Cynda Rader submitted her resignation to city officials on Wednesday, saying colleagues and constituents’ views weren’t being respected. The council will appoint a temporary replacement under city rules.

Crews began tearing down the Green Duck on July 14 after a May 31 fire left the Prospect Avenue landmark unstable. Demolition is paused while engineers evaluate the foundation.

Lee's Summit staple Grains & Taps will close its taproom Aug. 1; the attached home‑brew supply shop will remain open while owners seek a buyer or partner.

A statewide amendment on Aug. 4 would require Jackson County to elect its assessor and meet state training rules, even though local voters approved the change last year.

A Trenton woman pleaded not guilty after being charged with violating a protection order and furnishing pornographic material to a minor; bond set at $10,000.

Two people were killed and two others critically injured after an early Sunday crash on eastbound 350 Highway near Westridge Road in Raytown. Police are investigating.

A former Pleasant Hill teacher faces three counts of second‑degree statutory rape tied to an alleged 2009–2010 sexual relationship with a minor; court filings and phone evidence are central to the case.

The NTSB’s July 15 report says a Beech King Air ran out of fuel and struck a Butler Avionics hangar roof at New Century AirCenter; two people had minor injuries.

Seven people, including six children under 12, were injured Monday in a two-vehicle crash at N 17th and Wood in Kansas City, Kansas. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.

FOIA and OSHA records show staff urged a Midtown Family Dollar to close before its roof collapsed on July 27, 2025. OSHA cited the store and the company settled a penalty for $11,585.

A Kansas City man was sentenced to two decades in federal prison after prosecutors say he ran a delivery-style drug ring tied to Mexico.

A Jackson County jury convicted Charles Smith‑Howell in the 2023 death of Independence mother Ebony Duncan after prosecutors presented DNA and cellphone evidence.

Sauced returns to the Crossroads Tuesday, moving from a tiny walk‑up to a 2,000‑sq‑ft storefront with seating and air conditioning. Fans should watch the kitchen's channels for soft‑opening updates.

Some accounts have described a Sunflower Street incident in Smithville that reportedly left one person dead and another injured and said a suspect was taken into custody; those accounts and those details were not confirmed in the sources supplied for this article.