— NWS alert feed for Independence (39.0911,-94.4155), office CWA EAX, zone MOZ037, fetched 6:00 a.m. Sept 26
Today: a chance of showers and thunderstorms through the day (40%), mostly cloudy, high near 76°F, southeast wind around 9 mph; a tenth to a quarter inch of rain possible — plan the farmers market visit around the showers. No heat-index concerns. Tonight: showers and storms still likely at times (50%), low around 64°. Sunday: rain showers and a few storms early (40%), then partly sunny, high near 78° — workable for the 1 p.m. IndeCleanup projects. Monday: partly sunny, high near 79°. Tuesday: showers and thunderstorms likely (70%), high near 77°, storms continuing Tuesday night (80%). Weather
— NWS forecast for Independence (39.0911,-94.4155), NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill (CWA EAX), zone MOZ037, fetched 6:00 a.m. Sept 26
Recap (AI-drafted from press): residents met the four finalists — Chief Gregory Dull, Chief Steve Hebbe, Major Keith Kichhoff and Chief Edward Tirner — one-on-one at Thursday's open house at the Midwest Genealogy Center, filling out preference cards and an online survey. City Manager Troy Anderson called community input "an important part of identifying the right leader." Final interviews took place Friday; the city says the announcement is expected early next week, with the new chief starting before the end of October. Attendees KCTV5 spoke with ranked visibility, crime response and lawsuits near the top of their wish lists. City government
— KCTV5, Sept 25 · The Examiner, Sept 25 (candidates discuss priorities) · Spot On Missouri / Fox 4 (finalist names) · City announcement, Sept 10
Dozens of citizens attended Wednesday's town hall hosted by council members and city staff on proposed code changes for data and battery (BESS) centers. The Examiner reports that if the council can pass the series of code changes, Mayor Kevin King said the city hopes to deter a wave of future building requests for data centers. The rules vote was previously delayed to October; a planning-commission recommendation vote failed 1–6 in August. Background threads: residents' lawsuit over the Nebius rezoning is pending in Jackson County court, and Judge Jennifer Phillips has already ruled the bond ordinance not referendable. City government Ongoing
— The Examiner, Sept 25 · KCUR Independence tag (referendum ruling) · SueDataCenters (lawsuit summary)
The Examiner reports one of the two former Independence deputy police chiefs who retired in late June has sued the city, claiming sex and age discrimination and retaliation. It's the second discrimination suit against IPD this season — a KCUR story from earlier this year covers another former deputy chief's allegations involving drunken-driving enforcement and age discrimination, and a separate suit by Officer Jordan White over his return-to-duty handling. Paywalled; summarized from the published headline and lede. Public safety
— The Examiner, Sept 25 (paywalled — summarized from headline/lede) · KCUR (prior IPD suits)
KSHB 41's Sept. 26 update: Independence police say they have a preliminary identification of the human remains found in a wooded area off South Maywood Avenue (discovered the night of Saturday, Sept. 19; a suspicious-death investigation), pending confirmatory testing, and that they made contact with Bobby Alexander III, 28, who may have information about the deceased. Tips: TIPS Hotline 816-474-8477 or IPD 816-325-7777. Public safety
Monday, Sept. 28, 6:00 p.m. — Study Session, Independence Municipal Commons (first floor, 20201 E. Jackson Dr.). Tuesday, Sept. 29, 6:00 p.m. — Planning Commission, same location; the agenda uploads at least 24 hours ahead, so it should be posted by Monday evening. With the data-center code package due back before the council in October, the Planning Commission meeting is the one to watch this week. City government
— City: Study Session, Sept 28 · City: Planning Commission, Sept 29
The ISD board meeting list shows nothing posted past Sept. 8, so there is no forward agenda to preview this cycle. Context from the city side: the City Council set the 2026 city property tax levy slightly lower than last year (Examiner, Sept. 22), and the district's long-term revenue story remains the Nebius data-center PILOTs, with ISD the main beneficiary. ISD
— ISD board meeting list · The Examiner, Sept 22 (city levy)
The most recent batch on the ATC record is dated 09/11/2026: licensee Casey's Marketing Company filed Original Package Liquor, Sunday Original Package, and Permission–Employ Minors licenses for five stores, all status Active. Headliner: New filing: CASEY'S #4347 (Sunday Original Package) at 11109 E 23RD ST S, filed 09/11/2026 — with matching filings that day for CASEY'S GENERAL STORE #2213 (1110 E. 23rd St.), CASEYS 4351 (4208 S Noland Rd.), GOODSTOP BY CASEY'S #4343 (11715 E US Hwy 24), and CASEY'S #4342 (17600 E 39th St S). Public record
