Capt. Spaulding's World

Significant Snowstorm Possible In K.C. MetroRegion Early Next Week

2009-12-03T11:41:00.000-06:00

In meteorology circles- winter actually begins on December 1st.

We'd not have long to wait as it turns out- with sub-freezing temperatures becoming prevalent locally within 2 days of that date and now- according to a surprising agreement among operational weather models- a major snowstorm possible a week into December.

Right now- it appears a low pressure/storm system will intensify over the southern Rockies by Monday- moving across the Kansas City MetroRegion.

The image here is one of the model-run forecast periods for next Tuesday.

The blue lines are air temperatures (converted to degrees Fahrenheit) that shows the freezing line south of Kansas City and even colder air temperatures over the far northern portions of the MetroRegion.

The green shading indicates precipitation- snow- with the darker green area on this forecast map right over the Metro K.C. region.

Other forecast periods both before and after this map's forecast indicate snow could possibly begin in the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday morning and continue in varying intensities until early Wednesday morning.

The Topeka NWS office are already indicating that "4 to 8-inches" of snow could occur in east-central Kansas Tuesday- and that amount can be extrapolated into Metro Kansas City.

Bear in mind this storm is still about 5 days away- with even a much-lesser snow chance here on Sunday with another weaker system.

This is just a heads-up for the early-next-week storm possibility- with updates here at CSW as needed with updates on the looming storm.

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Jeanne Lou Meyer 1931-2009

2009-12-01T09:02:00.001-06:00

Operations on this blog are suspended UFN due to the passing of my mother this morning.

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Afghanistan War To Be Escalated

2009-11-30T21:25:00.001-06:00

What DIDN'T work for the Soviets in the 1980's apparently does not apply to the United Corporate States (UCS).

President Obama is slated to go on TV Tuesday night to convince this recession (depression)-battered populace that he's sending MORE troops to that 19-century-like nation.

Never mind the sheer cost of all that added to our too-bloated national deficit- nor the loss of Ameica's most important resource: our young men & women.

Neither America- nor the rest of the industrialized world for that matter- can stop terrorism. As I've said on this blog before- when you have nothing- you have nothing to lose.

America would have FAR more success cutting each Afghani a check for a new house- big screen and car.

It would probably cost the American taxpayers FAR less and save a lot of people's sons and daughters- on BOTH sides....

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Snow Wednesday?

2009-11-30T20:45:00.001-06:00

The new weather model runs are advertising a snowstorm developing over Missouri on Wednesday.

Right now- it appears that Metro Kansas City is on the northwestern edge of this developing storm- but the models have been all over the place for the past week- so we probably won't know until later tomorrow (Tuesday) if we'll get any of this or not.

Worse- my big-frame office computer is down and I'm relegated to Ms. Rittenhouse's "backup"- so I'm a bit hampered by graphics- etc..

Hopefully- we're back up on the office rig (power supply) before Wednesday but if not- at least I can run downstairs with a handfull of maps- radios & the industrial-sized cup-o-hot drink.

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Oops- That Was A Fatality Structure Fire In KC-KS

2009-11-29T17:46:00.000-06:00

Well- I first reported the fire in Kansas City KS earlier this Sunday morning- but what I didn't hear was that firefighters later found a body inside an apartment there.

My most-able colleagues at KSHB-41 Action News report that a "53-year-old man was found (dead) by firefighters near a smoldering mattress"

The victim's name has not been released- the fire caused about "$10000" in damage and the investigation results as to the cause was still pending.

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Four Cops Shot Dead At A Washington State Coffeehouse

2009-11-29T17:11:00.000-06:00

In probably the LAST multiple-victim shooting I care to report about on this waning Thanksgiving holiday weekend- the Associated Press (AP) reports that 4 police officers who were sitting in a coffeehouse outside Tacoma-WA were shot dead by a gunman.

The gunman escaped and is still at large.

Hundreds of law enforcement officers decended on the scene and a determined investigation is underway.

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Missouri State Trooper Kills Himself Near Kirksville

2009-11-29T16:58:00.001-06:00

The KIRKSVILLE (MO) DAILY EXPRESS reports that a Missouri State Highway Patrol tropper apparently fatally shot himself Friday morning.

The KDE reports that "Trooper Anthony O’Brien, an eight-year veteran of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, died from the gunshot at approximately 10 a.m." at his rural Lewis County home.

The MHP was investigating.

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Osage County KS Triple Homicide Suspect In Custody

2009-11-29T15:36:00.000-06:00

There has been at least a half-dozen multiple-victim shootings around the U.S. in the past week involving families/relatives- and this was unfortunately- was the latest and too close to home...

The "person of interest (suspect)" in Saturday evenings triple homicide at a farmhome just south of Burlingame is in police custody- reported this morning here at CSW.

The suspect- 46-year-old James "Kraig" Kahler- is reported by The TOPEKA CAPITOL-JOURNAL as a former city official for the city of Columbia MO..

It is believed- though not yet official- that this was a domestic dispute with his former wife that turned deadly.

