WEATHER: Freeze Watch and Warnings Metro-MetroRegion K.C.

The National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Watch for Sunday morning covering most of Metro Kansas City that hasn't endured 32-degree temperatures.


However- the NWS has a Freeze Warning for parts of the MetroRegion east and southeast of Kansas City- including the Missouri Lakes region Sunday morning.

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Here Comes (Some) Sun

This view looking west at the Overland Park-KS intersection of 119th Street at Metcalf shows the clouds are parting and that strange- bright orb shining.

Look for that bright orb more so tomorrow and Monday- as we actually warm to somewhere near average temperatures by Monday.

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Happy Birthday Ms. Rittenhouse

Ms. Rittenhouse explains advanced engineering to Captain Spaulding's grandchildren on Friday- October 16 2009.

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BREAKING NEWS: Six-Year-Old Boy Sails Away In A Flying Saucer-Shaped Hot Air Balloon

The Associated Press reports that a "6-year-old boy" climbed inside the passenger compartment of a flying saucer-shaped hot air balloon today near Denver-CO and has floated away.

The story says the craft was last sighted near Milliken- about 40 miles south of Denver.

Authorities don't know how they're going to rescue the child!

More on this as it develops....

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News9 in Denver reports that the balloon crashed near Denver International Airport (DIA) but that the boy was not on board.

The search for the missing child is underway- but authorities fear the boy may have fallen out of the flying saucer-shaped hot air balloon that the child accidentally launched from near his Fort Collins-CO home.

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UPDATE: 1710 CDT - The 6-year-old thought missing with a runaway hot air balloon was reportedly found safe and uninjured at his Fort Collins home.

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Defective Chinese Drywall Teams With American Insurance Companies To Bilk Policyholders

Adding to a growing list of defective Chinese products is Chinese-made drywall.


State and federal agencies have found that Chinese drywall emits ""volatile sulfur compounds," and contain traces of strontium sulfide- which can produce a rotten-egg odor, along with organic compounds not found in American-made drywall"- states the Associated Press story.

The AP story also states: "Homeowners complain the fumes are corroding copper pipes, destroying TVs and air conditioners, and blackening jewelry and silverware. Some believe the wallboard is also making them ill."

To make matters worse- American insurance companies are denying claims where Chinese drywall is involved- and insurance companies are even cancelling policies where Chinese drywall is used.


Hey- have a Merry Chinese-bought-stuff-from-WalMart and Home Depot Christmas!

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Olathe To Memorialize Family Lost In Deadly Fire

I was on-duty the morning of October 16- 2004 when a fire alarm came over the Johnson County KS Communications Center radio for a house fire with possible people trapped in southeastern Olathe.



Even before fire companies arrived- it became clear from the dispatcher's messages that one person had escaped the flames in the Orr family home near 151st Street and Pflumm- but in the coming minutes it would become tragically clear that none of the 5 others in the burning home would make it out alive.


To mark the 5th anniversary of that deadly house fire- a memorial will be dedicated by the Olathe Fire department and the surviving Orr family members on Saturday at 10 a.m. in Olathe's Haven Park at 15475 West 147th Terrace.

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KC-MO's "Red-Light Cameras" Not The Moneymaker

It's reported by Channel 9's Mike Mahoney that Kansas City-MO's cameras at intersections intended to photograph red light runners may end up costing the city more money.


In yet another example of what government touches brings taxpayers another bill- the cameras have thus far only broke even on the cost of installation with the fines they've produced.

Not only that- but it's reported thousands of alleged violators have contested the photos' results- costing the city more in labor costs to actually have a real person look at the photos- again.


The "red-light" cameras have yielded no bonanza for the city's shrinking coffers- much like the "savings" we'll see from the Fire Department-MAST-EMS consolidation that will come shaped like a bill.

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Liberty-MO Next For Non-Smoking Vote

Liberty residents will be able to vote on another smoking ban on November 3- according to the LIBERTY TRIBUNE on-line.

No word yet on when The UCSA Nannys get bans on fatty foods voted on- but it won't be long folks....

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Child Abduction - Denton County Texas

The National Weather Service transmits these now- so thought I'd relay this bulletin on here:

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
CHILD ABDUCTION EMERGENCY
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORMAN OK
1141 AM CDT WED OCT 14 2009

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS BEING TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

THE JUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS SEARCHING FOR MALAKAI IZAAK MASCORRO, A ONE YEAR OLD HISPANIC MALE, DATE OF BIRTH 9/17/2008, 30 INCHES, 21 POUNDS, BROWN HAIR, BROWN EYES, AND LAST SEEN WEARING A YELLOW SESAME STREET ONESIE.

POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR JOSE DAVID MASCORRO, A 24 YEAR OLD HISPANIC MALE, DATE OF BIRTH 1/08/1985, 5 FEET, 11 INCHES TALL, 185 POUNDS, BROWN HAIR, BROWN EYES, LAST SEEN WEARING GREY BASKETBALL SHORTS AND A BLACK TEE SHIRT. HE HAS HIS LAST NAME TATTOOED ON HIS UPPER BACK.

THE SUSPECT IS DRIVING A DARK GREY 2008 DODGE MAGNUM WITH A TEXAS LICENSE PLATE NUMBER OF BB6K357. THE SUSPECT WAS LAST HEARD FROM IN JUSTIN, TEXAS.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS BELIEVE THIS CHILD TO BE IN GRAVE OR IMMEDIATE DANGER.