KSHB 41 reports a retaining wall along Truman Road near Union Street collapsed in June 2025, shunting pedestrians into traffic for a half-block for 14 months. The wall sits entirely in MoDOT right-of-way and carries historic-preservation requirements; the neighbor who'd pay to fix it herself says MoDOT won't allow it, while MoDOT's scope lists design and construction contracts "between 2026 and 2027." The City says its role has been coordination and that "the immediate issue has been addressed." Infrastructure
— KSHB 41
MoDOT KC will hold a public information session Tuesday, Oct. 6, 5–7 p.m. at Gregg/Klice Community Center (1600 John "Buck" O'Neil Way, KC, MO 64108) on the full I-70 closure between Van Brunt Blvd and Prospect Ave — roughly 11 months, beginning Jan. 11, 2027, weather permitting. A big deal for anyone routing through Independence toward downtown KC. Infrastructure
The council put a General Obligation Bond Question No. 1 on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot: $19.9 million to renovate, improve and equip city-owned historic buildings, facilities and grounds — priority to the Bingham-Waggoner Estate, Vaile Mansion, Truman Memorial Building, Old Fire Station One and the 1827 Log Courthouse — plus a 20-year business plan, funded by a property tax levy repaid within 20 years. It needs the four-sevenths (57.14%) supermajority; a 2025 bundled measure got 55.42% yes and still failed. Absentee voting began Sept. 22 (Independence absentee office, 110 N. Liberty St.; no-excuse in-person absentee starts Oct. 20). Elections
— City: bond question FAQ · Jackson County Election Board (absentee dates) · Hoodline (2025 near-miss)
Ongoing: First District voters recalled Councilman John Perkins roughly 68%–32% on Sept. 1; the Jackson County Election Board certified Sept. 8. The council has begun the process to place a replacement special election on the calendar (each costs roughly $164,000). Perkins joins Bridget McCandless and Jared Fears, voted out in April. Also on the November horizon for Independence voters: statewide Amendments 3 and 6 and Proposition A (congressional maps), per KCUR's election guide. Elections Ongoing
The Independence Farmers' Market is on today at the Independence Uptown Market with locally grown produce and meat, sweets and crafts from within 100 miles, SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks accepted. Rain odds rise through the afternoon — go early. Community
Love Where You Live: IndeCleanup — the citywide volunteer week (Sept. 27–Oct. 4, part of Missouri Good Neighbor Week) — opens Sunday with three simultaneous projects, each with a free Master Gardener plant clinic: Truman Memorial Building landscape care (416 W. Maple Ave.), Lipton Conservation Area invasive-removal (31st St.), and the Santa Fe Lookout at Santa Fe Park (2731 S. Santa Fe Rd.). Free and open to the public; registration: pears.io/events/mu/10027. Community
— City announcement · Truman Memorial project · Lipton project · Santa Fe Lookout project · The Examiner, Sept 22
The City published its Halloween events guide Sept. 21 — scares, history, free candy and costume events around town. Running through the season: Visit Independence's free Paranormal Pursuit Passport, a digital tour of 13 haunted sites including the Vaile Mansion, Bingham-Waggoner Estate, the 1859 Jail & Marshal's Home and Woodlawn Cemetery, with prizes for check-ins. And a patriotic footnote from Wednesday: the crew of the USS Harry S. Truman visited the Truman Library and Museum, where Mayor Kevin King proclaimed the day for the carrier and its sailors. Community
— City Halloween guide, Sept 21 · KCTV5, Sept 22 (passport) · KCTV5, Sept 23 (USS Truman crew)
| Sat 9/26 | Farmers Market at the Uptown Market, 8 a.m., 211 W. Truman Rd. · chance of storms most of the day (40%), high ~76°; 50% overnight |
| Sun 9/27 | IndeCleanup opens: 3 volunteer projects, 1–4 p.m. — Truman Memorial Building, Lipton Conservation Area, Santa Fe Lookout · early rain clearing to partly sunny, high ~78° |
| Mon 9/28 | City Council Study Session, 6 p.m., Independence Municipal Commons · partly sunny, high ~79° |
| Tue 9/29 | Planning Commission, 6 p.m., Independence Municipal Commons (agenda posts 24h ahead) · showers and storms likely (70%), high ~77° |
| Wed 9/30– | Police chief announcement expected early this week · IndeCleanup week continues through Oct. 4 |
| Oct–Nov | Oct. 6: MoDOT public session on the 11-month I-70 closure (5–7 p.m., Gregg/Klice Community Center) · October: data-center code package returns to the council · First District replacement special election to be scheduled · Nov. 3: $19.9M historic-sites GO bond on the ballot (absentee voting under way; no-excuse in-person from Oct. 20) · ISD Board next posted meeting — check the district calendar |