Iowa Dam Break Video

Flooding rains in northeastern Iowa finally took their toll on a dam on the Maquoketa River.

This was the Lake Delhi dam in Delaware County Iowa that failed earlier today due to record-setting floodwaters on the Maquoketa River.

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Man Shot- Bitten in KC-MO's Ruskin Heights Area

Not a week has gone by since KSHB assignment editor Nick Dutcher was found murdered in his Ruskin Heights home and there's more violence in that southeastern KC-MO area.


At 10:42 a.m. Saturday morning- emergency services responded to a shooting "at the park at 107th Street and Sycamore."

Police arrived in the area about seven minutes later and soon had the "24-year-old male" victim walk up to them.

Rather limp up to them- the young man had been shot "through and through" in one of his legs.

He also had a "human bite" on his right hand and he was transported by KCMO-FD-EMS to a Metro hospital.


Police are looking for the suspect: a black male named Ed- who left the scene in a black Kia Sportage.

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Metro Kansas City Saturday Morning News and The Weather

It was a busy morning- but no reports of homicides or other traumatic deaths around the Metro.

Shootings were reported in KC-MO- but just one victim.


The first was reported by KC-MO police just before 3 a.m. in Westport.

KC-MO police officers working Westport security reported people in at least 2 vehicles shooting at each other- and cops initially report "5" victims.

None of the vehicles/shooters are caught and- as it turns out- no one in Westport was hit by the "numerous (shell casings)" shots fired.


The only other shooting heard had a victim that showed up at Truman Medical Center downtown around 4:50 a.m..

The male victim reportedly got shot in front of the Mc Donald's in the 6700 block of East Front- then drove himself to Truman.



Vehicle  wrecks were few overnight- the worst one being in Kansas City KS..

Missouri agencies first got the call on that one- westbound Lewis & Clark Viaduct- one car into a guardrail at 1:47 a.m..

The crash was in KC-KS- near the Fairfax exit on "The Viaduct/I-70."

The 23-year-old male driver was taken to the University of Kansas (K.U.) Medical Center in serious condition.


Other more minor crashes occurred in KC-MO- Olathe- Harrisonville and northern Miami county KS..



Structure fires occurred in KC and Independence MO....

Several arson fires occurred in the 2700 block of Garfield beginning around 12:13 a.m..

At that time- a battalion of fire companies were sent on a house fire and found "a small fire on the front porch" of a vacant house at 2705 Garfield.

Firefighters got that out and went home- only to be called back- twice- further down the block.

Those fires were in an unattached garage containing a truck at 2717 Garfield- one fire at 12:53 and the last at 2:25 a.m..

No one was injured and arson reports were taken on all the fires there.


Another suspected arson fire in a vacant house occurred just after 5:15 a.m..

That fire was in the 5200 block of East 28th Street and broght under control at 5:30 a.m..

No injuries there either...


The last fire was in Independence just after 6 a.m..

That was a house fire near 35th Street and Home in a 1-story structure.

Fire was found in the basement and 1st-floor- with that incident under control by 6:40 a.m. with no reports of injuries.



Weatherwise- warm and humid again today- but with a chance of showers and thunderstorms in Metro Kansas City later this Saturday afternoon and night.

There's a slight chance some of those storms could be severe- and there's a threat of torrential- flash-flooding rainfalls- so stay tuned later today....

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Reason For Blue Springs' "Revenue Shortfall" Is Welfare For Developers

I'm amazed daily now seeing all these governments short on cash and raising sales and property taxes to cover those shortfalls- and how absolutely NO PRESS coverage on how those entities GOT short on cash.

That part deosen't amaze me- the fact that the people in those jurisdictions seem to vote FOR those increases and let their elected ones keep issuing corporate welfare (TIFs- 353s- etc) not ONLY amazes but- quite frankly- shocks me.

It comes as no surprise to me that the City of Blue Springs MO wants their own city employees to take unpaid days off and the fact the city is laying off a few employees to balance their checkbook- according to The EXAMINER.

This after BS just last week announced ANOTHER corporate welfare project in a location where ANOTHER tax break project failed- reported here at CSW.

Another corporate welfare mecca in Blue Springs are the commercial developments around I-70 and Adams Dairy Parkway (ADP). 

Blue Springs- like elected officials damn near everywhere- use scare tactics to get voters to make up the shortfalls accrued when they give developers tax breaks and what-all and those very tax breaks end up coming out of the city's coffers when those constant "pie-in-the-sky" revenue projections for the welfare areas don't make enough.

See Kansas City's 'Power & Light' entertainment/boozing area that will take $10-15-million per year until 2033 to pay the glitzy area off.

Even more bothersome- is the Kansas City news media's lack of coverage of this fact- they'll report these fancy new projects and their made-up benefits but dance around what that project will cost taxpayers in corporate welfare to build that whatever.


