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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AP: Forty-two States Suffering Tight Budgets

Like most households today- 42 of America's 50 states are experiencing at least some budget deficits- according to this AP story from MyNews.

The worst of course is California- where "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger is threatening to issue state "IOUs" in lieu of paychecks.


"Hasta-la-el-brok-o baby."

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

About the northern 2/3 of the Kansas City MetroRegion is under a forecasted "slight" risk of possible severe thunderstorms until Saturday morning.

The greatest risk will be for severe-criteria hail (1-inch or greater) and wind gusts (58 mph or greater).

Any risks for tornadoes appears to be along and either side of the Kansas-Nebraska border into extreme northwest Missouri. This risk will be primary before sunset this evening.

At this time- it appears the fireworks displays tomorrow night SHOULD be dry.

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Motorcyclist Critically Injured In KC-MO Crash

It happened around 12:30am in the 8500 block of Oldham Road in southeastern KC-MO.

A man on a cycle crashed into a car. The car's occupant wasn't hurt.

MAST-EMS transported the biker to an area medical trauma center with reported critical injuries.

No word who was at fault yet.

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At Least 2 Shot- One Critical- In KC-MO Shooting

Around 12:15am Friday morning- KC-MO police report 2 shooting victims- both male- arrived at an area hospital's emergency room.

The shooting reportedly occurred in the area of 39th Street and Vineyard on the city's East Side- police said.

At least one of the victim's injuries were said by an officer to be "critical."

There were no further details yet....

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KC-MO City Councilpersons Cry Over New Police Cars

Disregard the fact the City Council found $7-million to help subsidize our pro sports corporations.

Never mind that just last week- the City Council approved one-half million dollars for a convention hotel study.

The City Council's latest beef? The KC-MO PD bought themselves (much needed) NEW VEHICLES.

OMFG!!!

I mean- what do these councilpersons expect?

The cops HAVE to have these cars- their offices-on-wheels- to do their jobs. Hell- cop-involved wrecks have taken out AT LEAST a half-dozen patrol cars just this year.

If the City Council wants the public to take their rants about such matters seriously- then the City Council ought to REALLY tighten the city's belt.

No more subsidies to pro sports corporations or money for studies of monsterous new hotels that will end up only half-filled until the ECONOMY IMPROVES.

The public WANTS and EXPECTS quality police and fire protection and ambulance service- not silly ballgame or convention fou-fou crap.

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Metro K.C. Tornado Warning Sirens- NWS Weather Radio Alert Test Today

At 11am- here on the first Wednesday of the month as is done EVERY first Wednesday of a month (unless severe weather's expected) we will hear the test of the outdoor tornado warning ("civil defense") sirens.

Help your city- if there's a outdoor siren in your 'hood that doesn't go off or doesn't SHUT off- call your local fire or police department (non-emergency) and tell them.

Also- 11am on First Wednesdays are a good time to see if your NWS weather radio works in alarm mode.

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K.C. MetroRegion 4th of July Holiday Severe Weather Forecast

In a nutshell: overnight into morning thunderstorms possible over the Kansas and Missouri lakes areas- including Metro Kansas City.

Late morning to early evenings SHOULD stay dry it appears right now

Metro K.C. as well as most of the western through southeastern MetroRegion is in a "slight risk" forecast area for possible severe storms tomorrow through Friday morning- and again Friday through Saturday morning- according to the NWS' Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman-OK..

There is also a chance of nocturnal activity again Saturday night into Sunday- but at this time that activity appears it MAY not be severe.


You can count on the latest weather developments in our NON-COMMERCIAL format here at CSW and we wish all you a safe but fun Independence Day.

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Kansas City Weather Averages-Extremes - July 2009

A monthly new feature on CSW- here are the Kansas City weather extremes and averages for the month of July 2009:

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