— NWS alert feed for Independence (39.0911,-94.4155), office CWA EAX, zone MOZ037, fetched 6:00 a.m. Sept 28
Today: mostly sunny, high near 77°F, east wind around 6 mph; clear tonight, low around 62°. No heat-index concerns. Tuesday: mostly sunny and warmer, high near 82°, SSE wind 6–12 mph gusting to 20; a slight chance of showers after 1 a.m. Wednesday (20%). Wednesday: chance of rain showers (40%), high near 82°, south wind around 14 mph gusting to 24; Wednesday night: showers and thunderstorms (90%), three-quarters to one inch of rain possible. Thursday: showers and thunderstorms (90%), high near 75°, continuing Thursday night (70%), then cooling to a low near 57°. KMBC's Monday outlook matches: "great, comfortable Monday," with midweek showers expected. Weather
— NWS forecast for Independence (39.0911,-94.4155), NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill (CWA EAX), zone MOZ037, fetched 6:00 a.m. Sept 28 · KMBC, Sept 27
Recap (AI-drafted from press): the four finalists — Chief Gregory Dull (Excelsior Springs), Chief Steve Hebbe (Farmington, NM), Major Keith Kirchhoff (KCPD Violent Crimes), and Chief Edward Turner (Grain Valley, a 25-year IPD veteran) — finished three panel interviews each Friday, following Thursday's open house at the Midwest Genealogy Center. Anderson told the Star's columnist Saturday he expects to announce "early (this) week, Monday (or) Tuesday"; resident feedback cards, the online survey and the panels all feed the decision, with contract negotiations to follow. The selected chief is set to start before the end of October, inheriting a department without permanent leadership since Adam Dustman's August 2025 resignation. Watch for the announcement at independencemo.gov/news. City government Today's top watch
— KC Star column, Sept 27 (announcement timing + finalist profiles) · KCTV5, Sept 25 · The Examiner, Sept 25 · City announcement, Sept 10
Monday, Sept. 28, 6:00 p.m. — Study Session, Independence Municipal Commons. Tuesday, Sept. 29, 6:00 p.m. — Planning Commission, same location; the agenda uploads at least 24 hours ahead. Wednesday, Sept. 30 — a Street Improvement Oversight Committee meeting is also on the city calendar. With the data-center code package expected back before the full council in October and the 180-day moratorium running into December, Tuesday's Planning Commission remains the meeting to watch. City government
— City: Study Session, Sept 28 · City: Planning Commission, Sept 29 · City: SIOC, Sept 30
Ongoing: the Independence GUARD Alliance's lawsuit in Jackson County Circuit Court — 16 claims against the city, Independence Power Partners and Missouri ADC Holdings (a Nebius entity), alleging Sunshine Law, zoning, charter and construction-ordinance violations — remains in the system; the city and Nebius have both said they believe approvals were handled in accordance with applicable law. Separately, the council's 180-day moratorium on new data-center and battery-storage (BESS) applications (adopted July 6, 7–0) runs into December and does not touch the Nebius project; staff are drafting tiered zoning rules (special use permits for facilities above 2.5 MW, buffers, etc.). Bly Road neighbors have also complained about construction impacts (dust, night pours, truck traffic) in coverage of the fight. City government Ongoing
— KC Star (lawsuit detail) · KSHB 41 (GUARD filing) · KMBC · KCTV5 (moratorium + draft code) · City moratorium announcement
Press, published within the last day: a retaining wall along Truman Road near Union Street collapsed in June 2025, pushing pedestrians into traffic a block from the Truman home. Neighbor Malissa McCleery says she's spent $1,700 keeping the walkway clear and has contractors ready, but MoDOT (which has jurisdiction over the right-of-way) hasn't let her rebuild; MoDOT says design and construction contracts are being procured between 2026 and 2027 because of historic-preservation and environmental review. The city says the wall is entirely in MoDOT right-of-way and that it has been coordinating; a city councilmember calls the lack of even routine clearing frustrating. Infrastructure Press
The district's board-meeting list still shows nothing past Sept. 8, 2026, so there is no forward agenda to preview. Recap of that meeting (AI-drafted from the meeting summary): the board approved a slate of refunding bonds for an estimated $1.1 million in interest savings, adopted the 2026–2027 tax-rate levy, and approved updated salary guides, transportation routes and a new tuition rate, with presentations on finances, internet safety and the first week of school. ISD
— MyTownView, Sept 8 board recap · ISD Sept 8 meeting packet
Aggregate assessed values in the district are expected to dip about 6.3% for 2026, so the district bumped the operating levy to $4.5891 per $100 while holding debt service at $0.9118 — an overall increase just over 5.0%, within Hancock Amendment limits but complicated by Jackson County's three-year tax-credit plan following the botched 2023 reassessment. Independence settled and dropped its related lawsuit against the county in July; the district estimated the credit plan could cost it roughly $19 million over 2026–28. ISD Money
— The Examiner, Sept 15 · KSHB 41 · KMBC (lawsuit dismissal, July 31)
