CSW BREAKING: No Fatalities Reported Due to Tornado in Metro Jackson MS

Monitoring live broadcasts from Jackson MS TV station WLBT-3- there are reports of at least 2 fatalities and at least several unknown-severity injuries as a tornado roared across northwest through northeastern parts of Metro Jackson Friday morning.

As of 1:15 p.m.- WLBT reports "7" persons had been taken to Jackson-area hospitals- and some of those injuries were life threatening.


That number of injured stood at 8 Friday evening according to area press reports.



However- no other media outlets were confirming fatalities as of 1:45 p.m. and no one had yet died as a reult of the tornado.

This appears to be a long-track tornadic supercell that began in northeastern Louisiana near Vicksburg MS and has continued to move northeast toward the Alabama state line.



The tornado began around 10:45 a.m. in far western Metro Jackson- then the storm moved across Clinton and into north Jackson just after 11 a.m..

A tornado producing damage was also reported in the Ross Barnett reservoir area.

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Nine Dead After Severe Storms- Tornadoes Rake Oklahoma and Arkansas

Unlike the storm system that produced the EF-3 tornado that hit Mapleton Iowa 5 days earlier- an outbreak of severe thunderstorms with Category-2 hurricane winds and tornadoes from Thursday evening to Friday morning was a killer.


Two elderly women died in the town of Tushka- and more than 2 dozen people were injured when a large tornado struck that southeastern Oklahoma community Thursday evening- according to storm spotter- news media and ASSOCIATED PRESS reports.


YouTube videos show funnels dancing up and down in a cloudline as the storm bore down on the Tushka area right before dusk Thursday evening.


Other tornadoes in northeastern Oklahoma produced scattered damage- but no reports of injuries.


The storms then moved east into Arkansas- where in the darkness early Friday at least 7 more people died when storms blew down trees on the structures the victims were occupying.


More severe storms with tornadoes were expected throughout today in the Deep South- Mississippi east through Georgia.


A tornado- possibly muliple tornadoes- have caused damage in the Mississippi cities of Jackson and Clinton- but no immediate reports of injuries as of 11:30 a.m. Friday.



WLBT-3 is doing a live severe weather broadcast in Jackson MS..

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Fatality- Injuries in Southeast Oklahoma Tornadoes

An emergency services dispatcher in Atoka County has reported around 8:45 p.m. that "one person is dead- four others critically hurt and another is missing" after up to 4 tornadoes Thursday evening in that area of southeastern Oklahoma.


"People are trapped in homes- power lines are down and they are still assessing the damage" the dispatcher said.

The heaviest damage was reported south of Atoka- in Tushka.


Other tornadoes were reported earlier in the evening in the northeastern part of the state- in the Tulsa area.


Some damage was reported near Hominy and Madill- and other tornadoes were signed near Stroud- Burbank and Ramona.

No injuries reported with those touchdowns.
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CSW BREAKING: House Fire in KC-MO's Red Bridge Area

This incident was dispatched at 2:59 p.m. Thursday afternoon: a lived-in home was on fire deep in the 11100 block of Walnut in southwestern KC-MO..

Pumper 28 was the first of 5 fire companies arriving at 3:02 p.m.- reported "smoke and fire showing" from the 1-story structure with "the front door wide-open."


Another company- a fire investigator and an EMS unit were added to the call.


So far no work for the EMS crew heard- with the flames under control around 3:20 p.m..

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CSW Weather: Tornado Watches From Kansas-Nebraska Border to Northern Texas

There are 2 Tornado Watches- valid until 9 p.m. in Kansas- and 10 p.m. in Oklahoma and Texas.

The Kansas watch is No. 134- the other watch in Oklahoma and Texas is No. 135 and that watch is a "particularily dangerous situation" in that strong and long-track tornadoes are possible.

Virtually the entire eastern half of Oklahoma is in TW-135.

The only Kansas cities in the Kansas City MetroRegion included thus far in Tornado Watch-134 are Burlington and Emporia and southward.

Thus far- the only thunderstorms- a few of those severe- are generally along the KS-NE border north and northwest of Concordia.


Thunderstorms aren't expected in Metro Kansas City until toward dusk.

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CSW BREAKING: Working House Fire in Midtown KC-MO

The fire is in the 4300 block of Troost- reported at 10:20 a.m. Thursday morning.

Reportedly- a 2-story house is heavily-involved in fire.


At 10:26 a.m.- interior firefighting crews were ordered out of the structure.


No injuries have been reported yet.

More as received....

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CSW BREAKING: Haz-Mat Incident Near Hillsdale in Miami County KS

Just before 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon- fire department and hazardous materials units from Johnson county KS were called to assist Miami county on a hazardous materials incident north of 255th Street and Columbia Road in the small community of Hillsdale.

This is reportedly a tanker on "farm equipment" involving "anhydrous ammonia" overturned- the tank of is said to be "completely full" of product.


Winds are from the south-southeast- and persons northwest through north of the incident should be on the alert and prepared to evacuate if asked.


Evacuations of Columbia Road north of 147th Street are currently underway.


