A 4.4 Magnitude Quake Southwest of Tulsa OK Saturday Afternoon

The quake was recorded by the USGS at 4:22 pm Saturday with the 4.4 Richter-magnitude rumbler located 3 miles east of Sparks OK or 60 miles southwest of Tulsa.

The TULSA WORLD relays reports of minor damage and no injuries.

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8.8 Earthquake in Chile- Tsunami Warning in Hawaii

Around 12:34 am Saturday morning Kansas City time- a massive 8.8 quake struck off the west coast of South America- offshore from Maule- Chile- according to the USGS.

This quake is around 800 times stronger than the quake that struck Haiti last month.

A Tsunami Warning is in effect for the Islands of Hawaii- with waves expected to reach there just after 3 pm today Kansas City time.

A Tsunami Advisory is in effect for the United States' West Coast- but no devastating tsunamis are expected there.

As usual after a devastating earthquake- death reports from Chile are fairly low right now- but that will surely change as communications are restored in those regions.

Prayers to all from CSW....

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America's Lawmakers SHOULD Take Regular Drug Tests

While reading about Kansas pollys wanting to drug-test welfare recipients in The LAWRENCE (KS) JOURNAL-WORLD- I chuckle (not smiling) on those very legislators' reluctance to take drug tests themselves.

A perfect example of 'don't do as (we) do- do as (we) say.'

Many Americans are drug-tested for the most menial jobs- so why shouldn't the people that MAKE laws be subject to the same scrutiny?

Your comments on this are most welcome....

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Waldo Rape Suspect - Where Have I Seen A Similar Face Before?

Weeks ago when the composite sketch for the Waldo-area rape suspect was released- I stared at it- wondering where I've seen a face similar to his.

Then it struck me!



Thank goodness- the guy in the 2nd photo does NOT fit the body description!

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CSW BREAKING: "Water Main Break- Pending Roof Collapse" At Claycomo MO Strip Center

Claycomo fire and police are on the scene of a reported "water main break" and possible "pending roof" or "ceiling collapse" at the Dollar General store at 408 Northeast U.S. 69 highway.


The call went out at 11:47 am and when the first fire crew arrived minutes later- they reported "heavy water flowing from the building" there.

There's no reports of injuries- but businesses at that strip shopping center just southwest of the I-35-I-435 interchange are likely affected by the break.

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Dramatic "Early Video" of Tempe AZ Apartment Building Fire

Thanks to Dave Statter of Statter911.com- here is some video a next-door neighbor shot of an apartment building fire in Tempe on February 16.

Dave says (confirmed on the video) 2 apartment occupants were injured- a male was "seriously burned" and a female companion hurt when they jumped from a 2nd-floor window of the burning apartment.


Apartment dwellers: please have emergency escape plans in place for these kinds of things!

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CSW BREAKING: Another Aircraft Emergency Declared At K.C.I. Airport

At 10:24 am- the KCI airport fire station requested outside KC-MO structural fire companies for "an Alert-2" response for an aircraft in-flight that is reporting "smoke in the cockpit" of a jetliner containing "146" passengers and crew on-board.

Communications between ground controllers and the plane in trouble at 10:29 am report "the smoke has stopped" in that aircraft's cockpit.

At 10:32 am- airport fire crews report the plane has "landed safely."

There's no report of what airline it is or of any injuries.

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Kansas City's Credit Rating Falls As Proposed Convention Hotel Plans Continue

On Wednesday- The KANSAS CITY STAR's Kevin Collison reports on a local firm's preliminary plans for a new- 1000-room convention hotel downtown.


That hotel would require heavy taxpayer subsidies to be built and probably to operate- especially in today's depressed economy.

So in the KANSAS CITY BUSINESS JOURNAL- a story there tells of how 2 of the 3 credit-rating agencies have actually dropped the city's credit rating.

With tens of millions of taxpayer dollars already flying out the window to subsidize non-essential projects like the Power & Light and Jazz Districts and a several billion-dollar sewer reconstruction bill and other immediate ESSENTIAL city needs looming - CAN THIS CITY AFFORD FURTHER NON-ESSENTIAL FLUFF PROJECTS ?

City councilman Ed Ford- among other clueless city officials- STILL seem to think so....

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MetroRegion K.C. NEWS: Bank Robbery in Chillicothe MO Wednesday

The Chillicothe (MO) CONSTITUTION-TRIBUNE reports a bank robbery in that north-central Missouri city.


The C-T says the BTC Bank on 400 West Old Highway 36 was robbed just before 2 pm Wednesday afternoon by a heavy-set white male suspect.

(Photo courtesy of The Chillicothe CONSTITUTION-TRIBUNE)

No one was hurt in the robbery.

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Mother of 3 Murdered in Raytown MO Identified

The story was reported first in Kansas City here on CSW Tuesday morning- a mother of three children was gunned down in her driveway in Raytown.


