CSW BREAKING: Hapless Pedestrian Hit By Semi In Claycomo MO

It all started at 7:20 p.m. this Friday night with the report of a pedestrian at the U.S. 69 ramp to southbound I-435 was struck by an 18-wheeler- blocks from the Ford assembly plant in beautiful Claycomo.

Emergency services arrived minutes later and report finding the hapless male pedestrian lying on the ground.

Reportedly- the semi was going slow at the time and the man's only injury was reported to be to his left shoulder.

He was on his way to a Metro Northland medical trauma center- possibly with visions of future yields to large vehicles on wheels.

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CSW BREAKING: Four-Plex Fire in Lee's Summit MO

The fire is in the 700 block of North Ridgeview where a block of four-plex residences are located.


The alarm came in about 2:10 p.m.- and smoke and flames were visible from one of the units to the first firefighters on-the-scene minutes later.

No injuries have been reported- and thus far- interior searches hasn't revealed any possible victims inside.

It appears that at least 1 other unit besides the one where the fire was has received some damage.

The fire was under control by 2:30 p.m..

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Central States: Soldier "Found Dead" At Army's Fort Riley

The MANHATTAN (KS) MERCURY reports a soldier was found dead on the U.S. Army's Fort Riley post near Junction City.


There were no other details in that report since I don't (can't) subscribe to their on-line edition.

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Wednesday's Arkansas Tornadoes Produced First Tornado Fatality in 2010

The fatality was a retired firefighter no less- according to The LITTLE ROCK (AR) DEMOCRAT GAZETTE.

This year may have started out slow tornado-wise- but many weather people think we're going to have an active severe weather/tornado season this year.


I think it'll start cranking later in April and May locally....

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What is Worlds and Oceans of Fun Tornado Warning Plan For Patrons?

You and the family are enjoying a day at an amusement or theme park when the skies darken and you hear the wail of warning sirens- WHAT DO YOU DO?

This YouTube video was posted by a person who was at such a park near Chicago (Six Flags Great America) a couple of years ago and it appeared that amusement park's employees had NO IDEA where their customers take cover during a tornado warning.

Let's PRAY that the employees at Worlds of Fun- Oceans of Fun and the new Schlitterbahn parks KNOW where to send patrons for cover for such an event....

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Time Changes: Daylight Savings Time Begins This Sunday

Fortunately- many of today's electronic devices does the time-change thing automatically.

For this Sunday- March 14- we begin Daylight Savings Time (DST- for us it's CDT).

Turn all your non-automatically-changing clocks AHEAD one hour by 2 a.m. Sunday morning.

Remember this tip about DST: 'Spring ahead- Fall back.'

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Flood Warnings Continue For Kansas City MetroRegion Waterways

As we approach 'official' Spring in 8 days- streams and rivers are on the rise with snowmelt up north and persistent although mostly light precipitation.


The Kansas City office of the NWS in Pleasant Hill has issued flood warnings for the following rivers at the following locations in Missouri:

102 RIVER AT ROSENDALE
GRAND RIVER NEAR GALLATIN
GRAND RIVER NEAR SUMNER
GRAND RIVER NEAR BRUNSWICK 1W
MISSOURI RIVER AT ST JOSEPH
MISSOURI RIVER AT NAPOLEON
MISSOURI RIVER AT WAVERLY
MISSOURI RIVER AT MIAMI
MISSOURI RIVER AT GLASGOW
MISSOURI RIVER AT BOONVILLE
PLATTE RIVER NEAR AGENCY
PLATTE RIVER AT SHARPS STATION
PLATTE RIVER NEAR PLATTE CITY

AFFECTING THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN KANSAS: DONIPHAN.

IN MISSOURI: ANDREW- BUCHANAN- CARROLL- CHARITON- COOPER- DAVIESS- HOWARD- JACKSON- LAFAYETTE- LINN- LIVINGSTON- PLATTE- RAY and SALINE.


