Saturday, May 09, 2009

Critical Injury In Overnight Overland Park Crash



A
man driving a small car crashed his vehicle on the southbound I-635 ramp to I-35 just before 2 am Saturday morning.


It took firefighters about 20 minutes to extricate the driver- said by paramedics to be in his middle-20's.

The man was taken to an area medical trauma center unconscious and in critical condition.

(Compare this story as I worked it to The STAR's piece on this incident.)
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Friday, May 08, 2009

More Photos From KSNF-TV Joplin Tower Break



A
rapid-moving complex of severe thunderstorms raced from western Kansas late Thursday night through southern and southeastern Kansas overnight to around dawn- then sped east through southern Missouri during Friday morning.

The complex produced an arc of high- straight-line winds ahead of it- gusting possibly as high as "120 MPH" said the Associated Press.

Trees- power lines- homes- churches and other structures in the path of these winds suffered some degree of damage.

A woman was killed in Wilson county-KS and damage was heavy in the towns of New Albany and Fredonia.

The powerful gust front reached Joplin in southwest Missouri around 7 am..

Around that time is when the wind broke KSNF NBC-16's tower.

I call it a tower break and not a collapse because only about the top half of the 1000-foot-plus tower fell.

The tower piece(s) fell in a southeasterly trajectory as indicated by the dark line I've drawn on a Google Satellite pic-map of the incident.

The part of the tower that fell straight down landed on part of the TV station itself- a building shared by sister station and ABC affiliate KODE Channel 12.

Though the building was damaged- no one was hurt. Both stations are off the air.

A section of the tower then crashed down across Cleveland Street in southwest Joplin-
and onto an unoccupied SUV- crushing it- and part of the house where the vehicle was parked.

Three children and their mother was inside the house at the time- but none of them were injured.

The storms bolted eastward into the Republic- Springfield- Bolivar and Lebanon areas- doing damage- injuring people and even killing at least 3 more all along their path into the Ohio and Tennessee Valley areas by Friday afternoon.

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Joplin-MO TV Tower Broken In High Winds



T
his is reported to be the tower for Joplin television station KSNF.


The JOPLIN GLOBE newspaper reports that the upper half of the tower fell- damaging homes- a vehicle and the TV station itself.

No injuries were reported.

A "derecho" severe thunderstorm event moved across southern Kansas into southern Missouri overnight into this morning.

At least 1 fatality has been reported- in Fredonia-KS..

Damage is widespread in the Springfield and Bolivar-MO areas. Power was reported out to the entire city of Bolivar at mid-morning.

At least two in-session schools have been struck. Four minor injuries were reported when high winds- possibly a tornado- struck Fair Grove northeast of Springfield.


The walls of at least 2 classrooms were knocked down and the roof was reportedly ripped from the high-middle school there.
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High Winds- Possible Tornado Hits Southern Missouri School



K
SPR TV in Springfield has a reporter on the scene in Fair Grove-MO where high winds- possibly a tornado- has torn off the roof of a school there.


Fair Grove is about 20 miles north-northeast of Springfield.

The reporter stated there "may" have been some injuries to students there- he mentioned "a possible broken leg"- but no fatalities.

Numerous wind damage reports in and around Springfield continue to come in- according to KSPR's live broadcast on the Net.
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Central States BREAKING NEWS: Tornado On The Ground In Or Near Springfield-MO

Within the past 20 minutes- a tornado was reported on the ground in Republic-MO near Springfield.

No initial reports of injuries or damage.

KSPR TV is providing live coverage on the Net- found HERE.
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When K.C. Television Stations Cover Severe Weather Elsewhere...



I
t usually means missed network TV programs.


The question is:
When is severe weather coverage "too much"- especially when that severe weather is more than 50 miles away from Metro Kansas City and not heading for the Metro.

To be fair- Kansas City television's "DMA"- demographic market area- includes large parts of northern Missouri.

Last night- a "small" tornado touched down northwest of Chillicothe-MO and threatened that Livingston County town of around 9000.

