Kansas City's BREAKING NEWS: KC-MO Shooting

Police and MAST-EMS paramedics are reporting a 23-year-old male has been shot in the face.

He's in serious to critical condition at a Metro trauma center.

The shooting occurred around 4:30am in the 6600 block of Monroe in south-central Kansas City- MO..

There is yet no reports of a motive or any suspects in this incident.

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K.C. MetroRegion BREAKING NEWS: Bomb Threat In Leavenworth County High School

Around 9:30am Friday morning- Leavenworth County fire- EMS and sheriff were called to the Basehor High School on 2108 North 155th Street on a bomb threat.

The school has been evacuated at this time while authorities search for any possible explosive device.

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UPDATE: After a search of the building by bomb-detecting dogs and other means- no explosive device was found and classes resumed just after noon.

The threat of a bomb had reportedly been written on a bathroom wall..

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Missouri Governor Candidate Put Innocent Man In Prison

Kenny Hulshof wanted to be Missouri's governor- "tough on crime" Hulshof touted.

Real tough on crime - Hulshof puts innocent people in prison.

Seems Mr. Hulshof was a BIG party (as prosecutor) to an innocent person getting imprisoned for a murder the person didn't commit.

Worse- Hulshof had been made aware of discrepancies in the case BEFORE falsely imprisoning the man- according to this Associated Press dispatch.

The falsely imprisoned man was Joshua Kezer- 17-years-old at the time he was convicted by Holshof.

According to the AP story- the judge in the case "Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan ruled Tuesday that Kezer, who was 17 at the time of the killing, was wrongly convicted. His 44-page decision included a stinging rebuke of Hulshof, saying he withheld key evidence from defense attorneys and embellished details in his closing arguments."

Sure glad we don't have a half-assed attorney like Kenny Hulshof leading the State of Missouri!

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Banks Make Money Off The Unemployed Too

While right-shifted Americans scream about the American taxpayer and mortgage bailout- their fathers and uncles are collecting fees from unemployed people's benefits.

Many states now issue debit cards instead of unemployment checks- and that's where the cash-cow comes in- according to this Associated Press story..

People tend to use those debit cards like any other plastic and that's where the fees accrue.

To avoid fees with an unemployment debit card- take your newly-issued card to that bank's teller window and cash it out.

We already bailed-out the banks once- why give part of your unemployment benefits to them too?

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Latest NWS Long-Range Weather Forecasts

In a nutshell- the NWS' Climate Prediction Center (CPC) isn't forecasting any anomalies for the Kansas City MetroRegion- either in temperature or precipitation- for the next 3 months- including March.

Here are the 30-day U.S. forecasts for temperature and precipitation expected- followed by the 3-month outlooks for same for the period March- April and May 2009.

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NEWS TIP: KC-MO Fire WILL Get Ambulance Service May 1

That's the unverifiable word from at least one KC-MO Fire Department captain delivered to one of my sources.

This unnamed fire captain says the fire department WILL have the MAST-EMS service inside it's organization on May 1.

If this is the case- what's the fire department going to do with MAST's non cross-trained people- those not trained in firefighting?

What is the fire department going to do with MAST's older employees and MAST's dispatch center as well as it's headquarters on Eastwood Trafficway west of I-435?

One city firefighter says the EMS transition to the fire department is a sure thing.

I say with all the questions that remain- is it?

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Kansas Citians Were Sold A Power and Light Bill of Goods

"Let's make the Downtown area more attractive" blah- blah- blah- blah.

Let's pay out $3.6-million- maybe annual payments of around $20-million that the City of Kansas City-MO doesn't have.

"We need to spend billions on sanitary sewer upgrades or face millions of dollars in fines from the Federal government."

So again- let's build glitz projects- litterally give away the farm with TIFs and other developer subsidies and stick it to the taxpayers.

Add to this the Federal deficit which will have your grandchildren's grandchildren in hock beyond their cowlick for decades to come and the Kansas CITY taxpayer is utterly doomed.

IF you can still afford your home's mortgage- you soon won't be able to handle the tax load.

Nobody seems to realize that the American taxpayer is getting hit the hardest by this so called "recession (depression)" and even fewer seem to realize that it's the American taxpayer that's going to have to PAY FOR all these tax breaks and bailouts.

Senator- Representative and councilperson: Hope you're LONG out of office when the (taxpayers) come home to roost.

Better yet- hope all of you are UNDER our roost (has anyone seen that mess down there?).

NEXT EPISODE: Letting KC-KS's BPU light up your life and rob you blind OR Living on Duracells....

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Ohio Man Kills Family- Then Himself

Another in what seems a chain of family murder-suicides- this one claims three in Ohio.

The AP story mentions the father telling authorities he had financial problems and couldn't take it anymore. Police said they never had any trouble with the man or his family before.

