CSW BREAKING: Mobile Home On Fire In Olathe KS

The alarm was sounded at 4:47 pm- a reported fire underneath a mobile home at the Santa Barbara Mobile Home park at 98 Pasadena Drive.

OFD Quint 52 arrived at 4:55 pm reporting "a working fire" under that home with the occupants already evacuated from the trailer.


No injuries are reported as of this post- and I'll post more here on this incident if necessary....

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CSW BREAKING: Stabbing Of Teenage Girl Reported In Cass County MO

Just before 2 pm Thursday afternoon- there was the report of "a 14-year-old female" stabbed in the 30200 block of South Hess Road southwest of Harrisonville in Cass County.



Cass County Sheriff reports the suspect as "a 16-year-old (Hispanic) male" with the last name reported as "Olivas" who was "on foot in the area" of the stabbing.

As of 3:25 pm- there is a manhunt for the suspect utilizing the KC-MO Police helicopter- who cancelled the flight due to blowing snow and low visibilites.

However- the suspect was apprended about 2 hours later at the nearby home of a friend of the suspect.

At 2:19 pm- the teenage girl victim is reported to be dead-on-arrival according to Central Cass EMS.

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Latest Snowfall Brings Wrecks Galore In Metro Kansas City

There have been literally dozens of vehicle crashes over the past several hours on both sides of the state line.

K.C. Scout cameras shows this multi-vehicle crash that has close I-470 south of Woods Chapel Road in Lee's Summit.

Another crash shown here on I-35 at the 18th Street Expressway.

Yet another crash just reported on I-435 and Midland Drive in Shawnee-KS..

The sun is causing some snowmelt on pavements- which is quickly re-freezing in our single-digit temperatures along with sub-freezing pavement temps.

PLEASE- SLOW DOWN WHEN DRIVING!

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Workplace Shooting In St. Louis Leaves 3 Dead- 5 Injured

The shooting occurred around 6:30 am this Thursday morning at the ABB Power Company in north St. Louis MO..

(Photo courtesy of The ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH)

The gunman is thought to be among the dead found inside the business after police SWAT teams entered several hours later.

At least 2 of the injured were reported to be in critical condition- according to The POST-DISPATCH.

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Wendall Anschutz- Former K.C. TV News Anchor- Dies

CSW offers our condolences to the Anschutz family after this morning's passing of former KCTV-5 news anchor Wendall Anschutz.

Mr. Anschutz began his career as a reporter for then KCMO-TV in 1966 and he retired in 2001- according to this story in The KANSAS CITY STAR.


(Photo courtesy of The KANSAS CITY STAR)

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Some Snow Images From South KC-MO

These images were taken just after midnight in the Loma Vista area of south Kansas City MO- near 87th Street and Blue Ridge.


An average of 3.5 inches of snow has been measured so far- with some drifts already approaching 1-foot.

General snowfall amounts around Metro Kansas City have ranged from 3 to 6-inches.


The snow will be ending across the Metro- northwest to southeast- before 2 am- then the blowing and drifting of snow will begin and continue through later this morning.

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Snow Continues- Wind Whips Up Fires In MetroRegion K.C.

While the last of the bands of moderate snow works eastward out of Eastern Kansas- two fires have area fire departments busy.


The first is reportedly a "chimney fire" in a lived in house near Holt MO with the "several" occupants of the house forced outside in sub-zero wind chills.

That fire was reported at 11:01 pm in the 17100 block of Jackson and firefighters found fire in the structure of the house in and around the chimney area.

Help was requested from the Kearney- Excelsior Springs and Liberty fire departments with no reports of injuries as of this post.

<<<>>>

The KC-MO Fire department has just brought a fire in a 2-1/2-story lived in house in Midtown under control at 11:25 pm Wednesday night.

That alarm went out at 11:12 pm for the 3700 block of Bales where fire was found showing from the 2nd-story.

No injuries have been reported and that fire's cause is now under investigation.

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There are still a large number of crashes around Metro Kansas City at this hour considering the amount of traffic on the roads.

This crash just after 11 pm was on southbound I-35 at I-435 in Lenexa.

Injuries were non life-threatening.


Snow should end in Metro Kansas City by 1 am with blowing snow and dangerous wind chills factors becoming the big story.

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Columbia MO US Military Widow Offers Own Reward For Burglary- Arson and Murder of Special Pet

Samantha Baker's 2-year-old pit bull named 'Fancy' was a gift from her husband in 2007- states the story in The COLUMBIA (MO) DAILY TRIBUNE.


Ms. Baker's husband was Army Specialist Steven Fitzmorris- age 26- who was then sent by the Army to Iraq in 2007 to Iraq.

