Stores prepare for back to school sales tax holiday Back to school shoppers will save a little more when they stock up on supplies this weekend. A sales tax holiday goes into effect on Friday in Missouri and on Saturday in Arkansas. Both events last through Sunday night. Over the weekend, the states will not charge state sales taxes on certain items to help families get ready for schools. In both states you can save ...

Celebrating Brown v. Board of Education Cheryl and Linda Brown are here to remind us about our history.  They spoke at Central High School as part of the Springfield-Greene County Library's "Changing America" exhibit and series. "Every time we speak, the message is really to talk about how far the country has come," said Cheryl Brown-Henderson. The Brown family lived in Springfield when Cheryl and Linda were growing up.  Linda even graduated from ...

Silver Dollar City attraction will close on Sunday; big announcement coming soon If you've ever been to Silver Dollar City, chances are you've experienced the adventures of the family favorite attraction, Geyser Gulch. This weekend will be your last chance to visit the iconic area of the park before it closes in advance of a big announcement. SDC announced last week that it will shut down "the gulch" on Sunday, August 3, to make room for something 'bigger ...

Voters will decide on "veterans' lottery ticket" next week Missouri voters will decide on Aug. 5 whether to amend the Missouri constitution and change the state's lottery laws.  Amendment 8 would create a new lottery game, with its revenue funding veterans projects and services across the state. Revenue from the Missouri Lottery goes solely to education, but Amendment 8 would change the Missouri constitution to allow some revenue to fund veterans' services. Supporters of the amendment ...

Contact KY3: Avoid college freshmen financial failures The first year of college is typically the most expensive. A lot of students live in the dorms, they eat out and it's their first experience with a credit card. Experts say the financial decisions students make, will likely impact them for years to come. Keely Higgins is moving to the dorms. She has no college savings, but did her debt homework. "I'm going to have roughly $7,000 ...

Water quality map can help you decide where to swim Summertime and lots of people immerse themselves in the Ozarks lakes or streams.  But, how clean and safe is the water for swimming or boating?    Ozarks Water Watch has released it's Status of the Watershed 2014 report, and you can check it out with an interactive map here.  The green dots are the best water quality, yellow is not quite as clean, and red means ...

Taiwan gas pipeline blasts kill 25, injure 267
KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Heavy machinery pulled vehicles from huge trenches gouged by explosions along an underground pipeline in Taiwan's second-largest city that killed at least 25 people and injured 267.

Israeli soldier 'feared' captured in Gaza
JEURSALEM (AP) — The Israeli army says one of its soldiers is "feared" captured by Gaza militants, hours after a Hamas-Israel cease-fire in the coastal strip unraveled.

Israeli military says Gaza ceasefire is over
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Israeli military said on Friday that a Gaza ceasefire that went into effect earlier on Friday is now over and military operations were in progress on the ground. Asked during a media conference call if the ceasefire was over, Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Lerner, a military spokesman, said: "Yes. We are continuing our activities on the ground." His comments followed reports that 40 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli shelling and Israel had accused Gaza militants of violating the U.S.- and U.N.-brokered truce by firing rockets and mortars. (Editing by Giles Elgood)

Uganda court invalidates anti-gay law
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — A Ugandan court on Friday invalidated an anti-gay bill signed into law earlier this year, saying it was illegally passed and is therefore unconstitutional.

AP PHOTOS: City streets destroyed in Taiwan blasts
City streets destroyed, transformed into trenches strewn with dirt, ripped pieces of pipe and jagged blocks of concrete. Broken fire trucks turned upside down, twisted soot-covered cars and motorcycles, ripped advertising signs.