Nick’s Picks | KC Streetcar, Kansas Troops, Missouri Governor, and More … Preparing you for the week ahead, before it happens…

The Chiefs are officially heading to the Super Bowl. Will that be the only story Kansas Citians now care about?

Here are some other trends and news developments you may want to be aware of in a week dominated by Chiefs talk…

The Big Streetcar Shutdown

It’s the week of the big Kansas City Streetcar shutdown. Starting today, the entire service is being suspended for two weeks.

The shutdown will allow workers to tie the new riverfront extension to the existing line’s electrical system and rails.

Buses will run along the route during the disruption.

Workers are also continuing testing this week on the larger 3.5-mile Main Street extension to the Country Club Plaza. Streetcar officials seem to be getting fuzzier and fuzzier about when it will be ready for passengers. The latest release simply says, “later this year.”

Buses in the Spotlight

When was the last time you rode the bus? Long-time passengers are getting increasingly frustrated with long delays, poor service, and, more recently, the elimination of entire bus lines.

Are buses becoming an endangered species? Some say, yes!

Transit activists are promising to pack this afternoon’s meeting of the Jackson County Legislature to demand a fix to the bus problem. They say this is the last day elected officials can place bus funding on the April ballot.

If approved, the money could help restore service in major parts of Jackson County, where it’s been slashed or eliminated, including Independence, Grandview, Blue Springs, Raytown…and possibly even Kansas City soon.

Jackson County Executive Frank White insists the problem is so big, it requires a regional solution. He’s proposing a bi-state tax to build up the bus service on both sides of the state line.

The last time, voters in Kansas and Missouri jointly agreed to tax themselves was nearly 30 years ago, when they voted to approve a bi-state tax to renovate Union Station.

200 Kansas Troops Heading to Southern Border

This week, 200 Kansas soldiers are heading to the Mexican border.

The troops are part of the 1st Infantry Division, stationed at Fort Riley.

President Donald Trump called for the additional troops in a deployment order issued over the weekend.

The Kansas soldiers will augment an estimated 2,500 military personnel who are already serving at the southern border.

Last Week, Reviewed

 A Fix for Business Break-Ins?

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is feeling the heat this week. Local restaurant and store owners continue to be angry with City Hall over a relentless wave of business break-ins.

Acknowledging that the KCPD may be too short-handed to adequately tackle the problem, Lucas is proposing a $1 million fund that will allow business owners to hire private security companies to protect their storefronts.

The City Council’s Public Safety Committee is set to take up the mayor’s proposal on Tuesday.

Kehoe Delivers First State of the State Address

Does new Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe have a fix for crime in Kansas City?

Just two weeks after being sworn in, Kehoe will deliver his first State of the State Address this week.

Kehoe is expected to provide more details on his plans for dealing with crime and reducing taxes in the Show-Me-State.

He will speak before a joint session of the General Assembly on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

You can watch the address live on the Missouri Governor’s Facebook page.

Ready for Warmer Temperatures

If you’re weary of all the snow and bitter cold we’ve been having over the last several weeks, get ready to celebrate above-average temperatures.

The National Weather Service is forecasting abundant sunshine and highs in the 50’s for most of the week.

World Cup Announcement

Today we hit the 500-day mark for the World Cup.  

We’ve been told to expect some big announcement this week from the Kansas City World Cup Committee. Though, at this point, they have shared no details.

Transportation, security and fundraising top the Kansas City host committee’s to-do list.

But local leaders are also trying to build excitement for the global tournament among non-soccer fans.

One proposal is to install massive World Cup countdown clocks at prominent points around the city.

Kansas City will host its first World Cup game on June 16, 2026, at Arrowhead Stadium. We won’t know until later this year what national teams will be playing in Kansas City.

Deanna Rose Milestone

Have you been to the Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead in Overland Park?

Many visitors to the popular Johnson County attraction may not realize it’s named after Overland Park police officer, Deanna Rose, who was killed in the line of duty while trying to stop an intoxicated driver.

This week marks the 40^th anniversary of her death.

The Overland Park Police Department is hosting a commemorative event to mark the end of her watch.  The public is invited. It starts tonight at 5:30 p.m.

Music’s Biggest Night

The 2025 Grammy Awards will take place as scheduled this weekend, despite talk of postponing the telecast due to the ongoing devastation from the California wildfires.

The music industry’s biggest night is set for Sunday evening in downtown Los Angeles.

The Kansas City Opera has its fingers crossed. They’re one of the unlikely nominees for their recording of “The Shining,” an opera directly based on Stephen King’s 1977 horror novel.

Chinese New Year Begins

Though the Times Square ball drop may have happened several weeks ago, you can still make the most of a fresh start, thanks to the Chinese New Year, which starts on Wednesday.

Thousands of Asian-American families in our metro will be celebrating the Year of the Snake.

According to tradition, the year of the snake ushers in a time of reflection, transformation, and prosperity.

Royals Rally

Opening Day may still be two months away, but this week the Kansas City Royals are rallying fans for one of their biggest events of the year.

The third annual Royals Rally returns to Kauffman Stadium.

During your day at the K, you can snag player autographs, hear roundtable discussions with the team’s top stars and coaches, and enjoy concessions and bar access at the stadium.

The Royals Rally serves as a fan-fueled sendoff before the team heads to spring training in Surprise, Arizona. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Nick Haines tracks the week’s most impactful local news stories on Week in Review, Friday nights at 7:30 pm on Kansas City PBS.