KANSAS CITY'S BREAKING NEWS: High Wind Creating Problems

At 5:16pm- five KC-MO fire companies responded to the report of a tree falling on a single-story house in the 4600 block of North Oakley- setting the house on fire.

The fire is reportedly fairly minor- and no injuries have been reported. This fire call has been one of several in the past hour responding to problems caused by high wind gusts.

Winds gusting as high as 50 m.p.h. are blowing through the KC-MO MetroRegion- and will continue for at least the next several hours.

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Vermont Man Walking To D.C. To Encourage Impeachment Of Bush- Cheney

John Nirenberg is a 60-year-old author and academic- according to this Associated Press story.

On Sunday- Mr. Nirenberg plans to begin his walk from Boston to Washington- walking 15 miles a day until he arrives- hopefully to meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Nirenberg- wearing a "Save the Constitution, Impeach Bush and Cheney" sandwich-board sign- hopes to persuade Pelosi to begin impeachment proceedings on Bush & Cheney- the field generals of The War On The American Way Of Life (WOTAWOL).

We ALL know the Demoblicans won't do a damn thing about Bush or Cheney- I do hope Mr. Nirenberg gets some good exercise.

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The Kansas City MetroRegion Overnight News and Weather Report - Saturday, December 01, 2007

*** Grandview-MO Police Shoot 2 After Armed Robbery- Chase ***

*** Two late-teenaged males were shot by Grandview police after they ran from their vehicle after a car chase.

The chase began after Grandview cops sighted what they say was a "suspect vehicle in an armed robbery" of a convenience store near 150th Street and U.S. 71 with 5 occupants just west of U.S. 71 and 140th Street just after 6am Saturday morning. That chase wound up and down dead-end streets and yards- the suspect car striking a police car and at least one other parked car.

At 6:15am- the chase ends suddenly in the area of 12th and 136th Streets as an officer reports "shots fired" by the suspects and a minute later- "(suspects) shot." One suspect was shot twice in the chest- and was in critical condition enroute to an area trauma center. The other suspect had a "non life-threatening" leg wound. At least 2 suspects remained in the car and a female ran and was not found.

No officers were injured and the 2 officers who fired their weapons were placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

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** MetroRegion House Fires Injure Three **

*** A house fire in KC-MO's Northland slightly-injured two and a house fire in rural Johnson County MO injured one early Saturday morning.

>>>The KC-MO fire was in the 5100 block of Northeast 39th Street- dispatched at 1:19am.. The fire was under control in 10 minutes- and 2 of the 2 adults and 4 children suffered minor smoke inhalation. The Red Cross was called to help the displaced occupants.

>>>The fire in JoCoMo was in the 800 block of Southeast 321 Road just before 1:30am. There it's reported a 2-story home was completely destroyed by flames- and a woman in her early-60's suffering serious smoke inhalation and brought to a Metro KC trauma center later.

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** MAST AMBULANCE IN WRECK **

... This happened around 4:10am- when a MAST-EMS unit- enroute to a nearby hospital with a patient- was broadsided by another car at Volker Boulevard and Cherry in KC-MO..

The injuries- to a MAST medic- the patient- and 2 others in the other vehicle- were non life-threatening to minor..

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<><><> OVERNIGHT WEATHER <><><>

Temperatures stayed at or just above freezing in Metro K.C. overnight- and any ice accumulations were very minor and had melted as of sunrise. Temeperatures will continue to rise during the day.

Those to the north are not so lucky- with more significant ice accumulations around St. Joseph- Maryville and Bethany-MO- north into Nebraska and Iowa- where temperatures will stay below freezing longer.

This storm system will pull away from the MetroRegion Sunday.

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Kansas City's Breaking News Leader - NBC41 ACTION NEWS.

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KANSAS CITY'S BREAKING WEATHER: THE PRECIPITATION HAS BEGUN

It's mostly in the western/southwestern half of the KC Metro right now- and it's spreading across the Metro now.

Roads are wet in Johnson County KS according to traffic cameras- with temperatures hovering at or just above freezing in most areas.

So far- I have heard no traffic accidents associated with slick roadways as of this post.