Chillicothe is about 65 miles northeast of downtown KC-MO..

The storms causing the tornado were moving east and southeast- far away from any part of Metro K.C.. Though most of Metro K.C. was under a Tornado Watch until 8pm- there was no storm or even shower activity threatening Metro K.C..

The estimated population of the areas threatened by the severe weather or in the path of the storms was around 40000 (probably very generous) or about 2% of the total Metropolitan Kansas City population of around two-million.

Yet- all 4 network TV stations in Kansas City went "wall to wall" with severe weather coverage- depriving network programs to about 98% of their OTHER viewers not threatened by even a rain shower.

To their credit- KSHB NBC-41 and WDAF Fox-4 ended the weather orgy earlier than KCTV CBS-5 or KMBC ABC-9.

Sure- the TV stations have an obligation to warn ALL viewers in their DMA if potentially deadly weather heads their way (cloud to ground lightning too?).

The BIG question in the minds of Metro K.C. TV viewers Thursday evening was:
Did a small tornado nearly 70 miles away in the other direction warrant continuous severe weather coverage?
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K.C. MetroRegion BREAKING WEATHER: Flash Flood Warning South



BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO 616 AM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PLEASANT HILL HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
BATES COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI...
HENRY COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI...
LINN COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS...
SOUTHERN CASS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI...
SOUTHERN MIAMI COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS...

* UNTIL NOON CDT

* AT 613 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THE WARNED AREA DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS WITH RAINFALL RATES LOCALLY EXCEEDING 1 INCH PER HOUR AT TIMES.

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE: ADRIAN... BUTLER... CLINTON... LA CYGNE... MOUND CITY... OSAWATOMIE... PLEASANTON... RICH HILL... WINDSOR... ARCHIE... BLUE MOUND... CALHOUN... CREIGHTON... DEEPWATER... DREXEL... FONTANA... HUME... MONTROSE... PARKER... PRESCOTT AND URICH.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY AUTOMOBILE.



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Thursday, May 07, 2009

K.C. Metro-MetroRegion WEATHER: Tornado Watch No. 258 In Effect



T
ornado Watch Number 258 is in effect until 8 pm tonight for Metro Kansas City counties of Jackson-MO and Johnson-KS northward.





The watch also includes cities such as Lawrence- Leavenworth and Atcheson-KS- St. Joseph- Chillicothe- Bethany and Maryville-MO..

Check/click on the county map coverage of Tornado Watch N0. 258 for your county.

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


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STAR Editorialists Should Not Attempt Math



B
ottomline.com
points out the folly of The STAR's editorialists trying to do mathematics when it comes to averaging grades given to KC-MO Mayor Funkhouser's performance in office thus far.


Perhaps The STAR'S editorial mathematician was also laid-off....
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Baseball Is Fun Again In Kansas City



T
his is NOT a sports blog. I rarely mention our pro sports teams except to lament the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars we contribute to them.


However- the Royals players seem to appreciate the taxpayer contributions and are acting like they want to give fans their money's worth.

World Champions in 1985- the Royals had fallen from Kansas City baseball fans grace faster than a fully-loaded Airbus-320 with no engines.


There are young drinkers in bars in this burg that have NO idea what it's like to be in a baseball pennant race.

There seems to be a palpable change in all that THIS year.

A big part of all the excitement is pitching phenom Zack Greinke. At 6-0- Zack has an unbelievable ERA of 0.40.


Simply the best pitcher in ALL of baseball right now.

Along with this superb pitching- the offense and defense has come alive as well.

Last night- our most INeffective starter Ponson pitched a very respectable game that the Royals laughed to a 9-1 victory.

It's early May and the Royals are in first place. Here's savoring the flavor now- and hope the taste lasts until October.



GO ROYALS!!!
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K.C. Metro-MetroRegion WEATHER: NWS-SPC: "Slight Risk" of Severe Tstms Later



V
irtually all but the extreme northern portions of the Kansas City MetroRegion are under a slight risk of severe thunderstorms later today through overnight into early Friday morning.


