KC MetroRegion NWS Topeka 2009 Storm Spotter Class Schedule

Here's a list of scheduled storm spotter training classes presented by NWS meterologists from the NWS office in Topeka-KS:



February, 2009 - Upcoming
Day City, State Time Location
19 Garnett, KS
(Anderson County) 7:00pm CST North Park Community Building on North Lake Road

19 St. Mary's, KS
(Pottawatomie County) 7:00pm CST Fire Station 404 West Lasley

23 Alma, KS
(Wabaunsee County) 7:00pm CST Wabaunsee High School 912 Missouri Street

25 Sabetha, KS
(Nemaha County) 7:00pm CST Community Center 1116 Main Street

26 Belleville, KS
(Republic County) 7:00pm CST 4H Building Fairgrounds 901 O Street

26 Grantville, KS
(Jefferson County) 7:00pm CST Grantville Community Building 3877 South Street



March, 2009 - Upcoming
Day City, State Time Location
02 Junction City, KS
(Geary County) 7:00pm CST 4H Senior Center 1025 S. Spring Valley Road

02 Herington, KS
(Dickinson County) 7:00pm CST Hilltop Building 2 South A Street

03 Holton, KS
(Jackson County) 7:00pm CST Senior Citizens Building 312 Pennsylvania

05 Ozawkie, KS
(Jefferson County) 7:00pm CST Ozawkie Township Hall 524 Kiowa

09 Topeka, KS
(Shawnee County) 7:00pm CDT Washburn University Memorial Union

10 Emporia, KS
(Lyon County) 7:00pm CDT Anderson Building Fairgrounds West Highway 50 and Industrial Road

10 Clay Center, KS
(Clay County) 7:00pm CDT Baptist Church Meeting Hall corner of 5th and Dexter

11 Concordia, KS
(Cloud County) 7:00pm CDT Cook Theater, Community College

12 Seneca, KS
(Nemaha County) 7:00pm CDT Community Building 1500 Community Drive

12 Ottawa, KS
(Franklin County) 7:00pm CDT Celebration Hall 1701 S. Elm

16 Topeka, KS
(Shawnee County) 7:00pm CDT Mission Township Fire Dept. 53rd and Wanamaker

17 Washington, KS
(Washington County) 7:00pm CDT Emergency Services Building 900 D Street

17 Abilene, KS
(Dickinson County) 7:00pm CDT Recreation Center NW 8th & Poplar

18 Westmoreland, KS
(Pottawatomie County) 7:00pm CDT Fire Station 305 South 6th St.

19 Manhattan, KS
(Riley County) 7:00pm CDT Pottorf Hall Riley County Fairgrounds Avery Ave & Robinson Dr

23 Council Grove, KS
(Morris County) 7:00pm CDT Courthouse 501 W. Main

23 Lyndon, KS
(Osage County) 7:00pm CDT 421 E. 6th Street High School Auditorium

24 Olpe, KS
(Lyon County) 7:00pm CDT Knights of Columbus 212 Iowa St.

25 Hiawatha, KS
(Brown County) 7:00pm CDT Fisher Community Center 201 East Iowa Street

26 Lawrence, KS
(Douglas County) 7:00pm CDT Arts Center 940 New Hampshire St.

30 Minneapolis, KS
(Ottawa County) 7:00pm CDT Courthouse Basement 307 N. Concord St.

31 New Strawn, KS
(Coffey County) 7:00pm CDT ACCC Healthcare Academy 139 N. 1st Terrace

31 Marysville, KS
(Marshall County) 7:00pm CDT Helvering Community Center 111 South 8th St.


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KC MetroRegion NWS-Pleasant Hill 2009 Storm Spotter Class Schedule

The following severe storm spotter /public education classes are presented by NWS meteorologists from Kansas City's Pleasant Hill-MO NWS office as indicated:


February 2009 - Upcoming

09 Kingston, MO
(Caldwell County) 7:00pm CST Courtroom in the County Courthouse 49 E Main St., Kingston, MO 64650

10 Mound City, KS
(Linn County) 7:00pm CST Bunker Hill Community Center Sixth and K 52 Highway (Main Street) Mound City, KS