Army Spc. Fitzmorris was killed in August 2008 by enemy fire in Iraq and Fancy was the last living legacy that Samantha Baker had of her mate.

On December 29- 2009- someone broke into Ms. Baker's home while she was in Colorado and her 2 kids visiting their grandparents in Alabama.

The thief(ves) took only a flat-screen TV- but killed the dog Fancy and set the house on fire.

Samantha Baker is offering her own $1000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the burglar/arsonist/dog-murderer.

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CSW WEATHER: Latest NWS Watches and Warnings

Snow continues to develop over Kansas and move eastward into Metro Kansas City.

Click on the image for the latest national Weather Service watches and warnings over the Central States.

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Metro K.C. Driving Conditions Fair to Poor

Having just returned from our snow adventure- I can verify that road conditions in south Kansas City are fair to poor.


In addition- radio scanners are spewing forth crash reports from virtually every corner of the Metro- with conditions being worse in Leavenworth- Wyandotte and Johnson counties in Kansas and the KC-MO Northland.

However- vehicle crashes are also being reported in eastern Metro locations near Oak Grove and Independence.


If you drive slowly and use a lower gear (3-speed automatics: 2nd gear driving- 1st gear coming to or pulling away from a stop) you'll be okay.

Here's the latest weather radar image:

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CSW WEATHER UPDATE: Winter Storm Warning Continues For Metro- MetroRegion K.C.

A Winter Storm Warning continues until early Thursday for Metro and most of MetroRegion Kansas City MO..


Snow has begun in Metro KC and will increase over the afternoon to rates of around 1-inch per hour.

Streets and surfaces will rapidly beome snow-covered and hazardous for driving or walking.

Updates here at CSW through the afternoon and evening with photos and videos to come....

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CSW UPDATE: Two Injuries At KC-MO Northland House Fire

There is an additional injured person at the Northland KC-MO house fire- reported first in Kansas City here at CSW.


In addition to the firefighter with the ankle injury- "a burn patient" is reported at the scene at 4210 North Elmwood.

The burn patient is reported by MAST-EMS Unit 132 as "a 63-year-old female who was smoking while on oxygen (for a previous medical condition) and (the woman) caught fire."

The woman had "a 2nd degree burn on her thigh" and "a 3rd-degree burn on her upper hip" and her condition appeared to be non life-threatening.

The firefighter hurt was "a 39-year-old male who slipped off a ladder and injured his ankle."

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CSW BREAKING: House Fire In KC-MO Northland

At 12:23 pm Wednesday afternoon- a "regular alarm" response of 5 KC-MO fire companies were sent to a reported house fire in the 4200 block of North Elmwood.


The dispatcher told responding companies there was "one excited call from the resident there and she was trying to get the kids out" of the burning house. A MAST-EMS unit is sent to the scene.

At 12:27 pm- pumper company 34 responding reports "smoke showing from Parvin Road and Bellaire"- more than 1/2-mile away from the address.

At 12:28 pm- another pumper company (P-6) arrives in from of the "1-story" home and reports "heavy smoke and fire showing."

There is no indication any of the occupants are trapped as- at 12:31 pm- scene command reports "2" handlines being used on the flames.

At 12:35 pm- a "primary search" of the 1st-floor is "all clear" of any occupants and no reports of any of the escaped occupants getting hurt..

The fire is reported "under control" at 12:42 pm- but a firefighter has reportedly suffered a non life-threatening "ankle injury" at the scene- according to KC-MO FD battalion chief 103.

The house sounds to be virtually a total loss with two adults and a child displaced.

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Arkansas Amtrak Derailment: "No Injuries"

Little Rock's The ARKANSAS-DEMOCRAT reports around 3 am Wednesday an Amtrak train derailed about 45 miles northeast of Little Rock.

The incident occurred at a low speed at a track crossover.

Only 2 cars of the 7-car train derailed according to the report- and those 2 cars remained upright.

None of the 214 passengers and crew reported being hurt by the derailment with the passengers being bussed to Little Rock to complete their trip..

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CSW BREAKING: Smoke Inside A Leavenworth County KS High School

Crews from the Easton and Kickapoo Township volunteer fire departments are investigating an automatic fire alarm- then reported confirmed smoke in the building at the Pleasant Ridge High school in northern Leavenworth county KS..

The principal of the school confirmed the smoke- which fire crews report coming from "the computer room."

Thus far- no source of the smoke has been found.

More here if indeed there is a confirmed fire at Pleasant Ridge....

