Archives: November 2026

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Politics

Josh Hawley calls for fasting and prayer after GOP losses, says party abandoned working people

The Missouri Republican criticized Medicaid cuts he voted to approve last year and questioned Senate leadership following Democrats’ sweeping election victories.
Jason Hancock,

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley speaks to reporters at the governor’s ham breakfast at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia on Aug. 15 , 2024 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent) U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley on Monday blamed Republican election losses on his party abandoning working Americans, criticizing cuts to Medicaid that he voted to approve last year. The Missouri Republican also called for…

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Music

TeenTix covers Making Movies’ blue wave victory lap at Folly Theatre

Hartlynn Gray,

Photo by Brock Wilbur TeenTix KC is an organization that helps provide KC youth with access to live stage performances. As part of that work, some up-and-coming  ‘Press Corps Members’ are tackling their first reviews—building up a next generation of critical, celebratory voices. Today, we’re thrilled to share Hartlynn Gray’s coverage of Making Movies’ album release show at The Folly….

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Food & Drink

Drink This Now: Corn to be Wild at Goat & Rabbit

River Louraine,

When I saw that Sway Coffee had concocted a limited-edition cornbread latte and I had missed it, I redirected my FOMO and decided to search for more drinks that utilized this unexpected flavor. As a side dish, it’s a delicacy for us Midwesterners with family recipes spanning back generations, and I marveled at the idea of turning it into an…

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Music

Garth Brooks let the thunder roll, took audience requests at T-Mobile madhouse

Nick Spacek,

Garth Brooks. // photo by Ben Krebs. Copyright Blue Rose Inc. Garth Brooks T-Mobile Center Friday, November 6 Early in Friday’s T-Mobile show, country superstar Garth Brooks remarked, “If someone comes to see you, you’re lucky; if they come back, you’re blessed.” Brooks is loaded with blessings, judging by the number of hands that went up and the cheers that…

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Music

Photos: Wage War brought a metalcore blast to The Uptown

Bentley Mahakijkittichai,

Wage War. // photo by Bentley Mahakijkittichai Wage War with We Came As Romans, Varials, and Cane Hill The Uptown Theater Wednesday, November 4 A veritable metalcore explosion rocked the Uptown Wednesday night when Florida’s Wage War brought the Emergency Broadcast tour to Kansas City. We Came As Romans, Varials, and Cane Hill were along for the ride, and our…

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Sports

Photos: Kansas City Current bests Angel City FC 1-0 in NWSL Quarterfinal

Tarik Sykes,

Photo by Tarik Sykes The No. 4 seed Kansas City Current opened the postseason in thrilling fashion Saturday afternoon at CPKC Stadium, taking down No. 5 seed Angel City FC (15-8-7, 52 pts., 5th place) 1-0 after extra time. After the match entered the 30-minute extra period scoreless, forward Michelle Cooper fired Kansas City ahead from the penalty spot in…

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Politics

Missourians rejected another abortion ban. Republicans say they’re not giving up yet.

Voters preserved abortion rights while making it harder for lawmakers to overturn citizen-approved measures. Anti-abortion Republicans are now looking for other ways to restrict access.
Anna Spoerre,

Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, embraces Margot Riphagen, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, during an Amendment 3 watch party in St. Louis. The crowd celebrated after the ballot measure aimed at banning abortion was voted down by Missourians on Tuesday (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent) Missouri Republicans spent two years trying to reinstate…

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Movies

The Federico García Lorca-inspired La Bola Negra may only hit the right nerves in Spain

Abby Olcese,

Courtesy Netflix I’ll give it this: Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo’s La Bola Negra certainly feels like a grand epic of operatic beauty and tragic love. There are shots that make your chest swell with the kind of sensory overwhelm few big-budget movies produce anymore. Every shot feels full, passionate, and interesting, like Goya paintings transported onto the landscape of…

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Politics

Missouri’s 2026 election results prove that the GOP can’t govern through culture war edicts 

Michael McGrady Jr.,

President Donald Trump speaks during an Oct. 19, 2026, rally at the Heartland Credit Union Arena in Park City, Kansas. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) The voters across Missouri, truly the entire United States, witnessed history on election day earlier this week. Once again this year, Missouri’s disgruntled voters overwhelmingly opposed the half-baked culture war ballot initiatives of the state…
Food & Drink

Fric & Frac celebrates 50 years on West 39th Street

Maisie VanSlander,

Photo by Maisie VanSlander Before the open sign flips into view, regulars file into Fric & Frac’s quiet restaurant, chairs still on top of the tables. Moseying in, these grizzled neighbors grab their signature beverage and settle into the afternoon. It’s Tuesday, the day the neighborhood men have a pool tournament that’s been going on for four years, but that…
Food & Drink

KC Sipps: A Diwali pop-up in Lenexa, a Mad Hatter’s tea party on W. 39th, and half-price merlot in North Kansas City