11 Princeton, MO
(Mercer County) 7:00pm CST Mercer County Fire Protection District Training Room Princeton, MO

12 Savanah, MO
(Andrew County) 7:00pm CST Clasby Center Savanah, MO

17 Marshall, MO
(Saline County) 7:00pm CST TBD

18 Cameron, MO
(Clinton County) 7:00pm CST City Hall Council Chambers 205 N. Main Street Cameron, MO

19 Liberty, MO
(Clay County) 7:00pm CST Pleasant Valley Church 1600 N 291 Hwy Liberty, MO

23 Brunswick, MO
(Chariton County) 7:00pm CST Brunswick Fire Station on Hwy 24 in Brunswick

24 Butler, MO
(Bates County) 7:00pm CST Butler High School Auditorium 420 S. Fulton Butler MO

26 Knob Noster, MO
(Johnson County) 7:00pm CST Knob Noster Fire Station 107 East South Railroad Street Knob Noster MO



March, 2009 - Upcoming

Day City, State Time Location
02 Maryville, MO
(Nodaway County) 7:00pm CST The Boardroom in the Student Union on the campus of Northwest Missouri State

03 Kansas City, MO
(Jackson County) 7:00pm CST St. Joseph Medical Center 1000 Carondelet Dr. Building D Community Center for health and education Alex George Auditorium Kansas City MO

04 St Joseph, MO
(Buchanan County) 7:00pm CST Missouri Theater 717 Edmond St. St. Joseph, MO 64501

05 Plattsburg, MO
(Clinton County) 7:00pm CST Plattsburg High School Auditorium, 800 Frost, Plattsburg, MO

09 Kansas City, MO
(Jackson County) 6:30pm CST Jennifer Fales TBD

10 Leavenworth, KS
(Leavenworth County) 7:00pm CST National Guard Armory NE corner of 4th street and Metropolitan (Street address is 2 Sherman Ave)Leavenworth, KS

11 Atchison, KS
(Atchison County) 7:00pm CST Benedictine College, Legacy Hall class room 2nd and Mound St Atchison, KS

12 Chillicothe, MO
(Livingston County) 6:30pm CST Grand River Technical School, 1200 Fair Street, Chillicothe, MO

16 Macon, MO
(Macon County) 6:30pm CST Comfort Inn 1821 N. Missouri St. Macon, MO

17 Kirksville, MO
(Adair County) 7:00pm CST Missouri Department of Conservation Building 3500 South Biltmore (across hwy 63 from Days Inn) Kirksville, MO

17 Kansas City, KS
(Wyandotte County) 7:00pm CST KCKCC Performing ArtsTheater 7250 State Avenue Kansas City, KS

18 Marceline, MO
(Linn County) 7:00pm CST Marceline Public Safety Building East Santa Fe Street Marceline, MO

19 Unionville, MO
(Putnam County) 6:00pm CST PC Cafe in Unionville

23 Rockport, MO
(Atchison County) 7:00pm CST TBD

30 Higginsville, MO
(Layfayette County) 6:00pm CST City Hall Auditorium 1922 Main Higginsville, MO

31 Stanberry, MO
(Gentry County) 7:00pm CST Albany Community Center Hwy 85 S (S side of Albany) Albany, MO



April, 2009 - Upcoming

Day City, State Time Location
01 Riverside, MO
(Platte County) 7:00pm CST Park Hill South High School 4500 River Park Drive Riverside, Missouri 64150

02 Bethany, MO
(Harrison County) 7:00pm CST Bethany Community Room 105 N. 25th St. Bethany, MO

06 Clinton, MO
(Henry County) 6:30pm CST VFW Hall 510 W. Allen St. Clinton, MO 64735

08 Trenton, MO
(Grundy County) 7:00pm CST Health Department Meeting Room 1716 Lincoln St Trenton, MO

15 TBD, MO
(Holt County) 7:00pm CST TBD

16 Raymore, MO
(Cass County) 7:00pm CST TBD

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Metro Kansas CIty's BREAKING NEWS: Fatality Wreck In Merriam

Merriam-KS with assistance from Shawnee-KS police are investigating a fatality crash early Saturday morning.

