"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" In Ash Grove-MO

The SPRINGFIELD (MO) NEWS-LEADER says that Tuesday- people from the popular ABC-TV show ""Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" visited the Hampton family of Ash Grove.

Their reward for enduring Ty Pennington? A new house.

Well worth the price!

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"The Citizens In The End Will Pay The Price...”

According to The SMITHVILLE HERALD- that statement by Clay County commissioner Ed Quick is ONE way to get Clay Countians to vote yes to continue a 1/8-cent sales tax for law enforcement.

"The citizens in the end will pay...."

I think it would behoove each of us to keep a proctologist's number handy too....

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Corporate Mentality: We're Above (The Law) Everyone Else

That's the initial feeling I get with this Wyandotte County-Legends Shopping center/Nebraska Furniture Mart tax dispute.

The rules the REST of us have to play by is that we pay the full disputed tax amount to the taxing jurisdiction regardless of any dispute.

The courts or whomever then decides whom is correct. If the decision is in favor of the taxpayer- the taxpayer gets the refund and vice versa if the taxing entity wins.

This particular situation is exacerbated by the fact that the Legends Shopping center AND Nebraska Furniture Mart got tens of millions of dollars in tax breaks to do business in KC-KS in the first place.

If both of these entities THINK they're currying public opinion by withholding that millions of dollars in disputed tax money- both those entities had better think smarter.


1) The public is TIRED- FED UP TO HERE with tax breaks to and other corporate welfare.

We- the Citizens- have to play by the established rules- so get off your high horses and do the same.


2) We- the citizens- are really sorta kinda FED UP WITH CORPORATIONS in general. Layoffs- pay cuts- while fat-cat- dishonest executives wine- dine and carry-on in style- etc..

Pay up Legends and Nebraska Furniture Mart!!!

Let the courts decide once and for all- lest you swing public opinion against you and your taxpayer-subsidized corporations....

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Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Charged In Theft

The story is at The EMPORIA (KS) GAZETTE:

A 35-year-old (ex?) trooper- Clint Dwayne Epperly- was charged June 25 in the Lyon County District Court with a felony count of official misconduct and two counts of misdemeanor theft.

Epperly allegedly removed items without consent or court order from a vehicle after a Dec. 2008 drug stop.

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KC-KS's Legends Shopping Center Got Tax Breaks- Now Businesses There Refuse To Pay Taxes

The Wyandotte County (KS) Unified Government announced recently the county's $15.4-million short of budget revenue.

In this story by Nick Sloan of the KANSAS CITY KANSAN- we read that one reason for the shortfall is the refusal of the Legends shopping center to pay taxes- to the tune of about $6-million.

Nebraska Furniture Mart hasn't paid any of their taxes since 2006- they owe WyCo more than $6.5-million.

Guess what would happen to Dave or Debbie Citizen if THEY didn't pay their taxes?

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Some Metro K.C. Rainfall Totals So Far for July 2009

Above average rainfalls continue over most of Metro Kansas City in July with more on the way.

If you are unsure where a particular report is located- refer to the SITES tab at the Overland Park STORMWATCH site that so graciously provides these reports.


Here are a few rainfall totals for all of 2009 thus far:

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Another "Slight Risk" of Severe Storms In The Kansas City MetroRegion Today

Drexel- Norborne- Butler & Richmond-MO ... Fontana- Ottawa & Garnett-KS.

These are just a few Kansas City MetroRegion cities and towns struck by severe storms the past couple of weeks.

There's a "slight chance" another town could be added to that list- if the SPC's forecast for later today is correct.

Today's severe risk area covers slightly more than the northern half of the MetroRegion- including Metro Kansas City.

There's a chance for all modes of severe weather later today- tonight and overnight in our area.

Check here at commercial-free CSW for the latest...

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In KC-MO- Citizens Die By Gunshot- Fire and Vehicle Overnight

Before the Tuesday sunrise- 3 people were dead of various means in KC-MO...


The first was a motorcyclist who died in the crash of their bike at Southwest Trafficway and Westport Road just after midnight.

Police reported the unidentified biker struck a utility pole and was dead on their arrival at the scene.


That death then was followed by a man who was shot & killed around 12:15 am at 59th Street and Indiana in South Midtown.

Police arrived to again find the victim- said to be in his 20's- dead on the street with no suspect information.


The last known death before sunrise was a woman in her 50's who died in a house fire in the 8400 block of Wabash around 4:30 am..

Another person in that house escaped uninjured and fire investigators are trying to determine the cause.

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What Time-Warner DOES NOT Tell You In Their Digital Phone Service Commercials

It's hard to mostly impossible to be a "breaking-news" source when the people you contract your communications services can't provide reliable communications.

For about the past 36 hours- I've had to suffer through hit and mostly miss Internet and telephone service that I contract through Time-Warner to provide.

While compiling weather information for a CSW post around 2 am Sunday morning- the Internet "Roadrunner" service went completely out as did the telephones.

Question: How do you call your Internet/telephone service provider to tell them your service is out?

You borrow a cell phone. After nearly running the battery down following the customer service commands- I'm told (at 3:15am Sunday morning) it would be AT LEAST another 24 hours until their service crews would be out here.

Thank God it didn't go out on Saturday morning- we'd have went all weekend without telephone or Internet service.

This is not an isolated occurrence and- if you're wondering what the weather was when my service went out- it was partly cloudy- East wind less that 7 MPH.

As I also stated- this isn't an isolated occurrence. At LEAST several times a week for the past 3 years- the Internet connection will falter or you pick up the telephone and there's no dial tone.

One CAN call Time-Warner to report the problem (ONLY when the signals restored mind you) if you have 15-30 minutes to spare each time that you do.

