Gladstone, MO Municipal and More

Missouri Democrats rejoice the defeat of Prop. A, but is the legal fight over?

Proposition A went down in flames — and the final tally wasn’t particularly close. But the legal fight over a congressional map known as H.B. 1 might not be over, according to Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway speaking about the ballot measure last week. Long before voters cast their ballots against a congressional map favoring Republicans 7-1, the writing was on the wall, according to Missouri Democratic Party chair Russ Carnahan. The Star spoke with Carnahan and Jackson County Democratic committee chair Geoff Gerling by telephone Tuesday before election results were in. According to unofficial results , nearly 62% of voters rejected a measure that would have redrawn the Missouri map to create seven Republican-leaning districts out of eight representative districts in the state. “In this process, there was some polling done when this was in front of the legislature when they were doing this mid-decade gerrymandering, and a poll was done at that time statewide,” Carnahan said. “A large margin of people — 52-22% — thought politicians shouldn’t be drawing their maps but that an independent citizen commission should be. So I think, statewide, people are tired of politicians playing games to rig the system.” Carnahan was asked what

Missouri · 2d

The Kansas City Star

Fast-food chain has closed two Johnson County restaurants. More remain open

Arby’s has shut down two of its restaurants in Johnson County, leaving a suburb with just one location remaining. Two Arby’s restaurants in Olathe have closed: 13790 S. Black Bob Road and 18615 W. 151st St. Signs direct customers to the remaining Olathe spot: 18060 W. 119th St. Arby’s has yanked the addresses of both closed locations from its website. The Star contacted Arby’s parent company, Inspire Brands, for comment. The company did not respond Wednesday. Flynn Group, a popular franchisee with dozens of Kansas locations, also did not respond. There does not appear to be any other affected locations. Managers at several different Johnson County locations said they had not been alerted of a closure. About 14 Arby’s locations remain in the metro. Spots in Johnson County include: 15021 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park, 9525 Santa Fe Drive in Overland Park and 11445 W. 63rd St. in Shawnee. No national closings have been reported this month, but late last year, Arby’s quietly closed dozens of locations after sales dropped by more than 6%, according to reporting from TheStreet. Arby’s has been serving roast-beef sandwiches, curly fries and shakes since its inception in 1964.

Johnson County, KS · 2d

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

Negro Leagues museum outgrows its 18th and Vine home

Kansas City, Mo. – The Negro Leagues was born on 18th and Vine in 1920. As Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick and I sat in the museum’s lobby, I asked him about this historic corner. “It was the epicenter of Black life in Kansas City” in...

Kansas City, MO · 1d

KCTV 5

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas reacts to post-election shifts, weighs 2028 political run

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is celebrating regional election victories and eyeing a potential 2028 run for higher office. Lucas weighed in Wednesday morning on a pivotal election night that reshaped regional politics, praising the passage of key ballot measures and signaling his own political future may extend beyond City Hall.

Kansas City, MO · 2d

hoodline.com

Grandview Democrat Wins Third House Term, Then Arrested Hours Later in Jefferson City

Missouri state Rep. Anthony Ealy cruised to a third term representing Grandview with 68% of the vote on Tuesday. By Wednesday morning, he was in handcuffs in Jefferson City, booked on a misdemeanor domestic assault charge just hours after his landslide win. Ealy, a 32-year-old Democrat and lawyer, defeated Republican...

Jefferson City, MO · 1d

KSHB 41 Action News

New settlement details as UG rescinds ordinance over Sports Authority bill

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, voted Thursday night to rescind a charter ordinance that exempted it from new sections of the Sports Authority bill.

Wyandotte County, KS · 20h

The Kansas City Star

Kehoe flies into KC for late push on Missouri abortion vote. ‘Protect innocent life'

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe flew into Kansas City on Monday. The Republican governor, standing alongside U.S. Rep. Mark Alford and conservative activists at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport, encouraged residents to vote in favor of Amendment 3, a proposed abortion ban that Republican lawmakers placed on Tuesday’s ballot. Inside Signature Aviation at the downtown airport and flanked by Alford and activists, the Republican governor cast the amendment as a way to “protect innocent life.” If approved, Amendment 3 would strike down a historic vote that legalized abortion in the state in 2024. But, on Monday, Kehoe pushed back on the idea that the lawmakers were disregarding voters who legalized abortion two years ago. “I believe the question before voters is more balanced now and does a good job of reflecting Missouri’s values,” he said. “So I don’t think it’s anything to do with that.”