Ongoing context for Tuesday's Planning Commission and the October code debate: under the Chapter 100 deal, projected payments in lieu of taxes split across taxing jurisdictions include $463.4 million for the Independence School District (and $62.7 million for Fort Osage) — the school board passed a resolution supporting the project, a stance that factored into the April municipal elections and the Sept. 1 recall. ISD Ongoing
Headliner: New filing: CASEY'S #4347 (Sunday Original Package) at 11109 E 23RD ST S, filed 09/11/2026. Matching filings that day under the same licensee cover three license types — Original Package Liquor, Sunday Original Package, and Permission–Employ Minors — for CASEY'S GENERAL STORE #2213 (New filing: CASEY'S GENERAL STORE #2213 (Original Package Liquor) at 1110 E. 23rd St., filed 09/11/2026), CASEYS 4351 (New filing: CASEYS 4351 (Original Package Liquor) at 4208 S Noland Rd., filed 09/11/2026), GOODSTOP BY CASEY'S #4343 (New filing: GOODSTOP BY CASEY'S #4343 (Original Package Liquor) at 11715 E US Hwy 24, filed 09/11/2026), and CASEY'S #4342 (New filing: CASEY'S #4342 (Original Package Liquor) at 17600 E 39th St S, filed 09/11/2026). All 15 records show status Active. Public record
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. Significant for anyone routing through Independence toward downtown Kansas City. Infrastructure
Recent IPD statements on the city site: a pregnant woman and her unborn child were killed in the Sept. 19 Walnut Street crash near Dodgion (city statement); the Sept. 17 shooting in the 500 block of N. Dover Drive killed 41-year-old Dane Pace, and William Adams, 25, has been charged with second-degree murder (city statement, The Examiner, Sept 23); a Jackson County grand jury has charged William Morrison, 62, of Sugar Creek in the killing of business partner Johnathon Brown, whose body was found beneath freshly poured concrete in an Independence basement (KCTV5, Sept 3; grand-jury indictment via Spot On Missouri/Fox 4). Public safety City news
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 — priority to the Bingham-Waggoner Estate, Vaile Mansion, Truman Memorial Building, Old Fire Station One and the 1827 Log Courthouse — funded by a property tax levy repaid within 20 years. It needs the four-sevenths (57.14%) supermajority; the 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 · The Examiner, Aug 18 · Jackson County Election Board (absentee dates)
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 steps toward a replacement special election for the remaining two years of the term (each such election costs the city roughly $164,000, and candidates must qualify by petition). Perkins joins Bridget McCandless and Jared Fears, who were voted out in April. KCUR's metro election guide also flags statewide Amendments 3 and 6 and Proposition A (congressional maps) on the November ballot for Independence voters. Elections Ongoing
— KC Star (replacement process) · KSHB 41 · Ballotpedia (results) · KCUR election guide, Sept 15
Love Where You Live: IndeCleanup — the citywide volunteer week (Sept. 27–Oct. 4, part of Missouri Good Neighbor Week) — is in its third day. On this week's city calendar: the volunteer corridor cleanup kicks off Wednesday, Sept. 30, 8 a.m., and a George Owens Nature Park volunteer project runs Wednesday, Sept. 30, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., with drop-off and pickup options across the city all week. Wednesday looks like the wettest cleanup day (40% showers, storms arriving overnight), so check event pages before heading out. Sign-ups and details: independencemo.gov/indecleanup. Community
— City announcement · Corridor cleanup, Sept 30 · George Owens project, Sept 30
The City's Halloween events guide (published Sept. 21) rounds up scares, history, free candy and costume events around town. Running all season: Visit Independence's free Paranormal Pursuit Passport — a self-guided digital tour of 13 haunted sites including the Vaile Mansion, Bingham-Waggoner Estate, the 1859 Jail & Marshal's Home and Woodlawn Cemetery, with points and prizes for check-ins through Nov. 6. Sign up at visitindependence.com/paranormalpursuit. Community
— City Halloween guide, Sept 21 · KCTV5, Sept 22 · KSHB 41, Sept 23
The city's Toddler Town is on the calendar for Thursday, Oct. 1, 9:30–11:30 a.m. NWS has Thursday's storms (90%) ramping up through the day, with a cool, damp Friday behind it — Thursday morning is the window. Family
| Mon 9/28 | City Council Study Session, 6 p.m., Independence Municipal Commons · police chief announcement expected today or tomorrow · mostly sunny, high ~77° |
| Tue 9/29 | Planning Commission, 6 p.m., Independence Municipal Commons (agenda posts 24h ahead) · mostly sunny and warm, high ~82°; slight shower chance after 1 a.m. |
| Wed 9/30 | IndeCleanup Volunteer Corridor Cleanup, 8 a.m., citywide · George Owens Nature Park project, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. · Street Improvement Oversight Committee meeting · showers likely (40%), high ~82°; storms arrive overnight (90%) |
| Thu 10/1 | Toddler Town, 9:30–11:30 a.m. · showers and thunderstorms (90%), high ~75° · IndeCleanup continues through Oct. 4 (bulky-item pickup and drop-offs) |
| Oct–Nov | Oct. 3: Farmers Market at the Uptown Market, 8 a.m. · 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 due back before the council; new police chief starts before end of month · 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 |