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CSW WEATHER: NWS Winter Storm WARNING In Effect For Metro- MetroRegion K.C.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill has issued a "Winter Storm Warning" for Metro (Kansas City- Leavenworth- Olathe- Lee's Summit- Liberty) and much of the Kansas City MetroRegion (Topeka- Lawrence- St. Joseph- Chillicothe- Maryville) from 6 am Wednesday morning until midnight Thursday morning.


Extreme Missouri southeastern to southern (Clinton- Nevada) counties and Kansas southwestern MetroRegion counties (Fort Scott- Iola-Garnett) are under a Winter Weather Advisory.


Expect blizzard conditions- blowing and drifting what could be around a half-foot of new snow with near white-out conditions at times- Wednesday night through Thursday morning.

More dangerous will be bitterly-cold wind chill readings dropping into the -40 range Thursday with strong west to northwest winds and near to record low temperatures through Saturday.

Yes Virginia- this storm appears to as bad if not potentially worse than the Christmas 2009 Blizzard less than 2 weeks ago.

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Leavenworth Times: "Military Police...Arrested for Allegedly Shooting Up Vehicles" In Atchison KS

The reported "alleged" three perps are U.S. Army MPs from the Leavenworth U.S. Disciplinary Barracks located near the Federal prison.

The three reportedly started shooting at parked cars (lucky there wasn't a teenage couple in one of them) on South 5th Street in Atchison around 10:15 pm last Wednesday- says The LEAVENWORTH (KS) TIMES.

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So- What Did Raided Sugar Creek MO Church DO??

It was a typical news media feeding frenzy- reports that Jackson County lawpeople raided a church on North Jennings in Indy-town Monday.


The INDEPENDENCE-BLUE SPRINGS- GRAIN VALLEY EXAMINER reports the apparently cause of the raid was "an alleged violation of the Federal Arms Act"- but no news stories anywhere so far give a clear indication of what the violation was.

They found some firearms and money in the church and arrested one person- I dunno what's so unusual about firearms nor money in a church that warrants a raid.

Appears to be one of these "tip of the iceberg" stories- or at least for Jackson County authorities- it had better be....

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CSW BREAKING: House Fire With Injury In Eastern KC-MO

At 2:34 pm Tuesday afternoon- five companies of the KC-MO Fire department responded on a house fire in the 3700 block of Windsor- near the Truman Sports Complex.


A working fire is reported at 2:41 pm and an a MAST-EMS ambulance is requested- apparently for an injured occupant outside the house.

There reportedly are dogs inside the burning home- and firefighters use 2 handlines ("small streams") to contain the fire and possible reach the trapped canines.

The responding MAST-EMS unit says the apparently female patient is refusing transport to a hospital as the firefight carries on with temperatures in the teens.

At 2:58 pm- the fire's reported under control- but no word on the dogs inside the house.

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CSW WEATHER: Winter Storm Watch For Metro- Northern MetroRegion K.C.

A storm even more dangerous than the Christmas Blizzard is in store for all of Metro Kansas City as well as the northern parts of the Kansas City MetroRegion Wednesday.

Snow- 2 to 5 inches storm total accumulation by Thursday- is slated to begin by noon Wednesday and continue into early Thursday.

Then- the most severe cold air mass in almost 20 years will sweep over the area Wednesday night.

Actual air temperatures will struggle to stay in the single digits Thursday- Friday and Saturday. Overnight lows will be in the -10 to -20 degree range on those mornings.

Of greatest concern will be life-threatening wind chills as strong west to northwest winds blow over our area on Thursday- producing blowing snow/blizzard conditions and winds chills as low as the -40 degree range that will continue into Friday morning.

Driving will be extremely hazardous Thursday and motorists stranded for any length of time could find their lives in peril if their vehicle's heater quits functioning.

This is a potentially dangerous and life-threatening weather situation!

CSW will be monitoring later Wednesday into early Thursday and posting the latest information on this winter storm.

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Record Low Temperatures Likely For Metro - MetroRegion Kansas City

Courtesy of the National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill- here are the all-time record low minimum and maximum temperatures recorded in Kansas City and Saint Joseph for tomorrow through Saturday.

Some of the coldest temperatures in more than 20 years are headed for the Kansas City MetroRegion beginning Thursday and threaten to break some weather records in the process

The coldest temperature ever in Kansas City was -23 F set back in 1989.

In addition- 2-5 inches of snow can be expected across Metro and most of MetroRegion Kansas City by Thursday morning.

Strong northwest winds will create blizzard conditions Wednesday night into Thursday along with dangerously cold wind-chill factors.

...RECORDS FOR KANSAS CITY...

