Merry Christmas 2011 From Capt. Spaulding's World!

Teen Struck By Car on U.S. 50 in Johnson County MO

The call was received here at CSW at 1:09 a.m.- a reported pedestrian hit on U.S. 50 highway near Missouri (M)-131 in northwestern Johnson county MO..


The incident was reported to be "west of" M-131- but the incident actually occurred 2 miles EAST of M-131- contributing to a delay in finding and getting medical attention to the victim.

According to the Missouri Highway Patrol accident website- that victim is 17-year-old "James A. Kelley" of Holden.

The MHP reports Mr. Kelley was taken to Research Medical Center in KC-MO with "serious" injuries.

The driver that struck the man- 48-year-old Debra F. Schlomer of Sedalia- was not injured. 

CSW BREAKING: Structure Burns in Downtown Wellsville KS

Two area fire departments are assisting Wellsville firefighters in battling a fire in a structure in downtown Wellsville.

Wellsville in is extreme northeastern Franklin county- about 10 miles southwest of Edgerton.


The fire was first dispatched to Wellsville- then Cutler Township fire crews at 3:08 a.m. Saturday morning to a "house fire" at 115 West 5th Street.

According to GOOGLE Maps however- what appears to be a commercial structure is at that address- next to "Buzzard's Pizza" shop.


"Heavy smoke" was reportedly coming from the structure when firefighters first arrived at 3:19 a.m.- and a "ladder truck" was requested from the Baldwin City fire department.


Last communication heard from the scene was at 3:46 a.m. when it was announced "an exterior attack" of the fire was underway.


There have been no reports of injuries- and the fire continues to burn as of this posting....

CSW BREAKING: Two Christmas Eve Morning Shootings in Kansas City KS

Early Christmas Eve morning- two shootings occurred in KC-KS.


The first was reported to emergency services at 2:06 a.m. in the 800 block of South 12th Street at an un-named bar.

According to EMS and police reports- a "26-year-old Hispanic male" was shot in the leg by an unknown male suspect.

The victim reportedly "lost a lot of blood" and was transported emergency to a Kansas hospital.

The 2nd incident occured less than half an hour later at the McDonald's hamburger stand at Shawnee Drive and I-635.

At that location an "18-year-old male" was "shot in the lower right leg" according to EMS- and was also taken to a Kansas hospital.

No suspect information was available in this incident.

CSW BREAKING: Heavy Damage Indicated in Blue Springs MO House Fire

Central Jackson County Fire Protection District (CJCFD) fire crews are extinguishing the remaining hot spots from a house fire in Blue Springs.


The fire was reported around 2:55 p.m. Friday afternoon in the 300 block of Southwest 16th Street and the fire was reported out just moments ago.


There have been no reports of any injuries- but a family was displaced by the fire.

CSW BREAKING: Multi-Vehicle- Injury Crash on I-35 in Lenexa KS

Three injuries are reported and at least 3 vehicles are involved in a wreck on southbound I-35 south of 87th Street in Lenexa.

At least one of the injured are said by MEDACT-EMS to be a child- but none of the injuries are reported to be immediately life-threatening.


Southbound I-35 south of the Shawnee-Mission Parkway exit (there's another incident south of 75th Street too) is and will be severely restricted traffic flow for at least the next 30 minutes.

Most Expensive State of Kansas Boondoggle Ever: Repair of The Capitol Building

According to The TOPEKA (KS) CAPITAL JOURNAL- when renovations on the Kansas statehouse began in 2000- the cost was estimated to be around $90-million.


Those renovations were handled by a Kansas City construction company- J.E. Dunn (remember the corporate welfare Dunn got and continue to get for their new headquarters building across from City Hall? ).

As costs ballooned on the interior renovations- now estimated to be around $300-350-million- apparently none of the so-called experts bothered to check the statehouse's roof- one of the FIRST things you'd think that would be inspected before renovations on the interior began.


Recently those so-called experts determined- after these interior repairs are nearly complete- the capitol's dome and roof needs to be replaced.

The TCJ's story says that will add another $20-22-million to this construction boondoggle using taxpayer dollars.

Don't even wager that estimate will be anywhere near the final cost.

Whoever oversees/oversaw this project should- at the very least- be fired and perhaps even be jailed.

Possible Early-Morning Homicide in Kansas City KS

KC-KS emergency services were called around 2 a.m. Friday morning to a reported shooting at 2nd Street and Edgerton near the Fairfax industrial area.


Once on the scene- police report finding a "white male" (according to the KC STAR- who rarely mentions the race of crime victims or suspects) in his 30's dead in a car.


Local news media stories on this incident have not termed the dead victim as a homicide yet.