It's lightly sleeting here by the old Bannister Mall.

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KANSAS CITY'S WEATHER: Miami County KS - Cass County-MO Added To Freezing Rain Advisory

From the NWS:

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
726 PM CST FRI NOV 30 2007

.DISCUSSION...

WILL GO AHEAD AND ADD IN CASS AND MIAMI COUNTIES TO THE (Freezing Rain) ADVISORIES.
CONCERNED MORE WITH THE NORTHERN HALF OF THOSE COUNTIES. PLEASANT HILL CURRENTLY SITTING AT 28 DEGREES WITH 32 DEGREES AT HARRISONVILLE.
WITH VERY DRY AIR IN THE LOW LEVELS...AS THE PRECIPITATION INITIALLY STARTS LATE TONIGHT...MAY SEE READINGS WET BULB DOWN A BIT BEFORE SATURATION OCCURS. EXPECT THOSE READINGS THEN START TO RISE AS THE VERY WARM RAIN COMING THROUGH THIS SATURATED LAYER STARTS TO BRING THOSE TEMPERATURE BACK UP.
SHOULD HAVE A PERIOD OF ICING THAT LASTS AT LEAST A COUPLE OF HOURS MAINLY IN THE PREDAWN TIMEFRAME.
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Daredevil Evel Knievel Dead At 69

A cultural icon from the 1970's has passed on in Clearwater-FL- according to a family member in this AP story.

This guy was a one-of-a-kind and Godspeed Evel!

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BREAKING NEWS: Man Claiming To Have Bomb Holding Hostages In Hilary Clinton's N.H. Campaign Office

According to the Associated Press- a suspect reportedly having a bomb went into a Clinton campaign office in Rochester-NH and held 2 hostages there.

Senator Hilary Clinton was out of state.

A woman was reportedly released by the suspect. A number of other candidates' and town offices as well as a school have been evacuated. WMUR-TV is reporting "2" or both "hostages released."

CNN is covering this situation live. More here as received.

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Oh Yeah- That New Paseo Bridge

You know- the one with that so unique design found in at least 2 other American bridges.

That new bridge designed without any provisions for commuter/light-rail.

Named after Senator Bond- part of America's problem (Senate) not a solution (3rd party).

Hold on to your seat as we continue on our ride to cognitive disconnection....

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Jayhawker Rooting For Missouri Tigers

What's that you say? HaHa- that's right- I'm rooting for the Mo-Tigers versus Okie (even tho Mom's side are eastern Okies) Saturday night so there- stick that in your smipe and poke it! lol

Go Tigers!

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Same Old KC-MO Mayor/Council Crapola

Our "representatives" took it upon themselves to overturn Kansas City-MO voter desires and killed the light-rail initiative several weeks ago- then miss the deadline for a February 2008 election to approve a ALTERED light-rail plan.

Now- the Council throws ANOTHER $200k at yet another light-rail study.

Then read Mark Forsythe's THE KANSAS CITY POST blog and his post "The No-TIF District"- about how most Tax Increment Financing (TIFs) proposals sent to the Council seem to get a rubber-stamped approval.

For areas most folks do not consider blighted too.

I reduce the Council's actions to what they are:
Welfare for the wealthy and to HELL what the rest of us desire (vote) our city to be.

Maybe a recall election for most of the Council members and the Mayor isn't such a bad idea after all.

I'd sure as hell like to see the Council try and overturn the results of THAT...

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Open Message To Race Bikers On I-435

To the fools I met racing their cycles on I-435 south of I-70 a few nights ago: You are lucky as HELL I saw you coming from nowhere before I switched lanes.

I know you were doing at LEAST 100 m.p.h.- darting in and out of traffic lanes with no signals.

I hope you live to see your next birthday- if not- Darwinism is alive and well in spite of Kansas....

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KANSAS CITY MetroRegion WEATHER: ICE STORM WARNING NORTH

The National Weather Service has issued an Ice Storm Warning for much of northeastern and northern Kansas and Northwestern Missouri- the latter including the ST. Joseph Metro area- for Saturday.

In addition- a "Freezing Rain Advisory" will be in effect early Saturday morning for Metro Kansas City as well as Lawrence and Topeka-KS..