Sales tax elections are threatened again in several Metro cities- two are Independence MO and KC-KS- and I'll bet you the farm that voters will probably approve them all.

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Central States News: Two Die in Oklahoma Medical Helicopter Crash

Two people died and one is in serious condition at an Oklahoma City hospital after the crash of a medical helicopter near Kingfisher OK late Thursday.

The copter had 3 people on board and they were enroute from OKC to a hospital in Okeene when it crashed on a ranch about 4 miles southeast of Kingfisher- stated the story in the OKLAHOMA CITY (OK) OKLAHOMAN.


The FAA is investigating the crash.

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Hungry? Flash "Food" Warnings in Wisconsin

Spelling FAIL!

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CSW BREAKING: House Fire in Independence MO

Six companies of the Independence MO Fire department are on the scene of a house fire in the Fairmount area of that northern Jackson county suburb.

The fire was reported around 8:15 p.m. Wednesday evening and additional help was summonded at 8:29 p.m. to the 2-story house in the 800 block of Ash.

There was a slight injury in the fire.

At 8:52 p.m.- AMR-EMS transported "a 21-year-old female who is 5-months pregnant" with "minor smoke inhalation" to a Metro medical trauma center.

There have been no other injuries as of this 8:55 p.m. update....

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National Weather Service Radio Fails Again During Severe Weather in Kansas City

While severe thunderstorms were rolling through Metro Kansas City during the 6 o'clock hour Tuesday evening- the National Weather Service (NWS) weather radio channel covering the 2-million-person-plus Metro K.C. went dead- again.

Remember the June 8 storm with tornado warnings and flash flooding with the CSW story that day- the last time K.C.'s NWS radio failed.


Tuesday evening- the NWS weather radio station KID-77 on 162.550 mhz went dead for about an hour- from around 6 p.m. unitl 7 p.m.

This was AFTER a tornado had been spotted by the public in the area of Cyclone (Heh) Lane and Colborn Road east of Lake Jacomo around 5:38 p.m..

Fire crews and law enforcement found no damage from that reported brief touchdown.

.

This hasn't been a MAJOR issue- yet- since the 2 failures occurred when most people were awake and the TV and radio news had live people on duty.

However- if the K.C. office of the NWS doesn't get a permanent fix on this radio outage issue- the results could be deadly if we get another middle-of-the-night storm like back in May of 2008.


Just FYI- I quit solely relying on the government warning me or mine of severe weather back on April 19- 1966 and I stay awake (and posting here) if severe weather threatens in the dead of night....

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CSW BREAKING: House Fire Near Pleasant Hill MO

Fire fighters from several fire departments are assisting Pleasant Hill Fire on a house fire in the 600 block of Oakland.

The fire alarm was first sounded around 8:35 a.m. for the Pleasant Hill department- and "mutual-aid" help has been sent from the South Metro- Lone Jack- Prairie Township and Central Cass county fire departments.

There's no word on the occupancy of the structure (appears lived-in on GOOGLE images) as the incident is still working as of this post.


More here as/if received....

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CSW BREAKING: Electrical Fire Damages South KC-MO Bank

Around 7:35 p.m. Tuesday evening- five companies of KC-MO firefighters were sent to the Union Bank branch on 87th Street west of Blue Ridge to investigate a possible electrical fire.

There was smoke showing from the 1-story building when firefighters arrived- and "a liquid" coming from a transformer near the building.

Fire crews were awaiting police before they made entry into the building- but the fire was under control.

The building was unoccupied and there were no firefighter injuries.

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CSW WEATHER: Severe Thunderstorm Watch No. 505 Until 11 P.M.- KS-MO

Metro Kansas City- and all but the far northern and far southern areas of the Kansas City MetroRegion are included in Severe Thunderstorm Watch that is valid until 11 p.m. this Tuesday night.

In addition- flash flood watches are also in effect for much of northern and northeastern Missouri- scene of heavy rains earlier today.

Severe thunderstorms are already occuring from the northwest part of Metro Kansas City in Leavenworth County westward to near Manhattan KS..

The storms you see on the current weather radar image are moving generally eastward- but further development is likely throughout this Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning.

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Flash Floods in Northeast Missouri Force Evacuations- Close Many Roads

As mentioned in the last CSW post regarding our severe storm and possible excessive rain forecasts- parts of extreme southeastern Iowa and northeastern Missouri received anywhere from 5 to 10 inches of rain since Monday evening into this morning.

Among the areas hardest hit was Hannibal MO- where flash flood warnings exist at this hour according to the following NWS warning and flood information from the St. Louis NWS office:

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED

FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO
1054 AM CDT TUE JUL 20 2010


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...