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Where Were Republicrats When Banks- Brokerage Houses Were Bailed Out?

Like radio common-tater Rush Loudmouth- it appears Washington D.C. Republicrats also want President Barrack Obama to fail.

Seems to me very few Republicrats voted against giving failed banks and brokerage houses around ONE TRILLION American taxpayer dollars.

Even most Demublicans went along with the Republicrats passing the Billionaire Bailout as we po' folk call it- but at least the Dems trundle up some plan that (more) directly benefits We The People.

But SNAP!- now it's time for the American Public to DIRECTLY reap a few benefits of government largess and Washington Republicrats rise en-masse trying to defeat the plan.

It's pretty damn clear to me and other Americans that the Republicrats are playing politics in a time of extreme stress on virtually every citizen. And SHAME ON YOU John Mc Cain!!

Sure- the plan isn't perfect- but seems some would wait and wait and wait until the country literally went bankrupt before offering any alternatives.

I would politely remind such Republicrats that America is in a crisis we've not seen since The Great Depression of the 1930's.

Obstructionist Republicrats better get the f@!&$ out of their tired political plays and get to work and help solve this financial mess that they and/or their predecessors are responsible for..

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Struck By Uninsured Motorist- I Must Pay and Play Cop

Thousands of uninsured motorists ply Metro Kansas City's roadways every day.

Yet- those of us who take the social responsibility and follow the law with adequate insurance are literally at the mercy of the uninsured.

Back on January 16 I had such an experience with an uninsured motorist in Independence-MO..

Today- more than a month after the wreck and only 5 days after finally getting my wrecked van repaired- I finally hear from what was supposed to be the company the charged person was insured with.

After nearly 5 weeks- in a phone call minutes ago- has the American Family Insurance Company determined that their client WASN'T insured.

So here we have an uninsured motorist plowing carelessly into another motorist who HAS insurance.

Here's what the insured motorists suffers:

1) Nearly a month without a vehicle.

2) Has to pay $250 deductible for his own insurance company to fix the wrecked van- likely MY insurance premiums will rise to boot.

3) MYSELF- NOT THE INDEPENDENCE-MO POLICE DEPARTMENT- HAS TO FILE PAPERWORK WITH THE STATE OF MISSOURI TO REPORT THE OTHER DRIVER WHO WASN'T INSURED AND WAS (probably still) OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE ON PUBLIC ROADWAYS WITHOUT LAW-REQUIRED LIABILITY INSURANCE.

Be ready if this happens to you. And make sure your OWN POLICY has rental car provisions in it or another one (YOU) rides the bus.

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Chimpanzees On Xanax

I tried a Xanax once- when it wore off I got moody and agitated and vowed never to take one of those damn pills again and haven't.

A few days ago a "trained" chimp in Connecticut was reportedly given a Xanax and proceeded to tear the face off a friend of the chimp's owner- according to news stories about the incident.

A cop shot the chimp dead when the crazed animal tried to get into their patrol car.

Moral of story: Avoid Xanax whenever possible- and DON"T feed the shitty drug to animals!

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Kansas Should Make Tobacco Sales Illegal

The states' pollys are voting whether to ban smoking in "public" places all across Kansas.

Instead of allowing a business to make the smoking decisions themselves- Big Brother has to swoop in and make that determination for them.

Geez folks- quit being hypocrites and make the SALE of tobacco illegal.

So just quit selling the damn products in the state and quit collecting tax money off of them.

Ooops! TAX REVENUE! Ah- never mind- you hypocritical Kansas pollys.

(Note to self: Stay out of Kansas if smoking ban passes.)

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A Way Out Of Home Foreclosure?

It's simple- according to this Associated Press article.

Have the lending agency trying to foreclose on you produce the note. In the AP story- one Florida lady demanded that from the financial agency trying to kick her out of her house last year.

According to the article- the lady's still in her house and the financial firm is still trying to find her mortgage.

We're bailing these morons out and they can't even find people's mortgages?

Uh-huh....

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Missouri Road Projects Benefit From Obama's Stimulus Bill

President Obama signed the so-called Stimulus Bill" into law today- and the State of Missouri has already started some infrastructure improvements.

One project now underway is a new bridge over the Osage River near Jefferson City.

A road re-surfacing project in Clinton county is the only Kansas City MetroRegion beneficiary so far- according to this AP story.

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Celebrity Meet and Greets

I've never set out to meet any "celebrity."

I figured they dressed themselves in the same manner and breathe the same air as I do- they just had more notoriety and money than I do.

Yeah- I've met most local TV celebs- most of whom now pass-off as news readers. Met too a number of radio celebrities- though like the TV non-news reading celebrity- they've mostly faded away.

The manner I've met who I have varies greatly- mostly by being in the right place at the right time.

My first celebrity meet-up came about 1961 when I was a little guy in tow of my grandfather who was visiting his favorite restaurant on 31st Street off Troost.

