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Up North dispatch: Will KC streetcar keep heading north?

Riders disembark from the KC Streetcar at Berkley Riverfront Park on Thursday, May 21, 2026, in Kansas City. Service to the park began on May 18, 2026.
Riders disembark from the KC Streetcar at Berkley Riverfront Park on Thursday, May 21, 2026, in Kansas City. Service to the park began on May 18, 2026. tljungblad@kcstar.com

Good afternoon, Northland!

I’m Jenna Ebbers, back with your roundup of the biggest Northland stories from the past week.

Today, we’re diving into the growing possibility of Kansas City’s streetcar extending across the Missouri River and into the Northland.

Just weeks after the KC Streetcar celebrated the opening of its Riverfront extension, attention is shifting to the idea of expanding service into North Kansas City as ridership south of the river continues to rise significantly.

Project leaders are giving residents a few chances later this week to learn more about what’s possible and what comes next.

“Our next phase is how we bridge those divides that have broken up our community for too long,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said.

My colleagues Robert Cronkleton and Eleanor Nash have the story.

📣 Spread the word! If you enjoy this newsletter, forward it to another Northlander in your life. If it was forwarded to you, here’s where to sign up for this free newsletter.

What’s new in the Northland?

🎤 Kesha rocked the stage at Morton Theater’s first-ever concert last week, bringing glitter, glam and high energy to the metro’s newest concert venue in Riverside.

⛺ Any World Cup travelers hoping to pitch a tent in North Kansas City will need a new plan after city officials approved a camping ban through the final match.

Argentina fans sing and cheer outside of Origin Hotel on the riverfront as members of Team Argentina check into the hotel for the first time in their World Cup preparations. Argentina landed in Kansas City on Sunday morning.
Argentina fans sing and cheer outside of Origin Hotel on the riverfront as members of Team Argentina check into the hotel for the first time in their World Cup preparations. Argentina landed in Kansas City on Sunday morning. PJ Green

🚨 Rare, high-end baseball, football and soccer cards were stolen from a Liberty trading-card shop during an early-morning burglary.

🚓 Two months after a fiery car crash killed a Park Hill High School senior, charges have been filed against an 18-year-old Riverside man.

💔 A 5-year-old boy who “lit up every room” died last month after he was suddenly hit by a falling tree while exploring a Northland trail.

😡 A KC ethics panel is now questioning whether a Northland council member misused the city’s email system to promote his campaign for a seat in Congress during JD Vance’s visit.

My favorite reads

💡 KC’s famous Western Auto sign will be brought back to life and relit for the first time in a year this summer. But will it be done in time for the World Cup? Eric Adler has the details.

🗳️ A Northland City Council member is hoping to become KC’s next mayor, aiming to transform the city into the cultural capital of the heartland. My colleague, Dylan Lysen, shares more.

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That’s all for now! See you next week.

Jenna Ebbers
The Kansas City Star
Jenna Ebbers covers Clay and Platte counties in Kansas City’s Northland. Before joining The Star in January 2026, she reported on K-12 education and early childhood at the Lincoln Journal Star in Nebraska. She is a Nebraska native and a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
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