Police have identified the victim as "29-year-old Shukriyyah “Shu” J. Simmons" who lived at the home in the 7300 block of Ash with her 3 children- all of whom witnessed their mother's murder.

Police say nothing was taken by the black male suspect who ran from the scene- nor were there any indications that the incident was the result of a domestic dispute.

CSW offers our most sincere condolences to Ms. Simmon's family and friends- and we too hope the murderer is caught soon and prosecuted to the FULLEST extend for this ghastly act.

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Man Found Dead After KC-MO House Fire

The fire was reported just before 2 am this Thursday morning in the 4400 block of Wayne in Kansas City's Midtown reports The KANSAS CITY STAR.

After the fire was extinguished- a man's body was discovered during the search of the dwelling by firefighters.

I wasn't on the story- and The STAR had little additional information on this.

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CSW BREAKING: Metro K.C. Firefighters Rescuing Deer Stuck On Lake Ice

This incident is occurring at Lake Winnebago in extreme northern Cass county MO near Lee's Summit.

A deer is reportedly stuck on ice in the lake and currently a rescue attempt by 2 firefighters in a boat from the South Metro department out of Raymore is underway.

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WICHITA EAGLE: Gas Could Cost $3 Per Gallon Soon

In this story from yesterday's EAGLE which I could not post due to on-going TIME-WARNER service issues- some "experts claim gasoline could reach the $3 mark soon.

One guy predicts as high as "$3.40" per gallon.

Just what our recession (depression)-battered populace needs....

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CSW BREAKING: Aircraft Emergency At KCI Airport

At 10:26 am- the KC-MO Fire department sent 5 companies of firefighters to assist the airport station on a standby for "an MD-80" aircraft with "39" people on board declaring an in-flight emergency.

The aircraft reportedly had just departed KCI but lost an engine- since "re-powered" by the pilots- according to KC-MO Fire comms- and was returning to KCI.

At 10:32 am- that aircraft had landed safely and without further incident.

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Assault At KC-MO's Central High School

NOTE: REPORT DELAYED TO DUE CONTINUED UNRELIABLE TIME-WARNER INTERNET SERVICE.



At 10:40 am- KC-MO police and MAST-EMS was called to Central High School at 3221 Indiana on a reported assault.



The possible victim was reported by MAST-EMS Unit 116 as "a 16-year-old female with facial trauma- bleeding to the nose and face- was highly agitated and was Tased by police and is in handcuffs."



She was taken to a local hospital.



No other report on any other parties involved- any additional arrests made or details on this incident yet.

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CSW BREAKING: Shooting- Possible Homicide in Raytown MO

At 8:41 am Tuesday morning- Raytown police- fire & EMS were called to the 7200 block of Ash on a reported shooting with the victim lying in the driveway of a house in that block.


Police arrived a few minutes later and report a female victim without a pulse. At 8:47 am- police have reported that victim dead-on arrival (DOA).

Reports are that a possible suspect went back inside the house- police report seeing a "small child" outside initially.

That child- reportedly "a 2-year-old male-" was reportedly "wandering outside" near the dead woman- but had gone back inside the house by the time police arrived.

The child was removed from that house by RPD at 8:54 am and police report that child had "sisters" who had boarded a school bus just prior to the shooting.

RPD are standing by outside that house and have determined that a "black male" suspect ran "north" from the shooting scene.

RPD closed off Ash and surrounding streets- but did not locate the suspect. A command post was set up in the parking lot of a nearby church.

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KC-MO Police Report Another Waldo-Area Rape

Police report that about 1:30 am Monday morning- a man broke into a home in the 300 block of East 69th Terrace and sexually assaulted a 33-year-old woman in her bedroom.

The rapist left about an hour and a half later- police said.

The KC-MO Police have not released any other details about the attack pending a complete investigation- saying only that the suspect "could be" the man sought in rapes that occurred earlier this year and in late 2009.

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CSW BREAKING: Midtown KC-MO Shooting - Possible Homicide

At 1:47 pm Monday afternoon- KC-MO emergency services ran a reported shooting at the KCATA bus station at 39th Street and Troost in Midtown.

Police arrived- confirming a victim- who apparently died of their injuries on the scene as MAST-EMS did not transport them to a hospital.

There is no suspect information yet available.

UPDATE- 2:37 CST- KC-MO Police have confirmed that this was indeed the latest homicide..

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CSW WEATHER: March Weather Outlook For U.S.

According to the NWS 30-day weather outlook taking us to Spring 2010- the Central States will see generally above-average precipitation over about the southwest half of the Central States- with below-average temperatures forecast over about the southern 2/3 of the Central States.