Forecast light to moderate rain Friday night into Saturday may drop amounts as much as one-half inch and this could affect the flood forecasts- especially northeast to east of Kansas City.

Get ready folks- this could well be a soggy Spring!

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Woman Missing in Kansas City MO

Thirty-nine year-old Victoria E. Irons (photo shown here) was last seen Wednesday around 24th Street and Charlotte near Hospital Hill in KC-MO.



Ms. Iron's family doesn't know her whereabouts and are concerned for her safety.



She was last seen wearing a blue coat and blue jeans- tennis shoes and was carrying a bag.



If you may have seen this woman since Wednesday please give the KC-MO Police's Missing Persons Bureau a call at 816-234-5136.


UPDATE - March 17 - 1030 CDT: Ms. Irons has been reported found and safe in California.

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CSW BREAKING: Two Injured in Independence MO Apartment Fire

The fire- dispatched about 5:50 p.m.- is in a structure in the 800 block of East Walnut in Independence.


As of 6:40 p.m.- that fire- which is reported to be "an apartment" building"- appears to be under control.

Three ambulances were sent to the scene by 6:15 p.m..


AMR-EMS transported a "56-year-old male" suffering smoke inhalation to a hospital and was in non life-threatening condition.

A second patient- a "47-year-old male" was transported by another ambulance suffering the same condition as the first patient to the same medical trauma center.

Unknown if there were any other people inside the fire building and there is as yet no other information available.

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CSW BREAKING: Multi-Vehicle- Serious-Injury Crash On U.S. 169 in KC-MO

There's a reported multiple-vehicle and serious-injury crash on U.S. 169/Arrowhead Trafficway north of Northwest Englewood Road in the Northland.


MAST-EMS reports at least 2 critical injuries and one lesser-serious injury.

There is also one fatality reported. KC-MO Police report Friday morning that victim was "51-year-old Teresa Lizar from Smithville MO.."

MAST-EMS reports 7 vehicles involved and it was a crossover wreck- a truck was the vehicle that crossed the median.

A "21-year-old male who was ejected from the pickup truck he was driving" was taken to a Metro medical trauma center in serious to critical condition.

This was the driver of the truck that crossed the median from the southbound lanes into the northbound lanes of U.S. 169.

An "approximately 30-year-old female" driver of a car hit by the crossed-over truck was reported to have non life-threatening injuries.

The female driver of another car struck by the pickup reportedly is the fatality.

U.S. 169 was closed both directions north of N.W. Englewood/I-29 for at least 2-3 hours after the crash.


This is the second cross-over crash on Metro freeways during the evening drive-time this week.


Reported first in Kansas City here at CSW on Tuesday afternoon- at least 5 vehicles were involved in a crash on U.S. 71 in Belton when an 18-wheeler came upon slower traffic and could not stop.

A woman driving a car the semi struck was critically-injured and 3 other drivers suffered lesser-serious injuries.

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CSW BREAKING: Aircraft Emergency at KC-MO Downtown Airport

At 10:29 a.m. Thursday morning- five companies of the KC-MO Fire department were sent on an "Alert-2" standby for an inbound aircraft reporting an emergency.


That airplane is reported to be a Cessna "Citation 750" jet with "8" people on-board and the pilot was reporting "smoke in the cockpit."



UPDATE - 1044 CST: The Citation 750 has landed without incident at the Downtown airport and fire crews are checking the aircraft for the possible source of the smoke in the cockpit.

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NBC-Less Conan O'Brien Coming To Kansas City in May

Conan may not have The Tonight or Late Night shows on NBC anymore- but that's not stopping the comedian from taking a 30-city "theater tour" across America and Canada.


According to Ticketmaster- Conan will be coming to Kansas City's Midland Theater on Sunday- May 16th at 8 p.m..

Tickets will cost about $40 for the cheap seats.

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Central States: President Casino Closing in St. Louis on July 1

The casino is located in the old riverboat The President in downtown St. Louis and it's now scheduled to close on July 1- according to The ST. LOUIS (MO) POST-DISPATCH today.

