Nick’s Picks | I-70, Tax Break, School Petition, and More …

Donald Trump in KC

President Donald Trump could be headed back to the Kansas City area, for what would be his first visit here since 2018.

Politico reports Trump is planning an aggressive final-month campaign blitz, with stops in at least 10 states as Republicans fight to hold control of Congress.

The itinerary includes traditional Senate battlegrounds such as Michigan, North Carolina and Georgia — but also reliably Republican states that have suddenly become more competitive, including Kansas.

According to Politico, Kansas City could be on the president’s schedule as soon as next week.

If that happens, it will put an even brighter national spotlight on a Kansas U.S. Senate race that was never supposed to be this close.

Last Week Reviewed

MODOT Reveals Details of 11-Month I-70 Closure

One of the biggest local news stories of 2027 will be the extraordinary 11-month closure of Interstate 70.

That’s not a misprint.  The busiest interstate in the metro is about to disappear from your commute for nearly a year.

Starting in January, I-70 will shut down in both directions, along a 4-mile stretch between downtown and the Truman Sports Complex.

MoDOT is holding a public meeting Tuesday night to explain the closure, the detours and — presumably — how we’re all supposed to get anywhere.

WHAT: I-70 Closure Public Information Session

WHEN: Tuesday, 5 p.m. –7 p.m. — stop by anytime

WHERE: Gregg/Klice Community Center, 1600 John “Buck” O’Neil Way, Kansas City

Related Content

Cash Refunds on the Way for Jackson County Homeowners?

Jackson County may finally be nearing a massive settlement with more than 200,000 homeowners who paid too much in property taxes.

The agreement originally covered overcharges from 2023. It has now been expanded to include 2024 as well.

After more than a year of court battles, the deal is expected to be approved this week, ending a long-running fight over steep increases in property assessments that sent tax bills soaring.

But don’t expect a quick pile of cash in your mailbox.

The county isn’t planning to send out checks to homeowners but will repay them through credits on their property tax bills, spread out over the next three years.

The settlement could total about $250 million.

And that is considerably less than some feared. At a June forum for county executive candidates, former legislator Dan Tarwater warned that the legal fight could ultimately cost as much as $1 billion — enough, he said, to potentially bankrupt Jackson County.

Petion Launched to Halt School Closures

Just days after the Olathe School Board unanimously voted to shutter six schools, upset parents are launching a petition drive this week to halt the mass closures.

Organizers say if they collect at least 6,100 valid signatures they can force a state review of the decision.

The plan is to close Indian Trail Middle School and five elementary schools — Black Bob, Heritage, Scarborough, Tomahawk and Walnut Grove — at the end of the 2026-27 school year, affecting about 2,200 students.

District leaders say falling birth rates and a shortage of affordable housing for young families have left some buildings badly underused. The district says roughly half of Olathe’s elementary schools are now operating at just 50% capacity.

But some families say they were blindsided by how quickly the recommendation moved forward. Others are asking whether the district should have cut deeper into administrative and upper-management costs before putting neighborhood schools on the chopping block.

National & Global Headlines on the Watchlist

• The U.S. Supreme Court begins a new term today, with big legal fights over guns, immigration, climate change and religious rights on the docket.
• Also showing up this week: $90 checks for more than 20 million seniors. The one-time payment is part of Trump’s promise to help take some of the sting out of rising Medicare premiums. Direct deposits arrive first. Paper checks from the Treasury Department follow later in the week.
• And Friday, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner will be revealed – always one of the world’s more closely watched announcements, and occasionally one of its most disputed.

See, Watch, and Do in Kansas City

Kansas City has no shortage of excuses to leave the house this week.

Country superstar Chris Stapleton plays back-to-back shows at the new Morton Amphitheater Friday and Saturday night.

Grammy-winning singer and rapper Doja Cat takes over T-Mobile Center on Tuesday.

Also this week…

Panda Fest: One of the biggest outdoor Asian food festivals in the U.S. makes its Kansas City debut, packing Legends Field with live entertainment, artisans and more than 90 food vendors serving everything from Vietnamese and Thai to Chinese and Japanese cuisine.

Friday–Sunday | Legends Field

Waldo Fall Fest: Waldo’s annual neighborhood bash is back for a 34th year with food trucks, pop-up shops, live music and family activities.

Saturday, 10 a.m. | Wornall Road & Gregory Boulevard

And your Sunday just got four hours longer. The 4-0 Chiefs are on a bye week, so for the first time this season there’s no kickoff to plan your day around. The team returns to Arrowhead on Oct. 18 to face the Chargers.

Nick Haines tracks the week’s most impactful, confusing and downright head-scratching local news stories on Week in Review, Friday nights at 7:30 p.m. on Kansas City PBS.