Any freezing precipitation will turn to rain Saturday morning before any significant accumulations fall in KC- Lawrence and Topeka.

Here are some sample statements from both the Topeka and Pleasant Hill NWS offices:

REPUBLIC- WASHINGTON- MARSHALL- NEMAHA- BROWN- CLOUD- CLAY- RILEY- POTTAWATOMIE- JACKSON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF: MARYSVILLE... HIAWATHA... CONCORDIA... CLAY CENTER... MANHATTAN
400 AM CST FRI NOV 30 2007

...ICE STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CST
SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED AN ICE STORM
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CST
SATURDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE QUARTER TO ONE THIRD OF AN INCH ARE
EXPECTED GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A CONCORDIA TO CLAY CENTER
TO HOLTON LINE. WINDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH MAY CAUSE ICE COVERED TREE
BRANCHES AND POWER LINES TO FALL...PLAN AHEAD IN CASE POWER
OUTAGES OCCUR. ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL MAKE FOR VERY HAZARDOUS
DRIVING CONDITIONS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING.

FREEZING RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY CHANGE OVER TO RAIN BY
THE LATE MORNING HOURS ON SATURDAY AND MUCH OF THE ICE
ACCUMULATION MAY MELT. REMAIN ALERT FOR ANY DOWNED TREE BRANCHES OR
POWER LINES EVEN AFTER THE ICE HAS MELTED.

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URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
619 AM CST FRI NOV 30 2007

ATCHISON KS-DONIPHAN-ATCHISON MO-NODAWAY-HOLT-ANDREW-BUCHANAN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ATCHISON...TROY...TARKIO...ROCKPORT...
MARYVILLE...MOUND CITY...OREGON...SAVANNAH...ST. JOSEPH
619 AM CST FRI NOV 30 2007

...ICE STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 1 PM CST
SATURDAY...

AN ICE STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 1 PM CST
SATURDAY.

SIGNIFICANT ICE AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS IN EXCESS OF ONE QUARTER
INCH IS EXPECTED TO ACCUMULATE ACROSS NORTHWEST MISSOURI AND
EXTREME NORTHEAST KANSAS BY LATE SATURDAY MORNING. FREEZING RAIN
AND SLEET IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS OF
SATURDAY MORNING WITH PERIODS OF MODERATE FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET
LIKELY BEFORE TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE THE FREEZING MARK LATE
SATURDAY MORNING. IN ADDITION...EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS
INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH MAY CAUSE ICE COVERED POWER LINES AND
TREE LIMBS TO FALL.

AN ICE STORM WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF ICE ACCUMULATIONS
WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS OR IMPOSSIBLE. TRAVEL IS STRONGLY
DISCOURAGED. COMMERCE WILL LIKELY BE SEVERELY IMPACTED. IF YOU
MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR
VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. ICE ACCUMULATIONS AND WINDS WILL
LIKELY LEAD TO SNAPPED POWER LINES AND FALLING TREE BRANCHES THAT
ADD TO THE DANGER.

LEAVENWORTH-WYANDOTTE-JOHNSON KS-PLATTE-CLAY-JACKSON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LEAVENWORTH...KANSAS CITY KS...
OVERLAND PARK...OLATHE...PARKVILLE...PLATTE CITY...WESTON...
LIBERTY...EXCELSIOR SPRINGS...KANSAS CITY...INDEPENDENCE
619 AM CST FRI NOV 30 2007

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM CST
SATURDAY...

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 AM CST
SATURDAY.

ICE ACCUMULATIONS AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS
THE GREATER KANSAS CITY AREA STARTING DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS
OF SATURDAY MORNING. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO WARM ABOVE THE
FREEZING MARK BY MID MORNING WITH THE FREEZING RAIN CHANGING OVER
TO RAIN. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO CLIMB INTO THE 40S BY
AFTERNOON AND MELT ANY ICE THAT REMAINS.

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR
FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

-----

I will post updates on this developing situation throughout the day into Saturday morning as the news center is fired up at midnight.

Please take any necessary precautions NOW....

