The Missouri House of Representatives is considering several bills to restrict the use of cell phones in schools.
The bills would prohibit students from using their phones during instructional time, but would also give school districts some freedom to make their own cell phone policies.
A vote on the legislation could come as early as next week.
Accumulating wintry weather is looking increasingly likely next week. The National Weather Service says a series of storm systems, combined with cold temps, will push wintry precipitation into the area on Monday into the middle of the week.
The greatest chances for winter weather impacts will be north of Springfield, but a lot of uncertainties remain, including the exact track of the system and precipitation types and amounts.
Flu cases in Greene County have nearly doubled over the last three weeks, according to the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, bringing the highest rate of cases since 2003.
Cases of pertussis (whooping cough) is also increasing drastically, with 21 cases in the first 36 days of the year. On average, the county sees a total of 12 cases per year.
In order to keep yourself, and those around you healthy, the CDC and the Springfield-Greene County Health Department suggest staying home when sick, washing hands frequently with soap and water, disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, and coughing and sneezing into your elbow to prevent contamination of your hands.
The Laclede County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help to find a man wanted on three warrants.
In a post on Facebook, Sheriff Matt Frederick says they want to find and arrest Christopher Doukas.
The post says Doukas is wanted on felony warrants for possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The post says Doukas has been in the Laclede County jail 11 times in the past five years.
Sheriff Frederick says if you know his whereabouts to contact the Laclede County Sheriff’s Office.
He adds that anyone harboring Doukas could be arrested too.
(Photo courtesy of the Laclede County Sheriff’s Office)
Members of I-B-E-W Local 453 union were walking the picket line outside the gates at Ft. Leonard Wood Wednesday.
Union spokesman Kevin McGill said the workers are seeking pay increases to keep up with inflation.
The workers work for a New Mexico-based company T-S-A-Y Professional Services which contracts with the Army for maintenance work at the base.
McGill says T-S-A-Y has refused to negotiate with workers any further after they reject an offer in January.
(Photo courtesy of KOLR/Nexstar)
Police in Ozark say they busted nearly two dozen drivers speeding through work zones on Highway 65 on Tuesday.
Authorities stopped 23 drivers in just two and a half hours. Speeding through a work zone can cost you 300 dollars if workers are on the highway. Hitting a worker is a one-thousand-dollar fine.
Mercy is offering a new cancer screening that can detect hard-to-find cancers earlier.
Multi-cancer early detection screening is a blood test that detects nearly 50 types of cancer earlier. Dr. Nathan Tonlaar says cancer cells share DNA in the bloodstream, and the new test can detect it.
Tonlaar says the test costs about 950 dollars and is not currently covered by insurance.
A bicyclist has life-threatening injuries after a crash on Campbell Avenue in Springfield Monday night.
Police say the cyclist was northbound on Campbell near Normal Street when a van hit the cyclist. Police don’t know if the cyclist was riding or pushing the bicycle.
Officers say there is no evidence the driver of the van was impaired or speeding.
A former teacher in the Carl Junction district has been charged with Possessing Child Pornography and Stalking.
Investigators say they found numerous images of Child Pornography on Craig Smith’s devices, including a school-issued device. Smith is also accused of stalking a student for several years.
The district placed Smith on administrative leave when the investigation began last year and later fired him.