We're Still Here

Contrary to popular belief, Donna and I are still around. There have been some pressing issues this past week that have caused both of us to not be able to blog like we would want to. Summer will officially be here for me on Friday. Hopefully then life will return back to normal and this blog will be back to its normal boisterous self. Until then I will try to post once in a while.

Bottom Line Communications Must Be Bored

I call these the dog days of spring. I am busy doing things like planting flower beds rather than blogging. The Missouri blogosphere has been much quieter since the weather has faired up and the elections of November have faded away into memory (with the exception of Tony's KC, but need I say more?).

In fact, they have gotten so bored at Bottom Line Communications that they have resorted to catching spelling errors on local Kansas City news sites. Okay, so someone should have caught the misspelling of "sunny", but everyone makes a mistake. If I had a dime for every time I saw Arkansas abbreviated as AK, I would be paid by at least KSPR, KYTV, and The Weather Channel. In the rush to print things, sometimes mistakes happen. I guess they only get noticed during the dog days of spring in the blogosphere.

"Now" if you. will excuze! me, I knead two git; bak too migh: yard?work. :-)

Is The News-Leader Searching For the 25-54 Demo?

I must say that I really do like the fact that the Springfield News-Leader has become a great source for online news throughout the day. Yet, there is something about the site that has been bugging me for a while and I didn't know if I was being hypercritical. I have started a few posts about this subject before and have always stopped. Not this time though...

Why in the world does the News-Leader feature the Metro Mix information on their homepage and why in the world is it always one of the three top stories every time it appears? Am I the only one who doesn't get why this is always featured so prominently when it isn't even newsworthy?

My hunch is that the paper is trying to attract younger people to the website. While I may not be an average 25 year old, I don't think I am alone when I say I don't check the News-Leader for an update on Springfield nightlife. If the paper wants to draw that age group in there are plenty of stories out there that appeal to us.

Leave the fighting for the 25-54 demographic to the television networks... please!

Link Worth Reading

This link is a fascinating read by the Joplin Globe. Please take time to check out this story.

Joplin Made Batteries Power Space Telescope

Breaking News: American Idol Runs Past Allotted Time!

I hope Larry over at Simple Thoughts of a Complex Mind has a backup plan because he is going to miss part of the end of Fringe!!!! American Idol is running over again.

Severe Weather Likely Again Wednesday

Tomorrow looks to be like another stormy day. Please be alert tomorrow afternoon and evening as the threats include large hail, damaging winds, and even some tornadoes. Please keep abreast of the very latest information from the National Weather Service and local media outlets.

Additional Tornadoes Confirmed

The National Weather Service survey teams continue to confirm tornadoes across Southern Missouri. The number now stands at thirteen. For complete tornado information, updated as the information becomes available, please check out the link below from the National Weather Service office in Springfield.

Severe Storms Slam The Ozarks

Storm Images From Monett

Just a few minutes after the threat of high winds had passed yesterday, fearless blogger Donna was out and about on the streets of Monett getting pictures of the damage. There was much more damage than this, but these are just a few of the better snapshots she took.

3 Additional Tornadoes Confirmed Across Southern Missouri

Late yesterday, the National Weather Service confirmed three more tornadoes. Two of those have had completed storm surveys. The text concerning those tornadoes are found below. The third tornado was confirmed in Republic, but I have yet to find any official storm survey details. As soon as I do, I will post it online.

            1 E FORDLAND MO WEBSTER...NWS SURVEY HAS DETERMINED AN
           EF 1 TORNADO WITH A WIDTH OF 400 YARDS AND ESTIMATED
           WIND SPEEDS OF 110 MPH OCCURRED ALONG A FOUR MILE PATH
           FROM HIGHWAY 60 ONE MILE EAST OF FORDLAND NORTHEAST TO
           DIGGINS ROAD ONE MILE NORTH OF HIGHWAY 60. A DELIVERY
           TRUCK WAS LOFTED OVER A FENCE AND BLOWN 40 FEET AND THE
           ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF THE MEMORY LANE DAIRY FARM...NUMEROUS
           TREES WERE SNAPPED AND UPROOTED ALONG THE PATH...AN
           OUTBUILDING WAS DESTROYED ON DIGGINS ROAD AND THE SIDE
           OF AN AMISH HOG BARN WAS BLOWN IN ON ZION ROAD.

          
           1 NW POMONA HOWELL...A NWS SURVEY HAS DETERMINED THAT
           AN EF 3 TORNADO WITH A WIDTH OF 400 TO 800 YARDS AND
           ESTIMATED WIND SPEEDS UP TO 165 MPH OCCURRED ALONG A 1.8
           MILE TRACK FROM ONE MILE NORTHWEST OF POMONA TO 1.7
           MILES NORTHEAST OF POMONA. DAMAGE INCLUDED A DESTOYED 39
           YEAR OLD HOME WHERE TWO PEOPLE WERE TRAPPED IN A
           BASEMENT...SEVERAL CARS BLOWN 40 TO 50 YARDS...ONE
           MOBILE HOME AND ONE TRAVEL TRAILER DESTROYED...TWO
           OUTBUILDINGS AND AN AUTO SHOP DESTROYED...TWO SCHOOL
           BUSES BLOWN OVER...TWO FLAG POLES BLOWN OVER AND
           NUMEROUS TREES UPROOTED.

