80-Year-old Kansas City 'Robin Hood' Bank Robber Gets Probation

Eighty-year-old Augusta Cannon served his country in the Air Force.

Mr. Cannon also worked for years- until his retirement- as a railroad engineer.

He had no prior crimes police say- until he pulled an attempted- then another successful bank robbery before Christmas last year.

The robbery of the UMB Bank at 103rd Street and State Line- using a "pellet gun-" netted Augusta Cannon a mere $8755. 

He had previously tried to rob the US Bank at 87th Street and Blue Ridge before he drove to UMB.


Cannon's bank robbery video got him IDed by some people from Cannon's church.

The results of the trial? Well- it seems Mr. Cannon will just get probation- and be relatively free to live out whatever time he has left of this Earth.


The $8755?  Mr. Cannon's reason for robbing a bank in the first place was to give the money "to needy children-" and that's apparently where most of the bank's money went.

UMB?  They'll just manipulate some people's credits and debits- tack on or jack up a few service charges here and there- and they too will be fine....

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CSW BREAKING: House Fire With Reported Injury in Kansas City MO's Northland

For the 2nd morning in a row- KC-MO Northland fire companies are battling a house fire- this one reportedly with an injured person.


The fire was reported at 9:48 a.m. at a house in the 4100 block of North Holmes- also reported was a person injured and a possible "explosion" preceeded the fire.

A Fire department EMS unit arrived first at 9:51 a.m.- and reported the "1-1/2-story" home "fully-involved" in flames.

Fire crews are using "3" hoselines on the fire- reported under control at 10:02 a.m..

Fire crews report no victims located on the inside of the burned residence- and even though I'm locked-in to the agencies dealing with this fire- I've heard nothing about the reported "injured person."

Turns out that the home's occupant was away at work at the time of the fire and there were no injured here.

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Jackson County Advocate: Federal Program Spells Hope for Economy-Battered Neighborhoods

In 1970 when I (sort-of) graduated from Ruskin High school- the Ruskin Heights area was a clean- well-kept- blue-collar neighborhood of mostly 1-story ranch homes.

The area has suffered a slow but sure downhill decline since and- according to the story in the JACKSON COUNTY ADVOCATE- has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the entire State of Missouri.


A slow turnaround is taking place- thanks to a federal Neighborhood Stabilization program that is buying and rehabbing homes in the Ruskin- Robandee and Loma Vista neighborhoods. 

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Happy 150th Birthday Chillicothe (MO) Constitution-Tribune

Kansas City MO will be 150 years-old NEXT year- but a newspaper in a Missouri city about 75 miles northeast is already celebrating their 150th.

To celebrate- The Chillicothe CONSTITUTION-TRIBUNE is holding free hog dog lunches on Fridays in June at different locations in that Livingston County seat of around 9000 residents.


CSW congratulates the CONSTITUTION-TRIBUNE on it's 150 years of service and toasts you another 150!

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CSW Weather: Severe Storm Risk Today and Tomorrow- Includes Metro Kansas City

We here in the immediate Kansas City Metro managed to avoid all the weekend severe weather that brought destruction- injury and death to those from the eastern Central States into the Great Lakes region.


As one of the first media outlets in America to report it- tornadoes struck in darkness late Saturday and early Sunday from Illinois to Ohio and Michigan- killing at least 7 and injuring dozens of people.

The active storm pattern continues- and although the stricken areas will get a break from severe weather today- areas of our Central States- including Metro and north MetroRegion Kansas City- could see an outbreak of severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes later today through Tuesday.

The K.C. area will probably get part of an overnight thunderstorm complex that's forecast to develop over Nebraska and Kansas then move east to southeast over us during the Tuesday early morning time-frame.

Another severe risk on Tuesday will also include Metro Kansas City- and points east that suffered the severe storms this past weekend.


All in all- CSW will keep you informed of any severe weather watches later today as they're issued...

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Family of Six Displaced in Kansas City MO Northland House Fire

The regular alarm of 4 pumper and 1 truck companies was dispatched at 7:24 a.m. Sunday morning: a report of a fire in a residence in the 8400 block of North Virginia in Northland KC-MO..

