Archives: June 2026

Hoskins Redistricting Ii 20260512 2048x1365
Politics

Missouri secretary of state sues to close records on redistricting referendum signatures

Denny Hoskins denied a request for records detailing his action on a batch of signatures he withheld from the verification work of local election authorities. He’s asking the Cole County Circuit Court to back up his decision that the records are closed because of an ongoing lawsuit.
Rudi Keller,

Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins speaks to reporters May 12 after the Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments on two cases involving the state’s gerrymandered redistricting map (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent) Secretary of State Denny Hoskins wants the courts to shield him from disclosing how his office is reviewing a disputed batch of signatures on a referendum petition challenging the state’s…

World Cup Immigrants
Politics

Kansas City reflects global push to focus World Cup on workers and immigrants

Activists in Kansas City are using the world’s focus on soccer to highlight workers’ rights, social inequities and safety concerns for immigrants in the cities where the games are being played.
Mary Sanchez,

Lyon Lenk (left) and Nate Davis talk with attendees during a recent meeting of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. The group received updates on the Monarch Pledge and other efforts to highlight worker and immigrant rights during the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Mary Sanchez/The Beacon) Labor and human rights concerns have long been entwined with FIFA and the World…

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Music

‘Weird Al’ Yankovic brought polished musical madness to Morton

Allison Scavo,

“Weird Al” Yankovic. // photo by Allison Scavo “Weird Al” Yankovic with Puddles Pity Party Morton Amphitheater Friday, June 19 If there is anyone who can turn absolute musical chaos into a polished production, it’s “Weird Al” Yankovic. His stop in Kansas City was part concert, part comedy show, and part costume party with fans fully embracing the spirit of…

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Culture

Ahead of Celebrate AMERI’KANA Festival, Art as Mentorship releases tool for supporting Immigrant and Black-owned businesses

Ava McCluer,

AMERI’KANA Music & Arts Festival 2025 // Photo Courtesy of AMERI’KANA Before the vibrant festival even begins later this summer, Art as Mentorship and small businesses are encouraging locals to celebrate true Americana by offering an engaging tool: Passports are now available at places like Café Corazón, Café Cà Phê, and Baba’s Pantry, inviting customers to collect stamps in exchange…
Theater

Kansas City Actors Theatre brings mysterious and witty Mrs. Christie to UMKC

Emma Goulding,

Photo by Brandon Parigo In the hilariously mind-bending play written by Heidi Armbruster, Mrs. Christie explores the mysterious eleven-day disappearance of famous English writer and “Queen of Crime” Agatha Christie, alongside present-day parallels starring Lucy, a Christie fan who gets wrapped up in a hunt for a possible hidden manuscript.  While audiences may have read Agatha Christie classics like And…

Wilson Explains The Laws Of Robotics Pc Sorrell Lalune
Music, Theater

Robopocalypse: The Musical horror puppet show goes deeper than talking appliances

Kolby Brown,

Photo by Sorrell Lalune If there’s one thing that can rouse a varying degree of emotions, it’s puppets. Oregon-based theater company Puppeteers for Fears proves that yet again with their most recent comedy horror puppet show, Robopocalypse: The Musical! Featuring eccentric sets and talking appliances in true cyberpunk aesthetic, Robopocalypse enters a new realm of uncharted territory in puppetry—and Kansas…

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Sports

Photos: Ecuador vs. Curaçao at KC World Cup 2026

Tarik Sykes,

Photo by Tarik Sykes Ecuador and Curaçao squared off at the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 20—leaving a 0-0 scoreless draw. Our photographer Tarik Sykes was there to capture everything. Categories: Sports Tags: Curacao, Ecuador, FIFA, FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2026, World Cup, World Cup 2026, World Cup KC

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Music

Kustom Entertainment’s Stan Ross on 30 years of Country Stampede

Nick Spacek,

Country Stampede at Azura. // photo courtesy Kustom Entertainment Country Stampede takes place at Azura Amphitheater from Thursday, June 25, through Saturday, June 27, and features Rascal Flatts, Zach Top, Treaty Oak Revival, Wyatt Flores, Scotty McCreery, and Tracy Lawrence, among others. Details on the festival here. In its 30-year history, Kansas’ country music festival, Country Stampede, has steadily moved…
Culture

15th annual JuneteenthKC Heritage Festival to take place in Historic Jazz District

