Overland Park's J.C. Penney Outlet Will Stay Open Under New Name

Back on January 25th of this year- CSW noted the announcement of the closing of the J.C. Penney Outlet Store located near the intersection of I-35 and 75th Street.


Well shop 'till you drop fans- a NEW announcement noted in this article from The KANSAS CITY BUSINESS JOURNAL is that the outlet store will stay open under a new name...


A venture capital group from Ohio- "SB Capital Group LLC-" is buying 15 nationwide J.C. Penney outlet stores and converting them to "JC’s 5 Star Outlet" stores.

The 5 Stars will still carry Penney's overstock and out-of-season items as well- the KCBJ story stated- and the 130 employees of the old outlet store will be offered their old jobs by the new owner (at the same rate-of-pay I wonder?).

Central States News: Winter 2010-11 Forecast- Snow- Cold in Northern Central States

Came upon a story- a prediction actually- regarding expected weather conditions in the upcoming winter months from Cedar Rapids Iowa's THE GAZETTE...


It is unclear who exactly made this prediction- which calls for a particularily snowy and cold winter for all of Iowa and parts of Missouri and Nebraska.

Also- if you look at the accompanying forecast image- ice storms are possible over northern Texas- about the southeastern half of Oklahoma- most of Arkansas as well as southern and eastern Missouri.

Metro Kansas City sits between those two areas.

I invoke my Missouri side ("Show Me") mostly when it comes to such long-range forecasts- nonetheless an interesting season to watch as I shall- and keep you informed without a lot of hype.

Daylight Savings Time Ends November 6 2011

I was wondering earlier what day this year that Central Daylight Time (CDT) ends- looked it up and decided to share the results with you...

This year the clocks "fall back" an hour early Sunday morning November 6th- according to this story in the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC.


I'll remind myself and everybody else the day before our bi-annual ritual with the (non-computer-controlled) clocks begins.


Also- the time change is a GREAT time to change batteries in your home's smoke- fire and CO alarms.

Tuesday Bank Robberies in KC-MO North and Leawood KS

Bank robbers hit 2 Metro Kansas City banks so far today...


Around 9:15 a.m.- a lone gunman robbed the Patriots Bank at 6500 Northwest Prairie View Road.

The suspect was reported as a white male- and possibly left westbound on Northwest 64th Street in a red Ford F-150 pickup truck.

No one was hurt and the robber took an undisclosed amount of cash.

The other robbery occurred around 11:45 a.m. at the M & I Bank in the 800 block of State Line Road.

Leawood Police report one man waited in the getaway vehicle while his accomplice went into the bank and robbed the facility.

Both males were described as black males- the actual bank robber described as having "a slender build" and thought to be "in his 40's."

The two left in an unknown direction in a silver-colored Dodge Intrepid.

CSW BREAKING: Multiple-Vehicle Crash Reported on Sbnd I-435 Near Front Street in KC-MO

At 12:52 p.m. this Tuesday afternoon- KC-MO emergency services were enroute to a reported multiple-vehicle crash on southbound I-435 near Front Street.


It was reported to involve "4 cars and an 18-wheeler" and "extrication" was reportedly also requried of at least one motorist.


Later reports revealed that fortunately- the few that were hurt in the crash didn't have  any life-threatening injuries.

CSW Weather: Frost- Freeze Likely Over Much of Kansas City MetroRegion

As the rain and clouds moves out of the area this Tuesday morning- clearing skies and lightening winds will produce the fall season's first widespread frost and freeze Wednesday and particularly Thursday mornings.

National Weather Service (NWS) offices throughout the Central States have issued anything from "Frost Advisories" to "Freeze Watches" and "Warnings" in their forecast areas.


Only areas immediately spared from the season's coldest temperatures will be eastern Missouri through southern Arkansas- those areas will feel the cool Thursday into Friday mornings.


Rainfall-wise- once again most of us in Metro Kansas City saw little to virtually no rain.

The heaviest (?) amounts are shown on the accompanying Johnson County STORMWATCH Metro map- less than a quarter-inch fell anywhere since early Monday morning.


As we undergo a warm-up in temperatures by the weekend- our next chance for any measurable precipitation will come again Sunday- and that chance will only be for small rainfall amounts.

Willie Nelson- George Strait and Dixie Chicks Headline Texas Wildfire Relief Concert

Say what you will about the Great State of Texas and it's people- but they know how to take care of their own.


More than one-half million dollars was raised by some very fine musicians that included those in the headline as well as Lyle Lovett and Austin's Asleep At The Wheel Monday night at that city's Frank Irwin Center.

It was a concert to benefit those who lost their homes and possessions in the devastating wildfires in and around Austin last month.

You can say what you will about 'my-man' Willie Nelson too- but be careful saying it around me 'cause Willie could come to my door asking me a favor and I'd drop WHATEVER I'm doing to help that great American.

God Bless all those musicians who pitched-in for their fellow citizens!

CSW Weather: Some Rain Today- First Frost/Freeze Possible Mid-Week

Doppler weather radar returns are beginning to show some very light precipitation echoes in Metro Kansas City...


A larger area of light rain can be found in northern portions of the MetroRegion- in northwest and northern Missouri with general west to east movement of all cells.

Precipitation should continue to slowly grow in areal coverage and intensity through this October Monday.


The much-needed moisture is in response to a storm system making it's way through the Central states this morning.


A cold front will bring the coldest temperatures so far this autumn to the Central States and into Metro and MetroRegion Kansas City.

By Wednesday morning- frost-producing and or freezing temperatures in the 30's will cover our area- with a 2nd morning of growing-season-ending weather likely Thursday morning.

Time to bring in the outdoor potted plants and the brass monkeys...

Update on Status of Missing Baby Lisa Irwin- A.M.- October 17

The baby taken from a Northland KC-MO home on October 3rd- 10-month-old Lisa Irwin- has still not been found as of Monday morning.


There have also been to arrests made directly attributable to the missing infant and KC-MO Police report no new leads in this case.


The mother of the child- Deborah Bradley- admitted on NBC's Today Show Monday morning that she was drunk on the night prior to baby Lisa's disappearance.


Bradley and Lisa's father Jeremy Irwin also have retained the services of a New York defense attorney.

Deborah Bradley has admitted several times she expected to be arrested by KC-MO Police regarding the disappearence of the baby.

CSW BREAKING: KC-MO Crash Involves City Bus

At 8:04 a.m.- a fire department unit reported a 2-vehicle crash "involving (an) (KC) ATA (Area Transit Authority)" bus at Blue Parkway (M-350) near Eastwood Trafficway.


A male driver of a Mustang reportedly rear-ended a bus there.

He was taken to a Metro hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

No one on the bus was hurt- according to EMS reports.


The wreck should be cleared shortly after 9 a.m..

CSW BREAKING: 2-Alarm Fire in South-Central KC-MO

A 2nd-alarm has been sounded for an apartment building fire in south-central KC-MO..

The original alarm was sounded at 7:15 a.m. for a reported fire in a 3-story vacant building in the 8200 block of Lydia at the old President Gardens apartment complex.



A working fire on multiple levels of the building reported- a 2nd-alarm was sent at 7:29 a.m..



The fire was brought under control around 7:45 a.m. and no firefighter injuries were reported.


An arson investigator is on the scene.