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

The casino's closing will open up another casino license in the State of Missouri- but another casino in Metro Kansas City is probably not likely since attendance at 3 of the 4 Missouri Metro casinos has fallen over the past year- according to the KANSAS CITY BUSINESS JOURNAL.

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Central States: Four Injuries in Arkansas Tornadoes

The same storm system that brought nearly an inch of rain to the Kansas City Metro Wednesday dropped 4 of 5 confirmed tornadoes reported in the U.S. on Arkansas injuring 4 people- 2 critically.


Twisters struck the Center Hill and Pearson communities northeast of Little Rock in the dark between the 8:15 and 9:15 p.m.- according to the ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT GAZETTE.

One person suffered a non life-threatening leg injury at a damaged home in Center Hill- but 4 persons were hurt when a house was destroyed near Pearson.

(Photo courtesy of The ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT GAZETTE)

Three of those victims suffered "major injuries"- with 2 suffering "critical injuries"- according to a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.

Wednesday's severe storms and tornadoes were the most significant severe weather outbreak in the country so far this year.


Tornadoes were also reported just before sundown Wednesday evening in southwest Missouri near Neosho and Carthage- but are not listed in the NWS storm reports.


Flood warnings are in effect for streams and rivers throughout Nebraska- Iowa and Missouri today.

Mostly minor flooding is forecast along the Missouri River at St. Joseph and downstream from Kansas City.

Forecasts call for mostly off and on light rain in those areas for the next several days- but are not expected to worsen existing flood conditions significantly.

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CSW BREAKING: Lightning Strike On A Home - Serious Injury Accident Near Pleasant Hill MO

Pleasant Hill (PH) and Cass county MO emergency services are working 2 incidents- one a lightning strike-caused fire to a house in that city and the other a 1-vehicle rollover crash on M-7 south of PH..

The lightning strike was reported at 7:50 p.m. in the 1300 block of Russell Road in the northern part of PH..

That's less than one-half mile from the K.C./PH NWS office and Doppler radar site.

Fire units on the scene report electrical and roof damage to the home (pictured here) and water leaking inside the residence.

Flames were reportedly seen from the rear of the house when PH dispatchers received the call.

No injuries have been reported here but heavy damage to the house is indicated.

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Around 8 p.m.- a single-vehicle rollover crash with an occupant "ejected" during the crash was reported south of PH on Missouri (M) 7 north of P highway.

Two injuries were reported- teenaged males- at least one of those people are seriously-injured- with one of the males being transported to Centerpoint Med Center many miles away in eastern Independence and the other to Research.

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CSW WEATHER: Severe Storms Near Nevada MO

A severe thunderstorm watch No. 23 is in effect for the southern Kansas City MetroRegion until 10 p.m.- and a severe thunderstorm warning for Vernon County MO will expire at 4 p.m..


The latest weather radar indicates showers and storms are increasing from south-central Kansas eastward ino western and southwestern Missouri.

Watching closely the Joplin and Springfield MO areas- where there is a greater threat for severe weather due to temperatures warming into the 70's this afternoon as well as other atmospheric factors coming into play.

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CSW BREAKING: Various Incidents Around Metro Kansas City

There have been a few things happening around Metro K.C. this mild Wednesday afternoon...


The latest is a reported shooting in southeastern Shawnee KS.

That city's public safety people responded at 2:29 p.m. to the Fox Run Apartments at 7600 Goddard where a male reportedly has suffered a "gunshot to (his) groin."

The shooting apparently happened nearby- the call originally was dispatched to "75th Street and Goddard."

That victim- reported by MEDACT-EMS as "a 27-year-old male who was shot in the penis by a 9mm" gun- was taken emergency to a (the) Johnson County medical trauma center. His condition- although probably quite painful (ugh!)- sounded to be non life-threatening.

It's not yet known if the man shot himself or was shot by someone else.


