Today (Thursday): sunny, high near 98°F, heat index as high as 104°F, south-southwest wind around 12 mph (gusts to 20 mph). Tonight: mostly clear, low around 78°F, heat index up to 100°F. Friday: sunny, high near 97°F, heat index up to 103°F. Brutal heat holding over Labor Day weekend — hydrate, take breaks in the A/C, and check on neighbors and pets.
With First District voters having recalled Councilman John Perkins Tuesday, City Manager Troy Anderson said he'll recommend the council set a Feb. 2, 2027 primary and an April 6, 2027 general election to pick a successor — dates that share election costs with other jurisdictions. The council gets a first reading on the schedule at its Sept. 21 meeting. The recall itself isn't official until certified: the Jackson County Election Board meets Sept. 8 to hand-count the 1,650 ballots. Until a successor is seated, the First District has no council representation.
The council's next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. at Independence Municipal Commons (20201 E. Jackson Dr.) — the first Monday being the Labor Day holiday. The Sept. 21 meeting is when council takes up the replacement-election schedule.
Richard Kemple is serving as interim director of Independence Power & Light after Joe Hegendeffer's Aug. 7 departure. Separately, the Independence Police Department took part in the statewide "Saturation Saturday" DWI patrol over the holiday weekend. The city is also continuing its national search for a permanent police chief, with Interim Chief Doug Brinkley leading the department.
No agenda has been published for the upcoming Independence School District board meeting (the most recent posted meeting date is August 28). The district's next scheduled monthly board meeting is Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. at 201 N. Forest Ave., but there's nothing concrete to preview as of this morning. Check the ISD board meetings page for the posted agenda.
The ISD Board of Education adopted a resolution in July opposing Missouri's proposed Amendment 5 over concerns about its potential impact on the stability of public-education funding. And as an ongoing thread from late July: the district dropped its part of the lawsuit against Jackson County over the county's property-tax credit plan, while the Fort Osage district remains in the suit.
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), filed 08/25/2026; and (Picnic - Retail by Drink), filed 08/20/2026, both at 313 Pacific. Licensees: J Creek, LLC (Limited Liability Company) and Bingham Waggoner Historical Society (Corporation).
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 Councilman John Perkins in Tuesday's special election, with 68.05% "yes" (100% of precincts). It's the first time an Independence City Council member has been recalled. Perkins, elected to serve through June 2028, was one of five council members who voted in March to approve tax incentives for the Nebius AI data center (~$6.2 billion in tax breaks for the $150 billion, 400-acre project near Highway 78 and Little Blue Parkway). Under the city charter, Perkins is barred from seeking any city office or paid city job for two years (earliest: September 2028). The result won't be official until the Jackson County Election Board certifies after a hand recount of the 1,650 ballots on Sept. 8; the City Clerk then confirms. The recall is expected to cost about $164,000, and the two replacement votes could push the total to roughly $500,000. Perkins said he stands by his data-center vote and won't fight the recall.
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 Labor Day weekend festival takes over Historic Independence Square (112 W. Lexington Ave.) Friday, Sept. 4 through Monday, Sept. 7 — free admission, 250,000+ expected, with carnival rides, 60 food booths and three stages. The 2026 Main Stage lineup includes Private Eyes and Shining Star (Fri 7 p.m.), Outlaw Jim and the Whiskey Benders and The Original Silver Bullet (Sat), Goddesses of Rock/Queens of Country and Arena Rock Giants (Sun). A 6 p.m. curfew for unaccompanied minors is in effect in the festival district (began 6 p.m. Thursday, runs through noon on Labor Day), passed 7–0 after this summer's unrest at Lee's Summit's Downtown Days.
The city's annual Hummingbird Festival at George Owens Nature Park (1601 S. Speck Rd.) runs today, 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, with perch-building, family games and daily migration programs at 1 p.m. 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
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.
| Thu 9/3 | Sunny, high 98°, heat index ~104° · Heat Advisory through Sat · Hummingbird Festival Day 1 (10 a.m.–6 p.m.) · SantaCaliGon curfew begins 6 p.m. |
| Fri 9/4 | Sunny, high 97°, heat index ~103° · Hummingbird Day 2 · SantaCaliGon Days begins (through Sept 7) |
| Sat 9/5 | Sunny, high 97° · 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 | Sunny, high 97° · SantaCaliGon Days continues |
| Mon 9/7 | SantaCaliGon Days final day · Labor Day (curfew ends noon) |
| Tue 9/8 | City Council meeting, 6 p.m., Municipal Commons · Jackson County Election Board certifies recall (hand recount, 1,650 ballots) · ISD Board meeting, 6 p.m., 201 N. Forest Ave. |
| Sep 21 | City Council first reading on replacement-election schedule (Feb. 2 primary / April 6 general) |