Weather-related cancellations and postponements If your organization has an event that is postponed or cancelled because of the weather, please post it in the comments section below. ---- Here are some postponements and cancellations that we received by email, but we can't guarantee that we'll be able to post each event that is sent to us, so please post them yourself.   Also, the Ozarks Sports Zone has a list of sports ...

Near record cold tonight Temperatures may drop below zero in areas which saw heavy snow last night and today. Find out if any record lows are in jeopardy and when it will warm up by watching the forecast. ...

Bitter cold air creates dangerous situation Now that the ice and snow have stopped falling, the next concern is the bitter cold. The low temperature could possibly set a record for this date in Springfield this weekend. That creates a dangerous situation.  Hypothermia and frostbite are real concerns. Health experts say this is something you should take seriously. Even if you love this winter wonderland, you need to take precautions. Health experts say ...

Tow trucks struggle to keep up with slide-offs A lot of snow is on the ground around the Ozarks, making travel tough.    Much of the day Friday, the snow was coming down steadily, making it hard for street crews and tow companies to keep up. The steadily falling flakes kept streets snow-packed and traffic a little lighter.   "If you don't have to get out, don't get out," says Matt Henry, general manager of Henry's Towing. For ...

Consumer Reports likes prepaid cell phone service for saving money A cellular telephone bill is an expense that nearly everyone has.  Consumer Reports says there are several ways to save. "The traditional two-year contract may not be the best choice for value.  Initially you get a big discount on the phone you pick but moderate users may be paying a lot more for service compared to a prepaid plan," said Rosalind Tordesillas of Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports' staffer ...

NTSB: Pilot likely was disoriented before plane crash that killed 5 near Willard Federal investigators concluded a plane crash near Willard, Mo., that killed five people last year was the result of the pilot becoming disoriented as he tried to use his instruments to find the Springfield-Branson National Airport.  The National Transportation Safety Board’s probable cause report was approved on Thursday. The small plane was returning from the Kansas City area, where the group had attended a Kansas City ...

Hagel says U.S. commitment to Middle East security endures
By David Alexander MANAMA (Reuters) - Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel told Gulf Arab leaders on Saturday that the United States has a proven and enduring commitment to Middle East security, backed by diplomatic engagement as well as warplanes, ships, tanks, artillery and 35,000 troops. The U.S. defense secretary, speaking at a regional security forum, acknowledged Gulf leaders' concerns about the direction of U.S. policy in the Middle East, especially negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. But he said the U.S. emphasis on diplomacy should not be misinterpreted. Leaders in the region fear that the United States will lose focus on the Middle East as it strategically rebalances to Asia.

Cops: NH teen missing 2 months wrote letter to mom
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A teenager who disappeared nearly two months ago mailed her mother a letter several weeks after she was last seen, law enforcement officials said Friday.

Air traffic glitch sparks big flight delays in UK
LONDON (AP) — Hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled at Britain's busiest airports Saturday after a technical glitch left the main air traffic control center unable to operate at full capacity.

Putin spokesman: customs union not discussed
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — The presidents of Russia and Ukraine didn't discuss Ukraine joining a Russian-led customs union, one of the issues driving large protests now in their third week in Kiev, at a meeting this week, their representatives said Saturday.

Sports-mad South Africa salutes Mandela "The Captain"
By Ed Stoddard and Ed Cropley JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Sports-mad South Africa saluted Nelson Mandela on Saturday with smiles and moments of silence in honor of the late anti-apartheid leader, who inspired people to pursue the impossible from politics to the playing field. The tributes stretched across the sporting spectrum, from club cricket and fun runs to top fixtures such as a League Cup final between Platinum Stars and Orlando Pirates, the Soweto giants believed to have been Mandela's favorite soccer side. Saturday's Cup final will be preceded by a ceremony in honor of South Africa's first black president, whose early sporting prowess, particularly boxing and soccer, was cut short when he was jailed for 27 years by the apartheid government. On Saturday, many recalled Mandela's central role in arguably South Africa's greatest sporting triumph - winning the 1995 rugby World Cup just one year after the multi-racial elections that ended decades of white-minority rule.