The 2-vehicle wreck happened around 2:50am in the eastbound lanes of Shawnee-Mission Parkway on the bridge over I-35 ..

There are yet few details- update here as received ...

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UPDATE - 1750 CST - Merriam-KS police have yet to provide the identity of the victim- but say a 23-year-old University of Kansas graduate student from France was the fatality.

The police statement on this incident says the victim was pushing his vehicle which had become disabled- when he was struck from behind and killed by another motorist.

Another person who was steering the victim's disabled car suffered minor injuries.

The cops say the striking motorist was intoxicated and was arrested.

The identity of the victim has been withheld until the next of kin in France could be notified.

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AP Chief Says War Military Heads Threatened Press Organization

Imagine being a member of the "free" American Press in an American war zone these days and having your access to the war tightly controlled.

Imagine the military commanders telling you that if your news coverage is unfavorable- that you and your press organization would be "ruined."

This is NOT imagination- but very real- according to Associated Press's chief executive Tom Curley in a speech Friday to University of Kansas journalists- according to The KANSAS CITY STAR.

I guess our government learned ONE thing from Vietnam- you can't have American journalists reporting the TRUTH about Bush's Folly.

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Man With Cane Gets Irate At No Bus Service

This was reported in the Friday morning KANSAS CITY STAR:

"Police arrested a 51-year-old man early Thursday sfter he allegedly attacked an Area Transportation Authority supervisor. The man also allegedly hit a police officer who arrested him.

The 58-year-old ATA supervisor told police he stopped about midnight to help a man yelling about the Troost bus at a bus stop near 12th Street and Grand Boulevard (in Kansas City-MO). After the supervisor told him the bus service would not resume until the next day, the man allegedly swung his cane and hit the supervisor in the eye, head and arm and also hit the supervisor's car, leaving a 2-inch scratch.
The supervisor suffered bleeding, swelling and a cut to his eye."

No mention if the cop who was also reportedly struck suffered any injury.

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AP: U.S. Corps of Engineers Says Missouri River Is Sinking

As in the bottom of the river itself is falling- according to the Associated Press article featured on MyWay news.

The worst stretch of this issue seems to be from southeastern Nebraska to the river's mouth with the Mississippi River near St. Louis- and Kansas City's in the middle.

In Kansas City- the Corps says the Missouri River's bottom has dropped more than 12 feet since the late 1950's.

The decline has increased since the Great Flood of 1993- and threatens bridges and the Federal levees protecting the KC-KS Fairfax Industrial District- North KC and the industrial bottoms in KC-MO..

Sand and gravel dredging companies operating on the Missouri claim they're not to blame.

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Army Suicides In January Could Surpass War Dead

Incredibly- the U.S. Army reported 24 suicides in January- according to the Associated Press.

Seven of those suicides have been confirmed- 17 of the deaths are under investigation. There were 16 combat deaths in all military branches in January.

In addition- the Army is investigating 128 suicides in 2008 with an additional 15 deaths being investigated as such.

"Join The Army and Meet Your Maker...."

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AmerenUE Wants MO Law Changed For Their Profit

According to fellow blogger Mark over at The KANSAS CITY POST blog- AmerenUE- a Missouri utility company known for bad dams- wants to build another nuclear reactor at their Callaway Nuke plant in eastern Missouri.

AmerenUE apparently also wants a 1976 Missouri law repealed that does not allow utilities to charge customers for new power plants until they are online and producing electricity.


AmerenUE allowed a power plant dam to fail in December of 2005 which flooded and ruined Missouri's Johnson's Shut-Ins State park and decimated the lives of the park ranger's family.


AmerenUE officials were slapped on the wrist for that one- we'll see how their overturning of a state law turns out.

