KC's weekend cold snap pushed shelters and warming sites to their limits, resurfacing the question of how the city can increase its shelter space.

Why it matters: When temperatures plunge, getting people experiencing homelessness indoors becomes a greater safety issue.

By the numbers: Up to 931 beds are available across eight partner shelters during extreme cold, according to the city.

• About 790 of those beds operate nightly from Dec. 1 to March 1, with the rest added as temperatures fall.
• More than 2,200 people in the KC metro are unhoused, per 2024 point-in-time count data used by the city.
• The Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness marked 45 deaths in KC in 2022, with organizers saying most were tied to exposure during extreme weather.

What they're saying: Josh Henges, chief impact officer for the city's Office of Unhoused Solutions, tells Axios the data "offers a broad snapshot of homelessness in KC and includes various types of homelessness, such as individuals staying in their cars, families, youth and veterans."

• "Of the approximately 2,200 people counted, not everyone needs a shelter bed, and not everyone will accept one," Henges says.

State of play: The city activated its Zero KC Extreme Weather Plan as temperatures dropped, triggering a tiered shelter response that adds beds at 32°, 25° and 10°. This weekend's lows hovered around 0° to 1°.

• People looking for a warm place also turned to shelters outside the city plan, including Shelter KC, which previously had expanded its capacity of 120 beds during extreme cold, according to KMBC.

Flashback: City Council approved $7.1 million this summer to fund a new low-barrier shelter at 5100 Linwood Blvd., to be operated by Care Beyond the Boulevard using HOME Investment Partnership American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) funding.

• The number of beds in this new location has not been specified.

What's next: The renovations are projected to wrap up early this year, pending permits and supply chain availability. An exact date has not yet been released.

Go deeper: Here's a list of warming centers and shelters around the KC metro.

Today marks the start of Southwest Airlines' assigned seating — a change that reshapes how Americans fly, including the over 12 million people who fly out of KCI annually.

Why it matters: Southwest is the last major U.S. airline to abandon open seating, closing a long-running chapter that set it apart from competitors.

How will Southwest's new boarding groups work?

Driving the news: Starting today, Southwest moves to assigned seating and group-based boarding, officially retiring its familiar first-come, first-served A/B/C boarding lineup.

• Boarding groups will shift to Groups 1–8, prioritized by seat location, fare type, loyalty status and credit card benefits.
• Gate areas will phase out numbered stanchions in favor of digital boarding lanes that display which group is boarding.

What assigned seating means for Southwest flyers

The big picture: Open seating rewarded fast check-ins and minimized seat hierarchy.

• Assigned seating brings Southwest closer to industry norms — and reintroduces a pain point it largely avoided: the assigned middle seat.

Why did Southwest get rid of open seating?

Flashback: Southwest first announced plans to move away from open seating in 2024, calling it a "transformational" change after research showed most customers preferred assigned seats.

• The move followed other changes to some of the budget airline's long-standing policies, including the removal of its free checked bag offering.

Follow the money: The changes are part of a broader effort by the airline to offer more choice — and increase revenue streams.

• Premium seat options, new fare bundles and expanded loyalty perks are all being offered now under what Southwest calls a "reimagined customer experience."

What they're saying: "We've had a positive reaction to the change," a Southwest representative said in a statement to Axios KC. "We are meeting the needs of the modern traveler."

Learn more

🇺🇸 Caleb Furnell of Lee's Summit will compete in the Winter Olympics on the U.S. bobsled team. The former track star decided to try the sport for fun, competing in his first race only a year ago. (Kansas City Star)

🍺 Stockyards Brewing Co. will open a big new taproom at 10310 Mastin St. in Overland Park on Jan. 30, continuing the local trend of brewery expansions amid a contracting industry. (Startland News)

🚧 Express toll lanes on I-69 in Johnson County are expected to open by the end of February as crews put on finishing touches, bringing three years of construction to an end. Whew. (Johnson County Post)

Kansas City isn't exactly known as a hockey town, but the city's minor league pro team is generating some serious buzz after winning 14 games in a row, which ties the franchise record.

The big picture: The KC Mavericks lead the ECHL, a AA minor league that feeds into the NHL, by five points — the equivalent of two and a half wins.

• It's a continuation of recent success, with the team reaching the playoffs the past three years in a row.

Yes, but: The team still has a long way to go before the 2025-2026 season ends in April and the championship tournament begins.

💭 Travis' thought bubble: I was never a hockey kid growing up, but my hometown of Moline, Illinois, used to have its own ECHL team — the Quad City Mallards. Quack.

• I'm ashamed to admit I haven't yet been to a Mavs game, but this recurring $40 party bus deal by The Blue Line, a hockey bar in the River Market, is a tempting offer.

What's next: KC is heading to Iowa to take on the Heartlanders on Friday.