Nick’s Picks | The Pope, Fountains, Trees, and More …

Remembering Pope Francis

It’s going to be a week of mourning as Catholics around the world mark today’s passing of Pope Francis. The Argentinian-born pontiff was 88 years old.

Francis’s death triggers a series of rituals and procedures. His papal ring will be destroyed, and his rooms will be sealed. He will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica, and the world’s cardinals will converge on Rome to choose a new pope.

The cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel for a conclave and vote by secret ballot. A two-thirds majority is needed to elect a new pope. Votes are repeated until enough support emerges for the top candidate.

The last conclave took place in March 2013, after the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict.

Earth Day Walk-Back

Tuesday is Earth Day, and Missouri lawmakers are in no mood to celebrate. In fact, they’re walking it back.

On the agenda this week is a Missouri House bill that bans cities and counties from requiring that new housing be energy efficient, environmentally sustainable or meet green design codes.

Developers have complained that the cost of housing is rising sharply because of all the new energy standards builders are expected to meet.

And the Secret Company Is …

We’re expected to find out this week the name of the secret company planning to bring 2,000 jobs to the former Sprint Campus in Overland Park.

While the city’s mayor, Curt Skoog, remains tight-lipped, the Kansas City Business Journal is reporting that its Milwaukee-based fintech firm Fiserv.

Last Week, Reviewed

Chances are good you’ve never heard of them. But Fiserv is a Fortune 500 company that has its name on the NBA arena in Milwaukee and is fast expanding its national profile.

The company expects to hire up to 2,000 full-time employees by March 2030 with an average salary of $125,000.

It could also put an end to the talk of the Kansas City Royals moving their stadium to the former Sprint campus.

Tesla Arsonist Appears in Court

A 19-year-old Kansas City college student will appear in federal court this week, charged with firebombing the Tesla dealership on State Line Road.

Owen McIntire allegedly lit a Molotov cocktail, made from an apple cider vinegar bottle, and threw it at a Cybertruck. The fire destroyed two vehicles and two electric charging stations.

McIntire was apprehended in Boston, where he’s a student at the University of Massachusetts. He was home for spring break at the time of the attack.

McIntire could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.

Mass Layoffs at Southwest

They broke the hearts of loyal passengers when they announced they would start charging for bags, now Southwest Airlines is announcing massive layoffs.

The carrier is set to lay off 1,750 employees beginning on Tuesday, marking the first mass involuntary workforce reduction in the company’s 53-year history.

Southwest is the largest airline serving Kansas City International Airport.

The NFL Draft Kicks Off Thursday

The NFL draft starts Thursday.

Do you remember when we hosted the big football bash?

This year it’s in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

As Super Bowl runner-ups, the Chiefs will have the No. 31 pick. But several sports sites say the Chiefs are ready to make a bombshell trade announcement to snag a higher slot.

In Other News You Can Use …

• The 2025 Boston Marathon started this morning.
• Wednesday is Fountain Day in Kansas City, the day the city’s most prominent fountains are turned on for the season.
• Wednesday also marks the 20^th anniversary of the first video uploaded to YouTube. It was a jerky 19-second clip in front of the elephant exhibit at the San Diego Zoo.
• Remember George Santos? The former Republican congressman from New York will be sentenced on Friday. Prosecutors are asking for more than seven years in prison for identity theft and wire fraud.
• Also on Friday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas will plant the city’s ceremonial 10,000^th tree.  The milestone is part of a $1 million project called Canopy Cover KC, which promised to boost Kansas City’s tree canopy by adding 10,000 trees over three years.

UFC and WWE in Town

It’s going to be a busy week at T-Mobile Center.

In a five-day span, the arena will host the wrestlers of the WWE, the fighters of the UFC, and the professional bull riders of PBR.

That means a lot of turnarounds, from moving 750 tons of dirt, erecting a wrestling ring, to setting up an eight-sided metal cage.

Mayor Lucas is excited. He plans to be at the WWE Raw event.

Nick Haines tracks the week’s most impactful local news stories on Week in Review, Friday nights at 7:30 pm on Kansas City PBS.