Broke Los Angeles Spent $1.4-Million On Michael Jackson Memorial Service

According to the Associated Press- the L.A. city government spent almost a million and a half dollars on Jackson's memorial service.

Money Los Angeles and the State of California doesn't have.

I think the Jackson Estate would do well to reimburse the City of L.A. that taxpayer money.

Otherwise- it's simply just the rich riding on the backs (dollars) of the poor again....

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Severe Storms Possible Today Over The K.C. MetroRegion

All of MetroRegion Kansas City- including the Metro- is inside a "slight risk" forecast area for possible severe thunderstorms later today.

The primary severe threats will again be large hail and damaging wind gusts- the latter like what struck Ottawa and Garnett-KS yesterday afternoon.

Friday could ALSO see a chance of severe storms in many of the same areas- according to the SPC's "Day-2" outlook.

What I'm watching this morning is a MCS or mesoscale convective system (group of thunderstorms- see radar images) moving down the Missouri River north of Omaha at this post.

This MCS is moving south-southeast toward the MetroRegion- and eventually Metro K.C..

Commercial-free updates here at CSW as today's weather scenario develops....

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VIDEO: Severe Storm Rakes Franklin- Anderson Counties-KS

This YouTube vid courtesy of The OTTAWA HERALD- showing the trailer of an 18-wheeler on top of a car on I-35 at the south Ottawa-KS - U.S. 59 exit.

The severe storm produced wind gusts of up to 80 mph that caused power outtages in much of those 2 counties as well as the city of Garnett Wednesday afternoon..

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What A Way To Go...

A 29-year-old man drowns in chocolate in New Jersey.

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PHOTOS: Bannister Mall Is Officially Gone

These photos- taken this morning- shows that the building that once was Bannister Mall is now just the hole-in-the-ground foundation.

The first view is looking south to north from where the Sears store once stood.

The last 2 photos are from the northeast corner of where the Jones Store once was- view looking south-southwest across where the mall's building USED to be.

Here are past posts on the Bannister Mall demolition.

It's not yet known if they will attempt to break-up the mall's foundation walls- or utilize them in a part of the K.C. Wizards new soccer stadium.

Still yet to be demolished is the empty strip mall directly to the north- and the strip mall to the east that used to house Wal Mart.

At last report- Phase 1 of this project- including the soccer stadium- is slated to be completed in 2011- a year and a half away.

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Metro - MetroRegion K.C. WEATHER: "Slight Risk" of Severe Storms Today

Looking to the northwest right before the noon hour- you can see the storm activity that is moving toward Metro Kansas City.

In response to this storm activity- the NWS' Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has outlooked a large part of our MetroRegion- including Metro K.C.- in a "slight risk" area for possible severe thunderstorms later this afternoon and evening.

I expect storms will either move into or develop in and around the Metro in 2-3 hours.

Also expect torrential rainfalls will create at least temporary street flooding.

More here at CSW as the situation develops....

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Metro K.C. BREAKING NEWS: Northbound M-291 Bridge Closed

A bridge inspection this morning by MO-DOT has revealed serious rust damage to the northbound M-291 bridge over the Missouri river.

The bridge was closed just over an hour ago by MO-DOT officials- and will remain closed to northbound traffic until a merge lane with the southbound lanes- and bridge- can be completed later this week.

This is a main route between Liberty and Independence-MO..

Alternate routes will be I-435 and M-13 in Lexington.

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Reward Increases For Information In Harrisonville-MO Killing

Sometime during the afternoon of November 8- 2008- someone broke into the Harrisonville home of wife and mother Cara Jo Roberts- shot and killed her.

The killer has never been found and family and friends continue to seek the murderer.

Jeff Roberts- husband of the murdered woman- recently told The CASS COUNTY DEMOCRAT-MISSOURIAN that his union- Carpenters Local 777 of Harrisonville- recently donated $750 to the reward fund.

Mr. Roberts added another $250 to bring the total reward fund to $22000- to be paid to anyone with information leading to the capture and conviction of the perp of this ghastly crime in a quiet exurban bedroom community of Metro Kansas City.

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Woman Injured By Bottle Thrown Off Claycomo-MO Freeway Overpass

I logged this call at 3:21am Saturday morning- Claycomo emergency services responded to a 1-vehicle crash on northbound I-35 at the Bryant Street overpass.

The driver of that vehicle was reported by Claycomo-EMS to be "a 21-year-old female" who suffered minor injuries "after a person or persons threw an object off the (Bryant overpass) onto the windshield of her car."

This morning- I saw this story about the incident in- of all places- the SPRINGFIELD (MO) NEWS-LEADER.

Turned out to be 3 males who threw "a 20-pound water bottle" from the overpass onto the woman's car.

Claycomo police are seeking those 3 males for questioning and likely charges in the incident that could have killed or seriously-injured the female driver- identified in the news story as "Stephanie Parks."

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Other MetroRegion 4th Of July Weekend News

Shooting at Troubled Lawrence-KS Nightclub

This incident was first reported to Lawrence police at 5 minutes until 2am last Sunday morning: shots fired at the 821 Club on 821 Iowa Street in West Lawrence.

The LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD says LPD spotted- chased- then arrested at least 1 of the occupants of a reported suspect vehicle after the initial call was broadcast.

Police then later found a 19-year-old Topeka man who'd been shot- but suffered non life-threatening injuries.

The 821 Club- formerly known as the Last Call and Club Axis- caters to the hip-hop crowd.

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Smithville-MO Teen Suffers "Severe Burns" From Fireworks Mishap

The SMITHVILLE HERALD reports that last Friday night- two Smithville apparently male teenagers were burned- one critically- after gunpowder from fireworks the teens had dismantled ignited.

It happened outside a residence on East Meadow Street after the teens reportedly removed the powder from some mortar-type fireworks and the removed gunpowder somehow ignited.

The critically-injured teen suffered burns over 60-percent of his body and was taken to an unnamed area medical trauma center.

The other lesser-injured teen reportedly was taken to a medical facility by family members.

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Teen Possibly Paralyzed From Lee's Summit-MO Diving Incident

At 53 minutes past midnight Sunday morning- Lee's Summit emergency services responded to a reported diving accident in the 4300 block of Southeast Furlong Drive.

There they found what EMS reported as a 19-year-old male- who had dived 10 feet from the top of a pool slide into the pool that had only 10 feet of water.

Other persons at the residence removed the man from the water prior to fire and EMS's arrival.

EMS then transported the man to an area medical trauma center- reporting that their patient had no feeling below his mid-chest area but was otherwise in good medical condition.

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