Capt. Spaulding's World

Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Charged In Theft

2009-07-14T10:35:00.001-05:00

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

2009-07-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

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

2009-07-14T08:40:00.000-05:00

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

2009-07-14T08:20:00.000-05:00

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

2009-07-14T08:08:00.000-05:00

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

2009-07-13T15:46:00.001-05:00

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

2009-07-12T10:58:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-07-12T09:40:00.000-05:00

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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Storms Produce Damage In The South Kansas City MetroRegion

2009-07-11T14:00:00.002-05:00

A short line of thunderstorms formed and quickly became severe around 3 am Saturday morning- sending a wedge of hurricane-force straight-line winds into southern Cass and northern Bates counties Missouri.

Damage was reported to agricultural outbuildings- trees and power lines in and around Butler in Bates county as well as Garden City in southeastern Cass county.

The National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area around 3:50 am that ran until 4:30 am.

NWS Doppler radar images from around 2:30 through 4 am.

The Butler area was reportedly struck by high winds around 3:15am. Power was out to much of the Bates county seat through midday.

No injuries were reported.

High winds struck the Garden City vicinity around 4 am- ripping down trees and power lines. The storm caused a small fire and damage to a house in the 600 block of Fir Street a little after 4 am.

Again- no injuries were reported.

There is a chance for more severe storm activity throughout this weekend in the Kansas City MetroRegion.

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Leavenworth-KS Police Pull Man From Burning Vehicle

2009-07-11T13:07:00.001-05:00

A man has only minor burns today after the vehicle he apparently passed-out in caught fire about 3:10 am Saturday morning.

Leavenworth police and a fire truck were dispatched to the rear of 745 Cherokee at Tom's Stampede bar- where a vehicle was reported on fire with someone still inside.

Minutes later- LFD arrived and said the vehicle was fully-engulfed in flames that were threatening the building and asked for a full response.

Meanwhile- a Leavenworth police officer who arrived before the fire engine had broken into the burning vehicle and pulled the "highly-intoxicated" occupant to safety

The officer was not injured. The "highly-intoxicated" man's injuries were centainly non life-threatening.

No word if any charges (stupidity?) can be filed....

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Three Shot In Separate Incidents In Both Kansas Citys

2009-07-11T05:50:00.001-05:00

Weekend in the Metro Corral...

This first shooting victim was reported to be a male who was driven to a KC-MO hospital just after 12:30 am Saturday morning.

There was no other information on this incident.

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The next shooting came in Midtown KC-MO.. Police stopped a car that was being driven erratically in the 3200 block of Troost around 1:23 am..

Officers found that the driver- "a 17-year-old male"- had been shot twice in his right arm and MAST-EMS was summoned. His injuries were non life-threatening.

The youth apparently told police the shots- "6 to 7" of them- were fired from "a white- early-2000's Pontiac Grand Am with tinted windows- in the area of 29th to 30th and Troost."

Police were also told another person had been in the vehicle with the 17-year-old- but got out and ran before officers stopped the vehicle.

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The last shooting reported so far Saturday morning was in the 1900 block of North 25th Street around 1:38 am.

There police found "a 24-year-old male with 3 gunshot wounds"- 2 to his back and 1 shattering his leg. The man was transported to a KC-MO medical trauma center in serious to critical condition by KC-KS FD-EMS-5.

Police have yet to report any possible suspects or any other information on this one.

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Kansas City's BREAKING NEWS: 2-Alarm Fire In Midtown KC-MO

2009-07-11T04:52:00.001-05:00

At 4:22 am Saturday morning- five companies of the KC-MO Fire department responded to a reported fire in a "vacant apartment building" at "Linwood and South Benton."

Fire Station 18's crews arrived 2 minutes later and reported the 3-story structure "heavily-involved" in flames from top to bottom.

At 4:25 am- a male "victim" was found by one of the fire crews outside the "base" of the building.

This "39-year-old male" who was also reported by MAST-EMS to be an earlier stabbing victim- "jumped from the 3rd-story" of the building to escape the fire.

He was transported in non life-threatening condition to an area hospital.

At 4:29 am- a 2nd alarm was sounded- committing 11 fire companies to the fire.

As of 6:15 am- the fire is considered to be under control with no further reports of injuries. The building has been heavily-damaged and has unstable walls.

Watch KSHB 41 Action News for more details....

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Fatality Crash In KC-MO's Northland

2009-07-11T03:39:00.001-05:00

A single-vehicle wreck was reported around 11:35 pm Friday night in the 5700 block of North Brighton.

