Author: Stan Unruh
NWS: Wind Chill WARNING
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
WED FEB 5 2014
...LIFE-THREATENING WIND CHILLS TONIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING...
.ANOTHER BLAST OF ARCTIC AIR WILL SPREAD ACROSS NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
MISSOURI AND EASTERN KANSAS TODAY AND REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH
THURSDAY. CLEARING SKIES AND A FRESH SNOW PACK WILL ALLOW OVERNIGHT
TEMPERATURES TO PLUMMET WELL BELOW ZERO...WITH ACTUAL TEMPERATURES
BOTTOMING OUT BETWEEN 10 AND 15 BELOW ZERO NORTH OF THE MISSOURI
RIVER. ALTHOUGH WIND SPEEDS WILL DROP OFF MARKEDLY TONIGHT EVEN A
LIGHT WIND WILL RESULT IN LIFE-THREATENING WIND CHILLS FROM 25 TO 30
BELOW NORTH OF A ST JOSEPH TO MOBERLY LINE WHILE DANGEROUSLY COLD WIND
CHILLS BETWEEN 15 AND 2O BELOW CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE REST OF THE
REGION. THESE CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING BEFORE
IMPROVING SOMEWHAT IN THE AFTERNOON.
DONIPHAN-ATCHISON MO-NODAWAY-WORTH-GENTRY-HARRISON-MERCER-PUTNAM-
SCHUYLER-HOLT-ANDREW-DE KALB-DAVIESS-GRUNDY-SULLIVAN-ADAIR-
BUCHANAN-CLINTON-CALDWELL-LIVINGSTON-LINN MO-MACON-CHARITON-
RANDOLPH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TROY...TARKIO...MARYVILLE...
GRANT CITY...ALBANY...STANBERRY...BETHANY...PRINCETON...
UNIONVILLE...LANCASTER...DOWNING...MOUND CITY...OREGON...
SAVANNAH...CAMERON...GALLATIN...JAMESPORT...TRENTON...MILAN...
GREEN CITY...KIRKSVILLE...ST. JOSEPH...PLATTSBURG...HAMILTON...
POLO...CHILLICOTHE...BROOKFIELD...MACON...LA PLATA...SALISBURY...
KEYTESVILLE...MOBERLY
1002 AM CST WED FEB 5 2014
...WIND CHILL WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON
CST THURSDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL HAS
ISSUED A WIND CHILL WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS
EVENING TO NOON CST THURSDAY.
* LOCATION/TIMING...NORTHERN MISSOURI AND EXTREME NORTHEAST KANSAS.
AREAS GENERALLY NORTH OF A ST JOSEPH TO MOBERLY LINE CAN EXPECT
LIFE-THREATENING WIND CHILLS FROM 25 TO 30 BELOW ZERO TONIGHT
THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING.
* WIND CHILLS...OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WILL DROP TO 10 BELOW TO 15
BELOW ZERO. EVENING WIND CHILLS WILL RANGE FROM 15 TO 20 BELOW ZERO
AND BOTTOM OUT BETWEEN 25 AND 30 BELOW ZERO FROM THE PRE-DAWN HOURS
TO MID MORNING THURSDAY.
* WINDS...LIGHT NORTHWEST WINDS FROM 4 TO 8 MPH.
* IMPACTS...THE BRUTALLY COLD TEMPERATURES TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING WILL RESULT IN LIFE- THREATENING WIND CHILLS WHICH WILL
RESULT IN FROSTBITE AND POTENTIALLY LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA AND EVEN
DEATH IF YOU ARE NOT PROPERLY DRESSED.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WIND CHILL WARNING MEANS THE COMBINATION OF VERY COLD AIR AND
STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES. THIS
WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA OR DEATH IF
PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN.
Mo. lawmakers hear plans to end Kansas tax break war
(AP) — Missouri lawmakers appear ready to embrace a proposed truce with Kansas in a tax-break battle for businesses.
Missouri House and Senate committees each heard testimony Wednesday on legislation that would call for a moratorium on tax incentives for businesses in the Kansas City region relocating from one side of the state line to another.