At 2:16 p.m.- that leak of the ammonia had reportedly been "stopped" and perhaps the evacuations stated above will be cancelled.

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Royals' Job Fair Comes With a $13 Hitch

Good idea: Holding a job fair to help some of the Metro's unemployed...

Bad idea: Charging those unemployed $13 to attend the job fair.

That's right.

The Kansas City/Walmart Royals are holding a job fair at Kauffman Stadium on April 29 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.- but it will cost you $13 to get in the door.

Oh okay- you get a ticket for that night's ballgame for that $13 (no promise of an actual JOB mind you)- but the ticketholder will get charged $10 more- the game parking fee which isn't included.


Hell- I'll betcha there are a LOT of unemployed people who can afford that $23 for a job fair- ballgame ticket and parking.


Just don't EAT anything at the ballyard if you're a sucker for that deal- then you'll need a title loan....

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Fire Damages Downtown Raytown Building

A fire that broke out around 11:30 a.m. in a 2-story downtown Raytown MO building has displaced about 10 persons.

The incident was in a building in the 6300 block of Raytown Road and required the help of the KC-MO Fire department before the flames were brought under control about 20 minutes later.

The building contained apartment units- and a Raytown Fire chief at the scene told CSW that about 10 persons were displaced and the American Red Cross was called to assist them in temporary lodging.

No injuries were reported and a damage estimate was not yet available.

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America- CSW- Honors Kansas' Bob Dole

Few Republicrats in the late 20th Century actually transcends The Party of Nixon- and Bob Dole is one of them.


Mr. Dole was honored Tuesday in a ceremony at the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.- according to this story in the TOPEKA (KS) CAPITAL-JOURNAL.

Senator Dole was badly wounded in World War II- yet overcame his injuries to serve almost 3 decades as a Representative- then Senator from the State of Kansas.



Mr. Dole ran for president in 1996- but lost that bid to Bill Clinton.


Bob Dole is a decent- honest man who served his state and country with honor and dignity- and a CSW salute goes out to The Man from Russell.

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CSW Weather: Increasing Severe Storm Chances Thursday

A strong storm system entering the Central States will produce severe thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and night.


Already- the NWS' Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has parts of the Kansas City MetroRegion is a "moderate risk" area for severe storms- and possible tornadoes- later Thursday.

According to SPC forecasts Wednesday morning- the greatest risk of severe weather extends from eastern Kansas into eastern Oklahoma.

A slight risk of severe will cover all but the extreme northeastern portion of the Kansas City MetroRegion.


This weather scenario COULD shape up to be somewhat similar to last Saturday evening's tornado swarm in western and northwestern Iowa with a few "strong tornadoes" possible- according to SPC forecaster's thoughts.

On top of all of that- the Hydro Prediction Center (HPC) forecasts a "slight risk" area of excessive rainfalls over mostly northern and central parts of the Kansas City MetroRegion- incuding Metro Kansas City.


In those areas indicated on the HPC graphic- localized rainfall amounts could produce flash flooding.


As always- CSW will keep you advised with ALL the latest developing weather info....

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MetroRegion Taxpayer-Provided Welfare News: Blighted Osage Beach MO

You know where Osage Beach is- right?

Man over there with the "Live Free or Die" ballcap?

Yes sir you ARE correct- it's south of Bagnell Dam on that horribly blighted Lake of The Ozarks.

Well folks- the mayor of that blight on Missouri's Quad-Lakes area broke a council tie- allowing construction to begin on a grocery store in a retail center being built where an old one that got torn down used to be- according to LakeNewsOnline.com.


The grocery store is part of the Dierbergs chain out of St. Louis- apparently a struggling- start-up company in need of a taxpayer-provided handout to stay afloat.

Retail in America- find it wherever taxpayer's dollars are sold.

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Fools and Their Money: Kansas City-area Casinos Have Good March on the Backs of Fewer Patrons

According to the KANSAS CITY BUSINESS JOURNAL- Metro casinos continued raking in money even though fewer people bought into the false notion of quick (any) gambling riches.


Ameristar led the 4 area Missouri gambling joints- followed by Isle of Capri- Riverside's Argosy and North Kansas City's Harrah's.

Only the Isle of Capri saw an actual increase in gamblers.

Seven point five percent fewer people (869000) donated their monies to local casinos in March- but revenues were up 4% ($64.4-million) from March 2010.


The casinos are hoping for more patrons (suckers) with more disposable cash this month....

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MetroRegion K.C. News: Springfield MO Retail Developer Seeks Taxpayer Welfare

Wealthy developers seeking taxpayer welfare seem to come out of the woodwork daily in the Central States...


Today's latest request is in Springfield where- according to the SPRINGFIELD (MO) NEWS-LEADER- a developer wants Tax Increment Financing (TIF/Taxpayer-provided Welfare-TPW) for a proposed west Springfield retail area.


Just yesterday- another developer in St. Joseph requested TPW for a retail project in north St. Joe.

No wonder real estate lawyers are oozing with money...

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Where are Washington Pollys Regarding Oil Speculators?

Once again- unregulated speculation on oil has driven fuel prices through the roof- and all we hear out of America's politicians are cutting programs (Medicare- etc.) that benefit many poor Americans.


