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[Local Stories | Local Business | Community]
This week's news is carrying a lot of weight. Downtown Days ended the way it has the last two years — badly — and the community conversation about what comes next is already underway. We've got the news report and a column from someone who was in the middle of building that festival for years. Both are worth your time.
Meanwhile, the City Council votes Tuesday on the FY27 budget and a policing agreement tied to the FIFA World Cup — and the World Cup itself is already here, with KC matches on the horizon and Futbol Fridays in downtown Lee's Summit kicking off this Friday.
It's a week that has it all. Let's get into it.
— Nick Parker, Link 2 Lee's Summit publisher
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Top of the news in Lee's Summit
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[Local Stories | Community]
City Council takes up FY27 budget and World Cup policing pact Tuesday
The Lee's Summit City Council meets Tuesday at 6 p.m. to cast final votes on the city's fiscal year 2027 budget — three ordinances covering general operations, employee pay, and fire department staffing that were introduced June 2 and return Tuesday for adoption. Also on the agenda: a mutual aid agreement that would deploy Lee's Summit officers to support law enforcement during FIFA World Cup 2026 events in the Kansas City metro. Chief Travis Forbes and Major Josh Patterson will present the agreement. The council will also weigh in on city insurance renewals and a Planning Commission appointment.
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[Local Stories]
Downtown Days marred by fights, incidents with teens for third straight year
For the third year in a row, Downtown Days ended Saturday night with fights, bear spray, and a police response. LSPD community engagement officer Kelly Johnson said officers detained two juveniles and recovered a 3D-printed ghost gun following a foot pursuit. Three cans of bear spray were also recovered after one was deployed by a juvenile near the carnival area at Third and Main. Festival leaders and city officials say they'll have a broader conversation about the event's future — but for now, the question of whether Downtown Days 2026 was the last one is very much on the table.
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[Local Stories | Commentary]
Commentary: Downtown Days may be gone, and that should matter to all of us
John Beaudoin helped run Downtown Days for years — served on the board, co-chaired the committee, worked the festival from setup to Sunday teardown. He knows what it took to build it and what's being lost. His column this week is a personal reflection on how the festival got here, what it still means for downtown Lee's Summit, and why this community conversation can't be left to the loudest voices on social media. Worth reading before you form an opinion.
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[Local Business]
Garmin KC Marathon taps local running retailer for 2026 official apparel
The Garmin Kansas City Marathon is doing something it's never done before — partnering with an independent local retailer to design its entire official apparel collection. The Running Well Store, a Lee's Summit business, launched the first wave of gear June 1, with artwork drawing on '90s running culture designed by former store manager Jacob Aiken. A fashion show in August will unveil the full collection ahead of the Oct. 17 race. Good story about a local shop getting a big shot.
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[Local Stories]
A World Cup superfan finally gets one in his own backyard
Kurt Austin has attended every FIFA World Cup since 2006 — Germany, South Africa, Rio, Qatar. Six tournaments across four continents. This summer, the Sporting KC communications director and Lee's Summit community member doesn't have to go anywhere. He's got three KC matches on his schedule, plus two more for the U.S. games on the road. Fred Liggett caught up with him on what it means to finally watch it come home.
Also: Want to watch the World Cup without leaving Lee's Summit? Futbol Fridays at the Green Street Pavilion kicks off this Friday, June 12, with five weeks of themed watch parties running 6-10 p.m. each Friday through July 10. Organized by LS Goal '26 in partnership with the Lee's Summit Chamber and city departments.
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Sponsored Content
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A bi-weekly look into the homes and market that make Lee's Summit a community
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Sponsored content presented by Mike Maksin, The Hern Group/KW.
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Local Sports
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St. Michael the Archangel's girls soccer team made it all the way to the Class 3 state championship before falling to Fort Zumwalt South 2-1 Saturday in Fenton. The Guardians finished 19-3-0 and dominated their semifinal, knocking out Capital City 6-0 a day earlier. Wytnee Herrman gave St. Michael the lead in the title match before Fort Zumwalt South rallied to claim the crown. Meanwhile, the KC Mavericks head to Florida up 2-0 in the Kelly Cup Finals after outscoring the Everblades 11-2 in the opening weekend at Cable Dahmer Arena.
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Local Events
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[Local Stories | Local Business | Community]
It's a full week with something for just about everyone. Kicking things off tonight, the Monday Night Nexus Event at Mindgames and Magic brings gaming to downtown starting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday brings Pilates + Yoga Fusion Flow at the Downtown Lee's Summit Farmers Market at 6 p.m. and Tuesday Night Karaoke at The Black Rabbit at 8 p.m. Wednesday is Farmers Market day, and Massage Heights Summit Fair celebrates its 15th Anniversary Event that evening at 6 p.m. Thursday night, Remembering Lee's Summit at Bridge Space starts at 6:30 p.m. — a good one if local history is your thing — and the Bluzboys Thursday Night Jam at VFW Post 5789 gets going at 7 p.m. Also Thursday: Ladies Night Out: Passport to Paradise in downtown Lee's Summit starts at 5 p.m. Friday is a big one: the Smalls Sliders Grand Opening at 10 a.m. — a new addition to the local restaurant scene worth checking out — and Futbol Fridays kicks off at 6 p.m. at the Green Street Pavilion, the first of five weekly World Cup watch parties running through July 10. Saturday wraps the week strong: a Square Dance Exhibition at the Green Street Farmers Market at 9 a.m., the Grains & Taps 13th Anniversary Celebration AM Brunch at Pine Tree Plaza at 9 a.m., and the Cardboard Boat Race at Longview Community Center at 9:30 a.m. That evening, Up From The Coop plays VFW Post 5789 at 7 p.m. and Aqua Glow Zumba lights up Summit Waves at 9 p.m.
If you, or your organization, have an event you'd like listed in Lee's Summit's only community calendar reaching more than 20,000 people, just click here and hit the "CREATE AN EVENT" button.
— Nick Parker, Link 2 Lee's Summit publisher
Your local events listing is brought to you by Bridge Space, a local coworking and event space helping make local news possible in Lee's Summit.
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Nick Parker / Link 2 Lee's Summit
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