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The sequester budget cuts will soon be felt in the St. Louis area as more than 4,500 civilian workers at Scott Air Force Base will soon begin furloughs. The Belleville News-Democrat reports that the employees will receive 30 day notices by mail this week.

The furloughs mean affected employees will work only four days each week for 22 weeks, and they'll lose the pay for those 22 days off.

Only civilian employees in jobs essential for base safety and security, like firefighters, will be spared.

The paper reports that budget analyst estimate the furloughs will cost the region at least $28 million in reduced spending. About 5,600 civilians work at Scott Air Force Base.

One of the biggest hotels in downtown St. Louis is all but shutting down during the busy summer season. The Millennium hotel will close about 600 of their 870 guest rooms for remodeling.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the project had been scheduled to begin this fall, but was pushed up to spring instead. Hotel officials aren't saying why they changed the dates of the planned redo.

The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission told the paper they'll work with the hotel to relocate some meetings that had been scheduled for the Millennium.

Two more districts have joined the growing list of metro-east school districts that plan to lay off teachers and other staff. Belleville District 118 and Highland Community Unit District 5 both announced staff layoffs Tuesday due to the state's budget shortfall.

District 118 will lay off six teachers and 20 staff members. The state of Illinois owes the district nearly two-million dollars.

In Highland, several teachers are being let go, but the specifics haven't been released.

Earlier this week, officials with Belleville District 201 and the Collinsville School District announced layoffs.