Missouri K.C. Metro Latest Population Estimates

According to this article in today's The (Independence-Blue Springs-Oak Grove-MO) EXAMINER states that due to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates- Blue Springs is now Missouri's 10th largest city.

From that story comes these population estimates for Jackson County and the municipalities within.

Note that Independence- Raytown and Sugar Creek continue to lose residents- while Kansas City-MO's population correction of 475000 apparently didn't keep with the USCB:

Jackson County
2008: 668,417
2007: 666,000
2006: 663,603

Blue Springs
2008: 55,698
2007: 55,031
2006: 53,755

Buckner
2008: 2,788
2007:2,780
2006: 2,729



Independence
2008: 110,440
2007: 110,538
2006: 110,619

Grain Valley
2008: 10,352
2007: 9,806
2006: 9,398

Sugar Creek
2008: 3,533
2007: 3,537
2006: 3,567

Oak Grove
2008: 6,852
2007: 6,828
2006: 6,826

Lee’s Summit
2008: 84,208
2007: 82,695
2006: 81,637

Raytown
2008: 28,194
2007: 28,285
2006: 28,484

Kansas City
2008: 451,572
2007: 449,684

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"Possible" Murder-Suicide In Belton-MO

The KANSAS CITY STAR is reporting a woman dead and a man injured in what was apparently a botched murder-suicide in the 400 block of Robie Drive just before 10:30 pm Tuesday night.

No details have been released by Belton police yet....

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"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" In Ash Grove-MO

The SPRINGFIELD (MO) NEWS-LEADER says that Tuesday- people from the popular ABC-TV show ""Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" visited the Hampton family of Ash Grove.

Their reward for enduring Ty Pennington? A new house.

Well worth the price!

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"The Citizens In The End Will Pay The Price...”

According to The SMITHVILLE HERALD- that statement by Clay County commissioner Ed Quick is ONE way to get Clay Countians to vote yes to continue a 1/8-cent sales tax for law enforcement.

"The citizens in the end will pay...."

I think it would behoove each of us to keep a proctologist's number handy too....

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Corporate Mentality: We're Above (The Law) Everyone Else

That's the initial feeling I get with this Wyandotte County-Legends Shopping center/Nebraska Furniture Mart tax dispute.

The rules the REST of us have to play by is that we pay the full disputed tax amount to the taxing jurisdiction regardless of any dispute.

The courts or whomever then decides whom is correct. If the decision is in favor of the taxpayer- the taxpayer gets the refund and vice versa if the taxing entity wins.

This particular situation is exacerbated by the fact that the Legends Shopping center AND Nebraska Furniture Mart got tens of millions of dollars in tax breaks to do business in KC-KS in the first place.

If both of these entities THINK they're currying public opinion by withholding that millions of dollars in disputed tax money- both those entities had better think smarter.


1) The public is TIRED- FED UP TO HERE with tax breaks to and other corporate welfare.

We- the Citizens- have to play by the established rules- so get off your high horses and do the same.


2) We- the citizens- are really sorta kinda FED UP WITH CORPORATIONS in general. Layoffs- pay cuts- while fat-cat- dishonest executives wine- dine and carry-on in style- etc..

Pay up Legends and Nebraska Furniture Mart!!!

Let the courts decide once and for all- lest you swing public opinion against you and your taxpayer-subsidized corporations....

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Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Charged In Theft

The story is at The EMPORIA (KS) GAZETTE:

A 35-year-old (ex?) trooper- Clint Dwayne Epperly- was charged June 25 in the Lyon County District Court with a felony count of official misconduct and two counts of misdemeanor theft.

Epperly allegedly removed items without consent or court order from a vehicle after a Dec. 2008 drug stop.

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KC-KS's Legends Shopping Center Got Tax Breaks- Now Businesses There Refuse To Pay Taxes

The Wyandotte County (KS) Unified Government announced recently the county's $15.4-million short of budget revenue.

In this story by Nick Sloan of the KANSAS CITY KANSAN- we read that one reason for the shortfall is the refusal of the Legends shopping center to pay taxes- to the tune of about $6-million.

Nebraska Furniture Mart hasn't paid any of their taxes since 2006- they owe WyCo more than $6.5-million.

