Conservation Committee Meeting (Online)—Tues., May 5

Time:  6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

The Thomas Hart Benton Group invites you to join us for our monthly discussion and planning for upcoming events. Join our Team Monarch, and add your ideas!

This month, we’ll update on the July 18th Program to be at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area in Blue Springs, “Missouri Monarch Mission”. We’ll need volunteers to help!

Please RSVP here to receive the Zoom link

Monthly Action Hour in Kansas City
Date: May 20 (every month on 3rd Wednesday)
Time: 5:30 p.m - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Front Range Cafe, 400 E. Gregory Blvd, KCMO
(RSVP Here)

After pausing in April to attend our statewide lobby day, our monthly action hour is back on!

Join neighbors from the KC area at Front Range in KCMO to take easy and meaningful action to help people and the planet, and stick around to meet with fellow activists in your community. These will be recurring events on the third Wednesday of every month. Roll in whenever you can to connect with Sierrans from around KC anytime beginning at 5:30. We will brief everyone on the monthly action from 6 to about 6:20, and all the rest of the time will be devoted to taking action together, answering questions, and naming next steps.

As we face together the unprecedented attacks on our neighbors, on our environment, and democracy itself, it is more important than ever to make space to be with friends and neighbors as we energize and mobilize each other to continue taking action to win a livable future FOR ALL.

These spaces are modeled after the Sierra Club Missouri Chapter and national Sierra Club virtual action hours, with the added perk of giving local activists another chance to join actions in person. Every month, your local Thomas Hart Benton Group will provide action you can take to advance our campaigns and power-building work for Missouri. These are easy actions meant to be done in as little as 15 minutes because we know you're busy. The rest of the time is meant for discussion about additional campaigns and stories you wish to highlight and grow as an activist community. We hope to see you there!

Legislative News 

By Ilyssa Block, Executive Committee Member

With only a few more weeks of session left in Jefferson City we need your help quickly on a few issues.  

HB 3362 and HB  3364  are about data center regulation.  The momentum has fizzled so we need your help to tell members of the committee to bring this bill up for executive session.  Let Conservation Committee Chair Jeff Farnan know by sending him an email. Jeff.Farnan@house.mo.gov

SB 849, a Solar Moratorium bill, still remains on the information calendar.  Keep telling the MO Senate to OPPOSE the solar moratorium!  Use our  Action Alert  to send them a message!

Another great lobby day! On April 15, Sierra Club THB staff member Billy Davies and volunteer Michaela Meckel represented the Kansas City region in Jefferson City. Billy and Michaela met with representatives and senators from throughout the Kansas City area, talking to them about the following priority bills:

• Solar Ban (SB849, SB933) 
• Building Codes Rollback (HB 2384)
• Bayer Protection (SB 1005)
• Clean Water Commission (SB 960)
• Data Center Guardrails (HB 3362, HB 3364, HB 2239)
• Nuclear CWIP (HB 2122)

Data Centers were also a big topic of conversation in all the meetings, particularly with the recent NEWS  out of Festus, MO where voters ousted all four incumbent council members running for reelection who had supported a data center in the community.

In Jackson County, there is a proposal for a 120-day moratorium on data centers as a result of a public outcry regarding possible long-term impacts the centers could have on neighborhoods. For more info click here.
 

Rock Island Bridge “Sierra Sessions” Event a Success!

Native Plant Sales

Sat., May 2

Wild Birds Unlimited, 13222 W. 62nd Terrace, Shawnee, KS 66216

Time:  10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Sat., May 9

Deep Roots Native Plant Sale (in coordination with Habitat Garden Tours) 

City of Prairie Village Municipal Offices, 7700 Mission Rd., Prairie Village, KS 66208

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Additional Parking:

7820 Mission Rd, Prairie Village, KS 66208 (Mission Road Bible Church)

Find pre-ordering information here

Sat., May 16

Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale,  Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center,  4750 Troost Ave., KC MO 64110
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Find pre-ordering information here

Sun., May 24

Lenexa Civic Campus, 17101 W. 87th St. Parkway, Lenexa, KS 66219

8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Please donate to the Thomas Hart Benton Group—Thanks!

You can probably tell from recent Newsletters that we are getting a lot more active in 2026.  We welcome all the new friends and allies we have been meeting and speaking with at our recent in-person meetings.  We also welcome any donations you can spare to help with all our new activities…thanks so much!  Every little bit helps!
 

You can also send us a check made out to “Sierra Club” if that is more convenient. Our address is

Sierra Club

P.O. Box 32727

Kansas City, MO 64171

Thanks to those who donated so far this year!

Area Farmers’ Markets

Overland Park Farmers Market (April 18, 2026 – Nov 21, 2026):
Location: Temporary location at Matt Ross Community Center (Marty Street).
Schedule: Saturdays 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. (Apr-Sep);
Wednesdays 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. (Jun-Aug); Saturdays 8 a.m.–12 p.m. (Oct-Nov).

Downtown Lee's Summit Farmers Market (Opened April 4, 2026):
Location: SE 3rd Street and SE Green Street.
Features: Covered, open Wednesdays and Saturdays, featuring local produce, baked goods, and regular special events like the Spring Celebration.

Lenexa Farmers Market (Apr 25, 2026 – Oct 31, 2026):
Location: 17201 W. 87th St. Pkwy (Civic Campus).
Schedule: Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon; Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (May 26–Aug 25).

Parkville Farmers' Market 
Location: Located near the intersection of 6th and Main St.
Features: New shelter for 2026 and new vendors expected.

Boulevard Drive-In Farmers Market:
Location: 1051 Merriam Ln, Kansas City, KS.
Schedule: Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m.–12 p.m..

Hyde Park Farmers Market:
Location: Gillham Park (39th & Gillham Rd).
Dates: Four Sundays: May 31, June 21, Sept 6, and Oct 11, 2026.

Independence Farmers Market:
Location: 101 N. Osage St, Independence, MO.
Schedule: Seasonal, starting early May 2026, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

KCK Farmers Market:
Location: Various locations, including June 27, 2026 – Oct 3, 2026. 

Other Notable Markets & Details

Oak Grove Farmers Market opens the first weekend of April 2026.

Odessa Farmers Market runs Thursdays from April 7 through September.

Leavenworth Farmers Market opens May 2, 2026, Wednesdays and Saturdays (8 a.m.–12 p.m.). 

Also please click here for a guide to some area farmers’ markets

Here is another excellent guide to area farmers’ markets    

News You May have Missed

By Ruanda McFerren

Shackled immigrants targeted for deportation are being flown in and out of Kansas City International Airport 

Are Missouri and North Dakota in a water war?

‘Forever chemicals’ surge past federal limits in some Missouri water systems

Missouri elections show data centers are expensive, unpopular — and could influence midterms

Bird populations are shrinking faster in agriculture hotspots — including the Midwest, study finds

Upcoming Events Led by Allied Organizations

Please check Lakeside Nature Center’s calendar here

Please check Missouri Department of Conservation’s calendar here

Please check Missouri Prairie Foundation’s calendar here

Cultivate KC has a list of events