World Cup Team(s) Arrive It’s starting to feel real.   The first World Cup team has landed in Kansas City. Defending champions Argentina touched down at KCI airport on Sunday and will begin practicing today at Sporting KC’s training facility in Wyandotte County. Much of the attention, of course, is focused on Lionel Messi. The soccer icon and his teammates are staying at the new Origin Hotel on Kansas City’s riverfront, where fans gathered over the weekend amid a heavy police presence. Argentina is just the first arrival. Kansas City’s three other base camp teams – England, the Netherlands and Algeria – will make their way to Kansas City next week. KC’s New Temporary Jail Opens Kansas City’s new 100-bed temporary jail is finally slated to open this week. City officials fast tracked the $25 million modular facility to help meet public safety needs during the World Cup. But it may not be fully ready. Staffing and training challenges mean it will likely open with fewer beds than originally planned. The opening marks the end of a 17-year stretch without a city jail. Since 2009, Kansas City has relied on facilities outside the metro, often requiring lengthy trips to transport detainees to rural jails. Last year, Kansas City voters approved funding for a new permanent jail. But it’s not expected to be completed until 2029. Free Bus Service Ends Get ready for a major change to bus service in Kansas City. For the first time in six years, bus riders are paying again. Starting today, most trips will cost $2 as Kansas City officially ends its fare-free transit experiment. The city made national headlines in 2020 when it became the first major U.S. city to eliminate bus fares. But with pandemic relief money gone, transit leaders say the program was no longer sustainable. Some riders still qualify for free or reduced fares, though confusion remains over who is eligible. And there’s another change: the new system is entirely digital, meaning cash is no longer accepted on board. New Concert Venue Opens If you’ve driven to KCI lately, you’ve probably noticed it. The 14,000-seat Morton Amphitheater in Riverside finally opens this week, transforming a highly visible stretch of Interstate 635, just north of downtown, into Kansas City’s newest concert destination. The Kansas City Star is already speculating the new venue could challenge Azura Amphitheater in Bonner Springs, Kansas, for shows and draw audiences away from Starlight. Its biggest selling point may be a sweeping canopy that covers most of the venue, offering protection from Kansas City’s famously unpredictable weather. Kesha is the first headliner to take the stage on Wednesday, but the public gets an early look tonight at a preview event called Sunset Soundcheck, featuring local musicians. And Kesha is just the beginning. On deck this summer: Rod Stewart, Guns N’ Roses, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Chris Stapleton, Tim McGraw, and Weird Al Yankovic. The amphitheater takes its name from Morton Salt, which recently relocated its headquarters from Chicago to Overland Park. Kansas City to Dublin? More than three years after opening its gleaming new terminal, KCI is still waiting for a direct flight to Europe. In fact, Kansas City doesn’t even have nonstop service to Canada. But that could be starting to change. On Tuesday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas meets with executives from the Irish airline, Aer Lingus to discuss support for a direct flight between Kansas City and Dublin. Veteran travelers may recall Icelandair’s much-heralded non-stop flights to Reykjavik. They didn’t last long. The service launched in 2018—and disappeared a year later. Could the luck of the Irish succeed where Iceland fell short? In Other News You Can Use Marilyn Monroe Centennial: Legendary actress Marilyn Monroe would have turned 100 today. The milestone is bringing a fresh wave of documentaries, books and speculation about her relationship with President John F. Kennedy and the circumstances that led to her untimely death at the age of 36. California Governor Election: Voters in California head to the polls today to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom. The state’s unique primary system means the top two vote-getters move on to the general election, regardless of political party. The race is the first in quarter of a century with no clear front-runner. Sixty-one candidates are on the ballot. Championship Week: It’s a big week in the two major sports that Kansas City doesn’t field a team. The Carolina Hurricanes face the Vegas Golden Knights in Game One of the Stanley Cup finals on Tuesday. And the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs tip off in the NBA Finals on Wednesday. KU Baseball Making Big Noise: Closer to home, KU baseball is enjoying a rare turn in the national spotlight. The Jayhawks are putting together one of the best seasons in program history, setting attendance records and moving within two wins of a trip to the College World Series in Omaha. They could punch their ticket this weekend as they take on the winner of this afternoon’s match-up between Georgia Tech and Oklahoma. Parade Week: It’s also a busy weekend for celebrations. Kansas City PrideFest returns this weekend, with the Pride Parade stepping off Saturday at 11 a.m. in Westport. And the city’s Juneteenth Cultural Parade winds through the 18th and Vine Jazz District at noon on Saturday. Good News, Poppets! Mrs. Doubtfire takes the stage at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday night. I didn’t even know the Robin Williams movie had been turned into a musical. It runs through Sunday. Tony Awards: Finally, Broadway’s biggest night arrives Sunday with the 79th Annual Tony Awards. Nick Haines tracks the metro’s most impactful, confusing and downright head-scratching local news stories on Week in Review, Friday nights at 7:30 pm on Kansas City PBS. The post Nick’s Picks | Messi, Jail, Buses, and More … first appeared on Flatland. ...read more read less