Guess what would happen to Dave or Debbie Citizen if THEY didn't pay their taxes?

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Some Metro K.C. Rainfall Totals So Far for July 2009

Above average rainfalls continue over most of Metro Kansas City in July with more on the way.

If you are unsure where a particular report is located- refer to the SITES tab at the Overland Park STORMWATCH site that so graciously provides these reports.


Here are a few rainfall totals for all of 2009 thus far:

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Another "Slight Risk" of Severe Storms In The Kansas City MetroRegion Today

Drexel- Norborne- Butler & Richmond-MO ... Fontana- Ottawa & Garnett-KS.

These are just a few Kansas City MetroRegion cities and towns struck by severe storms the past couple of weeks.

There's a "slight chance" another town could be added to that list- if the SPC's forecast for later today is correct.

Today's severe risk area covers slightly more than the northern half of the MetroRegion- including Metro Kansas City.

There's a chance for all modes of severe weather later today- tonight and overnight in our area.

Check here at commercial-free CSW for the latest...

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In KC-MO- Citizens Die By Gunshot- Fire and Vehicle Overnight

Before the Tuesday sunrise- 3 people were dead of various means in KC-MO...


The first was a motorcyclist who died in the crash of their bike at Southwest Trafficway and Westport Road just after midnight.

Police reported the unidentified biker struck a utility pole and was dead on their arrival at the scene.


That death then was followed by a man who was shot & killed around 12:15 am at 59th Street and Indiana in South Midtown.

Police arrived to again find the victim- said to be in his 20's- dead on the street with no suspect information.


The last known death before sunrise was a woman in her 50's who died in a house fire in the 8400 block of Wabash around 4:30 am..

Another person in that house escaped uninjured and fire investigators are trying to determine the cause.

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What Time-Warner DOES NOT Tell You In Their Digital Phone Service Commercials

It's hard to mostly impossible to be a "breaking-news" source when the people you contract your communications services can't provide reliable communications.

For about the past 36 hours- I've had to suffer through hit and mostly miss Internet and telephone service that I contract through Time-Warner to provide.

While compiling weather information for a CSW post around 2 am Sunday morning- the Internet "Roadrunner" service went completely out as did the telephones.

Question: How do you call your Internet/telephone service provider to tell them your service is out?

You borrow a cell phone. After nearly running the battery down following the customer service commands- I'm told (at 3:15am Sunday morning) it would be AT LEAST another 24 hours until their service crews would be out here.

Thank God it didn't go out on Saturday morning- we'd have went all weekend without telephone or Internet service.

This is not an isolated occurrence and- if you're wondering what the weather was when my service went out- it was partly cloudy- East wind less that 7 MPH.

As I also stated- this isn't an isolated occurrence. At LEAST several times a week for the past 3 years- the Internet connection will falter or you pick up the telephone and there's no dial tone.

One CAN call Time-Warner to report the problem (ONLY when the signals restored mind you) if you have 15-30 minutes to spare each time that you do.

Realize this: IF you subscribe to Time-Warner digital phone service- you have NO PHONE during a general power failure or if Time-Warner's hardware goes haywire.

If like me you HAVE to have telephone (and Internet) service at ALL times then this means investing as well into cellular phone service- because you're going to need a backup to the cable phone!

There are absolutely NO savings in having home phone service having to be backed up by a cell phone.

The old Southwestern Bell telephone service worked when the house power was out. In fact- I don't recall ANY time the old telephones didn't work unless the service line had been physically brought down.

And I sure didn't have to unplug- unconnect routers- modems and half of my power strips to get it to work either.

It's goodbye to Time-Warner's digital phone service for this household- Roadrunner Internet service may be close to follow.

After all- what's Time-Warner gonna do if one of my parents have a serious medical issue early on a Saturday morning and the Time-Warner digital phone service doesn't work?

"CPR available after 9am Monday- would you like to schedule?"

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MetroRegion Kansas City NWS Storm Reports From Early July 12- 2009

Here are the National Weather Service (NWS) storm reports so far from the earliest report to the latest- across eastern Kansas into western Missouri:


PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
626 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0600 AM TSTM WND DMG MANHATTAN 39.18N 96.57W 07/12/2009 RILEY KS LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTS OF DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES. ROOF OF APARTMENT BUILDING ON WEST SIDE OF TOWN PARTIALLY REMOVED.


