Small town losing its only hospital, creating concern for residents There’s not a whole lot to this quaint lakeside town in St. Clair County.  But, the 900-some souls living here are proud of what they do have. “I like it very much because it is a very rural community…people here are just really good genuine solid people,” stated Dr. Wayne Morton, a local physician. One of the biggest points of pride for this community is its hospital.  ...

Harmonicas for your health; a different kind of breathing therapy It's a new type of therapy that will get your toes tapping. Harmonica Therapy is now offered at the Wheeler Heart and Vascular Center to anyone with C-O-P-D, chronic lung conditions or patients with heart problems. Experts say playing the harmonica helps break up phlegm in the lungs, and strengthen the breathing routine. More than 20 people participated in the first class. Archie Jones, who has ...

Ribbon cutting for new affordable housing Linda Bratcher and her dog Cinder couldn't be more grateful. Linda was once homeless. She lived at the Missouri Hotel for 2 years, until last week, when she finally got her own apartment again. Linda's apartment and other homes at Beacon Village are the result of a collaborative project between government, charities, and private businesses all working together to help the poor and homeless in Springfield. The new ...

Return of the dinosaur. Stolen statue returned to mini golf course Dino the dinosaur is once again guarding hole six at Fun Acre mini golf. The iconic dinosaur was stolen in the middle of the night.  The owner noticed it missing this morning, along with a giant hole cut in the fence. But a break as big as the dinosaur came Wednesday evening when a man in a pickup pulling a trailer carrying Dino was pulled over by ...

Arkansas continues defending 12-week abortion ban Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel is continuing to defend the state's 12-week abortion ban to a federal appeals court, arguing the state has a legitimate interest in barring the procedure at that point in a woman's pregnancy.   McDaniel on Wednesday filed a reply brief with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is weighing whether to uphold a federal judge's decision that the 12-week ban ...

Arkansas granted $1 million for winter cleanup The U.S. Department of Labor is giving Arkansas $1 million to help continue cleanup operations following a December winter storm.   Federal officials declared 14 counties eligible for a public assistance program after the Dec. 5-6 storm. The National Emergency Grant announced Wednesday will go to the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services and will let the state agency keep on temporary workers who are helping the area ...

Man United crush LA Galaxy 7-0 in van Gaal debut
Louis van Gaal's reign as manager of Manchester United got off to a rousing start on Wednesday with a 7-0 friendly victory over Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy. In the first match of van Gaal's tenure, Wayne Rooney scored twice in the first half, converting a penalty in the 42nd minute after Galaxy midfielder A.J. Delagarza handled a cross from Antonio Valencia. Three minutes later, Los Angeles defender Tommy Meyer failed to intercept Danny Welbeck's cross, giving Rooney another chance to beat Jaime Penedo.

Air Algerie plane disappears from radar
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — The official Algerian news agency says an Air Algerie flight from Burkina Faso to Algiers has disappeared from the radar.

Jihadis attack besieged Syrian army base
BEIRUT (AP) — Activists say fighters from the extremist Islamic State group stormed parts of a besieged army base in northern Syria, setting off clashes that left dozens killed or wounded on both sides.

Long odds for justice in Malaysia jet disaster
GENEVA (AP) — Anyone hoping to bring to justice whoever downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 must face sobering facts.

South Africa's Ramaphosa hints at labour reforms in wake of strikes
By Wendell Roelf CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa should adjust labour laws so union members have to vote before striking, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday, suggesting the government may push ahead with reforms to curb damaging industrial action. The longest and costliest strike in South Africa's history in the platinum sector earlier this year dragged the continent's most advanced economy into contraction and prompted Standard & Poor's to downgrade its sovereign credit rating. The country's biggest union, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), stopped work on July 2 demanding higher wages, halting output at several car factories. "I would take a strike ballot as a normal type of process in the governance of strikes ... I am hugely in support of that," said Ramaphosa, a trade unionist-turned-billionaire seen as the most likely successor to President Jacob Zuma.