This week's Kansas City restaurant news.
Sarah Sipple,

KC Sipps logo by Teddy Rosen Life in KC is pretty delicious. In fact, there is often so much going on that it can be hard to decide where to go and what to try. That’s where I come in.  I’ve curated this weekly list of events, openings, deals, and celebrations to keep you in-the-know. Cheers! Something New News Bites:…

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Culture

Gregg Turkington talks On Cinema with Tim Heidecker ahead of Nov. 12 live KC show

Abby Olcese,

Courtesy On Cinema For what is ostensibly a quick-hit movie review show, Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington’s long-running TV and web series On Cinema has an astounding amount of lore. That probably comes as no surprise if you’re familiar with the two guys behind it. Heidecker and Turkington are both known for character-heavy, avant-garde comedy, often with them improvising as…

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Food & Drink

Eat This Now: Nutter Butter-inspired cookies at Broadway Butcher Shop

Sarah Sipple,

Cookies from Broadway Butcher Shop // Photo by Sarah Sipple A mutual of mine, artist Jared Horman, recommended these Nutter Butter-inspired cookies from Broadway Butcher Shop, and I don’t know which aspect caught my attention more: the uncommon cookie style or the fact that these came from a butcher shop. Regardless, I had to try.  I scheduled this specific visit…

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Politics

Missouri Republicans suffer biggest electoral setback in a generation

Democrats shattered GOP legislative supermajorities, flipped a congressional seat and gained ground in unexpected places as voters rejected abortion restrictions and efforts to weaken their power over state laws.
Jason Hancock,

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe kicked off a statewide tour in support of Amendment 3, a proposed abortion ban, with a press conference on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent) Republicans still control Missouri politics. But after Tuesday’s election, their grip on state government looks considerably less secure. Democrats ended Republican…

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Politics

US Sen. Roger Marshall lost his seat long before Kansans kicked him out. He just didn’t realize it.

Clay Wirestone,

Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall delivers his concession speech alongside his wife, Laina, at the Nov. 3, 2026, GOP watch party in Wichita. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall officially lost his seat to the Rev. Adam Hamilton on Tuesday night as part of a resounding repudiation of Republicans across the United States. But Marshall actually lost…

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Music

Photos: Goose goes Big Modern! at the Midland

Allison Scavo, River Louraine,

Goose. // photo by Allison Scavo Goose The Midland Theatre Tuesday, November 3 Since the 1970s, jam bands have created spaces for thousands of people seeking live music built on exploration and improv. From legends like Phish and Gov’t Mule, these artists focus more on musicality and going where the moment takes them. The genre is always evolving, and groups…

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Music

whateveramoon is making moves, literally, ahead of their Rino show Thursday

Nick Spacek,

whateveramoon. // photo courtesy the artist whateveramoon plays the Rino on Thursday, November 5, with Social Cig and Lovely Idea. Details on that show here. They also play the Replay Lounge with the Zooeys on Friday, November 13. Details on that show here. whateveramoon, the alternative pop/rock duo based in Kansas City, released their debut album, Flowers From Rain, in June after…

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Music

Minneapolis’ she’s green bring indie-fantasy debut swallowtail to recordBar

River Louraine,

Photo by River Louraine she’s green with support from Witches Exist and Starling recordBar Nov. 2, 2026 Minneapolis-based indie band she’s green is touring for their debut LP, swallowtail, an album filled with light and airy vocals and layered guitars. The band debuted in 2022 and is led by vocalist Zofia Smith, influenced by shoegaze artists like Slowdive and Cocteau…

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Food & Drink

Serving Hunt: We visited your favorite bartender’s favorite bartender

Maisie VanSlander,

Photo by Maisie VanSlander Behind every plate, glass, and to-go cup is a hand serving it. Service industry workers make up almost 10% of all U.S. employment, with some metro areas nearing 15%. These servers, bartenders, and baristas interact with hundreds, if not thousands, of people daily, collecting stories, perspectives, and horrors. Working-class industries like medical, culinary, and blue-collar have…

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Politics

Missouri voters reject Amendment 3, preserving abortion rights approved in 2024

The result is another victory for Missouri’s abortion rights groups, and a major setback for Missouri’s anti-abortion movement, which spent two years rebuilding its campaign after narrowly losing the 2024 vote.
Anna Spoerre,

Mallory Schwarz, executive Director of Abortion Action Missouri, celebrates the defeat of Amendment 3 on Tuesday (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent) Two years after becoming the first state to overturn an abortion ban at the ballot box, Missouri voters rejected an attempt Tuesday to reinstate the ban, instead preserving the reproductive rights protections they approved in 2024. The defeat of Amendment 3,…

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Politics

Five questions about Missouri’s election. Some are easier to answer than others.

From abortion rights and redistricting to competitive races in the suburbs, Tuesday’s election could offer clues about where Missouri politics is headed.
Jason Hancock,

A polling location in Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent) Missouri voters keep rejecting some of the GOP’s biggest ideas. Then they keep electing Republicans to run the state. Two years ago, voters protected abortion rights and approved paid sick leave. In August, they overwhelmingly rejected proposals to overhaul the tax system and make constitutional amendments harder to pass. Yet Republicans…