Central States News: Springfield MO Fire Truck Rolls- Driver Seriously Injured

Having once driven every kind of rig the fire department operated (and I did so without putting so much as a scratch on a truck)- these kind of stories always get my attention...

This morning- a Springfield fire truck with 3 firefighters on board turned over in the southeast part of that southern Missouri city.

The SPRINGFIELD (MO) NEWS-LEADER reports that the driver suffered serious- but not life-threatening injuries and that the truck was not on an emergency call(?).

The other 2 firefighters reportedly did not suffer serious injuries.

Satellite Images Show Less Smoke- But Texas Wildfires Continue To Burn

Officials in Central Texas report "more than 600 structures" have been destroyed in a series of natural cover fires within a 50-mile radius of Austin Texas.


As of late Tuesday afternoon- 2 fatalities have been reported by KVUE-TV and other media outlets in Austin.

There have been at least a dozen injuries- mostly firefighters.

A visible zoomed-in weather satellite image courtesy of NASA and taken just before 12:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon shows considerable less visible smoke than images shown here on CSW Monday afternoon.

However- officials say the biggest blaze- the Bastrop Wildfire- is zero-percent contained as of noon today- according to the AUSTIN (TX) AMERICAN-STATESMAN.

Winds have lightened- but relative humidities continue to be low.

The Steiner Ranch and Pedernales Bend Wildfires west of Austin are said to be mostly contained- and fire crews are making progress on the Leander or "Moonglow" Wildfire to the north.

A new natural cover fire was reported in the past hour in Northwest Austin and that fire was threatening structures- according to KXAN-TV in Austin.

"Remembering 9-11" Is More American News Media Overkill

Almost daily for the past month or 120- the American news media keeps bringing up the terrorists attacks on NYC and the Pentagon back on September 11- 2001.


Although there is extensive real news to cover every day that the American news media doesn't- we're continually assailed by the video and images from that day.


Never mind the terrorists DID score a victory of sorts- bother to read PATRIOT ACTS (idiotic name- a misnomer) I and II to find out just what we lost and try to take an airplane flight without being groped by strangers or experiencing a (almost) proctology exam.


Don't get me wrong- I feel strongly for all the people who lost loved ones that day- but I'm sure they and FOR sure I don't want to reminded of an avoidable (if government people had been doing their jobs correctly) tragedy at virtually every turn of the TV channel.

U.S. Postal Service Faces Bankruptcy

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe is scheduled to appear before a House committee today to try and get a "$5.5 billion payment" to help pay USPS bills and avoid insolvency- according to this story from the ASSOCIATE PRESS via MyWay News.


The post office is slated to rack up at least $8-BILLION in losses this year- the 2nd year for such losses in a row.


The USPS is already contemplating ending Saturday mail deliveries and adding 120000 USPS employees to America's swollen ranks of unemployed.

Dark Days in America: AP Poll Shows Many Americans (Did) Would Trade Freedoms for Security

For a crisp- sunny day here- it sure turned dark and gloomy when I read the following ASSOCIATED PRESS (AP) story...

According to an "AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research" poll- about 2/3 of those polled said "it's fitting to sacrifice some privacy and freedoms in the fight against terrorism."

Really?

Have Americans become that stupid that we would trade hard-fought-for freedoms for security?

Do we just totally ignore what American Patriot Benjamin Franklin once said- that "

“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”


If this is the case- what a nation of gullible sad sacks we have and are becoming!

Overland Park's First Family Church Kicked Out Of Their Building

It reads like a saga of 'Church Good- Bank Bad...'

In a letter to their congregation from the church's 'Board of Elders' on the church's Website- Regions Bank has forced the members of the huge First Family Church at 143rd Street and Metcalf out of their building- and the bank has taken possession of all the contents as well.

According to the letter- FFC tried to make good on a payment schedule to the bank- but Regions reneged on the agreement and have forced the congregation out of the church building.

The FFC congregation is reportedly meeting at Olathe East high school until further notice. 

Texas Wildfire Smoke on Visible Weather Satellite Images

Satellite Pix at 3:40 p.m. Monday.

Satellite Pix at 5:40 p.m. Monday.

Wildfires Burn Hundreds of Homes Around Austin Texas

More than 300 homes have burned in one fire east and southeast of Austin in Bastrop County.


At least 2 have been killed in another wildfire in East Texas- a woman and her daughter caught by racing flames in their mobile home.

Another fire in the Hill Country northwest of Austin has burned more than 2 dozen homes- and officials in Central Texas have declared emergencies and thousands have been evacuated.

More fire weather is expected today....

Latest wildfire information: kxan.com

Serious Injuries After Overnight KC-MO Shooting- Stabbing

Two incidents resulted in at least serious injuries to the male victims in KC-MO early Sunday morning...

The first was a reported shooting victim at 1:37 a.m. located at Front Street and Riverfront Road- near the Sears Service Center on Front Street.

The victim was found in a car with bullet holes in it- and the victim was transported to a hospital with critical gunshot wounds.

Police didn't have any suspect information available.

The 2nd incident was a stabbing in near Old Northeast KC-MO around 2:33 a.m..

The 37-year-old victim was found by police in an apartment in the 500 block of Park.

The victim told police he was robbed and stabbed in the lower abdomen in a nearby park.

The man was taken to an area hospital in serious condition and police didn't immediately release any suspect info.