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1006 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0600 AM TSTM WND DMG MANHATTAN 39.18N 96.57W 07/12/2009 RILEY KS EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES UPROOTED ACROSS TOWN. CATHOLIC CHURCH NEAR JULIETTE HAS ONE TREE UPROOTED AND ONE BROKEN OFF 10 FEET UP. POWER REMAINS OUT DOWNTOWN.


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
654 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0649 AM TSTM WND GST 2 NW TOPEKA 39.07N 95.70W 07/12/2009 E60 MPH SHAWNEE KS BROADCAST MEDIA


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
656 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0650 AM TSTM WND GST 1 W TOPEKA 39.05N 95.70W 07/12/2009 E60 MPH SHAWNEE KS BROADCAST MEDIA



NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
711 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0658 AM TSTM WND GST 5 S TOPEKA 38.98N 95.68W 07/12/2009 M51 MPH SHAWNEE KS ASOS



NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
712 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0659 AM TSTM WND GST 5 SSW TOPEKA 38.98N 95.71W 07/12/2009 E65 MPH SHAWNEE KS TRAINED SPOTTER


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
734 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0729 AM TSTM WND GST 2 SE LAWRENCE 38.95N 95.21W 07/12/2009 E60 MPH DOUGLAS KS PUBLIC ALSO REPORTS MINOR STREET FLOODING






NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
941 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0745 AM TSTM WND DMG 2 W EASTON KS 39.35N 95.15W 07/12/2009 LEAVENWORTH KS EMERGENCY MNGR
GUSTS ESTIMATED 60-65 MPH. 12 INCH LIMBS AND SMALL TREES DOWN.


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
944 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0745 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 S BASEHOR 39.11N 94.93W 07/12/2009 M1.25 INCH LEAVENWORTH KS EMERGENCY MNGR


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1016 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0830 AM FLOOD 2 NNW KANSAS CITY KS 39.15N 94.74W 07/12/2009 WYANDOTTE KS EMERGENCY MNGR

HIGH WATER REPORTED AT 14TH ST. AND WASHINGTON AVE. ROAD HAS BEEN BARRACADED.


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1022 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0842 AM TSTM WND DMG 1 E BONNER SPRINGS 39.05N 94.86W
07/12/2009 WYANDOTTE KS EMERGENCY MNGR

12-INCH DIAMETER TREE LIMB BROKEN OFF AT CAMP THEODORE NASH.



NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1020 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0915 AM FLOOD 2 SSW KANSAS CITY KS 39.09N 94.74W 07/12/2009 WYANDOTTE KS EMERGENCY MNGR

HIGH WATER REPORTED AT 14TH ST. AND OSAGE AVE, AND AT 14TH ST. AND MIAMI AVE. ROAD BARRICADES HAVE BEEN PLACED AT THESE LOCATIONS.

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Excuse You Time-Warner - I Was Going To Say...

When skies in the Metro were mostly clear right before the 2am surprise cut of service- I was preparing to post on some strong storms coming at Metro K.C. from Central Kansas.

Having no Net service- I had to suffer the cable TV commercial-between-weather-radar-loops bare-bones backup to see a front of strong straight-line winds headed at the Metro as the system passed Manhattan then Topeka-KS..

Time-Warner Internet and phone service returned here oddly just as the storms hit the Metro around 8 am..

The storms left scattered areas of damage to trees and power lines- as well as at least one structure in Manhattan-KS..

Winds have been mostly estimated to be between 60-70 MPH- high-end tropical storm force. I wouldn't rule out a hurricane gust or two though.

So far just over a dozen power line- trees/limbs down calls Metro K.C.-wide.

A number of fire alarm calls as well as a few for structures struck by lightning.

Lightning may be the cause of a house fire presently being worked by the Smithville-MO and several surrounding fire departments.

That situation is under control at this posting with no injuries.

A tree was reported down with power lines involved in Warrensburg-MO around 9:10am.

Have not heard anyone hurt- unlike all the vehicle crashes I monitored early this morning.

More on that later... if this Time-Warner Internet and phone service holds up that is....