At 2:36 p.m.- a Shawnee police officer enroute to the above call was involved in a "non-injury" crash at "64th Terrace and Nieman.

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Just before that call- Raytown MO EMS was called to Raytown South High school for "a male in custody" who had received some cuts and bruises from an unknown incident.

That person has reportedly refused EMS transport and was being "turned over to his parents."

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About an hour and a half ago- Cass County MO emergency workers responded on a 2-vehicle injury on Holmes Road between Cleveland and Belton.

A man in his 40's was transported to a Metro hospital by helicopter in serious condition.

That accident scene has since been cleared.

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CSW BREAKING: Possible Fatality Crash in Grandview Was "A Drill"

The crash was reported at 9:25 a.m. Wednesday morning in the 2300 block of Highgrove Road turned out to be an unbroadcast "drill."

There was no crash and CSW thanks (NOT) those authorities for warning those listening that the call was a drill and NOT an actual crash!

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Business Owners Concerned About Planned K-7-Johnson Drive Interchange

The BONNER SPRINGS (KS) CHIEFTAIN reports that those business owners and some residents near a planned freeway-type interchange planned for K-7 and Johnson Drive/55th Street could greatly affect them- and even drive those businesses to close in this continuing "recession (Depression)."

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Central States: Man Torches Woman With Gasoline in Oklahoma City

Tuesday afternoon- a man reportedly doused a woman with gasoline and set her on fire in a home in OKC- according to this story from The TULSA (OK) WORLD.

(Photo-Video Grab courtesy of The TULSA (OK) WORLD)

It was reported there "were children in the house" at the time- and the woman suffered critical 3rd-degree burns to "30 to 40-percent" of her body.

The suspect was arrested by police and was removed to the ground after he kicked out a window in a police car.

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Central States: Lincoln NE Joins Municipal 'New Arena Frenzy'

As pointed out here previously on CSW- Kansas City has TWO arenas now and the old one- Kemper- is proving to be a substantial drain (-$1.6M) on KC-MO finances during this severe "recession (Depression)."

Lincoln is also proposing to build a new arena in that southeastern Nebraska city that is home to the University of Nebraska 'Cornhuskers.'

The land the city wants to build the new arena on has environmental issues that has a steep cost for cleaning up prior to building as well as other issues- but the 'pro-arena' TV ads have already begun.

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Why Tornado Warnings Are No Real Reason To Panic

First of all- the tornado warning may have only been NWS Doppler weather radar indications of rotation in a storm- most times that rotation inside the thunderstorm does NOT translate to a tornado reaching the ground.

IF a tornado DOES reach the ground- more than 95% of those tornadoes are less than EF-3 intensity and have a narrow width (less than 1/4 mile) and a short path (less than 3 miles).


Even the largest EF-5 tornado (Greensburg KS 2007- 2 miles wide) affects only a tiny fraction of the land area of any county and Kansas City is about 320 square miles in size covering 4 counties.

(Tornado near Hammond Ok March 8- Courtesy of John W. Cannon-Elk City DAILY NEWS)

Since 1969 when our clan moved into this house in southeastern KC-MO- we've only had ONE possible tornado-bearing storm within a mile of the neighborhood (September 1992) and there was NO tornado touchdown until the storm was several miles east-northeast of us.

During the May 2003 tornado in the Kansas City Northland- the sun was shining here. The 1977 outbreak brought a small twister about 4 miles south and the 2008 Northland tornadoes were well north (although we experienced 60 m.p.h.-plus straight line winds as most areas south of the Rivers did).

Remember this weather fact: Metro Kansas City has registered many more deaths from flash flooding than from tornadoes in the past 50 years.

I'd worry more about that aspect- as well as possibly getting struck by lightning.

Sure- it pays to be 'weatherwise' and keep an eye out to the direction of an approaching severe thunderstorm- looking for that tale-tell counter-clockwise rotation in the clouds above toward the rear of that storm.

