News & Issues

Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.

A sales tax reshaped KC’s East Side. Now voters to decide if it continues.

The Central City Economic Development sales tax is up for renewal on Aug. 4. The tax has generated nearly $100 million since voters approved it in 2017.

Read More >

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

Read More >
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.

Read More >
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.

Read More >
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.

Read More >
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.

Read More >
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.

Read More >
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…

Read More >

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…

Read More >
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,…

Read More >

Local Storytelling. Fact-Based Reporting. Trustworthy Sources.

Help support the nonprofit media landscape in Kansas City and provide a platform for underrepresented voices across the region.