Exclusive Fair Grove School Damage Pictures

A big thanks to Sandy D. who provided Show-Me Opinions with these two images of the damage of the school in Fair Grove today. Four injuries have been reported from the school, although none were life threatening. As an educator who was rushing students into the tornado shelter this morning, too, I can only imagine what it was like inside the Fair Grove school.

Storm Damage: Carthage Press Slideshow

The Carthage Press created a slide show of damage in that area and placed it on You Tube.

3 Tornadoes Confirmed

The National Weather Service has confirmed three tornado touchdowns from today so far. They are listed below:

           
          NWS SURVEY HAS DETERMINED AN EF 0 TORNADO WITH A WIDTH
          OF 100 YARDS OCCURRED BETWEEN THE INTERSECTION OF
          HIGHWAY 13 AND WW AND THE INTERSECTION OF H HIGHWAY AND
          56. THE WIND WAS ESTIMATED AT 80 MPH WITH A WIDTH OF 100
          YARDS. END POINT OF TORNADO AT 37.4333N AND 93.3240.

            A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY REVEALED THAT AN
          EF-1 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF FARM
          ROAD 115 AND WILLARD ROAD. A HOUSE SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE
          WHILE SEVERAL OUTBUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED. THE TORNDO
          LIFTED APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES SOUTH OF FANTASTIC
          CAVERNS. PATH WIDTH WAS 50 YARDS AND THE LENGTH WAS 1.1
          MILES. WIND SPEEDS ARE ESTIMATED AT 95 MPH.


          *** 1 FATAL, 1 INJ *** NWS SURVEY HAS DETERMINED AN EF
          2 TORNADO WITH A WIDTH OF 400 YARDS AND AN ESTIMATED
          WIND SPEED OF 130 MPH OCCURRED ALONG A 4 MILE
          INTERMITTENT PATH. 3 FRAME HOUSES WERE DESTROYED AND
          NUMEROUS OUTBUILDINGS. TORNADO END POINT OF 37.51586N
          AND 93.04681W.

It is unfortunate that we have to report about this fatality. We will be updating the blog on this part of the story as we get more details and more storm surveys are completed across Southern Missouri.

Severe Weather Likely Today

The National Weather Service says that severe weather is likely across Southern and Central Missouri today, primarily this morning. Main threats look to be:

* Destructive straight line winds, possibly as high as 80 mph

* Large hail, possibly to golfball size

* Flash flooding

* Isolated tornadoes

Neighbors to our west across Southeast Kansas and Northeast Oklahoma are under a PDS Severe Thunderstorm Watch. A PDS is different from a regular watch in that it means conditions are favorable for a Particularly Dangerous Situation, such as a wide swath of damaging winds.

Be abreast of the situation this morning and take appropriate precautions as needed!

The New KOLR 10 News: Really?

I gave it a week. I spent some time watching KOLR 10's newscasts regularly again last week after the euphoric build up to "the new KOLR 10." Wow, am I sorely disappointed! Technically there is nothing stylistically wrong with the new set. I do like the new logo. Yet, to say it is "the new KOLR 10" means absolutely nothing.

I don't have access to the ratings so anything I say here is purely based on my perception (hence the blog title, Show-Me Opinions). KY3 is the obvious market leader. They have been for years. They also have the most resources at their disposal and seem to cover the most news. When KSPR revamped and became "the new KSPR", it really was new. First, it was almost a completely new team. Secondly, the newscast times were somewhat different. Thirdly, they really played up their weather accessibility (first chat, blog, etc). Finally, KSPR found a niche with talkback segments and a little more bantering/discussion format with the main anchors. KSPR's move was risky... but it worked. They have gained quite a few viewers and seem to be accomplishing a lot.

KOLR needs to find their place and style if they want to lose that stagnant quality that seems to be in the air every time I watch. It's not because they don't have talented people. I think Joy, David, Dan, Ted, and the rest of the crew are very talented. Yet, there is a spark missing that makes everything click. You can build the most amazing set ever but it won't mask the basic fundamental news product. KOLR needs to do some market research, find out what the people want, and take a few risks. Otherwise they may find themselves an afterthought in the Springfield market.

Rainy Saturday Links Worth Reading

Developers Create A Swine Flu App For iPhone

MU Quarterback Dalton Suspended After Arrest

Chuck E. Cheese Stands Accused