But remember when the TV meteorologists begin their tornado warning-hype: Even IF a tornado might or HAS touched down- the geographical area that funnel would travel is awfully small in relation to the land-area size of the Metro.

And I'll take a tornado warning ANY DAY over a 7.0 or stronger earthquake.

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NWS-SPC: "Slight Risk" of Severe T-Storms Today From Metro KC Southward

Finally- it's that time of the year!

This time of the year means thunderstorms and possible severe weather- and activity later today could reach severe-storm criteria for Metro Kansas City and south into the southern and eastern MetroRegion by this Wednesday evening.

That threat of mostly large hail and possible damaging wind gusts above 60 m.p.h. will include the area generally along and south of a line from Emporia KS to Kansas City onto Kirksville MO..

The tornado threat will stay well south- generally along and south of a Pittsburg KS to Camdenton MO line- including the Joplin- Springfield and Branson MO areas and on into northern Arkansas into extreme northeast Oklahoma.

Those areas also have the highest probabilities for large hail (1" diameter and greater) as well as the severe wind gusts.

Those under the gun in the Central States should keep informed on weather developments- and if any storm watches are issued for the Kansas City MetroRegion they'll be posted here at CSW.

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CSW BREAKING: Possible Fatality In U.S. 71 Crash in Belton MO

At 4:25 p.m.- Belton police- fire and EMS was sent to a "crossover" crash on "northbound U.S. 71 north of (M-) 58 highway.

Police arrive minutes later- reporting the northbound lanes are "shut-down" and a "possible (fatality)" and a 2nd injured person there.

Another officer reports an injury in the southbound U.S. 71 lanes as well.

An 18-wheeler was the vehicle crossing over into on-coming traffic and crushed the back half of a red car into a guardrail on the east side of the northbound lanes.

The truck driver's injuries appeared to be minor.

As of 4:45 p.m. U.S. 71 is closed both directions south of Y Highway in Belton.


A medical helicopter responded and transported one seriously-injured patient to a Metro hospital.

A second more minor-injured adult male patient was transported to a Metro medical trauma center.

An adult female also injured in the crash was taken to Research-Belton hospital in non life-threatening condition.


This crash is involved at least 5 vehicles and at least 4 injuries.

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CSW BREAKING: Police 'Situation' Very Near North Kansas City Hospital

North K.C. MO police are under cover and protecting an area around Clay Edwards Drive in the campus of North Kansas City Hospital at this time.

It is yet unknown what exactly is going on- but the public is urged to avoid that area until further notice.


UPDATE - 1623 CST: At 4:20 p.m.- NKC-MO Police report "one in custody" and the public is allowed to be "resuming normal operations around (North KC) hospital."

It appeared to be a barricaded person somewhere in or near a parking lot there.

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Ouch

Only fairly minor injuries are reported when a car ended up partially under a semi's trailer on southbound I-35 near 20th Street within the past 15 minutes.

The "24-year-old female driver" and an "approximately 30-year-old" rear-seat passenger are going to Truman Med Center-Hospital Hill.

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NWS Flood Warning For Missouri's Platte River

The flood warning will be in effect for several points along the lower Platte River in Platte County MO- according to the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill.


Stages could be as much as 7 feet above flood stage in Platte City this Saturday.


Additional heavy rainfall could well change this flood forecast- so stay tuned....

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CSW EDITORIAL: A Little Whine With Your Police Pursuit?

Back when The KANSAS CITY STAR was more relevant to Metro affairs- they had a TV/radio reporter named Barry Garron.

Barry had weekly stories on K.C.'s ratio and TV goings-on- and wasn't afraid to gore those 'sacred oxen' that presented their wares on the boxes in our homes.

The STAR replaced Barry some time in the 1990's with Aaron Barnhart and that regular reporting of Kansas City's electronic media seemed to disappear.

Barnhart seemed to like to report more on national electronic media matters and programs than the Metro he was hired to cover.

Now Barnhart is all upset because he missed his network news program because of Monday's dangerous police pursuit of the red Jeep from KC-MO's Northland into northern KC-KS..