When Pumper 14 arrived at 7:29 a.m.- they report "heavy flames and smoke coming from the garage area of a 1-1/2-story raised-ranch house" there.

Several minutes elapsed before firefighters discovered the family- two adults and 4 children- across the street from the fire at a neighbor's house.


Two hose streams are used on the fire- declared under control at 7:35 a.m...

There were no injuries- and the Red Cross was requested to assist the family.

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Towns Suffer Brunt of Illinois- Indiana- Ohio and Michigan Tornado Outbreak

The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center has accurately assessed early Saturday what would occur later that Saturday afternoon and evening: a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes from Iowa and Missouri- across Illinois into the eastern Great Lakes states.


By early Sunday morning- tornadoes had caused destruction in Illinois towns of Yates City- Brimfield-  Elmwood- Streator and Dwight and grazed bigger citites of Peoria and Kankakee.

Fortunately as of this report early Sunday morning- no fatalities have been reported- and no severe injuries either.


Elmwood IL- about 20 miles west-northwest of Peoria- was hit by a tornado sometime after 8 p.m.- according to a report from WGIL Radio in nearby Galeburg.

WGIL reports downtown buildings in Elmwood received structural damage- and gas leaks had forced evacuations of residents- but there were no injuries in the west-central Illinois town of about 2000 people.


The Streator IL tornado is reported in an earlier CSW story- after Streator was struck a tornado hit a mobile home park near Dwight- east of Streator

Again- only minor injuries reported- according to a news report from radio station WJEZ in nearby Pontiac IL..

A storm chaser picked up the tornadic supercell right after it struck Streator- then the trailer park in Dwight.

Illuminated by lightning flashes- the chaser caught the wall cloud and what appears to be a tornado in his YouTube video.

Two screen captures from the storm chaser's series of videos- this one in Kankakee county at video around the 0:13 second mark- clearly shows the impressive circular wall cloud and a funnel.

The situation is different in Ohio- where at least 5 people are dead as of early Sunday afternoon from tornadoes near Toledo.


WTOL-TV in Toledo reports a woman driving on a highway in northwestern Ohio was killed when her vehicle was blown off Route 795 south of Millbury.

West of there and just south of 795 on Cummings Road- another woman was killed in Lake Township trying to seek shelter near the police station.

That police station- and the Lake Township municipal complex that was only several years old- was virtually destroyed.


Less than a mile east- the Lake high school was heavily damaged. Graduation ceremonies were planned there today.

There was no immediate information on the third fatality- but 2 more were killed in Millbury.



There are as yet no reports on the number of injured in Ohio this Sunday morning.

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Tornado Hits Streator Illinois

Around 9 p.m.- a tornado struck the south side of  Streator IL- a city of about 14000 residents located about 100 miles southwest of Chicago.

Mike Boik, Author.   CSW VidCap & Marker

First reports were of homes demolished with people trapped and of course trees and power lines down- particularily "in the 600 block of Powell and...South Illnois-" according to first news media reports from The OTTAWA (IL) TIMES who has a bureau office in Streator.

Tornado warnings were in effect at the time the twister struck- at 9:11 p.m said NWS reports but "before 9 p.m." said The OTTAWA TIMES.

Although dozens of homes were damaged and/or destroyed- there were no fatalities- not even any life-threatening injuries said amazed emergency workers.

Since the tornado struck at dusk Saturday night- there are only a few  good photos or videos (the latter nothing but tornado siren vid with bland clouds from nearby Peru IL) of the tornado as displayed here.

Tornado warnings in the dark remained for large areas of the Great Lakes into the night and early Sunday morning.


Tornadoes also brought destruction in other areas around Illinois- Indiana- Michigan- and especially in Ohio- where fatalities were mounting southeast of Toledo.

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CSW Weather: Severe T-storm Watch No. 256 Valid Until 11 P.M.- KS-MO-NE-IA-IL

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman OK has issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 256 for the entire Kansas City MetroRegion NORTH of Metro Kansas City.

The watch is in effect until 11 P.M. this Friday night and includes the following Kansas cities of Atchison- Valley Falls- Hiawatha- Seneca- Holton- Manhattan and Marysville.