KNOX COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI...
LEWIS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI...
MARION COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI...
MONROE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI...
PIKE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI...
RALLS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI...
SHELBY COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI...



* UNTIL 1030 PM CDT TUESDAY



* AT 1033 AM CDT...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED FLASH FLOODING ACROSS THE WARNED AREA.

IN THE HANNIBAL AREA...THERE HAVE BEEN 25 TO 30 RESCUES OF RESIDENCES ALONG BEAR CREEK. A DAY CARE FACILITY WAS EVACUATED IN THIS AREA.

IN RALLS COUNTY...ALL MAJOR ROADS WERE FLOODED AND CLOSED.

NUMEROUS ROADS ARE CLOSED IN KNOX... SHELBY... AND MONROE COUNTIES AS WELL.

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL ROADS REPORTED CLOSED BY THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT:

HIGHWAY E WEST OF LEWISTOWN
HIGHWAY 79 SOUTH OF HANNIBAL
HIGHWAY 61 SOUTH OF HANNIBAL
ROUTE F IN RALLS COUNTY NEAR SPENCER CREEK
HIGHWAY 79 WEST OF LOUISIANA
MISSOURI HIGHWAY 154 IN SOUTHERN RALLS COUNTY NEAR SPENCER CK
ROUTE B IN RALLS COUNTY NEAR LICK CREEK
ROUTE K IN KNOX COUNTY NEAR COLONY
ROUTE F IN KNOX COUNTY
MISSOURI HIGHWAY 15 NORTH OF NOVELTY AND NEAR PLEVNA
MISSOURI HIGHWAY 151 SOUTH OF NOVELTY AND NEAR LEONARD
ROUTE H IN SHELBY COUNTY NEAR PERRY BRANCH
MISSOURI HIGHWAY 151 NORTH OF CLARENCE
ROUTE N NORTH OF LENTNER
ROUTE DD NEAR MAUD
ROUTE A IN MONROE COUNTY NEAR CROOKED CREEK
ROUTE K IN SHELBY COUNTY WEST OF SHELBYVILLE



PEOPLE IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN EXTREMELY CAREFUL DURING THIS MAJOR FLOOD EVENT THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST MISSOURI. THE THREAT FOR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WILL REMAIN HIGH INTO THIS EVENING.


* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE:
BOWLING GREEN... CANTON... EDINA... HANNIBAL... LOUISIANA... MONROE CITY... PALMYRA... PARIS... SANTA FE... SHELBINA... CENTER... CLARENCE... COLONY... CURRYVILLE... EMDEN... EOLIA... EWING... FRANKFORD... GRANVILLE... KNOX CITY... LA BELLE... LEWISTOWN... MADISON... MAUD... MAYWOOD... NEW HARTFORD... NEW LONDON... PERRY... PHILADELPHIA AND PLEVNA.


As mentioned before- those same areas- along with a large portion of the Kansas City MetroRegion- could see more strong to severe thunderstorms through Wednesday morning with additional torrential rains.



Keep a tab on CSW and reload it throughout the evening....

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Severe Storms- Excessive Rainfall Possible in Kansas City MetroRegion

With overnight rainfalls of 5 to 10 inches just 75-100 miles northeast of Metro Kansas City- later today through Wednesday morning brings yet another chance of severe storms and flooding rains- this time including or very near to Metro K.C..

The Day 1 "Convective Outlook (storm/severe storm forecast)" from the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) says a little more than the northern half of the MetroRegion- including Metro K.C.- could see some severe thunderstorms by Wednesday morning.

The severe threat is for possible large hail and severe wind gusts- but as with every severe thunderstorm- a brief tornado cannot be ruled out.

Also- the SPC has Metro Kansas City on the edge of another "slight risk" area for severe storms on Wednesday through Thursday morning too.



In addition- the Hydro Prediction Center (HPC) has the northern half of the K.C. MetroRegion is a "slight" risk area of excessive rainfall.

The danger issue here will be the torrential rains during the stronger storms- with rain rates of 1.5 to 3-inches an hour not out of the question and rains so hard you can't easily tell if you're driving into a flash flood situation.



CSW will advise if any severe storm watches are issued for Metro Kansas City and environs.

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CSW Photos - Video of I-470 - Grandview Triangle Sinkhole

Here are the latest pictures and a video from the site of the sinkhole that has closed the westbound I-470/northbound U.S. 71 ramp to westbound I-435 in the Grandview Triangle in south Kansas City MO..

Previous posts on the sinkhole- including a line MoDOT camera link- can be found HERE and HERE.

Notice how the collapsing embankment above the creek below took out a large freeway light pole- which is leaning to the right in some photos.

The people in the orange vests appeared to be KC-MO Public Works employees- not MoDOT employees.