It was said to be a rollover crash- with the driver- a male- dead at the scene.

No identification of the deceased yet available and the incident was under investigation.

Watch KSHB 41 Action News for more details....

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What's Wrong With This Picture - Part 41

2009-07-10T17:17:00.000-05:00

It's a file photo belonging to The LAWRENCE (KS) JOURNAL-WORLD newspaper that accompanied a story there today.

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Afternoon Temperatures Vary Widely Across The Central States

2009-07-10T14:53:00.000-05:00

Here's a surface weather map- depicting a 38-degree difference in temperature from 78-degrees at Lee's Summit-MO to 116-degrees at a location in Oklahoma northwest of Woodward.

The showers and thundershowers continue sliding east-southeast across central and eastern Kansas and away from most of Metro K.C. (except Johnson KS & Cass county MO.).

I'm expecting new activity to develop later- possibly after sundown- that will affect the Metro.

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Another "Slight Risk" For Severe Storms MetroRegion-Wide Today

2009-07-10T12:06:00.006-05:00

For the 2nd day in a row- the entire Kansas City MetroRegion is in a NWS-Storm Prediction Center (SPC)-forecasted area for a slight risk of thunderstorms becoming severe later today into the overnight.

Included are MetroRegion cities that were hit by strong straight-line winds early this morning: Richmond- Lexington and Cameron-MO..

Right now there are showers and thunderstorms over much of the northern halves of Kansas and Missouri- but at this time none of that activity is severe.

Here are the latest visible satellite and NWS Doppler weather radar images:

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Kansas City's BREAKING NEWS: Shooting In South KC-MO

2009-07-09T13:31:00.000-05:00

At 1:05 pm- KC-MO emergency serivces- MAST-EMS- Fire and Police in that order- responded to a reported shooting in the 9300 block of Newton.

There they found "a 29-year-old male with 2 gunshot wounds" according to MAST.

The man was shot in the lower abdomen and left leg and MAST reported no exit wounds.

The victim has been taken to an area medical trauma center in at least serious condition.

Police are seeking a reported suspect: "A black male named Cocaine with dreds and a white tank top- left in a 4-door silver (colored) Chevy Cavalier.

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Alaska Cruise - Part 1: Seattle to Vancouver

2009-07-09T12:51:00.012-05:00

If you ever get a chance to go to Alaska, you will see some of the world's most beautiful country. I usually gravitate towards warmer climates when picking a vacation, but was invited by my sister (who lives in Phoenix, AZ) to go North to Alaska on this Princess Cruise vacation. This cruise there were 13 of us (just a few of us from my huge Sicilian family).

We all met in Seattle, WA on June 26, 2009. We enjoyed a trip to the famous Pike Place Market, and some of us went on Bill Speidel's Underground Tour, a must see for those who might enjoy a bit of humor, history, and tales about the famous Seattle Red Light District.

Just outside the entrance to the Underground Tour

On the tour

View of Seattle

June 27, 2009, we flew to Vancouver, and a bus transported us to the dock of the Sapphire Princess. The bus driver was fantastic, funny, and enlightened all of us who had never been there before. Vancouver, BC will host the 2010 Olympics (I got this shot thru the window of the bus).

The Sapphire Princess
More to come..........

M-150 West Of U.S. 71 Will Close Sunday Evening Into Monday Morning

2009-07-09T12:42:00.000-05:00

MO-DOT officials have announced the complete closure of Missouri (M) 150 highway at the railroad crossing west of U.S. 71 for a lane upgrade at that crossing.

M-150 is slated to be closed from 7 pm Sunday until 5:30 am Monday morning.

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MetroRegion K.C. WEATHER: Severe Tstm Watch No. 567 Until 3 PM- MO-NE-IA

2009-07-09T11:09:00.000-05:00

The watch is in effect for that part of the MetroRegion generally north of U.S. 36 highway- but does NOT include St. Joseph or Chillicothe-MO..

Missouri MetroRegion cities such as Maryville and Tarkio are in this watch until 3 pm this Thursday afternoon.

Here are the latest visible satellite and Doppler weather radar:

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

2009-07-09T09:20:00.000-05:00

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

2009-07-09T08:54:00.001-05:00

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

2009-07-08T20:52:00.000-05:00

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...

2009-07-08T17:50:00.001-05:00

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

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PHOTOS: Bannister Mall Is Officially Gone

2009-07-08T13:43:00.000-05:00

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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