Mará Rose Williams

For the first time in its 107-year history, The Call, Kansas City's oldest and without a doubt most cherished Black-owned newspaper, did not publish this week — and the possibility that it will publish again in the near future appears grim. "It has not officially shut down, but it did not print this week, no, and the future is very unclear," said Tracy Allen, who has been editor in chief at the paper since 2023.

When Jackson County voters plucked Stacy Lake from the crowded field of Democratic candidates vying to advance to the November race for the county executive seat, they set her on a course to make history. And, with the mess that has been Jackson County government for years —not to mention Thursday's indictment of interim county executive Phil LeVota — it was a countywide cry for change. With five candidates in the race, Tuesday night's primary wasn't even close. Lake won with 45.9% of the vote.