In Missouri- ST Watch 256 includes St. Joseph- Plattsburg- Cameron- Chillicothe- Bethany- Trenton- Carrollton- Maryville- tarkio- Brookfield and Kirskville.


Current weather radar as shown here from NWS-Topeka KS shows no precipitation echoes whatsoever yet.

CSW will be on-duty overnight until after dawn Saturday watching.

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BP's Ecological Disaster Continues- Now Oil Washing Up On Florida Beaches

America and British Petroleum's (BP) zeal for more oil continues to wreak environmental death to the Gulf of Mexico.


The latest develoment is that globs of oil from the spewing broken oil well that's TOO DAMN DEEP UNDERSEA has begun washing up on the shores of the Florida Panhandle- Pensacola Beach to be exact.

News reports say swimmers came rushing out of the water at Pensacola when they discovered themselves being covered in oil.

At least the swimmers can wash the oil off- not so for the thousands of wildlife now covered in oil and fighting for their very survival along the Alabama- Mississippi and Louisiana coastlines.


Any and ALL deep-sea wells within the coastal waters of America should be shut down NOW until oil companies develop solid plans for well blowouts like what is ruining the Gulf of Mexico.

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CSW Commentary: KU's Lew Perkins HAS To Go

That's in "has to go" as in resign/quit/leave/get-fired-from the University of Kansas.


1) There's the ticket scandal that- as HEAD of the KU athletic department- claims he didn't know of.

2) Then there's this REALLY bogus-sounding "blackmail attempt" which appears to be some sort of diversion from (1) the ticket scandal.


This guy HAS to go- he makes KU look feeble- incompetent and possibly even criminal.

This 'born Jayhawker' says it's time (yesterday) for Lew Perkins to resign or be fired so KU can 'try' to get back a LITTLE public respect for their athletic program.

I have NO respect for either Perkins or the program right now.

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CSW Weather: Severe Storm Chances in Metro Kansas City Through Early Sunday

The weekend is coming- so naturally there's an increased chance for thunderboomers.


The NWS's Storm Prediction Center has much of the Kansas City MetroRegion- including the Metro- in a forecast area of possible severe thunderstorms today and tomorrow- the latter's forecast period ending 7 a.m. Sunday.

The primary threat will be for large hail- 1-inch diameter or greater- with a lesser chance of severe winds- 58 m.p.h. or greater- and only slight chances for tornado formation.

WIth those strong to severe storms will also be a possibility of torrential rainfalls and flash flooding.

Today's severe weather forecast covers about the northern half of the K.C. MetroRegion- and Saturdays forecast shifts south to include southern areas- including the Missouri 'Quad Lakes'-  as well.

Most storms will strike from late afternoon through overnight into early morning hours.


CSW will be on-duty overnight this weekend to watch and post any severe weather information.

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CSW BREAKING: Serious-Injury Crash with Extrication On West I-70 East of Blue Springs MO

This crash is reported at "the 23.6-mile mark on westbound I-70" which is east of Adams Dairy Parkway.


There's reportedly "an extrication of a 6-year-old" occupant of a vehicle- and a medical helicopter has just landed.

No reports on any other injuries yet.

Westbound I-70 is closed right now west of BB Highway in Grain Valley.


A "36-year-old female driver" who was not seatbelted was taken by Central Jackson County (CJC) Fire Protection District EMS to aa area hospital in non life-threatening condition.

The child was flown by a Lifeflight-Eagle med copter to Children's Mercy hospital in serious to critical condition.

Traffic on westbound I-70 west of Grain Valley remains at a standstill- as shown by the latest  image from KC Scout..

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CSW BREAKING: Fire in KC-MO High-Rise Residential Tower in Crown Center

At 12:18 p.m.- a 3rd- alarm of 3 more fire companies join the nearly 15 companies already on-scene at a confirmed fire at 2510 Grand at San Francisco Towers in Crown Center.


The fire's reportedly in an upper-floor apartment of the about 28-story residential tower there.

There have yet been no reports of injuries as of this post.

At 12:26 p.m.- mutual-aid assistance from the KC-KS Fire dept. was sent as 2 more ladder trucks were odered to the scene.

At 12:27 p.m.- the fire in the affected apartment was reported under control- with crews checking to see if the fire had spread beyond.