I noticed a crowd around one guy- that's one guy's voice sounded too familiar. A dozen or so steps brought me face to knee with one of the most beloved western characters to ever play on American television.

It was Dan Blocker who played Hoss Cartwright on Bonanza.

Mr. Blocker said "How you doin' lil guy! as I smiled and replied in my well-behaved way: "Fine thank you- Mr. Blocker."

The guy was HUGE and every bit as friendly and real as he appeared on TV.

Dan Blocker passed away unexpectedly in 1972- and I took his passing personally.

I met Harry Truman that same year when our class took a tour of the Truman Library and the President gave all of us a brief talk.

My hero gave me some advice I never forgot when he shook my hand- ALWAYS have a firm handshake and look that person in the eye while doing so.

That got me further than any advice I've ever been given.

Probably the biggest celebrity meeting was Elvis Presley on April 21- 1976 at Kemper Arena.

The captain of Pumper Company No. 9 wanted to go
"drilling" that evening- and the "drill" was Kemper.

The other firefighter on 9's- Joe Spero and I took the company walkie-talkie and went down the sloped driveway to the rear of the backstage area hoping to catch a glimpse of this musical icon.

Soon- an obviously obese and seemingly bummed-out Elvis made his way down a ramp from the dressing rooms with his considerable entourage. Joe and I stood a good 30 feet away when Elvis came down to the backstage curtain- then he stopped.

Seeing us- Elvis broke away from his group of handlers and came toward the 2 of us decked out in our firecoats and helmets.

His demeanor changed considerably- Elvis smiled and asked "Where's the fire boys?" As we met his outstretched hand with ours as we introduced- I replied "No fire Mr. Presley- we just thought we might get a chance to see you."

Elvis was pleased. He invited Joe and I to his private box next to the stage. We went in and sat down- next to Elvis' squeeze at the time- Linda Thompson. She was quite gracious as we watched Elvis' opening number- but we could barely hear the communications on the walkie-talkie so we bowed out.

Joe and I always thought Elvis would have loved to briefly leave the packed Kemper and go tooling around on the fire engine in a borrowed coat and helmet- playing with the lights and siren and ringing the bell.

We never asked him though.

One day perhaps I'll add to this list- like the time I actually made money off one Beach Boy and another time when I almost had a head-on collision with Brian Wilson.

Heh.

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Facebook Will OWN Your Uploads

If you have any copyrighted images you want to stay that way- don't upload those images to Facebook.

WGN-TV9 News in Chicago in a Midday News story says those images could stay on Facebook "forever."

Make sure you READ the terms of acceptance when signing on for a Facebook account- or don't post any images YOU want to keep TO YOURSELF on Facebook.

In fact- don't submit your photos or videos to ANY organization (CNN- TV stations- etc.) without reading the fine print first- that organization could OWN your work- profit from it- and not pay you a dime.

That photo or video could actually be worth LOTS of $$$$!

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Another Unthoughtout KC-MO City Council Ordinance

Our city government gives out corporate welfare in the form of TIFs and other largess freely.

Our city government just gives out a hard time to the citizenry.

The recent insult to Kansas Citians: penalties for extra trash bags.

Want to piss-off a neighbor you don't like? Pile extra bags of trash next to theirs when they ain't looking and see them get fined.

Oh- never mind the extra bags ain't THEIRS- now that burden of proof falls on the poor schmuck's house the bags appeared in front of.

Better yet- if you have extra trash- do as so many others seem to do- dump it along the side of ANY roadway.

There was one such bag dumped in the 4200-4400 block of East 87th Street recently- just west of the Southland Public Works facility.

That bag has sat for nearly a week now- untouched by Human hands- but not untouched by wildlife which has torn the bag open and scattered the ugly contents.

In fact- the Southland is turning into one big trash dump- Swope Park included. Want photographic proof? I can provide it in fourplicate squared.

Are these new extra trash bag fines going applied to picking up illegally dumped trash in our increasingly-trashy city?

HaHa!

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Kansas City's BREAKING NEWS: Boy Shot In KC-MO - Independence Club DIsturbance

KC-MO police are releasing few details yet why a boy was shot and seriously injured in the Old Northeast area early Sunday morning.



This much is known: A little bit before 4am in the 300 block of North Jackson- an 8-year-old male was shot in a shoulder and grazed by a 2nd bullet.

In serious condition- he's whisked away to a medical trauma center by MAST-EMS.

No suspect information was heard- and Kansas City news media awaits the "official" police report.

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Just before 1:30am Sunday morning- Independence police needed considerable help from several Jackson County-MO law enforcement agencies- including KC-MO and the Missouri Highway Patrol- when a large disturbance broke out at the Club Dallas in the 3800 block of Noland Road.

There had been reports of shots fired- but no reports were received at Overnight News of any injuries or arrests.

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