Missouri · 3d

KSHB 41 Action News

Kansas City launches Fight the Blight website to improve neighborhoods

Boarded-up buildings, overgrown lots and neglected properties are familiar sight in parts of Kansas City, Missouri. A new effort is underway to address the problem and improve neighborhoods.

Kansas City, MO · 23h

hoodline.com

KC Rental Inspection Program Flunks Audit as Director Says She Needs 10 More Staff Members

Kansas City’s Healthy Homes Rental Inspection Program is not following city code in four major ways, according to an audit presented to the City Council on Thursday, even as the program managed to answer 96% of complaints within a single day. Health Department Director Dr. Marvia Jones pointed to one root cause for the shortfalls: not enough people to do the job.

Kansas City, MO · 9h

The Kansas City Star

Paul Rudd, Overland Park get a shout-out when CNN announces Adam Hamilton victory

Welp, we did not have “Paul Rudd” on our election night bingo card. But the “Ant-Man” actor scored a surprise shout-out as Jake Tapper on CNN announced that Adam Hamilton defeated Kansas Senator Roger Marshall in a shocking win Tuesday. Tapper threw the live coverage to Hamilton headquarters in Overland Park, “the home of Paul Rudd,” he said. Rudd, born in New Jersey, spent much of his childhood in Johnson County then studied theater at the University of Kansas. And Tapper would know that because the CNN anchor is a regular celebrity guest at Big Slick, the annual Children’s Mercy fundraiser that Rudd co-hosts. In October, Rudd co-hosted a get-out-the-vote event in New York with “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The event raised money for Latino Victory Project and Onward Together , nonprofit groups that work on voter mobilization and getting people involved in the political process. Jimmy Fallon, Adam Scott and Rita Wilson were among the celebrities who participated.

Overland Park, KS · 2d

kcur.org

Stacy Lake wins Jackson County executive race, as Democrats dominate legislature elections

Stacy Lake will be Jackson County’s next county executive. As of election night, Lake, a Democrat carried a significant lead countywide, with the largest margins in Kansas City. Democrats were largely victorious in county Legislature races, as well, winning eight out of nine seats. Lake will lead the county...

Jackson County, MO · 2d

johnsoncountypost.com

Kansas AG Kobach finds 5 Lenexa councilmembers violated Kansas open meetings law

Note: The story has been updated with statements from Lenexa City Councilmember Chris Herron and Lenexa resident Jeff Cheek. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach found five Lenexa city councilmembers discussed a large development project privately before a public meeting and vote in violation of state law. On Sept. 16, Kobach’s...

Lenexa, KS · 3d

northeastnews.net

Preserving the Publisher: How Jay H. Neff Shaped the City, branded Kansas City “Royal,” and Defined the Midwest

Today, many Kansas Citians know the American Royal as an autumn tradition in transition—a storied livestock exhibition moving into a new era with its expansion in Wyandotte County. Fewer realize that this cornerstone of Midwestern identity owes its name, its rise, and its national reach to one man: Jay Holcomb Neff.

Kansas City, MO · 2d

KSHB 41 Action News

Proposed Head Start rule changes worry KC families

Proposed changes to the Head Start program are worrying local families and the organizations that offer it, prompting concerns about class sizes, dual-language instruction and funding.

Kansas City, MO · 1d

KSHB 41 Action News

Politicians, activist react to Prop A failure, retaining 2022 congressional map

With more than 60% of voters voting against the measure, the decision means Missouri will keep its 2022 congressional map rather than move forward with the proposed Missouri First map.

Missouri · 1d

KSHB 41 Action News

Bly Road closure near Independence data center has residents worried for winter

Residents who live near a data center being built in Independence are worried about what will happen if Bly Road, which was supposed to reopen in August, doesn't open before winter.

Independence, MO · 1d

KCTV 5

Kansas City moves forward on restoration of historic convention center and Municipal Auditorium

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - As Municipal Auditorium gets set for the return of UMKC basketball, the city is announcing big plans for restoration to the building. On Thursday, Kansas City approved a resolution sponsored by Mayor Quinton Lucas to move forward with the Kansas City Convention Center and Municipal Auditorium Vision Plan.

Kansas City, MO · 20h

johnsoncountypost.com

Overland Park plans public plaza on historic Strang Depot property downtown

Overland Park will take over part of the historic Strang Depot property in downtown Overland Park from the historical society to use as a public plaza. Under this deal, the Overland Park Historical Society will maintain ownership of the actual Strang Depot building near the corner of 80th Street and Santa Fe Drive.

Overland Park, KS · 3d

KCTV 5