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Storms Produce Damage In The South Kansas City MetroRegion

A short line of thunderstorms formed and quickly became severe around 3 am Saturday morning- sending a wedge of hurricane-force straight-line winds into southern Cass and northern Bates counties Missouri.

Damage was reported to agricultural outbuildings- trees and power lines in and around Butler in Bates county as well as Garden City in southeastern Cass county.

The National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area around 3:50 am that ran until 4:30 am.

NWS Doppler radar images from around 2:30 through 4 am.

The Butler area was reportedly struck by high winds around 3:15am. Power was out to much of the Bates county seat through midday.

No injuries were reported.

High winds struck the Garden City vicinity around 4 am- ripping down trees and power lines. The storm caused a small fire and damage to a house in the 600 block of Fir Street a little after 4 am.

Again- no injuries were reported.

There is a chance for more severe storm activity throughout this weekend in the Kansas City MetroRegion.

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Leavenworth-KS Police Pull Man From Burning Vehicle

A man has only minor burns today after the vehicle he apparently passed-out in caught fire about 3:10 am Saturday morning.

Leavenworth police and a fire truck were dispatched to the rear of 745 Cherokee at Tom's Stampede bar- where a vehicle was reported on fire with someone still inside.

Minutes later- LFD arrived and said the vehicle was fully-engulfed in flames that were threatening the building and asked for a full response.

Meanwhile- a Leavenworth police officer who arrived before the fire engine had broken into the burning vehicle and pulled the "highly-intoxicated" occupant to safety

The officer was not injured. The "highly-intoxicated" man's injuries were centainly non life-threatening.

No word if any charges (stupidity?) can be filed....

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Three Shot In Separate Incidents In Both Kansas Citys

Weekend in the Metro Corral...

This first shooting victim was reported to be a male who was driven to a KC-MO hospital just after 12:30 am Saturday morning.

There was no other information on this incident.

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The next shooting came in Midtown KC-MO.. Police stopped a car that was being driven erratically in the 3200 block of Troost around 1:23 am..

Officers found that the driver- "a 17-year-old male"- had been shot twice in his right arm and MAST-EMS was summoned. His injuries were non life-threatening.

The youth apparently told police the shots- "6 to 7" of them- were fired from "a white- early-2000's Pontiac Grand Am with tinted windows- in the area of 29th to 30th and Troost."

Police were also told another person had been in the vehicle with the 17-year-old- but got out and ran before officers stopped the vehicle.

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The last shooting reported so far Saturday morning was in the 1900 block of North 25th Street around 1:38 am.

There police found "a 24-year-old male with 3 gunshot wounds"- 2 to his back and 1 shattering his leg. The man was transported to a KC-MO medical trauma center in serious to critical condition by KC-KS FD-EMS-5.

Police have yet to report any possible suspects or any other information on this one.

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Kansas City's BREAKING NEWS: 2-Alarm Fire In Midtown KC-MO

At 4:22 am Saturday morning- five companies of the KC-MO Fire department responded to a reported fire in a "vacant apartment building" at "Linwood and South Benton."

Fire Station 18's crews arrived 2 minutes later and reported the 3-story structure "heavily-involved" in flames from top to bottom.

At 4:25 am- a male "victim" was found by one of the fire crews outside the "base" of the building.

This "39-year-old male" who was also reported by MAST-EMS to be an earlier stabbing victim- "jumped from the 3rd-story" of the building to escape the fire.

He was transported in non life-threatening condition to an area hospital.

At 4:29 am- a 2nd alarm was sounded- committing 11 fire companies to the fire.

As of 6:15 am- the fire is considered to be under control with no further reports of injuries. The building has been heavily-damaged and has unstable walls.

Watch KSHB 41 Action News for more details....

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Fatality Crash In KC-MO's Northland

A single-vehicle wreck was reported around 11:35 pm Friday night in the 5700 block of North Brighton.

It was said to be a rollover crash- with the driver- a male- dead at the scene.

No identification of the deceased yet available and the incident was under investigation.

Watch KSHB 41 Action News for more details....

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What's Wrong With This Picture - Part 41

It's a file photo belonging to The LAWRENCE (KS) JOURNAL-WORLD newspaper that accompanied a story there today.