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Overnight Structure Fires In Both Kansas Citys

2009-11-29T08:07:00.001-06:00

On the 21st anniversary of the deadly south-central KC-MO explosion in 1988 (4:07 am) that killed 6 firefighters on 2 fire companies at U.S. 71 and 87th Street- fire companies in Kansas City MO and KS worked structure fires.

The first was in South Midtown KC-MO reported around 1:50 am as a vacant house fire in the 5900 block of Spruce.

Flames crackled from the decrepit- boarded-up house and firefighters used 2 handlines to quell them by 2:02 am.

No injuries to the crews and an arson investigator ruled cause as same.

The KC-KS incident came in at 1:54 am when a single fire company was sent to investigate smoke in the area of the 1300 block of North 77th Street.

That company found a structure fire upon arrival at 2:02 am and asked for a full-alarm response of 4 more companies.

The original crew knocked the fire down a minute later and the other responders were returned.

No word of any injuries and again- an arson investigator was summonded.

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Suspect Sought In Osage County KS Triple Homicide

2009-11-29T07:38:00.000-06:00

Four people were found shot and three of them died after a shooting in a home south of Burlingame in northwestern Osage County KS around 6:10 pm Saturday night- according to The TOPEKA CAPITOL-JOURNAL.

The incident location is about 25 miles south-southwest of Topeka.

One person died at the home in the 900 block of South Topeka Avenue- two others died after being transported to hospitals. The third victim's condition was reported as critical Sunday morning.

The law is seeking a "person of interest (suspect)"- a "James "Kraig" Kahler- a white male standing about 6-2 and weighing about 145 pounds. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a brown jacket.

He ditched his getaway vehicle and was the subject of an extensive law manhunt Sunday morning.

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Why The Media Circus Over Tiger Woods' Crash?

2009-11-29T01:41:00.002-06:00

Okay- the golfer left his mansion around 2:30 am on Thanksgiving and crashed his Cadillac not far from his own driveway.

Only a fire hydrant and a tree really suffer- with TW winning a couple of bloody lips.

WTF is up with all this news media coverage?

Don't we have 1000 other- more important stories to cover?

The effectiveness of this sort of "news" coverage can be demonstrated by ratings.

Locally- there was a time as recent as the 1980's when the most-watched TV news station in town would get 30-shares on their 10 pm show. The least-watched local newscast would still garner double-digit shares.

Now the winner cheers a 12-share with the underdog in the mid single-digits. Nationally- just as bad a dip.

Most (>90%) of us don't give a DAMN where Tiger Woods was going at 2:30 am on Thanksgiving and that should be left to tabloid TV.

I take it the cops who responded to the crash scene tested Woods for DUI and found nothing based on media reports.

Continued coverage has the un-funny comedy of a media circus.

How about the American news media start a new trend by reporting a story- the facts as you know them and move on.

There is LOTS more going on out here than you'd even have time to cover even if you did (between all the ads).

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A Holiday Weekend Plaza Drive-Thru

2009-11-28T22:27:00.000-06:00

A couple of shots south on Broadway at 47th Street while we were waiting in traffic.

Thousands of people were out enjoying the spring-like weather after Thanksgiving this weekend.

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A Metro Of Football Champions

2009-11-28T18:03:00.000-06:00

Metro Kansas City residents can be very proud of the accomplishments of 3 Metro high school football squads for winning their state football championships:

Kearney MO- Olathe North and Bishop Miege.

CSW extends high and low '5's' to the young men on these exceptional teams and wish all well in their futures!

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Raytown Ambulance Strikes A Deer In KC-MO

2009-11-28T08:07:00.001-06:00

A Raytown-EMS unit transporting a patient from their city to North Kansas City Hospital struck a deer on Missouri (M) 210 near Searcy Creek Parkway early Saturday morning.

The collision occurred just before 2 am and the EMS crew reported striking the deer "caused heavy damage to the front of the ambulance."

None of the ambulance crew or the patient was hurt- and the ambulance completed it's run to the hospital but was taken out of service upon return to Raytown.

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BREAKING NEWS: Northeast KC-MO Shooting

2009-11-27T01:45:00.000-06:00

A 28-year-old male is in serious condition at a Metro hospital with a small-caliber gunshot wound to the abdomen after he was shot in old Northeast KC-MO..

The incident occurred around 1:25 am in the 900 block of Jackson.

Police report a suspect was a white male about 6-feet tall and weighing around 160 pounds.

The suspect also wore a black and white mask and had on tan pants. He left in an unknown direction from the scene.

Police don't have a motive yet and were into their investigation.

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Missouri's Food Banks Report "Serious" Problem

2009-11-26T11:30:00.001-06:00

The problem? You guessed it...

Too many more mouths to feed and not enough food- according to the president of the Missouri Food Bank Association- as reported by the COLUMBIA (MO) DAILY TRIBUNE.

If you can help feed the hungry this holiday season- please do so!

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Police Chase In Topeka KS Thanksgiving Morning Ends In A Fatality

2009-11-26T11:20:00.000-06:00

One of 4 people in a car that was being pursued by Topeka police died after the suspect vehicle crashed in North Topeka early Thanksgiving Day.