The legislation would apply to businesses moving between the Missouri counties of Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass and the Kansas counties of Wyandotte, Johnson, Douglas and Miami.
Missouri’s bill says its moratorium will kick in as soon as Kansas takes a similar action. No one testified against it Wednesday.
A study by the Hall Family Foundation found that Kansas and Missouri have waived $217 million of taxes through two programs to shuffle businesses in recent years.
Blunt Calls On Obama Administration To Implement Livestock Disaster Programs
U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in sending a letter today to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack calling on the Obama Administration to expedite the implementation of the livestock disaster programs reauthorized in the 2014 Farm Bill. Blunt serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.
“In 2012, U.S. grazing livestock producers experienced the most devastating loss of pasture, rangeland, and forage in decades due to the widespread drought,” the Senators wrote. “Due to the magnitude of pasture, forage, and livestock losses and the urgent need for financial assistance these losses have created, we strongly urge you to place implementation of 2014 Farm Bill livestock disaster programs as a top priority.”
Updated Snowfall totals
Here are some snow totals from Tuesday. Widespread 10″+
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT…SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
1133 AM CST WED FEB 05 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1240 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 S LEE'S SUMMIT 38.84N 94.38W
02/05/2014 M8.8 INCH JACKSON MO NWS EMPLOYEE
0117 AM HEAVY SNOW WEATHERBY LAKE 39.24N 94.70W
02/05/2014 M10.0 INCH PLATTE MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
0117 AM HEAVY SNOW PARKVILLE 39.20N 94.68W
02/05/2014 M10.5 INCH PLATTE MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
0129 AM HEAVY SNOW WESTON 39.41N 94.90W
02/05/2014 M12.0 INCH PLATTE MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
0129 AM HEAVY SNOW RIVERSIDE 39.18N 94.61W
02/05/2014 M10.5 INCH PLATTE MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
0129 AM HEAVY SNOW PLATTE CITY 39.37N 94.78W
02/05/2014 M11.0 INCH PLATTE MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
0245 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 SW GLADSTONE 39.17N 94.60W
02/05/2014 M9.5 INCH CLAY MO NWS EMPLOYEE
OFF DUTY NWS EMPLOYEE NEAR US169/58TH ST.
0503 AM HEAVY SNOW TRENTON 40.08N 93.62W
02/05/2014 M8.2 INCH GRUNDY MO TRAINED SPOTTER
CURRENT SNOW DEPTH 15 INCHES. DRIFTS UP TO 30 INCHES.
0529 AM HEAVY SNOW MACON 39.74N 92.47W
02/05/2014 M11.2 INCH MACON MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
AVERAGED IN 3 LOCATIONS DUE TO DRIFTING. TOTAL NEW AND
OLD SNOW DEPTH ON GROUND...14 INCHES.
0600 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 N PLEASANT HILL 38.82N 94.27W
02/05/2014 M9.2 INCH CASS MO OFFICIAL NWS OBS
HAS NOW SNOWED FOR 25 HOURS CONSECUTIVELY. 0.59 INCHES
LIQUID EQUIVALENT.
