— NWS alert feed for Independence (39.0911,-94.4155), office CWA EAX, fetched 6:01 a.m. Sept 15
Today (Tuesday): chance of rain showers 8 a.m.–4 p.m., chance of showers and thunderstorms 4–5 p.m., then showers and thunderstorms likely — mostly sunny, high near 90°F, heat index values as high as 97°, west wind 7–12 mph with gusts to 22 mph, 60% chance of rain, a tenth to a quarter inch possible. Tonight: showers and thunderstorms, mostly cloudy, low around 67°, northeast wind 6–9 mph, 80% chance — and 1 to 2 inches of new rainfall possible, the heaviest total of the week. Wednesday: storms before 8 a.m., slight chance until 10, then partly sunny, high near 89°, 80% chance early, another half to three-quarters inch possible. Thursday: slight chance of showers 7 a.m.–1 p.m., mostly sunny, high near 91°. Friday: sunny, high near 91°, slight chance of storms after 1 a.m. Friday night.
— NWS forecast & alerts for Independence (39.0911,-94.4155), NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill (CWA EAX), zone MOZ037, fetched 6:01 a.m. Sept 15
The Planning Commission meets tonight at 6 p.m. at the Independence Municipal Commons, first floor, 20201 E. Jackson Dr. The agenda is posted at least 24 hours ahead on the city's meetings page. It's the commission City Manager Troy Anderson said was “split” on advancing the stricter data-center/battery-storage zoning ordinance — the vote the City Council pushed to October after confusion from residents and councilmembers, with Mayor Kevin King saying he'd look into a public hearing first. Second District Councilmember Brice Stewart has 13 amendments in and more promised. The 180-day moratorium on new data-center and battery-storage zoning approvals continues regardless; the approved Nebius project and the smaller Patmos site are exempt from the moratorium, and the 16-count lawsuit against the Nebius build is pending in Jackson County court. Ongoing · Tonight
— City of Independence, Planning Commission Sept 15 · KC Star, Sept 9 (paywalled — summarized from the published report) · KC Star, inside the lawsuit
The Regular City Council Meeting is Monday, Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. — and City Manager Anderson says he'll bring a first reading of the special-election schedule to fill the First District seat vacated by John Perkins' recall. His recommendation: a February primary (if more than two candidates file) and an April general, piggybacking on already-scheduled election dates to save money. Candidate packets would likely be available early October. Until then, the First District has no council representation. City government
— KMBC, Sept 2 · City of Independence, Sept 21 council meeting
The city narrowed its nationwide search to four finalists: three from the Kansas City metro area, one from New Mexico (per KCTV5/the Star). Open house: Thursday, Sept. 24, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Midwest Genealogy Center, 3440 S. Lee's Summit Rd. — meet the candidates, ask questions, give feedback that will inform City Manager Anderson's pick; panel interviews also come before a selection. The city expects to name and swear in a chief by October. The department has had no permanent chief since Adam Dustman resigned Aug. 15, 2025; Doug Brinkley is interim. Related: a Jackson County judge ruled this week the city's Dustman separation agreement can stay sealed under Sunshine Law exemptions — a loss for the Star, which sued; the Star also reports Dustman has been paid more than $100,000 since resigning, and that a second separation agreement exists for retired Deputy Chief Jason Petersen. Public safety
— City of Independence, Sept 10 · KCTV5, Sept 10 · KC Star, Sept 11 (paywalled — summarized from the published report)
IPD is investigating a fatal crash Saturday, Sept. 12 on eastbound I-70 at Sterling Avenue — the department's second fatal motorcycle crash in under a week after the Sept. 8 crash at southbound Noland Rd. and I-70. Victim identities are withheld pending family notification; the Crash Investigations Unit is handling. Separately, police released photos of a man who may have information about a sex offense in Independence — white male, pale blue T-shirt, blue shorts, seen on a phone at what appears to be a QuikTrip, plus a photo of a person backing an Acura SUV. Call 816-325-7300 with information. Public safety
— City of Independence, Sept 12 · City of Independence, Sept 8 crash · KCTV5, Sept 11 · KMBC, Sept 11
City Manager Anderson named Richard Kemple interim director of Independence Power & Light, effective Aug. 8 after Joe Hegendeffer's departure. On National 988 Day (Sept. 8) the city highlighted local mental-health and suicide-prevention programs. IPD took part in the statewide “Saturation Saturday” DWI patrol. City government
— City, IPL interim director (Aug 6) · City, mental health resources (Sept 8) · City, DWI saturation (Sept 1)
The district's posted meeting list runs no further forward than Sept. 8, 2026, and the Sept. 8 packet states the next regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 13 — so there is no published agenda to build a “What to Watch” from today. Carrying over what stands from Sept. 8: the board set the 2026-27 tax rate at $5.5009 (operating levy $4.5891, up from $4.3254; debt service $0.9118 unchanged) because assessed values inside the district are expected to fall 6.3%, approved resolutions to issue refunding bonds for an estimated $1.1 million in interest savings (plus the $60M new-money Series 2026A bonds from the April 2026 voter approval), set the 2026-27 tuition rate at $14,193.86, and let bids on renovations at James Bridger Middle School (basement fine-arts classrooms) and Clifford H. Nowlin Middle School (kitchen). Recap · AI-drafted from the published packet
