Wendall Anschutz- Former K.C. TV News Anchor- Dies

CSW offers our condolences to the Anschutz family after this morning's passing of former KCTV-5 news anchor Wendall Anschutz.

Mr. Anschutz began his career as a reporter for then KCMO-TV in 1966 and he retired in 2001- according to this story in The KANSAS CITY STAR.


(Photo courtesy of The KANSAS CITY STAR)

________

Some Snow Images From South KC-MO

These images were taken just after midnight in the Loma Vista area of south Kansas City MO- near 87th Street and Blue Ridge.


An average of 3.5 inches of snow has been measured so far- with some drifts already approaching 1-foot.

General snowfall amounts around Metro Kansas City have ranged from 3 to 6-inches.


The snow will be ending across the Metro- northwest to southeast- before 2 am- then the blowing and drifting of snow will begin and continue through later this morning.

_________

Snow Continues- Wind Whips Up Fires In MetroRegion K.C.

While the last of the bands of moderate snow works eastward out of Eastern Kansas- two fires have area fire departments busy.


The first is reportedly a "chimney fire" in a lived in house near Holt MO with the "several" occupants of the house forced outside in sub-zero wind chills.

That fire was reported at 11:01 pm in the 17100 block of Jackson and firefighters found fire in the structure of the house in and around the chimney area.

Help was requested from the Kearney- Excelsior Springs and Liberty fire departments with no reports of injuries as of this post.

<<<>>>

The KC-MO Fire department has just brought a fire in a 2-1/2-story lived in house in Midtown under control at 11:25 pm Wednesday night.

That alarm went out at 11:12 pm for the 3700 block of Bales where fire was found showing from the 2nd-story.

No injuries have been reported and that fire's cause is now under investigation.

<<<>>>

There are still a large number of crashes around Metro Kansas City at this hour considering the amount of traffic on the roads.

This crash just after 11 pm was on southbound I-35 at I-435 in Lenexa.

Injuries were non life-threatening.


Snow should end in Metro Kansas City by 1 am with blowing snow and dangerous wind chills factors becoming the big story.

________

Columbia MO US Military Widow Offers Own Reward For Burglary- Arson and Murder of Special Pet

Samantha Baker's 2-year-old pit bull named 'Fancy' was a gift from her husband in 2007- states the story in The COLUMBIA (MO) DAILY TRIBUNE.


Ms. Baker's husband was Army Specialist Steven Fitzmorris- age 26- who was then sent by the Army to Iraq in 2007 to Iraq.

Army Spc. Fitzmorris was killed in August 2008 by enemy fire in Iraq and Fancy was the last living legacy that Samantha Baker had of her mate.

On December 29- 2009- someone broke into Ms. Baker's home while she was in Colorado and her 2 kids visiting their grandparents in Alabama.

The thief(ves) took only a flat-screen TV- but killed the dog Fancy and set the house on fire.

Samantha Baker is offering her own $1000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the burglar/arsonist/dog-murderer.

______

CSW WEATHER: Latest NWS Watches and Warnings

Snow continues to develop over Kansas and move eastward into Metro Kansas City.

Click on the image for the latest national Weather Service watches and warnings over the Central States.

_________

Metro K.C. Driving Conditions Fair to Poor

Having just returned from our snow adventure- I can verify that road conditions in south Kansas City are fair to poor.


In addition- radio scanners are spewing forth crash reports from virtually every corner of the Metro- with conditions being worse in Leavenworth- Wyandotte and Johnson counties in Kansas and the KC-MO Northland.

However- vehicle crashes are also being reported in eastern Metro locations near Oak Grove and Independence.


If you drive slowly and use a lower gear (3-speed automatics: 2nd gear driving- 1st gear coming to or pulling away from a stop) you'll be okay.

Here's the latest weather radar image:

_________

CSW WEATHER UPDATE: Winter Storm Warning Continues For Metro- MetroRegion K.C.

A Winter Storm Warning continues until early Thursday for Metro and most of MetroRegion Kansas City MO..


Snow has begun in Metro KC and will increase over the afternoon to rates of around 1-inch per hour.

Streets and surfaces will rapidly beome snow-covered and hazardous for driving or walking.

Updates here at CSW through the afternoon and evening with photos and videos to come....

________

CSW UPDATE: Two Injuries At KC-MO Northland House Fire

There is an additional injured person at the Northland KC-MO house fire- reported first in Kansas City here at CSW.


In addition to the firefighter with the ankle injury- "a burn patient" is reported at the scene at 4210 North Elmwood.

The burn patient is reported by MAST-EMS Unit 132 as "a 63-year-old female who was smoking while on oxygen (for a previous medical condition) and (the woman) caught fire."

The woman had "a 2nd degree burn on her thigh" and "a 3rd-degree burn on her upper hip" and her condition appeared to be non life-threatening.

The firefighter hurt was "a 39-year-old male who slipped off a ladder and injured his ankle."

___________

CSW BREAKING: House Fire In KC-MO Northland

At 12:23 pm Wednesday afternoon- a "regular alarm" response of 5 KC-MO fire companies were sent to a reported house fire in the 4200 block of North Elmwood.


The dispatcher told responding companies there was "one excited call from the resident there and she was trying to get the kids out" of the burning house. A MAST-EMS unit is sent to the scene.

At 12:27 pm- pumper company 34 responding reports "smoke showing from Parvin Road and Bellaire"- more than 1/2-mile away from the address.

At 12:28 pm- another pumper company (P-6) arrives in from of the "1-story" home and reports "heavy smoke and fire showing."

There is no indication any of the occupants are trapped as- at 12:31 pm- scene command reports "2" handlines being used on the flames.

At 12:35 pm- a "primary search" of the 1st-floor is "all clear" of any occupants and no reports of any of the escaped occupants getting hurt..

The fire is reported "under control" at 12:42 pm- but a firefighter has reportedly suffered a non life-threatening "ankle injury" at the scene- according to KC-MO FD battalion chief 103.

The house sounds to be virtually a total loss with two adults and a child displaced.

_________

Arkansas Amtrak Derailment: "No Injuries"

Little Rock's The ARKANSAS-DEMOCRAT reports around 3 am Wednesday an Amtrak train derailed about 45 miles northeast of Little Rock.

The incident occurred at a low speed at a track crossover.

Only 2 cars of the 7-car train derailed according to the report- and those 2 cars remained upright.

None of the 214 passengers and crew reported being hurt by the derailment with the passengers being bussed to Little Rock to complete their trip..

_________

CSW BREAKING: Smoke Inside A Leavenworth County KS High School

Crews from the Easton and Kickapoo Township volunteer fire departments are investigating an automatic fire alarm- then reported confirmed smoke in the building at the Pleasant Ridge High school in northern Leavenworth county KS..

The principal of the school confirmed the smoke- which fire crews report coming from "the computer room."

Thus far- no source of the smoke has been found.

More here if indeed there is a confirmed fire at Pleasant Ridge....

________