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW ROCKPORT 40.42N 95.52W
02/05/2014 M6.5 INCH ATCHISON MO PUBLIC
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 S OVERLAND PARK 38.87N 94.68W
02/05/2014 M10.5 INCH JOHNSON KS PUBLIC
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW MOBERLY 39.42N 92.44W
02/05/2014 M8.0 INCH RANDOLPH MO PUBLIC
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW OLATHE 38.89N 94.81W
02/05/2014 M10.5 INCH JOHNSON KS PUBLIC
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW ST JOSEPH 39.76N 94.85W
02/05/2014 M10.5 INCH BUCHANAN MO PUBLIC
SNOW DEPTH 14 INCHES. DRIFTS TO 3 FEET
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW UNIONVILLE 40.48N 93.00W
02/05/2014 M7.4 INCH PUTNAM MO PUBLIC
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW 9 S KANSAS CITY 38.99N 94.55W
02/05/2014 M9.2 INCH JACKSON MO PUBLIC
RUSKIN HEIGHTS
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 S KANSAS CITY 39.05N 94.55W
02/05/2014 M11.0 INCH JACKSON MO NWS EMPLOYEE
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW CAMERON 39.74N 94.24W
02/05/2014 M11.0 INCH DEKALB MO PUBLIC
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW RAYTOWN 38.99N 94.47W
02/05/2014 M8.7 INCH JACKSON MO PUBLIC
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 S BASEHOR 39.10N 94.93W
02/05/2014 M10.0 INCH LEAVENWORTH KS PUBLIC
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 SW WOOLDRIDGE 38.88N 92.56W
02/05/2014 M9.5 INCH COOPER MO PUBLIC
0700 AM HEAVY SNOW MARCELINE 39.72N 92.95W
02/05/2014 M11.5 INCH LINN MO BROADCAST MEDIA
0715 AM HEAVY SNOW KIRKSVILLE 40.19N 92.58W
02/05/2014 M7.2 INCH ADAIR MO TRAINED SPOTTER
TOTAL SNOW DEPTH IS 13 INCHES. 2-3FT DRIFTS
0802 AM HEAVY SNOW 9 N BROOKFIELD 39.92N 93.08W
02/05/2014 M11.0 INCH LINN MO TRAINED SPOTTER
11.0 INCHES FROM THIS EVENT WITH 16 INCHES TOTAL ON THE
GROUND.
0810 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 W LEE'S SUMMIT 38.91N 94.44W
02/05/2014 M10.0 INCH JACKSON MO PUBLIC
0845 AM HEAVY SNOW SEDALIA 38.70N 93.23W
02/05/2014 M7.5 INCH PETTIS MO EMERGENCY MNGR
MEASURED AT THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN SEDALIA.
0900 AM HEAVY SNOW SHAWNEE 39.02N 94.80W
02/05/2014 M10.8 INCH JOHNSON KS PUBLIC
0900 AM HEAVY SNOW 4 W KANSAS CITY KS 39.12N 94.80W
02/05/2014 M11.5 INCH WYANDOTTE KS PUBLIC
0900 AM HEAVY SNOW GUILFORD 40.17N 94.74W
02/05/2014 M10.0 INCH NODAWAY MO PUBLIC
0900 AM HEAVY SNOW LEAVENWORTH 39.32N 94.92W
02/05/2014 M11.7 INCH LEAVENWORTH KS PUBLIC
0900 AM HEAVY SNOW LONE JACK 38.87N 94.17W
02/05/2014 M9.0 INCH JACKSON MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
0900 AM HEAVY SNOW ATCHISON 39.56N 95.13W
02/05/2014 M11.0 INCH ATCHISON KS PUBLIC
0900 AM HEAVY SNOW OTTERVILLE 38.70N 93.00W
02/05/2014 M9.0 INCH COOPER MO PUBLIC
Missouri Senate panel blocks MU curator appointment
(AP) – A Missouri Senate committee has blocked one of Gov. Jay Nixon’s nominees to serve on the University of Missouri Board of Curators.
The motion to endorse Cape Girardeau lawyer Michael Ponder failed Wednesday on a 5-5 vote.
Ponder was first tapped by Nixon for the post in January 2013. The Senate did not act on his nomination last year, but Nixon reappointed Ponder in June and he has been serving on the board since then.
It was Ponder’s previous position in state government, however, that concerned members of the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee. Ponder previously served on the State Board of Education, where senators say he made controversial decisions to implement education standards and a school funding law.
Ponder declined to comment on the vote.
McCaskill Hearing Reveals Fraud in Guard Recruiting Program
The amount of taxpayer dollars lost in one of the biggest fraud investigations in U.S. Army history may be more than double the original estimate-possibly up to $100 million-a revelation exposed in a Senate hearing led today by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill.
