Nick’s Picks

Nick Haines dissects the week’s most impactful local news stories, Fridays at 7:30 p.m. on Kansas City PBS.

A view looking north from the proposed Kansas City Royals stadium with the downtown skyline in the background.

Nick’s Picks | Stadium (Again), Fire, ICE and More …

Big questions loom as the week begins — from stadium drama to detention centers to a familiar cliffhanger: Are we heading for another government shutdown? Signs of a New Royals Stadium Deal? Could last week’s closed-door meeting between the governor, mayor, and county executive signal that a deal is finally ready to be made on…

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The Kansas City Police Department is rolling out new uniforms this week. It's the first update in more than four decades. (Kansas City Police Department)

Nick’s Picks | Flu, Speeches, Protests and More …

Flu Surge Halts Surgeries Kansas City hospitals are cancelling hundreds of elective surgeries this week as they struggle to keep up with a surge of respiratory illnesses brought on by what the CDC is now calling the most brutal flu season in 25 years. The flood of hospitalizations is tied to a new influenza strain,…

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Nick’s Picks | A 2026 Top 10 List

The first day back after a big holiday is never easy. Your inbox is overflowing, your brain hasn’t caught up yet, and coffee is doing all the heavy lifting. We’ve got you. To ease you back into reality, here’s a handy (and mildly entertaining) guide to the 10 biggest projects and cultural moments headed your…

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Christal Watson will be sworn in the evening of Dec. 15, 2025, as the new mayor of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. (Carlos Moreno | KCUR 89.3)

Nick’s Picks | WyCo, High-Rises, Buses and More …

Kelce Retirement Announcement? What’s your big new distraction now that the Chiefs are out of the playoffs? It’s going to be a long winter for Chiefs fans after the team fails to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Now get ready for the questions: Will Travis Kelce announce his retirement this week?…

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Scarves aloft, Ali Samaniego, at left, and Veronica Brewer celebrate at a regionwide watch party for the final draw. In the countdown to the FIFA World Cup, the event drew a crowd Friday morning to KC Live! in the Power & Light District. (Julie Denesha | KCUR 89.3)

Nick’s Picks | Soccer, Signatures, Supplements and More …

Reworking World Cup Plans  Now that we know which World Cup teams will be coming to Kansas City, are local officials about to redraw the game plan?   While a formal announcement could come later this week, the Kansas City World Cup Host Committee is dialing up its fan projections after drawing the reigning World Cup champions, Argentina and European soccer powerhouse,…

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