CSW BREAKING: Gunshot Call Involves Two Miami County KS Sheriff's Department Employees

The Miami County Sheriff's department is on the scene  with a gunshot injury in the 31600 block of West 287th Street.




Miami County EMS was sent to the location at 9:44 a.m.- and a medical helicopter is enroute as well.




Reportedly- there are a total of three patients- 2 of which are reported to be Miami county "Sheriff's department employees."




Those two patients have only minor injuries according to EMS radio reports.




Just before 10 a.m.- the medical helicopter was cancelled as EMS termed the patient's injuries as marginally life-threatening.




That patient is apparently a juvenile- as the EMS was "enroute emergency to Children's Mercy" hospital as of 10:06 a.m..


According to the EMS report to Children's Mercy- "a 15-year-old male was shot in the upper thigh after coming at two sheriff's deputies with a baseball bat during a disturbance."

One of those deputies had minor injuries after being struck by the ball bat- and was taken non-emergency to Miami County Medical Center.

Another deputy refused medical transport by EMS.

CSW BREAKING: Working Fire Reported at Gates BBQ in Leawood KS

Fire showing from the roof is reported after a full-response of Leawood and JoCoKS District 2 fire companies were sent to Gates & Sons Barbeque at 103rd Terrace and State Line in Leawood.


The alarm sounded at 12:54 a.m. and when police arrived several minutes later- the officer reported "flames showing" and that was confirmed by the first-arriving fire company shortly after 1 a.m..

Aerial water streams were beginning to be used on the fire as of 1:07 a.m..


As of 1:40 a.m.- the fire sounds to be mostly under control with no injuries reported thus far.

It appears that the restaurant will not be able to open for business today- and it could well be closed for weeks until the extent orf damage is determined and repaired.


There have been numerous fire alarms at this location over the past 20 years due to heavy smoke often pouring from the restaurant's smoker- but this one was 'a worker.'

Overland Park Police: Missing Aisha Khan Found Safe

Apparently- 19-year-old Aisha Khan- the student thought to be abducted from the Edwards Campus of the University of Kansas in Overland Park has made contact with OPPD- and she is okay.


The OPPD tells Kansas City news media Wednesday night  was "not abducted or held against her will" and that the OPPD said "there is no criminal investigation."


No other details had been released by that department yet.

MetroRegion Kansas City News: Benedictine College Basketball Player Killed in Crash

Slick spots on area roadways this morning claimed the life of a Benedictine College student who was on his way to K.C.I. Airport from the Atchison KS campus.


The ST. JOSEPH (MO) NEWS-PRESS reports that "Sophomore R.J. Demps, a guard for the Benedictine Ravens basketball team, died when a vehicle he was in crashed at about 6 a.m. on U.S. Highway 45, near Weston, Mo.."

With Mr. Demps was another Benedictine student and teammate "Quaran Johnson-' a senior on the team.

Mr. Johnson suffered only minor injuries.

Mr. Demps was reportedly going to fly to his Aurora Colorado home for Christmas.


CSW offers our condolences to the family and friends- as well as team and classmates of Mr. R.J. Demps.

Central States News: Rich Wichitian Wants To Drop Cash From A Helicopter

The anonymous person's heart may be in the right place even if their thinking is not...


The WICHITA (KS) EAGLE reports that a person approached a city official seeking that official's opinion about dropping cash from a helicopter in that south-central Kansas city. 


It's apparent that anonymous person has more 'extra' cash than brains- apparently not having so much as an inkling the chaos such an act could cause.


Charitable organizations such as The Salvation Army or Catholic Charities could distribute such a donation in a more sane method- but perhaps Mr. or Ms. Anonymous would get their jollies watching the poor smucks on the ground stampeding over one another to gather a few dollar bills..


At least it's not turkeys they're dropping from a helicopter....

CSW Weather: Snowstorm Misses Metro K.C.- NWS Snowfall Map

The advertised snowstorm never materialized in Metro Kansas City- with the closest accumulating snows being about 30-50 miles northwest to north of Downtown KC-MO..

The St. Joseph area received about 1-2 inches of snow- with nearly all of it accumulating on grassy surfaces instead of paved ones.

A look at the National Weather Service's accumulated snowfall map zoomed into the Central States supports that observation.


The weather system that produced the snow- and the rains that produced as much as 1.8-inches here in Metro Kansas City (and flood warnings to the south through east) is moving out with all precipitation ending west to east by midnight.


There is another very weak system forecast late Friday in our area- but any snowfalls will be very light and I'll keep you advised on that one.

From CSW: A Joyous Hanukkah 2011

The Jewish holiday- Hanukkah- begins at this time with sunset here in Kansas City and lasts until sunset on December 28.

CSW wishes all our Jewish readers peace and happiness!