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Kansas City's BREAKING NEWS: Vehicle - School Bus Collide In KC-MO Northland

At 8:30am- KC-MO and Southern Platte Fire department units as well as MAST-EMS and police are responding on a crash between a minivan and a school bus.

This was reported to be in front of "Hawthorne Elementary School at Barry & Chariton" and about a dozen students were reported to be on the bus that reportedly struck a minivan.

KC-MO Fire on-scene at 8:37am reports "extrication on one" of the two occupants of the minivan.

MAST-EMS reports two critical injuries in the minivan at 8:41am- and one of those injured is a child.

There is reported one injury on the school bus. Three 3 MAST-EMS ambulances have been sent to the scene.

A medical helicopter has been requested to transport the critically injured child in the minivan.

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UPDATE - 0928 CST - The female driver of the minivan has been transported in what sounded to be serious condition to Liberty Hospital by MAST.

The child inside the minivan is being flown to Children's Mercy by Lifeflight.

That child is reported by a LIFEFLIGHT helicopter paramedic as "a 4-year-old with a fractured femur (thigh-bone)" and other serious injuries.

There is reported to be one child with mostly minor injuries on the bus and that child will be taken to a hospital. A 2nd child also had mostly minor injuries and both have been trasnported to hospitals.

The accident is under investigation.

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1st Anniversary of Deadly Tornado Outbreak- Central States Severe Weather Early Next Week?

The AP has a heart-warming story about a child who survived last year's tornado outbreak in the mid-Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys.

The boy's mom was killed in a tornado northeast of Nashville-TN last February 5 and the boy was found face-down in debris about 100 yards away from where his mother was found.

The boy is celebrating his 2nd birthday and doing just fine.

In a related note- the National Weather Service's (NWS) Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has outlooked mostly middle to southern portions of the Central States for possible severe thunderstorms beginning late Sunday into next Tuesday.

Thus far- the K.C. Metro is NOT included in these outlooks- but that can well change over the next few days as the weather pattern becomes clearer.
Stay tuned....

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It's Official - Digital TV Conversion Off Until June

The on again- off again switch to digital television in the UCSA is now- by act of Congress- Delayed until June 12.

Here's the story & details from the Associated Press.

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Central U.S. News: Illinois and Arkansas

CHICAGO IL- A fire Wednesday morning caused heavy damage to the historic Holy Name Cathedral.
The 5:29am-reported fire affected mostly the attic and roof- but the altar- sanctuary and basement areas of the 134-year-old church were heavily damaged by smoke and water.
No one was hurt.

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EVANSTON IL - A 10-year-old elementary school boy died early today after he was found hanging in a school.
Fifth-grader Aquan Lewis was found unresponsive and hanging from a hook in a bathroom of the Oakton Elementary School around 3pm Tuesday.

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WEST MEMPHIS, AR - Arkansas State Medical Board's chairman Trent P. Pierce was critically injured early this morning after his car exploded.
The Associated Press reports Pierce was preparing to leave home for work when his car- a hybrid-powered vehicle- exploded.
No report if any explosive device was found or indicated.

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Star's Reporter Can't Reach Star Publishers' WIfe For Comment

In regard to the DUI that former STAR columnist Rhonda C. Lokeman received on New Year's Day- as reported here on bottomlinecom.com.

Lokeman is MARRIED to STAR publisher Mark Zieman- but the bottomlinecom.com article mentions even the STAR reporter writing the story couldn't get Lokeman to comment.

Lokeman no longer works for The KANSAS CITY STAR (like many others).

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Real Art At Los Angeles International Airport

I like colorful stuff. You can't tell by reading this blog can you?

Kansas City sets aside a small portion of municipal construction projects for accompanying art work.

No doubt you've seen the various pieces of artwork in the terminals and along the roads leading in and out of Kansas City International airport.

Los Angeles did their airport art in grand style. These are pylons about 100 feet tall which are lighted- and the lights rotate different colors.

Too bad KCI doesn't have anything like this. These pylons are spectacular!

