Royals Reveal
Next week, the Kansas City Royals head to Arizona for Spring Training. And that’s the mayor’s self-imposed deadline to lock in a stadium deal.
So, is this finally the week owner John Sherman steps to the plate and unveils where the Royals will build their next home?
At last week’s council meeting, Mayor Quinton Lucas teased “baseball” news — then cleared the room for a closed session. Is that a tantalizing clue something big is about to drop, or are we destined to remain in suspenseful misery?
Travis Decision
Kansas City’s second-biggest cliffhanger may finally be resolved this week.
Now that the Super Bowl is over, Travis Kelce says he’s sitting down with the Chiefs to decide what’s next.
With his big wedding just months away, does he hang it up — or make Arrowhead home for one more season?
Last Week Reviewed
Super Sick Monday and Fool’s Spring
Doctors are baffled; bosses are not. One in five U.S. workers is expected to miss work today on what has been dubbed “Super Sick Monday.” Thanks to the Super Bowl, 26.2 million Americans will conveniently call in sick, take PTO, or roll in late.
Another reason KC offices might resemble ghost towns today: have you seen the forecast? Shorts and shirts are suddenly trending, with temps in the 70s — nearly 20 degrees above normal.
But our local TV meteorologists are intent on stealing your sunshine. They’re calling it a “Fool’s Spring,” a polite way of saying: enjoy it while you can, because winter still has a few tricks up its sleeve — three of KC’s biggest snowstorms have hit in late February and March.
For now, soak up this brief spring fling. After next week, the forecast gets hazy… and your winter coat might make a comeback.
Wyandotte County Votes on ICE Jail Ban
Wyandotte County leaders are set to vote this week on a moratorium blocking the opening of an ICE Detention Center. The measure goes before the county’s planning commission tonight.
The move mirrors recent action in Kansas City and similar efforts underway in Jackson County to limit new private or federal detention facilities.
Legal experts caution such local restrictions could face challenges, since federal law often supersedes local zoning authority.
While no new immigration detention centers are confirmed for the area, last week the Leavenworth Planning Commission approved the reopening of the former CoreCivic private prison as an immigrant detention center.
The facility, which closed in 2021, is located 16 miles west of KCI airport.
Mayor’s State of the City
Lucas delivers his State of the City address Wednesday at City Hall, laying out his final to-do-list before his term ends. Voters will choose his successor next year.
Near the top of the mayor’s priorities are delivering a successful 2026 World Cup and moving Kansas City off national lists that rank it among the most dangerous cities in America and among those with the highest rates of homelessness.
But new initiatives may have to compete with a tougher reality — the budget. In this week’s speech, the mayor is expected to outline across-the-board spending cuts as the city works to climb out of a financial hole.
First Amazon Drone Deliveries
After years of hype, Amazon is officially rolling out drone deliveries in the metro this week.
The company says customers within a 7.5-mile radius of its Kansas City, Kansas, fulfillment center can now get items under 5 pounds delivered in roughly an hour — straight from the sky.
Prime members will pay $4.99 per delivery, while non-Prime customers are looking at $9.99.
Kansas City becomes just the seventh U.S. city to get the drone treatment, joining places like Phoenix, Dallas, Tampa, and Detroit.
So, if something zips over your backyard today… no, it’s not a UFO. It’s likely your neighbor’s toothpaste order.
Things to Watch, See and Do …
The Winter Olympics glides into Week 2 in Italy. That means for the second week in a row I lose control over the TV as my wife settles in to provide sofa-side analysis of every triple lutz and double axel.
Grammy winning Opera Superstar Joyce DiDinato returns home to Kansas City for a Valentine’s Day show Saturday at the Folly Theater.
“Long Island Medium” Tracey Caputo communicates with “the other side” Thursday night at the Midland Theater.
Tickets for the Big Slick go on sale Wednesday. And this year’s celebrity event is going to look a whole lot different. Due to scheduling around the World Cup, there won’t be the usual star-powered softball game at Kauffman Stadium. It’s being replaced with a private VIP experience.
The Kansas City Royals have announced their new “promotion schedule” for the upcoming season, and it’s causing lots of gnashing of teeth as the team quietly benches its popular “Dollar Hot Dog Night.” Is this the surest sign yet that a recession is on the way? In previous years, fans could enjoy Buck Night every Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium. Now it’s being reduced to six games a year.
Two Dates to Circle
Valentine’s Day lands this Saturday. The silver lining? You’ve got six shopping days left to prove you’re still the person they fell in love with.
Cue the spooky music — it’s Friday the 13th. One of the most ominous days of the year is upon us. So maybe skip stepping on cracks and think twice before opening that umbrella indoors. But while Friday the 13th has a scary reputation, the number 13 is actually considered lucky in many places. In Italy, the number is associated with prosperity. And in Japan 13 is associated with good fortune.
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.
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