McCaskill’s subcommittee and Army investigators revealed pervasive fraud and potential waste in the Army National Guard’s Recruiting Assistance Program (RAP). The program paid National Guard members, retirees, and civilians to recruit friends and family, but had virtually no safeguards or controls-leading to criminal fraud on a massive scale. The program was established at the height of the Iraq war in 2005 to help the Guard achieve its recruiting goals, and was later expanded to the Army Reserve and Regular Army.
The hearing today revealed that the RAP program likely led to more than $50 million in fraud, with the worst case of up to $100 million in fraud.
“What we’re seeing here today is one of the largest criminal investigations in the history of the Army, both by the sheer scale and scope of the fraud,” said Senator McCaskill, a former Missouri State Auditor and the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial & Contracting Oversight. “The complete lack of controls and safeguards on this program created a culture of permissibility where it didn’t take much for thousands of people to figure out that fraud would be easy. One of my biggest concerns is holding people accountable, and it breaks my heart to discover that there are criminals who have dishonored the uniform that we are all so proud of. We cannot allow this program to become a stain on the thousands of recruiters and Guard members who serve honorably. I intend to ensure the Army is taking every available measure to hold these criminals accountable quickly-so that people can’t beat their charges using the statute of limitations-and restores integrity and accountability in the Army’s recruiting and contracting process.”
Army investigators who testified today also agreed with McCaskill about the scope of the fraud involved.
“People knew this was going on,” McCaskill said, inquiring about reports that some high school guidance counselors participated in the fraud. “There’s no way they didn’t.”
“Yes, ma’am, that’s true,” agreed Major General David Quantock, commander of the Army’s Criminal Investigative Command (CID).
Since the first cases of fraud were reported to the CID, the RAP fraud cases have become one of the largest criminal investigations that CID has ever conducted. Approximately 200 CID agents, including 60 devoted full-time to RAP cases, have begun a review of all 106,364 individuals who received money from RAP. CID estimates that its investigations will continue until 2016. The top five recipients of fraudulent RAP money were all paid over $100,000. The top recipient, who received $274,500, is currently being prosecuted. The third highest recipient, who received $208,500 in RAP payments, pleaded guilty. The fraud was not limited to enlisted soldiers-more than 200 officers (including several Generals and Colonels) are currently under investigation.
As of January 2014, CID’s ongoing reviews have resulted in a total of 559 criminal investigations involving 1,219 individuals. 104 of these individuals have been held accountable through either the courts or through administrative action by the Army. Under prosecutions by the Department of Justice, at least one former member of the National Guard has been sentenced to serve 4 years and 9 months in jail with others sentenced to varying terms. Prosecution of the cases has been limited by the five-year statute of limitations for some fraud cases.
McCaskill also focused in the hearing on how the Army can continue its efforts to identify and hold wrongdoers accountable, as well as improve contracting and recruiting controls and oversight.
Decomposed body found Sunday identified
ROELAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Police in a Kansas City suburb have identified a decomposed body that was found Sunday.
Officials say the body was that of 43-year-old Sandra Herron-Burns, who had been reported missing from a nearby apartment in December.
Her body was discovered Sunday in Roeland Park. Police used fingerprints to identify her and an autopsy will be conducted to determine her cause of death.
City manager fired after investigation
(AP) – A sharply divided city council voted to fire Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr after an investigation into development agreements.
The council voted 5-4 Tuesday night to fire Rohr, who said after the meeting that he is considering his legal options.
A report on a city-ordered investigation also cleared Councilman Bill Scearce of wrongdoing in an FBI investigation of local gambling and recommended that Councilman Mike Woolston should divest his business interests or resign from the council.
The testimony given to the investigator indicated that Rohr made no effort to have development agreements with the Wallace Bajjali firm reviewed by outside legal counsel. Wallace Bajjali is the city’s contracted master developer.
Woolston said the investigation was poorly done and he does not intend to resign.
MoDOT: Slow Down
The Missouri Department of Transportation is reminding driver today, “If you must travel today, buckle up, slow down, leave plenty of space between you and other motorists and pay attention to mile markers and landmarks. If you do slide off the road, those references will help emergency crews reach you more quickly. But be prepared with extra blankets – you could be waiting a bit before they can get there.”