— ISD board meeting list · ISD Sept 8 regular meeting packet (PDF) · MyTownView, Sept 8 · KSHB 41, levy
The latest 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 for five Independence stores, all status Active. The headline one: New filing: CASEY'S #4347 (Original Package Liquor, Sunday Original Package, and Permission–Employ Minors) at 11109 E 23RD ST S, filed 09/11/2026. Same three licenses the same 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
New filing: BLEU HOUSE BISTRO (Retail by Drink and Sunday by Drink) at 15800 US 24, filed 09/01/2026 — licensee Bleu House Bistro, Inc. (Corporation), status Active. Public record
First District voters recalled Councilman John Perkins on Sept. 1 with about 68% in favor — the first recall of an Independence councilmember in city history — after his March vote for Nebius data-center tax breaks. Perkins, 10 years on the council and elected through 2028, joins Bridget McCandless and Jared Fears, the two other yes-voters voted out in April. The Jackson County board was set to certify Sept. 8; the charter now requires the council to promptly set a special election (primary + general unless two or fewer candidates), with the schedule's first reading expected Sept. 21. Running the recall plus follow-on elections could cost the city roughly $500,000 in total. Leigh Phillips — an Independence resident and elected committeewoman — was first to announce for the open seat; no other announced candidates have been publicly reported. Ongoing
— KCUR, Sept 3 · KCTV5, Sept 1–2 · NBC News, Sept 2 · KMBC, Sept 2 · The Examiner, Sept 3 · KC Star, recall cost
Independence voters will decide Nov. 3 on a $19.9 million general-obligation bond to repair five city-owned historic properties — Bingham-Waggoner Estate, Vaile Mansion, Truman Memorial Building, Old Fire Station One, and the 1827 Log Courthouse — with free resident admission to all five for the bond's 20-year life. The council put it on the ballot 7–0 on Aug. 17. As a municipal GO bond it requires a four-sevenths supermajority; a similar measure narrowly failed in 2025. Ongoing
— Hoodline, citing the KC Star and the City of Independence · FOX4
The U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 10 stayed a federal district court's order that had required Missouri to use the legislature's 2025 mid-decade map, leaving in place the Missouri Supreme Court's ruling striking that map down over the citizen referendum — so Missouri will almost certainly use the 2022 congressional lines in November, affecting how Jackson County voters (including Independence's) are grouped in the 5th/4th districts. Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has said his office will instruct counties to proceed under the 2022 lines amid a compressed ballot-reprinting window (overseas-absentee deadline Sept. 19). Separately, Hoskins faces a whistleblower lawsuit filed Monday by his fired election-integrity director Nicholas La Strada — whose lead attorney, Erin N. Vernon, is an Independence lawyer. Ongoing · Regional
— Live Press, Sept 14 · Washington Times, Sept 14 · KOMU 8, Sept 14
Main St. Diner is planned for 208 N. Main St. — the longtime Rheinland German Restaurant storefront — developed by Tony Restivo and family (son Anthony III as head chef, currently a cook at Rae's Cafe; Hannah Restivo co-owner). Plans: open daily at 6 a.m., all-day breakfast plus diner classics and Italian-American items (meatball sandwiches, cannolis), a walk-up window for coffee and breakfast sandwiches, closing 10 p.m. weekdays / 11 p.m. weekends, average meal around $15. Business
Show Me 250: Paint Your Own Patriotic Flower Pot — Saturday, Sept. 19, 10 a.m. at the Bingham-Waggoner Mansion and Estate, 313 W. Pacific Ave.: free, first-come, all ages, with free property tours for everyone who paints (rescheduled from the July 4 celebration due to heat). Also Saturday, Sept. 19, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.: Fellowship of the Field Picnic at George Owens Nature Park, 1601 S. Speck Rd. — potato sack race, nine-ring scavenger hunt, leaf-pin crafting, fishing, face painting, costume contest with KC Ren Fest tickets as prizes. $5 pre-registration / $10 at the door; register by Sept. 17, or call 816-325-7115. (Note: Saturday's rain outlook looks good — sunny, 91°.) Family
— City of Independence, paint-a-pot Sept 19 · City of Independence, Fellowship of the Field
| Tue 9/15 | ⚠️ Flood Watch until Wed 1 p.m. · Storms building this afternoon, 1–2 inches tonight · Planning Commission 6 p.m., Municipal Commons first floor, 20201 E. Jackson Dr. |
| Wed 9/16 | Storms early, then partly sunny, high ~89° · Southwest 353 Board of Directors 5 p.m., Municipal Commons |
| Thu 9/17 | Slight chance of showers 7 a.m.–1 p.m., mostly sunny, high ~91° · Board of Adjustment CANCELED, per the city events page · Deadline to register for Saturday's Fellowship of the Field picnic |
| Fri 9/18 | Sunny, high ~91° |
| Sat 9/19 | Show Me 250 paint-a-pot 10 a.m., Bingham-Waggoner Estate, 313 W. Pacific Ave. (free) · Fellowship of the Field Picnic 11 a.m.–1 p.m., George Owens Nature Park, 1601 S. Speck Rd. |
| Mon 9/21 | Regular City Council Meeting 6 p.m., Municipal Commons first floor — first reading expected on the special-election schedule for the recalled First District seat; data-center rules vote targeted for October |
| Thu 9/24 | Police chief finalists open house 5:30–7:30 p.m., Midwest Genealogy Center, 3440 S. Lee's Summit Rd. |
| Tue 10/13 | ISD Board of Education regular meeting (next scheduled, per the Sept. 8 packet) |
| Tue 11/3 | Election Day: $19.9M GO bond for five city-owned historic sites (needs 57.14%) · congressional elections under the 2022 maps per the SCOTUS stay |