More here as received....

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CSW WEATHER: Severe Thunderstorm Watch No. 242 Valid Until 2 A.M. Wednesday- KS-MO-IA

Severe storm Watch #242 will be in effect until 2 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Kansas City MetroRegion cities included are Atchison- Hiawatha and Seneca in Kansas- in  Missouri- St. Joseph- Maryville- Tarkio- Chillicothe- Bethany and Kirksville.

Severe storms brought tornado warnings to the Omaha metro during the 5 o'clock hour.

There have been at least 3 tornado reports- but as of yet no damage or injuries.

The storms were also producing large hail and torrential- flash-flooding rains.


At the present rate and direction of movement of the storms in Iowa and Nebraska- storms would enter northern Metro areas by 11 p.m. and be in downtown KC-MO around midnight.

Metro Kansas City is NOT included in the severe thunderstorm watch No. 242.

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CSW BREAKING: House Fire in Lenexa KS

Imagine coming home- opening the front door- and being met by smoke pouring from inside the house.


That's reportedly what happened to the occupants of a home in the 15100 block of West 82nd Terrace around 3:45 p.m. Tuesday.

Firefighters arrived at 3:49 p.m. and went to work on the fire inside the residence.


So far- no reports of any injuries and no report of the fire being under control yet.

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Some Metro Kansas City Rainfall Totals for May 2010

These reports are courtesy of the Overland Park 'Stormwatch' site- click on the image for full size.

I think you can disregard the first reading- "Route (or M-) 45 at (Northwest) Prairie View Rain" at "47.40 inches."

It rained heavy at times up there last month (flash flooding on Rush Creek-see CSW)- but surely no 47-inches.


Also note that a number of rain gage locations have been added to the site- mainly in the Kansas City Northland.

Most of the rainfall locations are self-explanatory- such as "Johnson Dr @ Turkey Creek Rain" is the rainfall measured at Johnson Drive at Turkey Creek- west of I-35- in the month of May.

If you are unsure of a gage's location- you can match it's left-side number at the OP Stormwatch site HERE.


Today's thunderstorm produced around 1/2-inch in west thru south Olathe- with more showers and storms off and on expected in Metro Kansas City over the next 36 hours or so.

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CSW BREAKING: Shooting Homicide in Kansas City MO

The latest killing took place in far old-northeastern KC-MO- in the 8600 block of Roberts.


Police and the other emergency services got the call of a male shot and unconscious at 1:09 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.

Officers arrived and found the victim being tended to by "a bystander" and ordered in Fire-EMS who declared the victim dead on the scene.

Police say the suspect was a bald black male- about 5-feet 11-inches tall- wearing a white shirt and black or dark blue shorts- possibly in the area of 8600 Thompson.

No word yet if police have located that suspect yet.

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CSW BREAKING: Severe Thunderstorm Warning For Douglas County KS Until 12:15 P.M.

The warning is actually for northeastern Douglas county- including Lawrence and Eudora- and the main threat is large ("quarter-sized") hail.

These storms are moving eastward toward De Soto and Edgerton in Johnson county KS..

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CSW BREAKING: No Injuries Reported in KC-MO House Fire

Fire broke out in a 2-1/2-story house in the 2600 block of Lexington Avenue around 9:15 a.m..

Five companies of the KC-MO Fire department responded on the initial alarm- and they found smoke showing from the 2nd-story when crews arrived at 9:18 a.m..

Two handlines were used on the flames- brought under control at 9:32 a.m..

No one was in the house and no reports of any firefighters being injured as of this post.

The cause is under investigation. 

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CSW Weather: Severe Storm Risk Today- Wednesday For Central States

Today's forecast for possible severe thunderstorms from the NWS' Storm Prediction Center (SPC) covers about the northern half of CSW's 'Central States-' including the northern half of the Kansas City Metro and MetroRegion.

A severe thunderstorm watch is already in effect this Tuesday morning for most of eastern and southeastern Nebraska and there are thunderstorms as close as western Douglas county KS..

In addition- Metro and MetroRegion Kansas City is also included in a forecast area for possible severe storms on Wednesday.

Of course- CSW will keep you informed on today's Metro weather developments as they occur.

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