The primary severe risk in Metro K.C. appears to be large hail (1-inch or greater diameter).

Although we're in a risk area- I'm wondering if this morning's rain and cloud cover might keep the atmosphere over us stable- thus reducing the chance of severe storms.

However- if the sun does manage to come out in time for a warm-up- the chances for storms would increase accordingly.

I also don't expect any local high water issues- except perhaps in any severe storm that MAY move over us.

The primary area for severe storms should be southeastern Kansas and southwestern Missouri.

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

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Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Man Arrested For Freedom of Expression at Jackson County Legislature Meeting



O
ur Jackson County (MO) Legislature is having one Hell of a time approving their own ethics.


So naturally- when one of the few citizens of the county bother to even attent their supposively "open" meetings- their constitutional rights are challenged- according to this story from the INDEPENDENCE EXAMINER.

The citizen- Bob WitbolsFeugen- apparently quietly displayed some notebook paper-sized "signs" at the county meeting last year.

Jackson County sheriff deputies escorted the man from the meeting and the citizen ended up getting 18 months of supervised probation for disorderly conduct.

The EXAMINER story doesn't tell the reader what Mr. WitbolsFeugen's signs said.

This misguided gentleman was apparently confused:

The ONLY signs our non-ethics-approving county legislators can see are dollar ($) signs.

I wonder- would it be "disorderly conduct" to force DRUG and ETHICS TEST on our county legislators?

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Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Wall Street Journal: Austin-TX Bank Demolishes Foreclosed California Houses



T
he Guaranty Bank of Austin-TX recently demolished 16 houses in various stages of completion in Victorville-CA.- according to this WSJ aticle.


Guaranty Bank had acquired the properties in the uncompleted subdivision through foreclosure.

Rather than complete the subdivision or the partially-built houses in it- the bank had all the structures torn down.

What a fricken WASTE!!!
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Reminder: Funkhouser Voted NO For Police Cuts



L
istening to the KCUR program "Up To The Minute"- discussing Mayor Mark Funkhouser's recall petition.


The guy supporting the recall doesn't even know the cost of a recall election to city taxpayers!

A sore point with many city residents- George Blackwood on the program noted- and potential petition-signees should note as well- THE MAYOR VOTED AGAINST CUTS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

The City Councilpeople APPROVED those $15-million in police department cuts.

Also- Mayor Funk was against the $1.7-million subsidy to the pro sports playpens that THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED.

I say again- if you WANT to recall somebody in KC-MO government- recall many of the City Councilpeople.
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Monday, May 04, 2009

Kansas City's BREAKING NEWS: Fire At Golden Ox Restaurant



A
t 5:23pm- KC-MO Fire sent 5 fire companies to a reported "fire at the Golden Ox" restaurant at 1600 Genessee."

Heavy smoke is showing from the Livestock Exchange building as shown on a KSHB-41 news helicopter picture.

This is a working fire in what is reported as a ventilation system for the restaurant.

More here as received....

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Strange News: Saudi Arabian 8-year-old Girl Divorces 50-year-old Husband



W
here in the world do 50-year-old men marry 8-year-old pre-pubescent girls?


Where else but in the Arab world- specifically Saudi Arabia.

This story tells of how that 8-year-old just got a divorce from her 50-year-old husband.

Are you as sick as Saudi Arabian morals yet?
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KC-MO Pollys Continues Gifts To Developers



W
hile Kansas Citians fret over declining city government revenues and threatened cuts to things like police and fire protection- the City continues giving out tax-free gifts to developers.


According to today's article in the KANSAS CITY BUSINESS JOURNAL- a Texas developer is getting tax breaks and city financial assistance to develop land at K.C.I. airport.


And K.C. citizens want to recall the Mayor?

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Where's Kara? Belton Teen Missing For 2 Years Today



T
wo years ago today- 17-year-old Kara Kopetsky disappeared from Belton High School.


No trace of Kara has ever been found.



Yesterday- about 100 people that included Kara's family- friends and supporters walked along MO-58 in Belton in rememberance of Kara.

