Breaking News: St. Louis Cardinals trade two starters for Boston's John Lackey The St. Louis Cardinals made a move Thursday it hopes leads them back to the postseason. The Redbirds Thursday traded former Springfield Cardinals and starters Joe Kelly and Allen Craig for Boston Red Sox pitcher John Lackey.  The Red Sox starting pitcher was considered one of the top trade deadline players on the move.  He is 11-7 with a 3.60 ERA for the struggling Red Sox in ...

Newly built bridge opens over North Fork River A new bridge over the North Fork River in northern Arkansas is open. The Baxter Bulletin reports that after about 18 months of construction, crews opened a new bridge this week in Baxter County. The bridge crosses the North Fork River into Norfork. Norfork Mayor Jim Reeves says he wasn't aware of the bridge's opening until his grandson called him about it. He says construction crews simply ...

Nixa schools adopt tougher absentee policy Nixa’s Attendance Protocol for kindergarten through 12th grade has been updated to reflect the tougher MSIP 5 attendance standards reducing the number of days to 8 from 10 per semester that is considered “excessive”. Parents will receive written notification when  a student reaches 5 and 8 absences in a semester.  The 8 absence letter will also request a meeting with the parents/student and school administration ...

Spotty showers continue Thursday For places south and east of I-44, including Springfield, pop-up showers will continue for the rest of the day. Places north of I-44 will be a bit warmer and have more sunshine. ...

Springfield man sentenced for scheme to sell thousands of countefeit DVDs Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Springfield, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for a scheme to sell thousands of counterfeit DVDs over the Internet. Matthew Cerullo, 42, of Springfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, to one year and one month in federal prison without parole. The court ...

Greenleaf co-owner headed to federal prison A man from Nixa will go to prison for four years for pleading guilty to federal fraud charges. Eric Gagnepain, 41, will serve the time without parole. Gargnepain was the co-owner of Greenleaf Companies, and admitted to aiding and abetting a bank fraud conspiracy that was part of a multi-million-dollar mortgage investment scheme. Gagnepain pleaded guilty in January. Gagnepain co-owned and operated Greenleaf Companies and all ...

Dionne Warwick knows her way to San Jose
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — In 1968, Dionne Warwick had never been to San Jose and didn't think much of the song.

NY judge: US warrant can reach email in Ireland
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. law enforcement can force Microsoft Corp. to turn over emails it stores in Ireland, a judge ruled Thursday in a case that technology companies have rallied around as they pursue billions of dollars in data storage business abroad.

NY Fed: Puerto Rico should seek economic reforms
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — New York's Federal Reserve Bank warned on Thursday that Puerto Rico needs to improve its financial health soon or face what it called a "painful adjustment."

Study traces dinosaur evolution into early birds
WASHINGTON (AP) — Scientists have mapped how a group of fearsome, massive dinosaurs evolved and shrank to the likes of robins and hummingbirds.

French forces arrest Mali jihadist ex-leader
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Authorities in northern Mali say a former jihadist leader in the town of Gao has been arrested by French military forces.