Today: Updates, Lezak on Weather, Star Budget Cuts & Fiat of Olathe

Seems like only yesterday KSHB weather wonk Gary Lezak issued his winter storm warning...

"It will be mostly dry through this winter but we’ll have a few storm systems," Lezak said here December 2nd. "Last year we had 12 winter storms and 44 inches of snow. This year I’m only seeing four to six chances of winter storms."

In place of the 44 inches of white stuff KC got last winter, "I’m forecasting 13 inches of snow," Lezak said then. "And even though it’s 30 inches less than last year, that still leaves room for a 5-incher, a 3-icher, a couple 2-inchers and a 1-incher maybe. And that still leaves room for an ice storm."

So he told you so, right – the latest?

"Up until yesterday we’d only had 2.9 inches, so we needed this snow if I’m going to get even close to my forecast. I thought we would get one or two storms like this and last year we had 12 of ’em."

Anything more on the immediate horizon?

"Nothing," Lezak says. "There’s going to be a chance of snow at the end of the month and maybe one or two more chances between now and the end of the winter. And that’s it."

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KC Star Layoffs Update

One newspaper higher up lamented that part of the reason for the Star‘s upcoming cuts and/or layoffs is flagging circulation. That’s not hard to see.

In the short run, it’s kind of a two-edged sword. One of the paper’s consistantly largest sections are the Obituaries. Since they’re mostly paid ads, with an older readership it helps keep the wolf away from the door. The flip side of that benefit : You can almost see the Star subscribers dropping like flies.

One bit of good news re the upcoming cuts:

A Star source says there won’t be any paycheckless furlough vacations this time out. We’ll see.

Oh and one more thing; "I don’t understand why some people are still getting bonuses with all these cuts," puzzels one Star staffer.

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Fiat of Olathe Update

Chrysler’s plan to begin selling Fiat cars in the US is poised to hit Greater Kansas City – starting next month!

That after like a 27 year absence of the Italian carmaker from the US. And while little has been reported here, I dropped by Olathe Dodge Chysler Jeep this afternoon to see how things were progressing.  After all, the new Fiat 500 cars are supposed to hit town starting sometime next month.

While I was expecting a nearly completed Fiat of Olathe studio, I was surprised to see the construction had yet to begin.

Not to worry, the used car facility converstion is a two week program that will begin in two weeks, Fiat of Olathe says. As for Fiat of Olathe being the only area Fiat dealer, tentative plans call for a Lee’s Summit dealership in a year or so and additional local dealerships as demand for the award-winning 500 picks up

Which could be pretty fast if the economy picks up and we see $3.50 or $4 gas this summer.