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Kansas City residents see decrease in downtown illegal sideshows, city continues efforts to eliminate them

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Kansas City residents see decrease in downtown illegal sideshows, city continues efforts to eliminate them


KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne covers issues surrounding government accountability and solutions. Share your story with Isabella.

City Council members in Kansas City, Missouri, passed two ordinances in September to deter illegal street racing and sideshows; Rumble strips at intersections and penalties ranging from $250 to $1,000 and possible jail time.

Spinouts and racing spectacles plagued Kansas City’s Crossroads District through the summer and left businesses, customers and neighbors frustrated and concerned for their safety.

“We were really desperate and begging for some sort of action,” David Johnson said.

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Johnson lives near what used to be a notorious intersection before the city installed rumble strips in September.

He said there are fewer side shows and spinout spectacles, but the racing noise still continues.

Al Miller

“It’s gone down a little bit,” Johnson said. “We just don’t see the tire marks, which is the telltale sign that this is happening.”

Rumble strips have been installed at 37 different intersections throughout the metro.

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Councilman Crispin Rea said the rumble strips and penalties are a good start, but there’s more work to be done to stop illegal side shows and street racing permanently.

Crispin Rea

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“The activity has been diminished, but it’s not completely stopping some of the gathering of folks on four-wheelers, motorcycles, and some of these other disruptive events,” Councilman Rea said.

While neighbors like Johnson are happy their streets are safer, they’ve noticed dangerous drivers flocking to other parts of the city.

“It’s a bit like whack-a-mole trying to chase people,” Johnson said. “The less opportunity you give for people to create havoc in our streets, they’ll go elsewhere.”

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Illegal street racing has made its way down to south Kansas City, where a recent crash took the lives of two innocent people.

“It’s one more unfortunate example in a long list of many that we need to continue to make our streets safer,” Councilman Rea said.

Rea said traffic safety is one of the top priorities for the city council in 2025. The city is looking at long-term solutions like road diets and safer street redesign.

“We owe it to our residents to make our streets safer. They deserve safer streets,” he said.

A spokesperson with the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department said there has been a decrease in illegal street racing and side shows since the recent implementations.

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“These physical additions to roadway with continued enforcement by patrol and targeted efforts by the traffic unit have made a significant impact in street racing,” KCPD PIO Sgt. Phil DiMartino said. “We will continue these efforts into 2025 and we will continue to encourage our community members to report any illegal sideshows.”





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Star lineup unveiled for FIFA Fan Festival in Kansas City

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Star lineup unveiled for FIFA Fan Festival in Kansas City


KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With less than two months until the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in cities across the country, KC2026 announced the lineup of artists expected to perform at the Kansas City FIFA Fan Festival.

From the Chainsmokers to Flo Rida to Kansas City legend Tech N9ne, fans can expect to see dozens of performances from top acts over the course of the 18-day event.

Here are some headline dates scheduled during the “world’s biggest football party,” according to KC2026:

  • The Chainsmokers — June 13
  • Flo Rida — June 19
  • Cimafunk — June 20
  • Gabby Barret — July 3
  • The All-American Rejects — July 11
  • Tech N9ne — June 12 and July 11

Several other performers will take to the stage outside of the National World War I Museum and Memorial. The list of artists can be found in the poster image provided below:

According to KC2026, all acts and dates are subject to change, and tickets to the event are already available on the KC2026 Fan Fest website.

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General admission is free and open to the public; however, the organization is offering other packages to upgrade the experience. Here’s everything you need to know:

  • General Admission — Free
    • On a first-come, first-served basis
  • Premium Garden Pass — $55
    • Includes all the benefits of general admission, access to expedited entry lanes, exclusive standing-room viewing in the Premium Viewing Area, premium restrooms, a dedicated bar area and access to premium food options.
  • Legacy Lounge Pass — $225
    • The Legacy Lounge Pass includes all the benefits of the Premium Garden Pass with access to an air-conditioned lounge, a two-tiered viewing structure, all-inclusive food options, a premium beverage package,  climate-controlled restrooms, unique photo opportunities with iconic Kansas City sports memorabilia and access into the Premium Viewing Area.

The FIFA Fan Festival will serve a maximum of 25,000 people daily and include KC match days, USMNT match days and the Fourth of July.

Fans can expect the stage at the event to be twice the size of Chappell Roan’s massive October 2025 concert, when she performed two sold-out shows on the lawn of the World War I Museum and Memorial to approximately 30,000 fans each night.

Over the course of the tournament, the festival will have themed days to get fans in the World Cup spirit. For a list of those themed events, click here.

For more information about the tournament, tune into Kansas City’s World Cup headquarters, FOX4 News, for the latest announcements before and during the historic summer event.

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Kansas Governor Laura Kelly urging lawmakers to be ‘honest’ about property tax relief ahead of 2026 election

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Kansas Governor Laura Kelly urging lawmakers to be ‘honest’ about property tax relief ahead of 2026 election


TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly is sending a strong message to lawmakers, who she believes are making unrealistic promises to voters about property tax relief.

As the election season approaches, all 125 members of the Kansas House of Representatives are up for re-election. Property taxes continue to be a major issue for home and business owners in the state, and it’s an issue that many Kansas lawmakers focus their campaign on. This year, Kelly is warning lawmakers against this.

“Legislators are out there promising the moon to people when it comes to property taxes,” Kelly said. “The fact of the matter is that the state has very little control over property taxes.”

Currently, the state levies 20 mills of property tax to help support Kansas schools. All other property tax in the state is being imposed and collected by local governments. Kelly is hoping that lawmakers make that clear to voters while they run their campaigns.

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“I hope on this campaign trail that candidates are honest about what they can really do, which is work with their local elected officials to come up with a resolution,” Kelly said.

Lawmakers attempted to pass legislation during the 2026 legislative session. The Kansas Senate favored a plan that would’ve placed a 3% cap on annual property value increases. The House of Representatives proposed a “rolling averages” plan, which would calculate a home’s taxable value based on the average of its market value over a set number of years.

Ultimately, neither of those plans went through. However, lawmakers did manage to pass HB 2043, a protest petition bill. It allows voters to push back on property tax increases if they go above 3%.

It now sits on Kelly’s desk waiting for her decision. She can either sign the bill or veto it. Kelly did not comment on where she stands on the bill today.


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Man arrested in Riley County for fatal southwest Kansas crash

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Man arrested in Riley County for fatal southwest Kansas crash


RILEY COUNTY—A man involved in a fatal southwest Kansas crash was arrested Tuesday in Riley County.

According to the Riley County Police Department activity reported, just before 5p.m.  Tuesday 21-year-old Nicholas Ellis Biddle of Wichita, was arrested in the 1000 block of S. Seth Child Road on a Seward County District Court warrant for involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving, maximum speed limits and failure to yield at a stop or yield sign.

In June of 2024,the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Chevy Silverado driven by Biddle was southbound on Road T at U.S. 160 in Seward County.

The driver failed to yield and struck a westbound 2017 Nissan Rogue driven by Jamee E. Perez, 42, Hugoton. After impact both vehicles rolled an unknown number of times before coming and came to rest in the ditch.

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EMS transported Biddle and Perez to Southwest Medical in Liberal where Perez was pronounced deceased. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

According to the Riley County Police Department, Biddle met the requirement of a $50,000 bond and is no longer confined in the Riley County Jail.



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