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KANSAS CITY'S WEATHER: Weekend Storm May Not Be As Cold

As usual- the weather models are flip-flopping around on what type of precipitation the Kansas City MetroRegion will experience this weekend.

Okay- here's how I'm going to call it:
I think the storm will start out as perhaps a rain/snow mix around midday Saturday- then become mostly rain through early Sunday morning. The low pressure to the west will entrain warmer air on it's front-side into the MetroRegion. There could perhaps be a changeover to icy precip as the storm passes by- then snow Sunday morning on the low's backside.

I'm thinking the storm system will pull out with drier air pushing in on it's backside Sunday- limiting any significant snow accumulation at all in the Metro itself.

Of course- this scenario can also change- but I'll stick with my forecast unless more compelling changes occur in the models from now until later in the week.

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Fifteen Yard Penalty- Delay Of Reporting Problems At KU-MU Game

Many times- I think the news media in this town does nothing but cheer lead.

Take for example this morning's story in THE KANSAS CITY STAR- regarding the fan complaints from last Saturday's KU-MU football game at Arrowhead.

THE STAR relied on 2 letter writers for information. I relied on the radio frequency that dispatched security people to whatever problem arose.

Diane and I listened to the sideshows from about the 2nd quarter of the game- several instances involving their own security people needing assistance. There were 2 instances where a person "hijacked" the security golf carts in the parking lot- and drove them around the parking lots until they were stopped. A general overview of what we heard was posted HERE.

Assaults? Fights? At LEAST a dozen. Plus- I wouldn't EVER want to sit directly below a lip to a higher deck of the stadium unless I wanted a shower of beer and any other unknown liquid from those above. We heard at least a half-dozen of those occurrences.

In answer to people who seemed concerned that too many security people were assigned to "protect the playing field" from intruders: there were 2 radio calls toward the very end of the game TRYING to get those necessary security people to those field posts- so much stuff was happening in the stands ("we only have a quarter of the people we need" one broadcast stated with less than two minutes in the game.)

I am not a newsroom staffed with dozens of reporters and photographers- yet I was quite able to follow the action on the field AND off of it.

I do not have a college journalism degree- but it's my innate news sense that ALL aspects of any major event- such as the 2nd largest crowd in Arrowhead's 35-year history- should and must be covered.

THE STAR mentions how neither school received many complaints about how security and amenities at the game went. I'm sure people smacked- shoved and/or showered with beer make a beeline to their phones to complain to unresponsive university officials.

Gimme a fugging break!!!

Oh- heh- I won't even get into the Chief's "pat-down" policy of frisking paying fans as they enter the stadium- only to say you will NOT see me at any functions held by any business that regard their paying customers as potential criminals (air travel notwithstanding).

The money I save by not going to Chief's games or buying newspapers that don't tell the whole story allows me to purchase appliances that CAN tell me what is REALLY going on in this town.

COMING: Update on weekend winter storm - stay tuned....

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KANSAS CITY'S WEATHER: Possible Ice Storm Looming Next Weekend

The latest weather models are showing a possibility of a wintery storm beginning next Saturday- and the models are indicating a possible ice scenario that would include a good portion of the Kansas City MetroRegion.

If a forecasted Arctic air mass plants itself over us by late week- this icy forecast could come to pass. Forecasted precipitation amounts could make this a very serious situation.

As usual- this forecast can change- and I'll be on top of the changes here.

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The Kansas City MetroRegion Overnight News and Weather Report - Sunday, November 25, 2007

*** ONE DIES IN KC-MO NORTH CRASH ***

*** KC-MO Police report 1 dead and one injured when a Hummer crashed in a construction area on Briarcliff Parkway near Mulberry.

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<><><> OVERNIGHT WEATHER <><><>

Clouds slowly increased over the southern half of the MetroRegion overnight while temperatures remained in the middle-20's to lower 30's. Winds were slight southerly.

A strong upper level storm system will skirt the MetroRegion later today into Monday. Precipitation may get as close as the K.C. Metro early Monday- with temperatures near the freezing mark.

Another storm system is expected by mid-week- and again next weekend..

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Kansas City's Breaking News Leader - NBC41 ACTION NEWS.

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