The TOPEKA CAPITOL-JOURNAL says an officer attempted to stop the vehicle on traffic charges when the driver took off at high speed.

The chase ended several blocks later when the suspect vehicle slammed into a pole- killing a passenger.

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BREAKING THANKSGIVING NEWS: Crashes and An Assault Already

2009-11-26T10:43:00.002-06:00

Holidays traditionally are slow news days- but things locally are already heating up.

There's been a couple of wrecks reported in the MetroRegion during the past half-hour:

At 10:13 am- one crash is reported near Holt-MO on northbound I-35 near the 29-mile marker.

No word yet on number of vehicles involved or injuries.

At 10:28 am- another wreck on I-70 east of Odessa in Lafayette county- on I-70 in the median around the 43.4 mile marker- east of the Mayview exit.

This crash reported as a "1-vehicle with 2 (unknown-severity) injuries.

The assault was reported around the same time in the Smithville-MO area- reported to be between "a father and son."

The outlying areas are more active than the Metro right now- let's hope all eases off and all can enjoy a Happy Thanksgiving.

We'll be back later to keep track of the Plaza lighting crowds and other goings-on.

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Blessings To All From CSW

2009-11-26T07:17:00.001-06:00

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The Pagers of September 11- 2001

2009-11-26T07:11:00.000-06:00

"CALL HOME- WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT YOU- MOM."

This is just a sample of thousands of pager messages- more than a few emotion-wrenching- sent during the terrorist attacks on New York on 9-11- now available for all to read thanks to WikiLeaks.

HERE is the index for pager calls and messages sent in New York that fateful morning- starting before the first plane crashed into WTC-1 at 8:46 am EDT.

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Airlines Will Fail Faster If They Keep Adding Surcharges

2009-11-25T15:47:00.001-06:00

What better way to go bankrupt than to price yourself out of the game?

America's airlines have added fees for this and added fees for that and many Americans ain't putting up with it.

Add long waits on airport tarmacs and you see MANY Americans using alternative means of transportation this holiday season.

If you add the annual holiday oil company gas pump gouge- it's just a good idea to stay home to enjoy the holidays.

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BREAKING NEWS: "Multiple-Vehicle" Crash On East I-70 In Lafayette County

2009-11-25T13:33:00.000-06:00

The initial dispatches came in at 1:16 pm; a reported "multiple-vehicle" crash "on Eastbound I-70" at about "the 40-mile marker" or east of Odessa and just west of the Mayview exit in Lafayette County.

At 1:26 pm- an Odessa EMS crew on the scene requested "at least 2 more ambulances" to the scene- and eastbound I-70 traffic east of Odessa is at a "standstill."

It's reported that a vehicle involved in the crash "left the scene" and was being sought by LCSO and Missouri Highway Patrol.

Don't know yet the number of vehicles involved nor severity and number of injured- but travel on eastbound I-70 east of Metro Kansas City will be hampered for at least the next hour....

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"Easy-Off" Judge Torrence To Sentance Greg Hawley's Killer

2009-11-25T12:44:00.004-06:00

I will start out saying this in bold print: The Hawley family deserves justice!!!

That said- here's doubting they'll get it with Jackson County's Judge Torrence behind the wheel- according to The INDEPENDENCE-BLUE SPRINGS-GRAIN VALLEY EXAMINER.

On January 10 this year- Greg Hawley's life was ended on Interstate 70 by Edward D. Tseona of Hughesville, Mo. who was racing another motorist when Tseona slammed into the back of Hawley's pickup- sending it out of control and killing Greg Hawley.

Well- "Easy-Off" Judge Torrence got the case.

You MAY remember Judge Torrence as the man who basically let a drunk motorist (Mertensmeyer) who killed a pedestrian on Ward Parkway in 2008 off with a slap on the hand.

Torrence also let a child molester off on an incredibly light sentance that even brought national flak onto Torrance.

CSW will be ON Judge Torrence this time- making sure justice is CORRECTLY meted out or we go bonkers on this blog to get Judge Torrence REMOVED FROM THE BENCH (like last year!).

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Map Shows Unemployment Spreading Like Cancer Across America

2009-11-25T12:05:00.000-06:00

If the current recession (depression) and it's family-killing unemployment hasn't hit your home like it has here- take a look at this map.

It shows unemployment- by counties across America- since the jobs started hemorrhaging in 2007.

Hell- it's getting SO bad that even illegal aliens are heading back home....

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Police Shooting In Springfield-MO Raises Questions

2009-11-25T11:50:00.000-06:00

Once again- we have another shootout involving a Federal lawman in a highly populated area.

This incident was Tuesday evening- when a U.S. Marshal and a Greene county deputy followed a shooting suspect from rural Polk County- then attempted to stop the suspect in a residential area of Springfield- according to The SPRINGFIELD (MO) NEWS-LEADER.

The suspect reportedly fired one time and was shot dead by repeated shots from the 2 law officers.

Some residents in the neighborhood hit their floors when the shooting began- and there are hard questions why the 2 cops didn't attempt the stop in a less populated area (a.k.a. the FBI Olathe shooting of several weeks ago).

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