Storm-Battered Vermont Gets More Of What They Don't Need- Rain

As darkness envelopes America on this Sunday evening before Labor Day- National Weather Service (NWS) severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings are in effect in the great American state of Vermont- as well as other states in the Northeast affected by Hurricane Irene.


The damage from flooding caused by Irene was particularily great in Vermont- said to be the worst flood disaster in that Original 13 States since 1927- according to the BURLINGTON (VT) FREE PRESS.


To make matters worse- the remains of Tropical Storm Lee now way down in Louisiana is contributing with a frontal system to produce more flooding rains in the Northeast- areas that were hit hard by historic flooding from Irene.

Our prayers tonight for Vermont and all fellow Americans under the weather gun!

Overnight Crash in Johnson County MO Seriously Injures Two

Four young adults were in a 2008 Dodge pickup truck that was travelling on Southeast 591 road in Johnson County around 12:13 a.m. Sunday morning when the driver lost control.

The pickup rolled-over several times- according to the Missouri Highway Patrol (MOHP) report- and at least 2 of the occupants were ejected from the truck.

Two of the victims were taken by private vehicle to the Western Missouri Medical Center in Warrensburg- and one other injured person was transported from the scene to a Kansas City hospital by Johnson County EMS.

At least 2 of the injured had serious head injuries as indicated by radio reports from the scene.

Ages of the truck's occupants ranged from 19 to 21-years-old.

One in Very Critical Condition After East-Midtown KC-MO Shooting

I guess the lull in local homicides is over...


Around 4:45 p.m. Sunday afternoon- police were called to the area of 37th Street and Benton on the report of a shooting.

One victim was heard transported to a Metro medical trauma center: "a male in his mid 20's to around 30-years-of-age-" according to a KC-MO FD-EMS unit "was shot once" in the lower abdomen and in very critical condition.

A 2nd victim was also reported- but no information on that victim- or any suspects- was yet available.

Missouri Republicrats: Take From Poor- Disabled- Give It To The Chinese

The following is indicative of just how low Missouri Republicrats have sunk:


In order to "lure Chinese cargo planes" to St. Louis's airport with tax breaks- some Repugnant pollys want to do-away with the "low-income tax credit that benefits at least 106,000 disabled and elderly residents living in rental housing" to help the State of Misery cover those tax breaks to China- according to this ASSOCIATED PRESS story in the KANSAS CITY (MO) STAR..

 Perhaps the Chinese can also provide (free) organ transplants for the absolutely heartless (clueless) Missouri Republicrats who approve those tax breaks.

MetroRegion NEWS: Mellow Start So Far To Middle Night of Labor Day Weekend

A couple of crashes- overdoses- minor-injured assault victims and a not-serious cutting ends this Labor Day Weekend Saturday.


The crashes were minor or non-injury- one on the Plaza at 11:17 p.m. in the intersection of Ward Parkway and Wornall- and a vehicle that ran into a building at 11:38 p.m..

The latter- a non-injury- was a vehicle that struck the Blue Valley Industries building at 1806 Prospect.

Fire department on the scene at 11:45 p.m. reported "no structural damage...."


The cutting victim was reported to be at a location at Independence Avenue and Benton at 11:46 p.m..

A "male in his  20's had a lacerated ear" KC-MO FD-EMS-3 said to a local trauma center's emergency room.

CSW POLL: Removal of Jerry Lewis as MDA Telethon Host

The Muscular Dystrophy Association's 2011 Telethon was to be the last for perennial host Jerry Lewis.


However- due to reasons unknown as mentioned here at CSW and every other news outlet- the MDA choose to remove Mr. Lewis from his last telethon- which will air on 150 television stations in America Sunday night.


So I've made a poll on the subject- and welcome your vote on this in the list of polls found scrolled-down on the right side of this blog.

ASSOCIATED PRESS: No Jobs Created in America in August 2011

That's right...


According to this ASSOCIATED PRESS story via MyWays News- the American (non-) economy created NO new jobs in August.

Fuel prices- food prices keep rising- unemployment figures are manipulated so we don't have a clear picture of just how many jobless are out there- and the government continues to spend BILLIONS with the war in Afghanistan and the occupation of Iraq.


Oops- sorry- the "recession (Depression)" ENDED in 2009...

My bad!

Lawsuit Brought in Clay County MO Medical Helicopter Crash

The husband of the patient killed in the crash of the Lifenet medical helicopter in Clay County last Friday has sued several entities associated with the helicopter service- according to this story in The KANSAS CITY (MO) STAR.

Victor Tacoronte’s wife Terry was being flown by Lifenet from the hospital in Bethany to Liberty Hospital when the aircraft crashed near the Clay County Regional airport near Mosby.

The helicopter- reportedly low on fuel before the crash- was going to refuel at that airport.

Mr. Tacoronte's lawsuit alleges that the operators of the medical helicopter service was "negligent" allowing the aircraft to run out of fuel and that the service's operator "didn’t have a policy in place for transporting patients with adequate fuel reserves" states the KCS story.


Frankly- I find it shocking that medical helicopters sent on patient transfers to distant medical facilities do NOT begin their flights with full fuel tanks!

Missourians Will Pay For Insurance Industry's Costly State Disasters

Like "American" oil and energy companies- Missourians will soon see a rise in their insurance premiums to pay for this years' costly natural disasters.

The SPRINGFIELD (MO) NEWS-LEADER reports that residents in our state will "likely see a small increase in their homeowner's insurance premiums" because of events like the Mississippi and Missouri river flooding and tornadoes that damaged St. Louis and Joplin.


They have to keep their profits and dividends up you know....