If you have any repair ideas- contact MoDOT....

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Grandview Triangle/I-470 Sinkhole Camera Link

Tens of thousands of Metro Kansas Citians will be inconvenienced by the closure of the westbound I-470/northbound U.S. 71 ramp to westbound I-435 and who knows when the roadway will be repaired.

The image here can be found at this link- be aware the MoDOT people move this camera around- so you won't always be looking at the sinkhole and the closed roadway.

This view is to the southeast- the roadway in the lower right is north and southbound U.S. 71 (future I-49).

Also- seems like a LOT of commuters used the Bannister Road turn-around option.


Rest assured- the drive HOME will be better....

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Sinking Interstate 470 in Grandview Triangle Beginning Of Commuter Nightmare

The project to improve and update that freeway intersection of Interstates 435- 470 and U.S. 71 (future I-49)- known as The Grandview Triangle- was completed in 2007 at a cost of around one-third of a BILLION dollars.

With the massive sinkhole in what was the westbound I-470/northbound U.S. 71 ramp to westbound I-435 only 3 years after the completion of the entire project- questions have surfaced...

Was there shoddy engineering of the freeway project?
and
How the HELL are we in eastern and southeastern Jackson county going to get to Kansas faster than wagon trains on the Santa Fe Trail?

All this started around July 8th when MoDOT workers were made aware of a sinking of the pavement on the north side of the 4-lane westbound I-470 ramp just east of one of the overpasses over northbound U.S. 71.

MoDot closed down that lane- then another until Friday- when the sinking pavement collapsed into a hole that was almost 100 feet long and nearly 30 feet wide.

Part of a project-constructed concrete embankment on the north side above a creek had given way- causing the massive sinkhole.

To be fair- this creek was a raging torrent several times in June and early July as it drains the area around- north and west of Ruskin Heights where a weather station had recorded nearly 18-inches of rain in June.

Yet engineering should have taken into account previous weather history of flash flooding on this creek and the attendant maximum possible streamflows.

In plain words- you build to account for a wide range of Mother Nature's moods in this area.


Now- the commute for those who would go west into Kansas from either Lee's Summit or Grandview because the repair of this growing sinkhole will take "months" MoDot says.


Red Bridge is closed west of Blue River Road- the latter being closed north of Red Bridge because of ANOTHER sinkhole.

Bannister Road is one lane over the Big Blue river west of Grandview Road for bridge deck replacement.

87th Street is closed west of I-435/Hillcrest.

Missouri 150 highway is under construction from U.S. 71 eastward to Lee's Summit.

 Grandviewers can go west on M-150 west of U.S. 71 free and clear- or take Blue Ridge Boulevard west.

If I took I-470 west into Kansas- think I'd either take I-435 or Blue Ridge north to Bannister- then turn around to go south on I-435 or U.S. 71 to the westbound I-435 ramps.

Eastbound I-435 to I-470 traffic is NOT affected.


Here's hoping that the sinkhole is the ONLY problem detected in this massive and expensive project.

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The Ted White Case: Are Lee's Summit MO Politicians Frauds or Just Plain Stupid?

What HAS to be the poster subjects for ignorant and/or just-plain fraudulent politicians in America- Lee's Summit's elected officials say they WON'T pay a $16-million judgement against the city brought by former resident Theodore (Ted) White.

As you can read in the KANSAS CITY STAR's coverage of this unbelievable case- Mr. White was framed on a child sexual abuse charge by a Lee's Summit police detective Richard McKinley and White's ex-wife Tina- resulting in Ted White serving a 5-year prison term.

Detective McKinley and Tina White had a love affair going at the time of Ted White's framing.

Courts- after some time- finally acquitted Ted White of the child abuse charges- but unbelievably did not and have not charged either ex-Detective McKinley or the former Mrs. White with any crime.

The City of Lee's Summit agreed to cover McKinley's damages in exchange for being dropped from Ted White's false imprisonment lawsuit- where the courts awarded Ted White $16-million in damages.

Now city officials in Lee's Summit won't pay that $16-million to falsely-accused Ted White who was wrongly imprisoned by a Lee's Summit city employee.

According to a Web site http://www.tedwhitepetition.com/- there is a rally scheduled in support of Ted White on Thursday- July 22nd at 5:00 PM at Lee’s Summit City Hall prior to the City Council meeting.

You can show your distaste for Lee's Summit politicians as well as support for Ted White.


Or- you can do as we did tonight- when going out for dinner we avoided eating in Lee's Summit- as I also plan to boycott Lee's Summit for any buisiness until their elected leaders do the right thing.


Politicians of Lee's Summit- the RIGHT THING is to pay Ted White the $16-million for your employee's criminal act of framing him for a crime White did not commit.

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