Yes- I say poor Americans because each and every one of us is being cut off at our financial knees daily.


Oil fuels the rise of prices on EVERYTHING- have you seen food prices lately?


There is absolutely NO talk of regulating the oil speculators- there is absolutely NO talk of cutting representatives and senators excessive pay and benefits- absolutely NO talk of cutting the budgets of America's military-industrial complex.


The ONLY talk is cutting women's rights to their bodies- and so-called entitlement programs (Medicare- Social Security- etc) that many Americans have payed into all their working lives.


Maybe if Washington's politicians threatened American sports or entertainment then the American sheeple would actually get aroused to DO something...

Even that is doubtful.

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Double Homicide: Two Bodies Found in Burned-Out Car in KC-MO

Around 6:30 p.m. Monday evening- KC-MO's Pumper 23 got the unremarkable call of a car fire on Cliff Drive near Gladstone Boulevard- below the Kansas City Museum.


While extinguishing the fully-involved car fire- firefighters discovered one- then another body inside the burned-out hulk of metal.

One of the bodies was found in the truck- both were burned beyond recognition.

Police were called- and the investigation was on as forensic detectives tried to establish an identity of the 2 burned bodies.

Police were calling the incident a double homicide- bringing the number of killings in KC-MO close to last year's total of 25 by April 11th.

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CSW BREAKING: House Fire in KC-MO South of Swope Park

Six companies of the KC-MO Fire department are engaged in a firefight of a lived-in house south of Swope Park.

The alarm sounded just after 9:15 a.m. for a reported fire in a residence in the 4000 block of East 69th Terrace.

Smoke and fire was showing from the reported 1-1/2-story house where the first fire crew pulled-up at 9:22 a.m..

At 9:24 a.m.- police were ordered to this scene where fire crews reported "a disturbance-" and at 9:29 a.m. all interior fire crews were ordered out of the house and the flames were attacked from outside.



No injuries were reported- fire crews are using 2 small and 1 large stream on the fire until the flames were declared under control at 9:47 a.m..


The Red Cross was requested to assist the one occupant of the burned-out house- and the cause of the fire is under investigation. 

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MetroRegion K.C. News: St. Joseph Pollys Set To Give Developers Taxpayer-Provided Welfare On "Prime" Retail Property

It seems that it won't be long when the ONLY ones paying property taxes will be home and small business owners...

The ST. JOSEPH (MO) NEWS-PRESS reports that St. Joe pollys will soon be approving taxpayer-provided welfare to developers of what the SJNP story calls "a prime piece of vacant retail real estate" in that northwestern Missouri city.

That property is at the northwestern corner of the intersection of Cook Road and North Belt Highway in northern St. Joseph.


Actually- taxpayers would take a dual hit: the site would get property tax abatements for 15 years and shoppers would pay a higher sales tax in the stores the developer builds forever.

Just another reason to shop on the Internet!

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Some Videos of The Mapleton IA Tornado

It appears that Saturday evening's Mapleton Iowa tornado was well covered by storm chasers and their early warnings are credited by many for the few injuries and NO fatalities in that western Iowa town of about 1300 people.

First off- is a video from some people who were just out for a road trip- and they drive through Mapleton about an hour before the tornado struck- then encounter storm chasers and the storm itself.


Other storm chaser videos show more or less a large dust devil that grew into the EF-3 funnel that went trough Mapleton around 7:20 p.m..

I warn video viewers in advance of some coarse language and insensitivity of some of the storm chasers.

The area had been under a Tornado Watch for several hours- and the spotter reports gave Mapleton about a 10-15 minute warning before the town was hit.


There were more than 2 dozen tornado reports throughout the northwestern quarter of Iowa Saturday evening- yet there were less than 20 injuries with most of those in Mapleton- the worst of which was a broken leg.


Storm chasers entering the town after the tornado encountered darkness and confusion- and in this day of instant communications- it was more than an hour after the tornado struck Mapleton until it was apparent to the outside world just how bad the town had been struck.

More than 60% of Mapleton suffered varying degrees of damage.


I was listening to an AM radio station in Fort Dodge who were doing live severe weather reports- and even up to an hour and a half after Mapleton had been hit there were only sporatic- "unconfirmed" civilian reports that a major tornado had stuck there.


CSW was one of the first news media outlets in the nation to report the Mapleton tornado and if such a tornado outbreak occurs in MetroRegion Kansas City- our wide-area radio- camera and radar coverage will break that story here first.

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CSW BREAKING: Critical-Injury Vehicle Crash on I-70 in KC-MO

Two people are reported injured- one critically- in a reported 1-vehicle rollover crash on eastbound I-70 near 27th Street.

The critically-injured person had reportedly been ejected during the crash that was reported about 4:38 a.m. Sunday morning.


A 2nd persons injuries are said to be non life-threatening.

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CSW BREAKING: Homicide in KC-MO's Leeds District

Emergency services were called out to a reported stabbing in the 3800 block of Fuller at 2:08 a.m. Sunday morning.

Police arrived within 7 minutes and reported a male had died at the scene.



The investigation is early- further details are forthcoming.

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