Cool Photo Of 'Sundogs' Near Marysville KS

This is one of the best photos of a 'sundog' I've ever seen- compliments of The MARYSVILLE (KS) ADVOCATE.

A sundog is the refraction of the sun's rays caused by ice crystals- in this case the sundog was caused by blowing snow.

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MGE Asks Missouri Residents Along I-35 To Lower Thermostats

The KANSAS CITY STAR reports that Missouri Gas Energy (MGE) is asking residents in the following areas to turn down their furnace thermostats by 2 degrees to reduce a heavy strain due to high natural gas usage:


"Liberty to Cameron, includes Mosby, Excelsior Springs, Pratersville, Kearney, Lawson, Holt, Wood Heights, Osborn, Stewartsville, Lathrop and Turney."

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CSW BREAKING: Vehicles Crash Into Front Of K-Mart in South KC-MO

Just after 2:45 pm Friday afternoon- a car slid down the incline of an icy parking lot and hit a pickup truck- pushing it into the north wall of a K-Mart store at bannister Road and Hillcrest.


No one was injured- but an about 10-foot wide hole was punched into the K-Mart store wall- opposite the check-out area.

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CSW BREAKING: Apparent Water Main Break Floods Independence MO Fire Station

Around 2:15 pm- Independence Fire department Pumper 3 reported "water damage" at their station- apparently flowing into the station from an outside water main break.

Station 3 was replaced just last year and the new quarters are shown in the accompanying image.

Pumper 3 requested "a water pump" to get the water out of the station and the Winner Road and Ash intersection has been closed to traffic.

IFD isn't the only location suffering water damage. Several such calls have already been heard this afternoon from KC-MO to Lawrence KS- broken or frozen water pipes that have flooded homes- apartment buildings and businesses.

Record low temperatures are expected tomorrow morning.

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CSW BREAKING: House Fire in South KC-MO

At 1:21 pm- Pumper 41- on a smoke investigation- found "smoke and fire showing from the roof" of a house in the 6800 block of East Fairlane Drive near the old Bannister Mall area.

A regular alarm assignment was then sent to the address- bringing in 4 more fire companies.

As of this post- the occupancy status of the house is not yet known and no injuries have yet been reported.

More information here as received....

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CSW BREAKING UPDATE: Injury Reported At House Fire In Camden MO

This is an update to the previous CSW BREAKING story...

Mark (a big thanx!) from the Richmond MO Fire Department tells CSW that the house fire with a reported handicapped person trapped inside is on "Back Street in Camden" MO which is southwest of Richmond on State highway T.

Lifeflight-Eagle 2 medical helicopter is at the scene to retrieve the injured person- and we'll post that information here as soon as it is received.

The firefight is on-going in snow flurries and single-digit temperatures.



UPDATE - 1443 CST: As of this time- I have NOT heard any transport of a patient from this fire scene by Lifeflight-Eagle 2....

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CSW BREAKING: Rural House Fire With Injury Near Richmond MO

I don't know the exact location of this fire other than it is near Richmond MO..

Around noon- firefighters from Richmond- Orrick and Wood Heights were responding on a house fire with "a handicapped person trapped inside."

Moments ago- a medical helicopter was requested to this scene- but there's no other info yet.

More information on this post as soon as it's received....

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Hang On- Warmth Is On The Way

After experiencing some of the most brutal winter weather Mama Nature can throw at us- we're in for some relief- and soon!

Weather models are all indicating a warm-up for most of the Central States- yes- Metro Kansas City included- next week.

A scene we're ALL looking forward to!

By Wednesday- we should see local high temperatures at or slightly-above the freezing mark and this trend SHOULD continue through next weekend as well.

The next indications of a sizable storm around here is January 23-24- but even that storm system should start out warm (rain) at first.

Hopefully- not too much rain on top of 8 to 15-inches of snow around these parts for flooding is a real concern through the rest of this winter and certainly into early Spring.

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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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