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South Carolina Authorities Ponder Criminal Charges for Michael Phelps

According to this dispatch from the Associated Press- a South Carolina sheriff is considering criminal charges against Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps who was photographed using a water bong.

We can only ASSUME Barney Fife is that sheriff and that there is "illegal" marijuana in the bong Phelps is seen smoking in the photograph.

Too bad Phelps couldn't have been snapped smoking (legal) cigarettes while getting shit-faced drunk on grain alcohol (also legal).

Mr. Phelps only mistake was telling the truth about the picture.

Of course- we TEACH our kids that niave concept of telling the truth.

But like the Santa Claus-type crapola we feed them that they discover is a lie later on- so is the "honesty" of truth-telling.

You don't admit anything. Attorney(s) optional- but preferable.

Farbeit Michael Phelp's right- as a Human Being- to put whatever the Hell he wants into that seven gold-medal winning body of his.

Let's get a mirror- photograph then write about ourselves my fellow journalists. Skeletons and all.

And it was tobacco you were smoking- right Mike?

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Kansas CIty WEATHER: Warm Relief On The Way

Today's Arctic air mass will be short-lived.

After low temperatures in the single-digits early Wednesday- temperatures will shoot up above freezing and stay there Thursday as the weather charts indicate until at least early next week.

That's right- NO below freezing temperatures beginning with Thursday's rise above the 32-degree mark- until early next week.

In addition- the charts are indicating rain- and possible thunder- beginning Sunday night into next Monday.

We've most likely seen the very coldest temperatures of the season- as the sun's angle rises day after day until the Vernal Equinox- the first day of Spring- on March 20.

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Joke of The Month: The Husband Store

A store that sells new husbands has opened in New York City , where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates:

You may visit this store ONLY ONCE!

There are six floors and the value of the products increase as the shopper ascends the flights.

The shopper may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!

So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband. On the first floor the sign on the door reads:

Floor 1 - These men Have Jobs.

She is intrigued, but continues to the second floor, where the sign reads:

Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.

'That's nice,' she thinks, 'but I want more.'

So she continues upward. The third floor sign reads:

Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, and are Extremely Good Looking.

'Wow,' she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.

She goes to the fourth floor and the sign reads:

Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Good Looking and Help With Housework.

'Oh, mercy me!' she exclaims, 'I can hardly stand it!'

Still, she goes to the fifth floor and the sign reads:

Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous, Help with Housework, and Have a Strong Romantic Streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor, where the sign reads:

Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.

PLEASE NOTE:

To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner opened a New Wives store just across the street.

The first floor has wives that love sex.

The second floor has wives that love sex and have money and like beer.

The third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors have never been visited.

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KC-MO Code Enforcers Nowhere To Be Found

Workers who enforce the city codes are quick to ticket neighborhood vehicles parked a few inches on the grass next to curbs- yet they seem to ignore real eyesores that turn nice neighborhoods into Detroit-looking ghettos.

This trash is next to an empty house at 7001 East 86th Street.

The trash has been sitting here for more than 2 weeks now- slowly being blown by gusty winds throughout the neighborhood.

The KC-MO "Action Center" was notified of this problem last week. I was told this was "a foreclosed property- owned by a bank in Houston-TX.."

Maybe the 'hood can get up a collection to Fed-Ex this eyesore to that Houston bank.

Or maybe the City can forgo it's "neighborhood preservation" hot-air- lip-service and actually send a truck out to clean up this mess.

Councilman Riley? Hello????

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The Demolition of Bannister Mall - February 3, 2009

Here are some photos taken this morning of the continued demolition of the old Bannister Mall on the northeast intersection of Interstate 435 and Bannister Road.

The demolition is beginning on the north end of the old mall- you can see by these images (click on the photo for full resolution) that much of the interior of the old Jones Store has been gutted.

The Kaw Valley Company is doing the tear-down and the company is attempting to recycle as much of the building's materials as they can.

Trespassers have removed much of the recyclable material already- according to workers at the site.

I'll be posting progress reports of the razing of Bannister Mall over the weeks ahead....

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