The marchers on Sunday included the mothers of 2 other children whose lives ended way- way too soon:

Anna Rea whose daughter Crystal Kipper was abducted and murdered after Crystal's car broke down in February of 1997 and Kim Howard- mother of 11-year-old Michaella McCelland who was murdered 10 years ago.

These gracious people gave their time and support to Kara's family after their own terrible losses.

Rhonda Beckford- Kara's mother- says a $30000 reward for information leading to Kara's whereabouts remains in effect.

This is surely the cruelest way to lose one of your children.

Please as I have- take a moment out of your day today and say a prayer for Kara and her loved ones.

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Sunday, May 03, 2009

Kansas City MetroRegion Overnight News Report - Sunday - May 03, 2009



*** Eight Injured In 2 KC-MO Shootings ***


*** Another violent early Sunday morning in Westport and a shooting in a Downtown nightclub.


The Westport incident began shortly after 2:30am as outnumbered police officers watched hundreds of cruisers pouring into the popular entertainment district.

One cop who asked "for a couple more (patrol) cars" around 2:35am said "we have 3 officers for about 500 cruisers."

Around 2:40am- shots rang out. Police shouted for help and an "assist-the-officer" call went out.

As dozens of KC-MO police officers from as far away as north of the River responded- police communications from Westport sometimes sounded like the middle of a riot.

Officers in Westport rushed to those lying on the ground after the shots were fired.

Amazingly- none of those people were hit- but within 15 minutes shooting victims began arriving by privately-owned vehicles at K.U. and Truman (TMC/West) medical centers' emergency rooms.

TMC/West reported "3" shooting victims- and they report getting their wounds in Westport.

Officers closed Westport Road and other area streets and emptied out parking lots where cruisers had converged. Other officers located and secured crime scene locations for evidence.

At least 6 arrests were made according to police reports- some of them suspects in the shots fired incident.

There was no report on any of the 3 victims at TMC/West- nor the at least 2 shooting victims who went to K.U. Med Center.
------

While many KC-MO Center Zone officers were out on the officer-assist in Westport- another shooting call came in around 3am to Club NV at 220 East Admiral downtown.

Before police arrive- a shooting victim from this scene arrives at the TMC/West E-R..

MAST-EMS transports another victim from the club- condition serious. Police later say yet another victim arrived at another hospital.

There's no official word on any arrests or suspects in this incident.

________________


** House Virtually Destroyed By Fire In Lee's Summit **


*** At 12:19am- Lee's Summit (LS) fire dispatch sent Pumper Company 3 on an investigation of heavy smoke in the area of Ward Road and Pursells in near southwestern LS-MO..
Pumper 3 (P-3) found the smoke- and went searching for the source.

At 12:31am- P-3 found the source of the smoke: a house at 510 Southwest Pursells was on fire.

Five more LSFD fire companies would respond- also a ladder truck from Central Jackson County Fire in Blue Springs.

Firefighters went inside the house- later said to be unoccupied- to fight the flames- but were pulled out when the fire burned holes in the floor of the split-level structure.

It took until just after 3am to completely extinguish the flames- which flared up again later around 6:30am..

No reports of firefighter injuries- and the suspicious blaze was under investigation.


________________


** Suicidal Man Sets House On Fire **

... This happened in KC-MO just before 3:30am- a suicidal man who threatened to- then did- set fire to the house he was in in the 4400 block of Garfield.

The man suffered non life-threatening injuries- the house was heavily-damaged as the fire was brought under control around 3:45am.

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


Clouds and scattered areas of sprinkles or light rain prevailed across the Kansas City MetroRegion overnight.

Temperatures ranged from the upper-40's to mid-50's with light north to northeast winds.


The coming week will bring improvement- warmer temperatures and just a chance for precipitation on Wednesday or Thursday.

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





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Tornado Strikes Monroe LA With Confirmed Injuries

The tornado struck around noon on Easter Sunday. There is considerable damage repo rted in that northeastern Louisiana city of around 5000...