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Afternoon Temperatures Vary Widely Across The Central States

Here's a surface weather map- depicting a 38-degree difference in temperature from 78-degrees at Lee's Summit-MO to 116-degrees at a location in Oklahoma northwest of Woodward.

The showers and thundershowers continue sliding east-southeast across central and eastern Kansas and away from most of Metro K.C. (except Johnson KS & Cass county MO.).

I'm expecting new activity to develop later- possibly after sundown- that will affect the Metro.

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Another "Slight Risk" For Severe Storms MetroRegion-Wide Today

For the 2nd day in a row- the entire Kansas City MetroRegion is in a NWS-Storm Prediction Center (SPC)-forecasted area for a slight risk of thunderstorms becoming severe later today into the overnight.

Included are MetroRegion cities that were hit by strong straight-line winds early this morning: Richmond- Lexington and Cameron-MO..

Right now there are showers and thunderstorms over much of the northern halves of Kansas and Missouri- but at this time none of that activity is severe.

Here are the latest visible satellite and NWS Doppler weather radar images:

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Kansas City's BREAKING NEWS: Shooting In South KC-MO

At 1:05 pm- KC-MO emergency serivces- MAST-EMS- Fire and Police in that order- responded to a reported shooting in the 9300 block of Newton.

There they found "a 29-year-old male with 2 gunshot wounds" according to MAST.

The man was shot in the lower abdomen and left leg and MAST reported no exit wounds.

The victim has been taken to an area medical trauma center in at least serious condition.

Police are seeking a reported suspect: "A black male named Cocaine with dreds and a white tank top- left in a 4-door silver (colored) Chevy Cavalier.

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Alaska Cruise - Part 1: Seattle to Vancouver

If you ever get a chance to go to Alaska, you will see some of the world's most beautiful country. I usually gravitate towards warmer climates when picking a vacation, but was invited by my sister (who lives in Phoenix, AZ) to go North to Alaska on this Princess Cruise vacation. This cruise there were 13 of us (just a few of us from my huge Sicilian family).

We all met in Seattle, WA on June 26, 2009. We enjoyed a trip to the famous Pike Place Market, and some of us went on Bill Speidel's Underground Tour, a must see for those who might enjoy a bit of humor, history, and tales about the famous Seattle Red Light District.


Just outside the entrance to the Underground Tour

On the tour

View of Seattle

June 27, 2009, we flew to Vancouver, and a bus transported us to the dock of the Sapphire Princess. The bus driver was fantastic, funny, and enlightened all of us who had never been there before. Vancouver, BC will host the 2010 Olympics (I got this shot thru the window of the bus).

The Sapphire Princess
More to come..........

M-150 West Of U.S. 71 Will Close Sunday Evening Into Monday Morning

MO-DOT officials have announced the complete closure of Missouri (M) 150 highway at the railroad crossing west of U.S. 71 for a lane upgrade at that crossing.

M-150 is slated to be closed from 7 pm Sunday until 5:30 am Monday morning.

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MetroRegion K.C. WEATHER: Severe Tstm Watch No. 567 Until 3 PM- MO-NE-IA

The watch is in effect for that part of the MetroRegion generally north of U.S. 36 highway- but does NOT include St. Joseph or Chillicothe-MO..

Missouri MetroRegion cities such as Maryville and Tarkio are in this watch until 3 pm this Thursday afternoon.

Here are the latest visible satellite and Doppler weather radar:

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Broke Los Angeles Spent $1.4-Million On Michael Jackson Memorial Service

According to the Associated Press- the L.A. city government spent almost a million and a half dollars on Jackson's memorial service.

Money Los Angeles and the State of California doesn't have.

I think the Jackson Estate would do well to reimburse the City of L.A. that taxpayer money.

Otherwise- it's simply just the rich riding on the backs (dollars) of the poor again....

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Severe Storms Possible Today Over The K.C. MetroRegion

All of MetroRegion Kansas City- including the Metro- is inside a "slight risk" forecast area for possible severe thunderstorms later today.

The primary severe threats will again be large hail and damaging wind gusts- the latter like what struck Ottawa and Garnett-KS yesterday afternoon.

Friday could ALSO see a chance of severe storms in many of the same areas- according to the SPC's "Day-2" outlook.