DATE RECORD LOW RECORD LOW MAXIMUM
---- ---------- ------------------
JAN 5TH: -15/1924 4/1924
JAN 6TH: -13/1912 -4/1912
JAN 7TH: -11/1912 -4/1912
JAN 8TH: -10/1979 8/1976
JAN 9TH: -10/1977 -2/1977
JAN 10TH: -17/1982 -5/1982

...RECORDS FOR ST JOSEPH (NOTE: DATA FOR THIS STATION IS INCOMPLETE)...

DATE RECORD LOW RECORD LOW MAXIMUM
---- ---------- ------------------
JAN 5TH: -19/1924 0/1924
JAN 6TH: -20/1971 7/1909
JAN 7TH: -15/1971 2/1942
JAN 8TH: -12/1979 8/1937
JAN 9TH: -13/1973 1/1977
JAN 10TH: -19/1982 -8/1982

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CSW BREAKING: House Fire In Lawson MO

Firefighters from Lawson- Excelsior Springs and Wood Heights are on-the-scene or enroute to a house fire "on Clark Street" in Lawson.

The alarm was first sounded at 3:41 pm and 3 minutes later a first-arriving unit reported "smoke and fire showing from the 2nd-story" of a 2-1/2/-story house on Lawson's East Side.

Lawson is in extreme northwestern Ray County MO..

Mutual-aid fire department assistance was requested from the other departments at that time.

From radio comms at the scene- it appears the fire was started by a fireplace or defective chimney- but an official report will be forthcoming later.

So far no injuries reported or any indications that anyone was inside the house as the firefight continues.

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Just Say NO To Further Expansion of KC-MO

Some developer-driven (surely NOT taxpayer-concerned) KC-MO City Council members are looking to override city planning committee recomendations to annex a piece of land near K.C.I. airport for yet another subdivision of homes.

Ya know what? This City Council silliness (Councilman Ford wants to be MAYOR???) needs to stop!

The city is ALREADY spread out more than the city services can provide adequate service for and now the city's unfair earnings tax is being questioned with voter petitions.

Plus- we're ALREADY paying out millions for underpaying TIFs and other corporate welfare.

We'll be watching the council meeting Thursday to see how this latest dreck plays out.

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CSW BREAKING: House Fire In KC-MO

Six companies of KC-MO firefighters are battling a house fire in single-digit temperatures near the Brookside area.

The initial alarm sounded at 12:14 pm early Monday afternoon for a house on fire in the 600 block of East 61st Street.

The fire was actually found in a structure in the 6000 block of Kenwood.

Pumper 29 arrived at 12:17 pm and reported fire was showing from the 2nd-floor of a 2-story house.

Initial searches of the burning structure have not revealed any victims inside.

At 12:25 pm- the on-scene KC-MO battalion chief has declared this fire under control.

As of this post- no injuries have been reported and a fire investigation will be underway shortly to determine cause.

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CSW BREAKING: Independence MO House Fire

At 5:37 am- five companies of the Independence Fire department rolled out on a reported fire in a lived-in house in central IN-MO..


At 5:41 am- the first-arriving fire company reports a working fire in the basement of the house at 12712 (East) Erickson Road and an ambulance is ordered for a person reportedly injured escaping the flames.

The fire is reportedly "knocked down" at 5:56 am and the Red Cross was ordered for the "4 adults and 1" child who were displaced.

The injured person was a male who was transported by AMR-EMS to the University of Kansas Medical Center with non life-threatening smoke inhalation.

A "14-month-old" infant was taken to Cneterpoint Med Center with "no symptoms- just for a check-up" by a physician.

The fire's cause is under investigation with no dollar loss yet available.

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CSW WEATHER: Snow Continues In Metro K.C.

The snowfall rate is slowly increasing again to the west of Metro K.C. according to the latest trends on weather radar- but still no NWS advisories in effect for the Metro.

Miami and Linn counties Kansas- as well as Bates county MO are in a Winter Weather Advisory through noon today.

One to three inches are reported throughout Metro Kansas City as of 1:30 am- with the heaviest amounts in Leavenworth- Wyandotte and Johnson counties Kansas.

Another 1 to 3 inches are possible by Sunday afternoon.

Here are some local traffic camera tours- locations and times indicated on the image's properties.
There have been more than a dozen non or mostly minor-injury crashes throughout Leavenworth- Wyandotte- Johnson counties in KS and in Platte and Jackson counties MO since 10:30 pm Saturday night.

Many have been slide-offs with no injuries- as shown on this K.C. Scout camera image on I-435 near Pflumm in Overland Park..

Road conditions are partially to completely snow-packed around Metro Kansas City with numerous slick spots.

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