Never mind the suspects plowing through people's yards in the Northland on a warm- pre-Spring day put residents in that area directly in harm's way.

There could have been children playing in yards behind those fences that the suspect's vehicle were taking out.

There could have been people out working in their yards- unaware a Jeep was about to plow down the fence next to them.

Never mind the suspect's Jeep travelled down the shoulder the wrong way and at high speed for several miles on a heavily-travelled freeway toward the end of the evening commuter drive- putting hundreds of motorists in harm's way.

Aaron missed his network nightly newscast!

Mr. Barnhart- there's CNN- MS-NBC and Faux News 24/7 for your national and world news coverage.

That chase had the potential to cause serious injury- even death- to MANY Metro residents in those areas the chase traversed.

We were DAMN lucky that didn't happen and you HAVE to believe the TV news helicopters DID make some difference with the live coverage.

Mr. Barnhart- if you want to whine about aspects of local TV news- review those newscasts daily content and their relevance to Metro viewers.

Tell us things like how more commercials during those newscasts are cutting into content- the running of dash cam and security cam videos from places far from Kansas City that- except for the compelling images- have NO relevance to the local viewer.

Save your 'Monday morning quarterbacking' of a potentially deadly vehicle pursuit through heavily-populated urban areas for an email that you can mail back to yourself.

Start covering the daily aspects (again) of Kansas City electronic media and get a clue.

Oh just FYI- Johnny Rowlands is NOT the pilot of KSHB's SkyTracker- who were the FIRST to cover that chase....

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CSW BREAKING: Spectacular Vehicle Pursuit In Kansas City Northland

A Jeep with 2 suspects plowed through fences and backyards of houses and apartment complexes from Lake Waukomis to the area east of Northwest 64th Street and I-29 in an attempt to elude KC-MO police around 5:15 p.m. Monday evening.

The suspects then got on I-29 south to I-635 and- east of Missouri 9 highway- crossed the median and drove several miles southbound on the northbound shoulder of Interstate 635 in Riverside MO while officers tried in vain to throw tire-puncturing strips across the roadway.

Motorists slowed- moved away from the shoulder lane or stopped on the roadway altogether as the Jeep traveled on the right shoulder at speeds of 40 to 50 m.p.h. into Kansas.

A few motorists drove off the road to avoid the suspect's Jeep when it crossed off-ramps to the suspect's exit onto Leavenworth Road in KC-KS..

No injuries were reported.

The chase was televised live almost in it's entirety from near Barry Road and M-152 from about 5:25 p.m. until 6 p.m. when both suspects had been arrested in KC-KS on KSHB NBC-41 TV via their news helicopter "SkyTracker."

TV pictures showed the suspects throwing baggies of a white-colored substance from the Jeep along the chase route.

The chase ended at 5:46 p.m. when the 2 suspects bailed out of the smoking Jeep near 27th Street and Brown in Kansas City KS..

A female passenger was apprehended at 5:49 p.m..

The male driver ran into a burned-out abandoned building and climbed onto the roof.

While the suspect was told to straddle a wall at the edge of the front of the building with his arms and hands up- the KC-KS Fire department arrived and raised a ladder that the suspect came down on- in the line of fire of around a dozen police officers with weapons drawn- then the male was arrested.

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Televised Poker Game Robbed in Berlin- Germany

There was a daring robbery by six armed men of a poker tournament game at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Berlin today that was being broadcast on live TV.

Here is the unedited YouTube video:

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CSW BREAKING: Man Shot in Kansas City KS

KC-KS EMS is reporting a "32-year-old male" shot several times in the face in the 1800 block of Quindaro.


The incident was first dispatched by KC-KS Fire and EMS at 2:14 p.m.. Central Patrol police officers were dispatched shortly thereafter.

The only suspect information was "a black male" who "left southbound" from the scene "in a white Buick Park Avenue."

The victim's injuries did not sound to be immediately life-threatening as he was transported to a Metro medical trauma center.

