Thomas White

Independence City Council set to vote Monday night on AI data center tax incentives. Approval would mean the data center developer would pay a fraction of the taxes it would normally owe on buildings, land and equipment.

Kansas City adopted stricter energy conservation codes in 2023, hoping that neighboring cities would follow its lead. Instead, it may have become a competitive disadvantage, as Kansas City saw a drop in building permit applications while its neighbors saw big spikes.

An increasing number of Kansas City families have jobs but still need shelter or assistance, due to the gap between the wages they earn and the cost of housing. It’s a formula for rising homelessness.

The Unified Government and the BPU are in discussions with three proposed data center projects code-named Project Red Wolf, Project Yardbird and Project Linda. Officials insist the projects won’t increase utility bills for other ratepayers, but similar promises elsewhere have been proven false.

Residents describe fires, floods, infestation, and deterioration while living in Olive Park Village apartments controlled by a Cleveland-based housing management company. With the city citing unsafe conditions, remaining families now have to scramble for new homes.

Officials from Kansas City Public Schools and the Kansas City Public Library joined a chorus of public comments that prompted the delay.

More than 40,000 workers in Kansas City work in the 10 largest occupations most susceptible to AI automation — especially customer service and white-collar jobs.

The killing of beloved Irish-born chef Shaun Brady, who was shot in 2024 outside his Brookside restaurant, triggered at least $1.5 million in measurable costs, revealing the often-ignored economic burden that gun violence places on families, neighborhoods, businesses and taxpayers.

With more than 6,000 open food service job listings and no coordinated plan to address staffing, Kansas City restaurant leaders worry they won’t be ready for the massive influx of World Cup visitors in 2026.

Nearly 8 million borrowers on the SAVE plan face dramatic monthly payment increases as sweeping federal changes eliminate most income-driven repayment options. Kansas City-area borrowers could see bills jump by hundreds per month.