What I'm watching this morning is a MCS or mesoscale convective system (group of thunderstorms- see radar images) moving down the Missouri River north of Omaha at this post.

This MCS is moving south-southeast toward the MetroRegion- and eventually Metro K.C..

Commercial-free updates here at CSW as today's weather scenario develops....

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VIDEO: Severe Storm Rakes Franklin- Anderson Counties-KS

This YouTube vid courtesy of The OTTAWA HERALD- showing the trailer of an 18-wheeler on top of a car on I-35 at the south Ottawa-KS - U.S. 59 exit.

The severe storm produced wind gusts of up to 80 mph that caused power outtages in much of those 2 counties as well as the city of Garnett Wednesday afternoon..

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What A Way To Go...

A 29-year-old man drowns in chocolate in New Jersey.

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PHOTOS: Bannister Mall Is Officially Gone

These photos- taken this morning- shows that the building that once was Bannister Mall is now just the hole-in-the-ground foundation.

The first view is looking south to north from where the Sears store once stood.

The last 2 photos are from the northeast corner of where the Jones Store once was- view looking south-southwest across where the mall's building USED to be.

Here are past posts on the Bannister Mall demolition.

It's not yet known if they will attempt to break-up the mall's foundation walls- or utilize them in a part of the K.C. Wizards new soccer stadium.

Still yet to be demolished is the empty strip mall directly to the north- and the strip mall to the east that used to house Wal Mart.

At last report- Phase 1 of this project- including the soccer stadium- is slated to be completed in 2011- a year and a half away.

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Metro - MetroRegion K.C. WEATHER: "Slight Risk" of Severe Storms Today

Looking to the northwest right before the noon hour- you can see the storm activity that is moving toward Metro Kansas City.

In response to this storm activity- the NWS' Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has outlooked a large part of our MetroRegion- including Metro K.C.- in a "slight risk" area for possible severe thunderstorms later this afternoon and evening.

I expect storms will either move into or develop in and around the Metro in 2-3 hours.

Also expect torrential rainfalls will create at least temporary street flooding.

More here at CSW as the situation develops....

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Metro K.C. BREAKING NEWS: Northbound M-291 Bridge Closed

A bridge inspection this morning by MO-DOT has revealed serious rust damage to the northbound M-291 bridge over the Missouri river.

The bridge was closed just over an hour ago by MO-DOT officials- and will remain closed to northbound traffic until a merge lane with the southbound lanes- and bridge- can be completed later this week.

This is a main route between Liberty and Independence-MO..

Alternate routes will be I-435 and M-13 in Lexington.

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Reward Increases For Information In Harrisonville-MO Killing

Sometime during the afternoon of November 8- 2008- someone broke into the Harrisonville home of wife and mother Cara Jo Roberts- shot and killed her.

The killer has never been found and family and friends continue to seek the murderer.

Jeff Roberts- husband of the murdered woman- recently told The CASS COUNTY DEMOCRAT-MISSOURIAN that his union- Carpenters Local 777 of Harrisonville- recently donated $750 to the reward fund.

Mr. Roberts added another $250 to bring the total reward fund to $22000- to be paid to anyone with information leading to the capture and conviction of the perp of this ghastly crime in a quiet exurban bedroom community of Metro Kansas City.

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Woman Injured By Bottle Thrown Off Claycomo-MO Freeway Overpass

I logged this call at 3:21am Saturday morning- Claycomo emergency services responded to a 1-vehicle crash on northbound I-35 at the Bryant Street overpass.

The driver of that vehicle was reported by Claycomo-EMS to be "a 21-year-old female" who suffered minor injuries "after a person or persons threw an object off the (Bryant overpass) onto the windshield of her car."

This morning- I saw this story about the incident in- of all places- the SPRINGFIELD (MO) NEWS-LEADER.

Turned out to be 3 males who threw "a 20-pound water bottle" from the overpass onto the woman's car.

Claycomo police are seeking those 3 males for questioning and likely charges in the incident that could have killed or seriously-injured the female driver- identified in the news story as "Stephanie Parks."

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Other MetroRegion 4th Of July Weekend News

Shooting at Troubled Lawrence-KS Nightclub

This incident was first reported to Lawrence police at 5 minutes until 2am last Sunday morning: shots fired at the 821 Club on 821 Iowa Street in West Lawrence.

The LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD says LPD spotted- chased- then arrested at least 1 of the occupants of a reported suspect vehicle after the initial call was broadcast.

Police then later found a 19-year-old Topeka man who'd been shot- but suffered non life-threatening injuries.

The 821 Club- formerly known as the Last Call and Club Axis- caters to the hip-hop crowd.

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Smithville-MO Teen Suffers "Severe Burns" From Fireworks Mishap

The SMITHVILLE HERALD reports that last Friday night- two Smithville apparently male teenagers were burned- one critically- after gunpowder from fireworks the teens had dismantled ignited.

It happened outside a residence on East Meadow Street after the teens reportedly removed the powder from some mortar-type fireworks and the removed gunpowder somehow ignited.

The critically-injured teen suffered burns over 60-percent of his body and was taken to an unnamed area medical trauma center.

The other lesser-injured teen reportedly was taken to a medical facility by family members.

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Teen Possibly Paralyzed From Lee's Summit-MO Diving Incident

At 53 minutes past midnight Sunday morning- Lee's Summit emergency services responded to a reported diving accident in the 4300 block of Southeast Furlong Drive.

There they found what EMS reported as a 19-year-old male- who had dived 10 feet from the top of a pool slide into the pool that had only 10 feet of water.

Other persons at the residence removed the man from the water prior to fire and EMS's arrival.

EMS then transported the man to an area medical trauma center- reporting that their patient had no feeling below his mid-chest area but was otherwise in good medical condition.

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Coming Soon: Ms. Rittenhouse's Summer in Alaska Tour- 2009

The softer- kinder and gentler half of the CSW team will be posting over the next week or so about her Alaskan tour just completed.

She'll begin in Seattle and take you to Vancouver- British Columbia Canada then board the Sapphire Princess cruise ship for a pictorial and video view of some of the most breath-taking scenery on Earth- including the glacier fields of southeastern Alaska.

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Video: Train Drives Into A Tornado and Derails

This is video from a train's "black box camera" on the locomotive that drove into the January 7, 2008 tornado in Boone and McHenry counties in Illinois


At 0:35 seconds into the video you can see the rain begin. At the 1:00 minute mark- you can see the trees along each side of the tracks bending in increasingly high wind.

At 1:09- the railcar directly in front of the camera (behind the engine) begins tipping to the left- and the derailment begins.

At 1:23 in the clip- you can see the actual tornado funnel swirling to the upper right of the frame. You may want to replay this a few times- as at the same time a de-wheeled tanker car comes hurtling toward the locomotive's camera!


The freight train with over 100 cars derailed near Harvard- IL- creating a major haz-mat incident.

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Metro K.C. BREAKING NEWS: KC-MO Fireworks Injury and Other News

MAST-EMS was transporting a "12-year-old male" who was either hit in the head or suffered shrapnel from an exploding firework.

The incident occurred about 9:40pm in the 3900 block of Wabash.

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Other news tonight- in Independence-MO- five companies of the Independence Fire department are mopping up a house fire in the area of Lexington and Farley in the northwest part of that city.

No Injuries have been heard.


Around 7:50pm- there was a reported shooting in the 700 block of North Dover Drive.

The male victim from that incident was transported to an area trauma center in non life-threatening condition.

Meanwhile at this report- five companies of the Lenexa-KS Fire department are arriving on the scene of a house fire in the 25400 block of West 96th Terrace.

Reportedly- a trash can in the garage there was on fire- and the fire was spreading to the wall.

At 9:59pm- the first arriving fire company says "the homeowner put the fire out with a garden hose."

Damn right! g

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House Fire In KC-KS Saturday Morning? I Think NOT K.C. STAR...

For those of you who don't know- I work for Kansas City news media- Saturday and Sunday mornings midnight to 7am.

This is why on weekends- KSHB 41Action News has stories that other news media outlet either don't have or had to scramble to cover after the fact.

On nearly a dozen and a half scanning radios- I log whatever comes in of possible criminally-injurious nature or damaging to property.

I regularly log more than 50 items per shift- stuff you NEVER see reported in Kansas City's news media.

The equipment here also is designed for redundancy so I don't miss ANYTHING dispatched by the big cities in the Metro- or in the outlying areas (about a 40-mile radius) for that matter- even if the airwaves are rocking.

