Nick’s Picks | Heat, Elections, Rodeo and More …

The heat is the big news story in Kansas City this week along with a lot of economic development news and the upcoming election on both sides of the state line

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Construction begins near Sumner Academy of Arts and Science. In late 2024, voters approved a bond that will fund an addition to the school. (Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon)

KCK steps up work on school buildings promised with $180 million bond package

The Kansas City, Kansas, school district provides an update on several school construction projects.

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Voters on both sides of the state line head to the polls on Aug. 4, 2026. Ballots are packed with candidates and initiatives. (Vaughn Wheat | The Beacon)

Nick’s Picks | Ballots, Bribery, Baby and More …

The World Cup has left town, some some of the biggest headlines are a man stuck in the toilet of a Porta Potty, upcoming elections, and an alleged scandal in Jackson County.

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As teardown begins after Kansas City's World Cup Fan Fest, the public is wondering what will become of the 65-foot-tall heart-shaped entrance to the National WWI Museum and Memorial’s south lawn. (Gabe Rosenberg | KCUR 89.3)

Nick’s Picks | Sports, Shopping, Stamps and More …

Workers set about dismantling Kansas City’s World Cup Fan Fest site, Costco plows ahead with plans to reshape Midtown Store, stamp costs on the rise again and more …

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Heat index values this week are expected to climb between 105 and 110 degrees each afternoon. (Pexels) expected to remain in the 90s all week. (Pexels)

Nick’s Picks | Fireworks, Heat, Dylan and More …

As America gets set to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the fireworks are not the only things that will be hot. Expect heat and humidity this week.

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A grant and local contributions funded the restoration of Washington Chapel (C.M.E.) Church in Parkville. The chapel opened in 1907. (Bill Tammeus | Flatland)

Restoration of Black church in Parkville inspires rainbow coalition

The community has rallied around the restoration of Parkville, Missouri’s, Washington Chapel. Built in 1907, the chapel has been a haven for a Black population that has not always been welcome in town.

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CPKC Stadium opened in 2024. An expansion would raise the seating capacity from 11,500 to 18,000. (KCUR 89.3 | Courtesy Kansas City Current)

Nick’s Picks | Soccer, Elections, Entertainment and More …

It’s a soccer extravaganza in Kansas City, with the city reaching its halfway point as a host city and the City Council set to consider a bond package to expand the Kansas City Current stadium.

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John Trumbull's painting, Declaration of Independence, depicting the five-man drafting committee of the Declaration of Independence presenting their work to the Congress. The original hangs in the US Capitol rotunda. It does not represent a real ceremony; the characters portrayed were never in the same room at the same time. (Wikipedia)

The Declaration at 250: How Expansionism Helped Fuel A Revolution

Animus toward British restrictions on moving westward was one reason Americans sought their independence, though bedrock principles like freedom of speech remain relevant today.

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A Reign KC dancer performs at the at the JuneteenthKC Cultural Parade in the 18th and Vine District in 2022. (Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga | KCUR 89.3)

Nick’s Picks | World Cup, Data Centers, Juneteenth and More …

The World Cup finally comes to Kansas City, Jackson County considers data center moratorium, and more …

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Could the Kansas City streetcar extend into North Kansas City? Local and state officials are exploring the idea. An east-west route is also getting a look. (Carlos Moreno | KCUR 89.3)

Nick’s Picks | Fan Fest, Streetcar, Liquor and More …

World Cup Begins The wait is finally over. The first ball of the 2026 World Cup will be kicked Thursday, ushering in 5 ½ weeks of competition across the United States, Canada and Mexico. It’s also opening day for Kansas City’s FIFA Fan Fest at the National World War I Museum and Memorial—our first real…

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Nick’s Picks | Messi, Jail, Buses, and More …

World Cup Team(s) Arrive It’s starting to feel real. The first World Cup team has landed in Kansas City. Defending champions Argentina touched down at KCI airport on Sunday and will begin practicing today at Sporting KC’s training facility in Wyandotte County. Much of the attention, of course, is focused on Lionel Messi. The soccer…

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The Heart of the Nation exhibit in the IKEA store in Merriam, Kansas, "celebrates the extraordinary work of artists, art educators and cultural leaders ... that define Kansas City's evolving artistic landscape." Jeremy Bell's work is part of the exhibit.(Mike Sherry | Flatland)

World Cup ‘Statement Piece’ Evokes Best Version of Kansas City

Before I moved to Kansas City almost 56 years ago, I had been here only once — for a brief visit to the Kansas City Press Club when I was attending the University of Missouri School of Journalism. But because of that visit and the fact that I grew up in the Midwest (Woodstock, Illinois,…

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The Center for Digital Inclusion's Technology Education Program helped Jodi Whitt break a cycle of incarceration. (Taylor Doyle | Flatland)

KU Center Helps Women Gain Foothold After Incarceration

A flier from her probation officer was the turning point for Jodi Whitt, who had spent more than two decades in and out of the criminal justice system. The piece of paper introduced Whitt to the Technology Education Program offered by the University of Kansas’ Center for Digital Inclusion. Since 2019, Whitt has risen through…

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A new exhibit at the Kansas City Zoo is allowing visitors to come "nose to nose" with its long-necked residents. (Wikimedia Commons)

Nick’s Picks | Veep, Zoo, Fireworks and More …

Vance Lands in KC U.S. Vice President JD Vance touches down in Kansas City today to tout the Trump administration’s economic policies. According to the White House, Vance will tour Milbank Manufacturing, a nearly 100-year-old electrical parts company in northeast Kansas City, Missouri, before delivering remarks on tariffs, tax cuts and efforts to boost American-made…

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The spotlight is on the Missouri Supreme Court this week as it takes up the redrawn congressional map. (Wikimedia Commons)

Nick’s Picks | Map, Plaza, Liquor and More …

Missouri’s New Congressional Map Faces High Stakes Court Test Missouri’s newly redrawn congressional map lands before the state Supreme Court this week in a trio of cases that could decide who controls key seats in Congress next year. On Tuesday, the seven-member court will hear arguments over whether the Republican-backed map can be used in…

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