Today (Wednesday): sunny, high near 98°F, heat index as high as 103°F, south-southwest wind 7–10 mph (gusts to 18 mph). Tonight: mostly clear, low around 78°F, heat index up to 100°F. Thursday: sunny, high near 98°F, heat index up to 104°F — a dangerous stretch of heat into the festival weekend.
Thursday: sunny, high near 98°F, heat index up to 104°F. Friday: sunny, high near 97°F, with lows around 77–78°F each night. Hydrate, take breaks in the A/C, and check on neighbors — especially with SantaCaliGon Days and the Hummingbird Festival outdoors this week.
The Planning Commission voted to rezone the abandoned ~120,000-sq.-ft. former JCPenney at 17610 E. Bolger Road (about 10 acres) back to commercial and approved special signage, clearing the way for a Dillons grocery with a drive-through pharmacy, online-pickup area, convenience store and seven fuel stations. It would be the fifth Dillons in the KC metro; developer Phillips Edison Group is seeking to buy the parcel. The City Council is expected to vote on site plans in the coming weeks, after which construction could begin.
The council's next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. at Independence Municipal Commons (20201 E. Jackson Dr.), where it is also expected to take up the Dillons site plan. The agenda typically posts a day or two ahead.
The nationwide search for a permanent police chief closed its application window Aug. 17 (salary range $150,000–$180,000), with Interim Chief Doug Brinkley continuing to lead the department. The Kansas City Star notes the next chief inherits a force roiled by recent controversy, lawsuits and the still-unexplained paid status of former chief Adam Dustman. City Manager Troy Anderson is now at the helm of city administration.
Independence GUARD Alliance neighbors along Bly Road filed complaints alleging Nebius construction is happening before sunrise and after sunset, when city rules require notification for rare cases. The city says many of the allegations are part of the residents' pending lawsuit and will be handled in the legal process. The council earlier passed a 180-day moratorium on new data-center and battery-energy-storage applications.
No agenda has been published for the upcoming Independence School District board meeting (the most recent posted meeting date is August 28), so there's nothing concrete to preview. Check the ISD board meetings page for the next posted agenda.
The Independence School District dismissed its part of the lawsuit against Jackson County over the county's property-tax credit plan, agreeing with county leadership while still anticipating a financial hit; the Fort Osage district remains in the suit. Ongoing thread from late July.
New filing: BLEU HOUSE BISTRO (Retail by Drink and Sunday by Drink) at 15800 US 24, filed 09/01/2026, from licensee Bleu House Bistro, Inc. (Corporation) — the most recent local liquor filings.
New filing: BINGHAM WAGGONER ESTATE (Caterer - Retail by Drink) at 313 Pacific, filed 08/25/2026, from licensee J Creek, LLC (Limited Liability Company).
New filings: SMOKE 4 LESS & CONVENIENCE STORE (Original Package Liquor / Original Package Tasting / Sunday Original Package) at 1701 S Noland Rd, filed 08/19/2026 — three filings from licensee Light Liquor LLC (Limited Liability Company).
First District voters recalled City Councilman John Perkins in Tuesday's special election, with unofficial results showing 68.05% in favor of the recall (about 32% to keep him) with 100% of precincts reporting. The recall stems from Perkins' March vote (5–2) approving $150 billion in tax incentives for the Nebius AI data center on 400 acres near Missouri 78 and Little Blue Parkway. The City of Independence said the recall "becomes effective once the election results are certified and provided to the City Clerk," at which point it will begin the charter process for a special election to fill the vacancy — the next regular council election isn't until April 2028, roughly 19 months away. Perkins said he stands by his data-center vote, won't contest the recall, and plans to focus on homelessness issues. Experts call it the first of roughly 25 data-center-centered recall efforts nationwide to reach a ballot.
The City Council voted unanimously to place a $19.9 million general obligation bond on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot for maintenance of five city-owned historic sites — Bingham-Waggoner Estate, Vaile Mansion, Truman Memorial Building, Old Fire Station One, and the 1827 Log Courthouse — with free admission to all five for the bond's 20-year life. It's a second attempt after a similar measure narrowly failed in 2025. Estimated first-year levy: about 14.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. Forward-looking item summarizing the published council action.
The city's annual Hummingbird Festival at George Owens Nature Park (1601 S. Speck Rd.) runs Thursday, Sept. 3 (10 a.m.–6 p.m.), Friday, Sept. 4 (10 a.m.–6 p.m.) and Saturday, Sept. 5 (9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.) — celebrating ruby-throated hummingbirds as they prepare to migrate. Learn to attract them, understand migration (daily at 1 p.m.), build a perch, and family games; free thanks to the Parks Improvement Sales Tax.
The city, with Tech Remove and Cable Dahmer Arena, hosts a recycling drive-thru on Saturday, Sept. 5, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Cable Dahmer Arena satellite lot (19100 E. Valley View Pkwy). Nearly anything with a cord or battery is accepted free; fees apply to TVs ($20–$30) and CRT monitors ($5). Data-bearing devices are securely wiped. Recycling
The Labor Day weekend festival on Independence Square runs Friday, Sept. 4 through Monday, Sept. 7, with a 6 p.m. curfew for unaccompanied minors (under 18 must be with a parent/guardian) in the district bounded by Noland Road, Pleasant Street, Farmer Street and Walnut Street. The curfew begins 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3 and runs through noon on Labor Day. The council passed it 7–0 in response to this summer's unrest at Lee's Summit's Downtown Days; officers will patrol and escort unaccompanied teens out or call a parent.
A homeschool recreation program for ages 6–18 meets Thursday, Sept. 10 at 2 p.m. at George Owens Nature Park for a special nature hike. $4 per child, $15 for a family of four or more.
| Wed 9/2 | Sunny, high 98°, heat index ~103° · Heat Advisory · Air Quality Alert until 7 p.m. |
| Thu 9/3 | Sunny, high 98°, heat index ~104° · Hummingbird Festival Day 1 (10 a.m.–6 p.m.) · SantaCaliGon curfew begins 6 p.m. |
| Fri 9/4 | Sunny, high 97° · Hummingbird Festival Day 2 · SantaCaliGon Days begins (through Sept 7) |
| Sat 9/5 | Mostly sunny, high 98° · Hummingbird Day 3 (9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.) · Electronics Recycling Drive-Thru 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Cable Dahmer Arena |
| Sun 9/6 | SantaCaliGon Days continues |
| Mon 9/7 | SantaCaliGon Days final day · Labor Day (curfew ends noon) |
| Tue 9/8 | Regular City Council meeting, 6 p.m., Municipal Commons |