Springfield City Council passes moratorium on more sex offender group homes Springfield will take a closer look at whether group homes for multiple convicted sex offenders are legal in the city. Council members on Monday night voted to implement a moratorium on group homes -- specifically those housing sexual offenders -- from being built or opened in Springfield.   For the next 180 days, the city will not process applications for group homes that house sex offenders. The move ...

Head outdoors and enjoy the warmth Spring warmth lasts through Tuesday but then the bottom falls out. Get the latest forecast by clicking on the icon. ...

A Heart for Haiti: Springfield group assists orphanage "Her mom died during the earthquake of starvation yeah, and her dad just couldn't take care of her anymore, so her dad just left her and covered her up and someone was walking by and heard her crying," said Kim O'Dwyer of Mission of Grace Orphanage. The desperation one must feel to give up their own child.  No less a parent than any of us, but ...

Rebuilding since Joplin tornado tops $1 billion It's been almost three years since a deadly tornado tore through the streets of Joplin. Since then many areas have rebuilt bigger and better; but these improvements didn't come cheap. "We hit about one billion dollars worth of rebuild that's been going on in the community so we're kind of proud of that," said Sam Anselm, Interim City Manager for the City of Joplin. A large amount ...

UPDATE: Person of interest arrested in Monday bomb scare in south Springfield UPDATE: Police arrested one person in a Monday bomb scare on the city's south side. Occupants of a home in the 4400 block of South Reed called the Springfield Fire Department's bomb squad after finding the suspicious device Monday afternoon.  The bomb squad removed the device, then detonated it in a nearby field. Monday night police arrested a person of interest in the case.  No charges have ...

Missouri House panel weighs marijuana legalization Most Missouri adults would be able to buy and use recreational marijuana under a bill being considered by a state House panel. The measure would let people older than 21 produce, sell, distribute and use pot. The legislation would allow the state to adopt regulations on marijuana distribution and to levy an excise tax up to 25 percent of the drug's cost.  It is sponsored by Democratic ...

Ukraine seeks national guard, call-up of reserves
KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's acting president on Tuesday called for the formation of a national guard and for the mobilization of reserves and volunteers into the country's armed forces to counter Russian military moves.

BoE's Carney says worried UK mortgage underwriting standards could deteriorate
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said on Tuesday he was concerned that an improvement in the housing market could lead to a worsening of mortgage underwriting standards. "Underwriting standards at present of mortgage providers are quite high...," said Carney in remarks to a committee of lawmakers. "Our concern is that those underwriting standards will deteriorate and that that deterioration itself would be fed by general improvement in the housing market." Britain's recovery to date has been driven by household spending and a revival in the property market.

World stock markets steady after sell-off
BANGKOK (AP) — World stock markets steadied Tuesday after a sell-off the day before.

Iditarod becomes mad dash for Nome
NOME, Alaska (AP) — It's become a dog race after a strange overnight of events on the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska.

Seeking wider influence, Tea Party group goes professional
By Nick Carey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In early 2009, amateur conservative Tea Party activists took to the streets to protest newly-elected U.S. President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package and health reform, a ragtag army that helped win the U.S. House for Republicans in 2010, then waged internecine war with the party establishment. There was nothing ragtag at a Feb 27 five-year celebration at the Hyatt Capitol Hill organized by Tea Party Patriots, a national umbrella group affiliated with many others in the amorphous, politically conservative movement. Instead of huddling in the cold outside at a rally, movement heroes including U.S. Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul from Kentucky showed up at the Hyatt in downtown Washington, the Capitol Building visible up the street. Cruz told cheering fans the Tea Party was "the best thing to happen for decades." Five years in, the Tea Party movement is at a crossroads.