April 19, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

61º | 3% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:35 a.m. | Sunset 8:00 p.m.

Cleanup, cleanup everybody do your share

A sunny walking path leading through a park downtown.

We challenge you to perform a random act of kindness before the sun sets. | Photo by @mikedayphotography

It’s no fun coming home to a mess. And since the Earth is home to us all, it’s nice to pitch in every once in a while to keep things tidy. Technically, Earth Day (April 22) falls on a Monday this year — but if you’ve got a free weekend, there are plenty of ways to help clean up the metro.

🏞️ The Great Kansas City Cleanup 2024

Step one: check out KCMO’s directory of cleanup events today-Sunday, April 21 for the annual Great Kansas City Cleanup. This initiative pulls together local community groups, neighborhood associations, and volunteers to pick up various locations around the city.

Friday’s festivities may already be underway, so double check that they accept drop-ins. But most of the action, including cleanups around the Plaza, Swope Park, and Brush Creek Greenway, takes place starting Saturday, April 20. Check dates, times, and safety tips on the volunteer signup form.

🌳 Other cleanups + activities

Looking for more options? The official Earth Day website has an interactive map of global cleanups in your area. Otherwise, check out:

2024 Citywide Clean Up | Saturday, April 20 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Beverly Park, 5935 Beverly Ave., Mission, KS | Following a kick-off breakfast, volunteers will fan out and help keep Mission sparkly clean.
Overland Park Recycling Extravaganza | Saturday, April 20 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | Black & Veatch, 11401 Lamar Ave., Overland Park, KS | Community vendors are on hand to accept clothing, medications, tires, pet supplies, and whatever else you found during spring cleaning.
Earth Day at Lakeside Nature Center | Saturday, April 20 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Lakeside Nature Center, 4701 E. Gregory Blvd., KCMO | Join naturalists to learn about our local ecosystem with presentations + hands-on crafts.
Stream Clean | Saturday, April 20 | All day | Various streams across Overland Park, KS | Volunteers will wade in and bag trash in OP’s waterways.

Bonus: Cultivate KC’s urban farm service day is full up — but you can still sign up for its Mobile Volunteer Program + help Mother Nature all season long.

Events

Friday, April 19

Bra Couture KC | Friday, April 19 | 6-9 p.m. | Kansas City Convention Center, 301 W 13th St., Ste. 100, KCMO | $125 | In partnership with the University of Kansas Cancer Center, this runway show supports underinsured folks affected by all types of cancer.

Saturday, April 20

Party for the Planet | Saturday, April 20-Sunday, April 21 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, KCMO | Free | Celebrate Earth Day with a scavenger hunt, peat pot decorating + family friendly activities.
Homes by Architects Tour | Saturday, April 20 | 1-4 p.m. | Multiple locations, KCMO | $40 | Explore four homes designed by local architects and learn about their unique details from the people that designed them.
2024 OP Farmer’s Market Opening Day | Saturday, April 20 | Overland Park Farmers’ Market, 7950 Marty St., Overland Park, KS | Free | Shop 32 vendors + farm-to-table food at this farmer’s market once ranked No. 1 in the country.

Sunday, April 21

Passport to India Festival | Sunday, April 21 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, KCMO | Free | Enjoy vibrant dances and music of South Asian cultures and participate in art and cultural activities — all centered around the theme of peace.

Events calendar here

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Travel

10 Vrbos so amazing, they won 2024’s “Vacation Rentals of the Year”

The Paradise Found Vrbo in Florida, seen from the back with its expansive pool, palm tress, and outdoor living room.

Yes, all of these incredible houses are available to book. | Photo of Paradise Found via Vrbo

Vrbo released this year’s list of Vacation Rentals of the Year, and we can’t stop looking at these incredible homes.

Ranging from $711 to $4,750 a night and built to accommodate a crowd, these Vrbos were made to host the next big family vacation or group trip.

Sedona, Arizona: Palatial Paradise Estate

Heated infinity pool, game room, outdoor fireplace

Sand Lake, Michigan: Sandy Lakehouse

Pickleball court, bikes, paddleboards, and kayaks

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico: Casa Acantilado

Ocean-view bedrooms, cliffside sauna, hot tub

See photos of all 10 Vrbos

News Notes

Development

KCMO Manager Brian Platt indicated this week that the city, rather than Jackson County, plans to engage the Chiefs and Royals on future stadium development plans. Sticking by the East Crossroads location, he stated that future plans may circumvent a voting process altogether. (FOX4)

Open

Raytown has turned a new page with the opening of its only bookstore. Trailhead Books sells (and buys) used books at 10416 E. 63rd St., with coffee + tea on offer alongside a miscellany of genres — and it’s just the latest in a series of recent bookstore openings. Our English teachers must be so proud. (Kansas City Star)

Civic

Kansas City plans to roll out 170,000 trash carts across the metro in May. People with disabilities can opt out by applying for an assistance stop — just call 311, fill out the online form, or submit a request through myKCMO. Otherwise, the carts are mandatory. (Kansas City Star)

Announced

One sweet day is today — tickets go on sale this morning at 10 a.m. for Boyz II Men’s performance at Starlight Theatre with special guest Robin Thicke. Mark your calendar for Sunday, August 4 to see the legendary R&B group in action.

State

“Winning for Missouri Education,” a PAC seeking to legalize sports betting in Missouri, passed 300,000 signatures in its petition to get wagering on the November ballot. With a month left to gather steam, the group is looking to blow past its initial 325,000 goal. (FOX4)

Sports

In a comment to TIME Magazine, Patrick Mahomes said he wants to join the Royals for spring training one day — because he’s not busy enough already. Provided the Chiefs signed off + Mahomes dropped his minority stake in the team, we could see him on the diamond. (Kansas City Business Journal)

Drink

An energy drink you actually want to drink. GORGIE has 150 mg of green tea caffeine plus the benefits of L-Theanine, biotin, B6 and B12.*

Read

✍️ Introducing your poetry contest finalists

A top-down view of a laptop sitting on a table with an open notebook and pen sitting on top of it. Next to the laptop is a latte in a mug atop a white saucer. The latte has a foam heart on top.

Drumroll, please. | Photo by Pixabay via Pexels

This month, we ran a poetry contest to celebrate National Poetry Month. We challenged our readers to craft a poem using only the words that appeared in one of our newsletters (here are the original contest guidelines if you want to give it a try).

While prose is our newsletter’s bread and butter, it turns out that you all certainly aren’t op-prose-d to verse; we received several creative, intriguing, and beautiful poems that we narrowed down to our top three finalists.

Give them a read, then vote on your favorite + we’ll announce the winner next week.

The Buy

Biz that gives back. Check out these brands that are committed to sustainability and giving back to the environment to celebrate Earth Day.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Dayten

From the editor

As a poetry enthusiast, I’m deeply impressed with everybody who submitted poems for this year’s contest. I like to share my favorite springtime poem around this time of year, Li Young Lee’s “From Blossoms” — but maybe wait until the weather’s less crummy to give it a read.

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