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ABDUCTION, PLEASE CALL THE DENTON COUNTY SHERIFF`S OFFICE.

THE NEWS MEDIA POINT OF CONTACT IS THE DENTON COUNTY SHERIFF`S OFFICE AT 940-349-1600.



THE TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS DISCONTINUED
THE AMBER ALERT IN THE CASE OF MALAKAI IZAAK MASCORRO AS OF
611 PM CDT...OCTOBER 14...2009.

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WEATHER: 2009 Rainfall So Far From Overland Park StormWatch

These totals so far this year as of 2 pm today are from mostly Johnson County-KS but also some rain gages in central- south-central and southwest KC-MO..

More rain is on the way to Metro and MetroRegion Kansas City later today and overnight.

General rainfall amounts of around four- tenths to three- quarters of an inch are expected.

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Good Luck Buying Over-The-Counter Medicines In Jefferson County-MO

The old saying cut off your nose to spite your face comes to mind reading this Associated Press story out of Union-MO..

Meth MUST be an overwhelming problem in the eastern Missouri communities of Union and Washington- both located about 50 miles west-southwest of St. Louis.

So much so is meth use in Jefferson County so overwhelming- those two communities in the county make you get a PRESCRIPTION for over-the-counter cold medicines.

Never mind criminals have mobility or that the cost of health care is ALREADY overwhelming for many people- this is Union and Washington's very lame attempt trying to stop a problem by making it inconvenient for ALL it's residents....

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WEATHER: Current NWS Watches and Warnings

No watches or warnings are currently in effect for Metro Kansas City- and only 1 flood warning remains in effect for far south parts of the MetroRegion.


The cool weather will continue into the weekend- then a warmup late weekend- early next week.


Rain is expected later today and overnight over Metro and MetroRegion Kansas City- but any freeing precipitaion is forecast in center & west-central Nebraska where a Freezing Rain Advisory is in effect along I-80 in the Grand Island to North Platte areas.

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WEATHER: A Cool- Cool Autumn Day

With temperatures struggling to reach the 50-degree mark at the 1-o'clock in the afternoon hour- most of us are running about 20-degrees below our average highs for this date.

Rain with possible thunderstorms are possible Tuesday night- but no snow like parts of western Kansas and Nebraska and Iowa.

A warmup is expected by the coming weekend- highs into the 60's.

Here's some weather graphics for the Central States at 1 pm:

Surface map-

Visible Satellite-

Central States weather radar-

Central States Watches and Warnings.

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A Mayan Elder Is Tired Of 2012 Three Years Early

Too many people think the world is going to end in the year 2012 due to some sort of cosmic forces.

Realize too that those same cosmic forces will probably end some of our worlds prior to then.

Regardless- the Associated Press- courtesy of My Way news- interviews a Mayan tribe elder on the subject of "Apocalypse at (20) 12."


Some believers may be surprised but I think not.

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Man Stabbed In South-Central KC-MO Domestic Dispute

A man is in intensive care at an area trauma center Sunday morning after being stabbed in the head just after 12:15 am in a house in the 5400 block of Woodland.


Police report receiving the call as "a domestic dispute"- and were seeking the female who stabbed the man "in the temple" according to a MAST-EMS paramedic.

That paramedic also reported the victim was "uncooperative" with EMS and police.

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Man Steals Ambulance In Lawrence-KS

The Lawrence JOURNAL WORLD reports that a 21-year-old man is in custody after stealing an ambulance and taking it for a brief spin early Sunday morning.

Evidentally- the ambulance stolen was on the call of an unconscious person at 926-1/2 Massachucetts that is logged here at 2:12 am official Central Daylight time..

The LJW says the "intoxicated man" got in the parked but unattended Douglas Couty EMS unit and drove off westbound on 10th Street.

It's reported a "brief" and "low speed" chase of the stolen ambulance began "at 2:22 am"- stopping "a few minutes later at 10th Street and Tennessee."

The intoxicated 21-year-old thief was arrested and the ambulance was not reported to be harmed in the making of this story.

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Metro K.C. Commuter Rail: Get 'er Done For Around A Billion

For those of us who think this fractured burg needs some speedy and reliable public transit infrastructure- this story Saturday in the Independence/Blue Springs/Grain Valley EXAMINER is welcome with wary eyes.


As shown on the enlarged (click-on-it) graphic-map- the routes shown cover Jackson- Platte and Clay counties in Missouri- with a westward spur through KC-KS to near the Kansas Speedway NASCAR racetrack.

Note there are no routes shown into Johnson County-KS..


The article states Jackson County Exec Sanders says this all can be done for around a billion dollars which I view with wary eyes.

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Two Shot At South KC-MO Nightclub

Around 2 am Sunday morning- shots rang out in the parking lot of the Bodyworks Phase II nightclub at 8625 Troost.


Police arrived a short time later to find 2 people shot- both with "serious" injuries.

One of those shot was "a 25-year-old female" with 2 gunshot wounds- one to an arm and the other into her hip. She was taken to a Metro hospital in serious condition.

The 2nd unknown victim was taken to another area medical trauma center.

Witnesses told police a black male about 6-feet tall and weighing around 160-170 pounds ran into a wooded area next to the parking lot.

Police were still searching for the suspect more than an hour after the shooting- as well as holding a large number of irate club patrons as potential witnesses.

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