The free celebration be two days and feature vendors, a kid's area, and performances from Common, Akeem Ali, and more.
Ava McCluer,

Courtesy JuneteenthKC Facebook JuneteenthKC is celebrating 15 years of its Heritage Festival, which commemorates Juneteenth, the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of their freedom over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The free event will take place in the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District on June 19 from 12:00 – 8:00 p.m., and June…

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Sports

Photos: World Cup in KC sees Argentina take 3-0 hat trick victory over Algeria

Tarik Sykes,

Lionel Messi delivered a performance Kansas City soccer fans will remember for years. The Argentina captain scored a hat trick Tuesday night in Kansas City’s first FIFA World Cup match, leading the defending champions to a 3-0 advantage over Algeria. Our photographer Tarik Sykes was there to capture everything: Categories: Sports Tags: Algeria, Argentina, FIFA, FIFA World Cup, FIFA World…

Malik Hughes Sheridan Douglass Walker Maurissa Cunningham
Theater

Music Theater Heritage reimagines The Wiz with crisp vocals and dazzling lights

Kolby Brown,

Malik Hughes (Tinman), Sheridan (Scarecrow), Douglass Walker (Lion), Maurissa Cunningham (Dorothy) // Photo by Cory Weaver In an R&B reimagining of a classic, The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical is an upbeat rendition of Dorothy’s eventful journey back home.  The Wizard of Oz storyline is familiar to most audiences, and with The Wiz’s lively retelling, it’s difficult to keep energy…
Art, Culture

Jared Horman’s new Westport mural honors Kansas City drag artists

The public art piece commemorates 18 performers dating back to the 1870s.
Ava McCluer,

Jared Horman with the finished mural // Photo by John Brant Jared Horman’s art is stippled throughout Kansas City: he recently painted a Chappell Roan mural in Midtown, did a World AIDS Day mural on the side of KC CARE Health Center in 2020, and redesigned the official KC flag in 2023 with a simplified concept. His latest project in…

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Music

Indiana’s Granfalloon festival features a roadtrip-worthy KC lineup

Nick Spacek,

Waxahatchee. // photo by Molly Matalon Since 2017, Bloomington, Indiana, has played host to the Granfalloon, an arts festival of sorts celebrating creativity in the spirit of famous writer (and Hoosier) Kurt Vonnegut.  The annual event seeks to bring together “musicians, artists, thinkers, and good people from all walks of life for a celebration of art, ideas, and community.” While…
Culture, Music

Party with a purpose: Rock Island Bridge fashion show supports local nonprofits

Designer Q Ambition will show his bold letterman jackets and jerseys to benefit Prospect KC and Systems of Care Initiative.
Kolby Brown,

Designer Q Ambition // Photo courtesy Q Ambition When attending a fashion exhibition, the expected purpose is to showcase a curated collection of clothes. But for designer Q Ambition, runway shows are about more than presenting his work: They’re for bringing the community together, spreading awareness, and inciting change. Q Ambition is well-known in his field, with his brand’s luxury…

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Politics

Missouri settlements halt sales of concentrated kratom product 7-OH

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway says the concentrated kratom alkaloid is a dangerous opioid; sellers argue it should be regulated, not banned.
Rebecca Rivas,

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announces the state’s lawsuit against American Shaman in a press conference outside her office March 31, 2026 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent) Dustin Robinson says he was skeptical when a longtime friend first approached him about going into business selling a concentrated kratom compound known as 7-OH. Robinson had served seven years in a Kansas prison for…
Food & Drink

Eat This Now: Jerk chicken at Wah Gwan

Lyric Jackson,

Jerk chicken at Wah Gwan // Photo by Sarah Sipple Over at University Academy on Holmes Rd., Mr. Ryan Hall’s 8th-grade English class has a long-running practice of learning about food writing through the “Eat This Now” column from The Pitch. Given the chance to put words to any restaurant in town using our format, the students have a rare…

Dads Baked Goods
Food & Drink

Local actor opens Dad’s: A bakery built for community and a sweet return home

"When I describe this space, it’s a home base for sweet moments."
Kolby Brown,

Dad’s storefront // Photo by Shea Coffman No matter what career path you’ve been pursuing, changing course to follow your dreams is always possible—and Dad’s Bakeshop, Coffee, and Goods off 43rd and Main Street proves that.  Owner Shea Coffman opened up his bakery this May after only a couple of years of food industry experience, following two decades in the entertainment…