Nick’s Picks

Nick Haines dissects the week’s most impactful local news stories, Fridays at 7:30 p.m. on Kansas City PBS.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance will host a rally today in Topeka in support of Kansas U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall. (Wikimedia)

Nick’s Picks | Vance, Buddy, Houdini and More …

The U.S. vice president visits Topeka, a unicorn costume is a Halloween favorite, and a famous musician gets recognized in Kansas City.

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Nick’s Picks | Rally, Debate, Data Center and More …

Election season is in full swing, with the U.S. Senate race in Kansas taking center stage, including President Donald Trump holding a rally in Wichita.

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Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves talks Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026 about her pending retirement. (Carlos Moreno | KCUR 89.3)

Nick’s Picks | Top Cop, Mission Mall, Lucas’ Travels and More …

Nick Haines also has the lowdown on information for the upcoming election, the arrival of fall and Kansas City’s Day of the Dead celebration.

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Starting in January, I-70 will shut down in both directions, along a 4-mile stretch between downtown and the Truman Sports Complex. The Missouri Department of Transportation holds a public meeting on the closure Tuesday. (Screenshot)

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

An Interstate 70 closure, a tax rebate for Jackson County property owners, a school closure petition, and more …

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The Midtown Costco closes Thursday for a months-long hiatus before reopening as a Costco Business Center. (Frank Morris | KCUR 89.3)

Nick’s Picks | Costco, Homicides, Rain and More …

Is Missouri’s congressional map saga over? It seems so, but who knows if there will be another twist or turn. That story and more …

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Fall colors at peak blaze.

Nick’s Picks | Obama Visits KC, Debates and Fall’s Arrival

Obama in KC With Election Day just six weeks away, some of the nation’s top political names are now rolling through Kansas City. Last week, Vice President JD Vance was in town. This week, it’s Barack Obama. The former president takes the stage Saturday at the Overland Park Convention Center for a leadership event hosted…

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Vice President JD Vance touches down in Kansas City for a visit on Monday. (U.S Air Force)

Nick’s Picks | Veep, Gerrymandering, Football and More …

Vance Lands in KC Again … Vice President JD Vance will make two stops in the Kansas City area today, his second visit to the metro in less than four months. The White House says Vance will visit a federal law enforcement facility in Kansas City, Missouri, to highlight the Trump administration’s crackdown on fraud….

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Independence voters head to the polls Tuesday in a recall election aimed at ousting City Councilman John Perkins. Opponents are angry that he voted for tax incentives for a data center under construction in the city. (The Beacon)

Nick’s Picks | Map, Recall, Trial and More …

The Missouri Supreme Court takes up a question about a local congressional district, an Independence councilman fights to keep his seat, and a long-delayed murder trial is set to get underway.

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Nancy Kassebaum, the trailblazing former U.S. senator from Kansas.

Nick’s Picks | Call for Stadium Vote, Power Outages and More

Public Vote on Ballpark in Limbo Activist groups say they’ve collected enough valid signatures to put the issue before voters. But so far, the City Council hasn’t taken up the petition. The deadline to act is Aug. 31, making Thursday’s council meeting the last scheduled opportunity. Except that the mayor has canceled this week’s regular…

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At a press conference, Interim Jackson County Executive Philip LeVota denied the charges against him. (Grace Hills | KCUR 89.3)

Nick’s Picks | Courts, Roads, Music and More …

New Royals Ballpark Heading to Council Vote It could be a pivotal week for the Royals’ proposed new home. The $3 billion Crown Center ballpark plan could get a final council vote Thursday, after the Finance, Governance and Public Safety Committee takes up the funding and rezoning package Tuesday. Critics, including Councilmember Jonathan Duncan, say…

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