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'Meteorological Spring' Begins in One Week

The days are getting longer- the sun is higher in the sky- and the cold air masses from Canada aren't as cold as early-season cold air masses are.

And- to make THIS Monday just a shade better for you- I'm pleased to report that NEXT Monday begins what the weather gurus call "meteorological spring."

We'll be gaining daylight faster in the next month- and REAL Spring begins on March 20.

I'd say all of us in the Central States have certainly earned it....

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KC-KS Apartment House Damaged By Fire

Just before 4 pm- six companies of the Kansas City Kansas Fire department responded on a "general alarm" for an apartment building on fire in the 600 block of South 72nd Street.

Upon arrival- "heavy smoke" was showing to firefighters and the fire was reported to be in a 2nd-floor apartment of the 3-story building.

All the occupants escaped without injury- and fire crews had the fire "out" at 4:23 pm..

The Red Cross was ordered for displaced residents and there have been no injuries reported as of this post.

An investigation as to the fire's cause is underway and yet no damage figure available.

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Some Ice Pictures From Southwest Raytown-Kansas City

The ice has accumulated to about 1/4-inch here at CSW and we have the pictures to prove it.


Driving conditions have deteorated in just the past hour as snow began falling- and temperatures are slowly beginning to fall across Metro Kansas City.

I'm concerned about ice accumulations on trees and power lines that will bear the added weight of snowfall and winds that should increase later this evening and overnight.

Take precautions if walking or driving under ice-laden trees- and park your ride away from them to avoid damage.

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Warrensburg (MO) DAILY STAR-JOURNAL: 3000 New Jobs Coming To Odessa MO

About a month ago- the Odessa MO mayor told an Oak Grove publication that something big was coming to Odessa in western Lafayette county MO..


Well- according to the Warrensburg (MO) DAILY STAR-JOURNAL- that "something big" was the "Manna Company" is preparing to build some facilities in Odessa and the Provo- UT-based company "plans to hire people to work in manufacturing, research and development, and child care" for the 3-phases of construction that reportedly will begin soon at the site on West Old Highway 40 and Reich Road.

The first phase is reported to involve the hiring of "2500" people with the remainder hired as the other 2 phases of the project are completed.

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CSW BREAKING: Wrecks Reported on the Kansas Turnpike

The scene of several multi-vehicle crashes just a week ago- today's icy and snowy conditions are making the Turnpike a skating rink again.


Within the past 15 minutes- wrecks have been reported on both east and westbound I-70/Kansas Turnpike in Leavenworth county KS..

These crashes have NOT involved many vehicles yet- according to scanner reports- nor are injuries reported to be critical- although one crash at "Mile 214" on the Turnpike has reportedly resulted in "2 head injuries."

Temperatures remain at or just below freezing Metro-wide- and I don't expect any improvement- in fact- temperatures will begin to slowly fall when the storm center to our south moves east and turns our winds around to the north and northwest.

Weather radar continues to show the heavier precipitation moving OUT of Metro Kansas City- as shown by the NWS-Pleasant Hill radar image.

More updates here as conditions warrant....

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OMAHA WORLD: "Nebraska Has the Third-highest Black Homicide Rate in the Nation"

As bad as the black homicide rate is in the 2 Kansas Citys- it's as bad in Metro Omaha.


This story in The OMAHA (NE) WORLD tells of how Nebraska has the 3rd-highest rate of black homicides in the UCSA (United Corporate States of America).

Missouri ranked second- behind Pennsylvania.

As Rodney King once said- Can't we all just get along?

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Missouri Republicrat Proposes Abortion Waiting Period Bill

It's been said- the Demoblicans can't stay out of your pocket and Republicrats can't stay out of our bedrooms .





Missouri Senator Rob Mayer of Dexter is sponsoring this bill- apparently in an attempt to control women's bodies/rights.



Mayer's (no relation to John I hope) bill "would require that women be given information on emotional and physical risks of abortion and on fetal pain at least 24 hours before the procedure. They would also have to be given the choice of seeing an ultrasound and hearing the fetal heartbeat-" according to the story in The JEFFERSON CITY (MO) NEWS-TRIBUNE.



PLEASE- vote for 3rd party/independent candidates next election- throw both parties of bums OUT!

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Ice Strikes Kansas City Metro

Temperatures range from 30 degrees at the K.C.I. through New Century airports to at or barely above the 32-degree mark inside Metro Kansas City at this hour.

Roadways throughout the region range from wet- to icy patches- as shown by these Web camera images from Emporia- Lawrence and on the K.C. Scout traffic system (right-click on the image and click Properties for location and time of photo taken).

Weather radars indicate at least a brief break in the precip approaching the Metro from the southwest- as shown on the radar image here.

Oh- Johnson county Kansas and Jackson county Missouri are now under a NWS 'Winter Storm Warning.'

Big surprise there- be safe people!

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