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Kansas and Kansas City MetroRegion 'Statewide Tornado Drill' Rescheduled for Thursday

Due to a chance a severe thunderstorms (and an outside chance of a brief tornado) on Tuesday- the National Weather Service in Kansas- and the NWS office in Pleasant Hill had CANCELLED Tuesday's tornado drill that was to take place at 1:30 p.m..


That 'tornado drill' will take place instead this THURSDAY at 1:30 p.m.- barring any strong/severe storms then.


We'll keep you informed on Tuesday's (tomorrow's) possible severe weather here at CSW.

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One Reason Not To Shower During A Thunderstorm

On May 10- 2008- 15-year-old Falicity Wishkeno was taking a shower at her home in the Vallencia community in western Shawnee county KS..

A thunderstorm was in progress at the time and while Falicity was showering- lightning struck a tree outside.

The electricity surged down the tree to it's roots and found it's way to the home's plumbing and up to the bathroom and the metal tub Falicity was showering in.

The bolt knocked her down- causing trouble breathing and pain throughout her body.

Falicity is okay now- and she's training to become a volunteer firefighter in Shawnee County Fire District Number 4 because of that incident- according to this story in Sunday's TOPEKA (KS) CAPITAL-JOURNAL.

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Men's Health.Com: Kansas City MO is America's 36th Drunkest City

Okay- that ranking is according to Men's Health.com.


We were beat-out by our across-the-state city St. Louis- who was Number 6 of the Top 100 Drunkest Cities in America.

Fresno CA was Number 1 and my fave "Second City" Austin TX made the Top 10 at No. 5.


Other Central States towns making the list were:

No. 31- Oklahoma City
No. 32- Tulsa OK
No. 39- Omaha
No. 44- Wichita
No. 52- Lincoln NE
No. 54- Des Moines
No. 76- Little Rock.

Fortunately- area college towns Columbia MO and Lawrence KS did NOT make the Top 100 list.

A toast of my- ahem- COFFEE cup to Kansas City!

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CSW BREAKING: House Burning in Midtown KC-MO

Six companies of the KC-MO Fire department are battling a fire in a 2-story house near the intersection of 40th Street and Bellfountaine.

The initial alarm sounded at 7:14 a.m. and when "Station 18" arrived 3 minutes later- they reported "heavy smoke and fire" showing from "the rear" of that house.

There was a report of a vehicle parked in the driveway of the residence- possibly indicating a person or persons still inside- but "primary" searches of both floors as of 7:25 a.m. have not revealed anyone still inside.

A MAST-EMS unit is standing by and- at 7:26 a.m.- the fire's reported to be "under control."

There have been no reports of injuries as of this posting.

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Central States: Iowa State Consumer Department Investigates Ferrellgas

Many rural households in the Central States rely on propane gas to heat their homes and this Winter of 2009-10 was particularly costly.


My daughter and her family who reside in Linn County Kansas told of running low on propane at one point and were told by their propane provider of additional- STEEP charges to "move them up on the list" of those in dire need of tank refills.

They use Ferrellgas- based in Overland Park.

This morning- the DES MOINES (IA) REGISTER reports that the Consumer Protection Division of the Iowa attorney general's office is investigating Ferrellgas for possible violations of Iowa's consumer fraud law in that company's hidden and added charges to customers.


I'm willing to bet good money that there are MANY more customers who were hit by unforeseen charges that didn't report them- for fear of being discriminated on propane deliveries.

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CSW BREAKING: Monday Morning Gunfire in KC-MO

For many- Monday mornings are bad enough.


Bad went to worse with a reported shooting at a residence in the 3700 block of Myrtle around 6:35 a.m..

Reports are the "28-year-old female" victim had been "shot several hours ago" in her upper left thigh and the victim "didn't have a phone and had been yelling for help"- according to MAST-EMS.

The woman was transported to a trauma hospital in not immediately life-threatening condition and police didn't have any clear suspect information from the woman yet.

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