Aisha Khan Still Missing

Family and friends of 19-year-old Aisha Khan are still seeking her whereabouts- and have offered a $10000 reward for information in finding the university student.


Ms. Khan went missing from the University of Kansas Edwards Campus in Overland Park around noon on December 16 and she has not been heard from since.

Aisha Khan is 5-foot- 2-inches tall- weighs around 120 pounds- has dark brown hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing black sweat pants and a yellow and black top.


If you have ANY information regarding Aisha Khan's disappearance- please call your local police or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS (8477).

KC-MO Fire: "We're Having Radio Problems Today"

How do you like the $40-million-plus new radio system Kansas City?


A fire dispatcher just told the National Weather Service office here that the FD is "having radio problems today."

Actually- since this "new" radio system went totally online last week- there have been nothing BUT problems.

Not only the FD- but police and EMS crews are experiencing the same types of issues (dead spots- unreceivable radio signals- etc.).


Let us PRAY that these "radio problems" don't end up costing a cop- a paramedic/EMS or firefighter their lives....

Failed Mortgage Lender Gave "VIP" Loans To Washington Politicians

It took Corporate America A LOT of money to get "person" status when it came to (buying) contributing to politician election coffers.


America's "Supreme Court" let the American sheeple down big time there.


Now- according to this piece from the ASSOCIATED PRESS via MyWay News- it seems at least four members of the Fat Cat Club- a.k.a. the American House of (Mis) Representatives received loans from failed mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corporation.

Not JUST loans- these were "VIP" loans with no doubt deeply discounted interest- also no doubt dispensed to those politicians in return for favorable legislation/treatment.


On top of all that- the Republicrat chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (boy- THAT'S a joke in itself!) refused to name the four corruptible bastards!


Countrywide was taken over by another bunch of crooks- Bank of America- which recently tried to increase their faltering financial line by gouging their customers with new fees.

Washington Republicrats Prepare to Stick It To The Non-Wealthy- Again

You HAVE to give America's Republicrat Party credit- they are for the wealthy and Big Business and they don't attempt to hide the fact...


Although D.C. Republicrats ARE OPPOSED TO RAISING TAXES ON THEIR BRETHREN (The Rich)- they have no qualms denying other Americans extended unemployment bebifits and continued Social Security (FICA) payroll tax cuts- according to this story from the ASSOCIATED PRESS.


The Republicrats head honcho Boehner claims that the American government debt can't afford such cuts- but oh- let's not raise taxes on THE RICH- just the working person.

Let's just bailout their wealthy friends and their corrupt corporations and TO HELL with the rest of us.


Methinks the Republicrats are going to pay dearly for this philosophy come election time next year (Newt Gingrich? Are You SERIOUS???!!)....

A Christmas Song From Sarah McLaughin and Her School of Music Students

Singer/songwriter Sarah McLaughin is a blessed and very giving person.


Ms. McLaughin started a music school in Vancouver British Columbia Canada for disadvantaged youths- and one of those youths is already a star.

Summer Alexander (2nd from right in the background on the screen cap image) was one of the singers on the video "Space On The Couch For Two."

I met this talented young lady and her brother Teon about 5 years ago when I went to Vancouver to meet their grandmom Jean-Ann.


God Speed Summer- Teon and "Jenan-" wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas!

CSW Weather: Latest NWS Central States Winter Weather Watches and Warnings

It looks like another wet period for MetroRegion Kansas City and much of the American Central States.


Look for rain increasing over the next 8 hours over Texas and Oklahoma- moving north and east into the Metro on Monday.

That rain will turn to either/and/or sleet- freezing rain and snow in western and northern portions of the Kansas City MetroRegion- spreading slowly southward on Tuesday.


Current indications are anywhere from 4-inches of snow in the northland- 2-inches or less in the Southland.

CSW BREAKING: Man Seriously Injured in South-Central KC-MO Shooting

A shooting just before 1:45 a.m. near 49th Street and The Paseo has left a man with two gunshot wounds.


The 29-year-old victim- according to KC-MO FD-EMS- was taken to a Metro hospital in serious condition.

Police didn't immediately have any suspect information.

Around 1:40 a.m.- a car crashed into a pole several blocks east of the shooting scene at 49th Street and Woodland.


One person was taken to the hospital with not life-threatening injuries from the crash- and it's not known if the crash and the shooting might have been related.

CSW BREAKING: Crash Critically Injures Two on I-35 in Olathe KS

It happened around 1:20 a.m. Sunday morning- a single-car rollover crash on northbound I-35 at the 119th Strret bridge.

Two men ranging from the mid-30's to mid-40's suffered critical to grave injuries in the crash.


Northbound I-35 was been closed at the northbound I-35 onto 119th Street ramp while Olathe Police and the KS Highway Patrol investigate the wreck.