Royals Return Baseball is back…and earlier than ever. Opening Day lands Wednesday, the earliest start in MLB history. The Kansas City Royals will begin the season on the road, with a Friday opener in Atlanta. And what about that much-hyped Royals new stadium reveal in time for “Open ing Day?” Yeah, right. Consider it stuck in another “rain delay.” The Royals home opener is next Monday against the Twins. Last Week Reviewed March Madness Getting More Crazy Will you still watch March Madness now that there are no local teams left to root for? With Mizzou and Kansas bounced, local brackets are busted early. And now another March Madness twist you’ll be hearing lots about this week— is Bill Self retiring? The KU head coach is making headlines after saying he may not return to coach the Jayhawks, citing health concerns. Kansas Lawmakers Wrap Up That was fast. Kansas lawmakers are packing up and heading home Friday as the regular session of the legislature ends. They’ve got a deep pile of unfinished business to get to before the clock runs out, including setting up a public sports authority that would take ownership of the new Chiefs stadium in Wyandotte County.  Chiefs’ officials warn that without it, more than 40% of the project could vanish into federal taxes making the $3 billion deal unworkable. Also look for these issues to possibly sneak through before the final gavel comes down: A bill legally protecting Kansas law enforcement agencies that work with ICE agents A plan to scrap state sales taxes on guns, bullets, and accessories A requirement that high schoolers pass a U.S. citizenship test to graduate And a measure blocking undocumented Kansans from qualifying for in-state tuition Ditching Income Tax A plan to wipe out income taxes in Missouri is expected to reach the governor’s desk this week. The plan has already been approved by the House with a vote scheduled in the Senate later this week. It’s a top priority of Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe, who wants to expand the sales tax and scale back state government to make up for the revenue loss. But even if the measure crosses the finish line in Jefferson City this week, it still needs to be approved by voters, likely on the August ballot. Another Street Name Change Remember all those fights in Kansas City over the renaming of Paseo Boulevard? Now we might be heading to another contentious street name battle, this time over the one-mile stretch of road named after civil rights leader César Chávez. Rape and child sex allegations are now tarnishing the image of the migrant labor champion after an explosive New York Times expose.  Over the weekend, one California city had already removed his statue, and more than a dozen other cities have begun the process of stripping his name from schools, public buildings and roadways. In 1994, Kansas City renamed 23rd Street just west of Union Station after Chavez. The City Council now has to decide what to do next. Early Voting Begins In-person early voting kicks off Tuesday ahead of Missouri’s April 7 local elections. Getting most of the headlines is Kansas City’s earnings tax renewal vote, but there’s plenty more on the ballot: a heated mayor’s race in Independence, mayoral showdowns in Lee’s Summit, Grandview, and Grain Valley—plus dozens of school board seats up for grabs across the metro. ICE Agents Head to Airports President Donald Trump says ICE agents will deploy to U.S. airports starting today to assist overwhelmed TSA officers working without pay. The TSA staffing issue stems from the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which began in mid-February, and is now approaching day 40, with no deal in sight. Lines have stretched to nearly three hours at some terminals, with checkpoints closing at airports in Houston and Philadelphia. ICE agents aren’t expected at Kansas City’s airport. That’s because KCI uses private, third-party contractors for security screening rather than federal TSA agents. Independence Residents Get Their Day in Court The spat over a new $150 billion data center in Independence heads to court this week. A judge will decide today whether a group of residents can move forward with a referendum effort to block the facility which they claim will increase traffic, noise, lower property values and impact the health of those living nearby. The city says the AI center, which will be about twice the size of Arrowhead Stadium, will bring new revenue, jobs, and money for schools. Captain Kirk in KC “Kirk to Enterprise, come in please…” Star Trek’s legendary captain, William Shatner, beams into town this week as the headliner for Planet Comicon. This year’s event has attracted a star-powered roster of famous guests. Joining Shatner will be Elijah Wood and Sean Astin from Lord of the Rings, and Kiefer Sutherland from Designated Survivor.  Priscilla Presley also makes an appearance. Planet Comicon runs Friday through Sunday at the Kansas City Convention Center. Also, this week… The NAIA Men’s Basketball Championship final is set for Municipal Auditorium on Tuesday. The NAIA tournament is the March Madness for America’s smaller colleges. Nick Haines tracks the week’s most impactful, confusing and downright head- scratching local news stories on Week in Review, Friday nights at 7:30 p.m. on Kansas City PBS. The post Nick’s Picks | Taxes, Elections, AI and More … first appeared on Flatland. ...read more read less