coffers at City Hall.
Meanwhile, in Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear's daily briefings on the virus have become must-see TV. While that is also the case for most governors, as Americans eagerly await news about this uncertainty, for Beshear, the event is interactive.
Even if he did not anticipate that.
A Facebook group called "Andy Beshear Memes for Social Distancing Teens" now has more than 200,000 members - very few of whom appear to be actual teens. Instead, the group is made up of everyday Kentuckians who show their appreciation for the governor with loving memes that celebrate Beshear's "Mr. Rogers-like" bedside manor and his new catchphrases like, "We can't be doing that."
Joining Cincinnati Edition to talk about the week's news are WKRC-TV reporter James Pilcher and WVXU reporter Jay Hanselman.
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