Realize this: IF you subscribe to Time-Warner digital phone service- you have NO PHONE during a general power failure or if Time-Warner's hardware goes haywire.

If like me you HAVE to have telephone (and Internet) service at ALL times then this means investing as well into cellular phone service- because you're going to need a backup to the cable phone!

There are absolutely NO savings in having home phone service having to be backed up by a cell phone.

The old Southwestern Bell telephone service worked when the house power was out. In fact- I don't recall ANY time the old telephones didn't work unless the service line had been physically brought down.

And I sure didn't have to unplug- unconnect routers- modems and half of my power strips to get it to work either.

It's goodbye to Time-Warner's digital phone service for this household- Roadrunner Internet service may be close to follow.

After all- what's Time-Warner gonna do if one of my parents have a serious medical issue early on a Saturday morning and the Time-Warner digital phone service doesn't work?

"CPR available after 9am Monday- would you like to schedule?"

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MetroRegion Kansas City NWS Storm Reports From Early July 12- 2009

Here are the National Weather Service (NWS) storm reports so far from the earliest report to the latest- across eastern Kansas into western Missouri:


PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
626 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0600 AM TSTM WND DMG MANHATTAN 39.18N 96.57W 07/12/2009 RILEY KS LAW ENFORCEMENT
REPORTS OF DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES. ROOF OF APARTMENT BUILDING ON WEST SIDE OF TOWN PARTIALLY REMOVED.


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1006 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0600 AM TSTM WND DMG MANHATTAN 39.18N 96.57W 07/12/2009 RILEY KS EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES UPROOTED ACROSS TOWN. CATHOLIC CHURCH NEAR JULIETTE HAS ONE TREE UPROOTED AND ONE BROKEN OFF 10 FEET UP. POWER REMAINS OUT DOWNTOWN.


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
654 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0649 AM TSTM WND GST 2 NW TOPEKA 39.07N 95.70W 07/12/2009 E60 MPH SHAWNEE KS BROADCAST MEDIA


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
656 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0650 AM TSTM WND GST 1 W TOPEKA 39.05N 95.70W 07/12/2009 E60 MPH SHAWNEE KS BROADCAST MEDIA



NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
711 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0658 AM TSTM WND GST 5 S TOPEKA 38.98N 95.68W 07/12/2009 M51 MPH SHAWNEE KS ASOS



NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
712 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0659 AM TSTM WND GST 5 SSW TOPEKA 38.98N 95.71W 07/12/2009 E65 MPH SHAWNEE KS TRAINED SPOTTER


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
734 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0729 AM TSTM WND GST 2 SE LAWRENCE 38.95N 95.21W 07/12/2009 E60 MPH DOUGLAS KS PUBLIC ALSO REPORTS MINOR STREET FLOODING






NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
941 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0745 AM TSTM WND DMG 2 W EASTON KS 39.35N 95.15W 07/12/2009 LEAVENWORTH KS EMERGENCY MNGR
GUSTS ESTIMATED 60-65 MPH. 12 INCH LIMBS AND SMALL TREES DOWN.


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
944 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0745 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 S BASEHOR 39.11N 94.93W 07/12/2009 M1.25 INCH LEAVENWORTH KS EMERGENCY MNGR


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1016 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0830 AM FLOOD 2 NNW KANSAS CITY KS 39.15N 94.74W 07/12/2009 WYANDOTTE KS EMERGENCY MNGR

HIGH WATER REPORTED AT 14TH ST. AND WASHINGTON AVE. ROAD HAS BEEN BARRACADED.


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1022 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0842 AM TSTM WND DMG 1 E BONNER SPRINGS 39.05N 94.86W
07/12/2009 WYANDOTTE KS EMERGENCY MNGR

12-INCH DIAMETER TREE LIMB BROKEN OFF AT CAMP THEODORE NASH.



NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1020 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009

TIME.. EVENT.. CITY LOCATION.. LAT-LON.. DATE.. MAG.. COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. SOURCE.. REMARKS..

0915 AM FLOOD 2 SSW KANSAS CITY KS 39.09N 94.74W 07/12/2009 WYANDOTTE KS EMERGENCY MNGR

HIGH WATER REPORTED AT 14TH ST. AND OSAGE AVE, AND AT 14TH ST. AND MIAMI AVE. ROAD BARRICADES HAVE BEEN PLACED AT THESE LOCATIONS.

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Excuse You Time-Warner - I Was Going To Say...

When skies in the Metro were mostly clear right before the 2am surprise cut of service- I was preparing to post on some strong storms coming at Metro K.C. from Central Kansas.

Having no Net service- I had to suffer the cable TV commercial-between-weather-radar-loops bare-bones backup to see a front of strong straight-line winds headed at the Metro as the system passed Manhattan then Topeka-KS..

Time-Warner Internet and phone service returned here oddly just as the storms hit the Metro around 8 am..

The storms left scattered areas of damage to trees and power lines- as well as at least one structure in Manhattan-KS..

Winds have been mostly estimated to be between 60-70 MPH- high-end tropical storm force. I wouldn't rule out a hurricane gust or two though.

So far just over a dozen power line- trees/limbs down calls Metro K.C.-wide.

A number of fire alarm calls as well as a few for structures struck by lightning.

Lightning may be the cause of a house fire presently being worked by the Smithville-MO and several surrounding fire departments.

That situation is under control at this posting with no injuries.

A tree was reported down with power lines involved in Warrensburg-MO around 9:10am.

Have not heard anyone hurt- unlike all the vehicle crashes I monitored early this morning.

More on that later... if this Time-Warner Internet and phone service holds up that is....

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