Rising from a day's unconsciousness after putting in my weekend all-nighters- among other sources I check into the STAR's "Breaking news" page for an update of the day's happenings.

I came to a screeching halt when I read one of The STAR's stories- what you see on the following screen-capture:

The fact there was a house fire at 2:34am Saturday morning in KC-KS near 20th Street and Troup was news to ME!

VERY odd- for at 0233 Central Time (KC-KS's dispatch clocks are incorrect daily) FRIDAY morning- I logged a house fire "in the area of North 22nd Street and Troup" and that fire- also in a "vacant" house- was found in the same place (1981 North Troup) that a supposed fire THIS morning was reported.

I didn't log a house fire at 1981 North Troup Saturday morning BECAUSE it happened 24 hours earlier than what The K.C. STAR reports today.

Last week- the paper mis-reported the name of an apartment complex (Valencia) where there was a fire. I'm seeing more and more of this stuff in a paper that's supposed to be a beacon of accuracy.

It may be no big deal to you- but if The STAR can't get these little things accurate- what about the BIG stories?

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Conservatives In Total Denial - Part 1: Palin Quits

Hmmm...

When I was growing up- you were taught to FINISH what you started.

Sarah Palin- Alaskan governor and right-ring sweetheart- apparently never took that wise piece of advice to heart.

Even more perplexing than a quitter however- is the reaction by her fellow right-wingers over Palin's decision.

That frightening bunch actually thinks she made the right decision!

Don't take MY word for this- read a sample of such thinking this screen-capture of one local blogger's post on this matter expouses.

Thank GOD Moses didn't spend this long in de Nile and- if this profoundly inexperienced quitter runs for national office in 2012- prepare for four more years of a Demoblican leader....

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Metro K.C. BREAKING NEWS: Male Critically Injured In KC-KS Shooting

The shooting was reported to KC-KS emergency services at 11:28pm Friday night in the 3400 block of North 53rd Terrace.

Moments ago- a male victim from this shooting was transported to an area medical trauma center with multiple gunshot wounds and in critical condition according to the EMS report.

No other info available at this time....

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Could 3 Murders Have Been Prevented- Why Wasn't Cole Camp 9-1-1 Call Followed Up?

Reportedly a key to solving the triple murders of the Luetjen family of Cole Camp-MO is a 9-1-1 call that was made the Sunday evening before the crime was discovered by authorities.

According to this paragraph in The KANSAS CITY STAR story: "...Benton County central dispatch received the emergency call at 10:16 p.m. June 7, but the operator couldn't understand what was being said before the connection was broken. When dispatchers called the number back, the call went straight to voice mail."

Oh really?

Why didn't the Benton County sheriff and/or Cole Camp police follow up on that terminated 9-1-1 call?

That is commonly the practice I monitor everywhere in the MetroRegion: If a 9-1-1 call is received and it can't be determined the nature of the call- a police officer is sent to the address that accompanies a 9-1-1 call on the call taker's computer.

The bodies of the Luetjens weren't discovered for nearly 48 hours AFTER that "connection- broken" 9-1-1 call from the Luetjen home.

Could have Benton County sheriff and/or Cole Camp police PREVENTED 3 murders by responding immediately on the terminated 9-1-1 call?

We'll probably never know that answer....

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Mom's Hot Sex Results In Boyfriend Beating

A 16-year-old and her friends are facing jail-time in Connecticut after getting some friends to beat-down her mom's boyfriend.

The mother- 34-year-old Melanie Arnold of Torrington (Torrid?) said her daughter had heard screams and a slap from her bedroom and Arnold's daughter thought her mother was being assaulted.

After the daughter called some of her friends to come over and beat-down the mom's boyfriend- the daughter discovered her mom was only enjoying some- er- passionate intimate contact- according to the Associated Press story.

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Federal Fines Proposed For Those Refusing Health Insurance

Well- HELL!!

If you can't AFFORD health insurance NOW- how the HELL is one going to pay Federal fines said to be around $1000 for NOT being insured?

All I can afford to do right now is die- and I'd better get THAT over with before the coming hyper-inflation shows up.

A LOT fewer of us will be able to afford to LIVE then....

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