BREAK IN JACKIE JOHNS SLAYING

A news conference is planned for 6 p.m. Thursday in Ozark to announce the news.

Jackie Johns lived in Nixa and was a former beauty queen for her city's Sucker Days festival. She vanished after leaving work at a livestock auction barn cafe. Her car was found south of Springfield on U.S. 160.

Her body was found five days later in Lake Springfield. She had been beaten to death.

No one was ever charged in her slaying, though one suspect was dogged by police for years. That man, Gerald Carnahan, was later convicted of attempted kidnapping in an unrelated case.

Christian and Greene County cops are holding the news conference. More news in this space, and across the media spectrum, when it happens.

Edited @ 8 p.m. Carnahan is charged with first-degree murder and rape. The probable cause statement is damning; it says Carnahan's DNA was taken on August 8, and it's a match to evidence saved from Johns' death.

Before this is all over, Gerry Carnahan will have much to say.

BODY FOUND IN OAK PARK MALL DISAPPEARANCE

Police near Overland Park, Kan., have found a body while searching for Kelsey Smith, the 18-year-old who vanished from Oak Park Mall over the weekend.

KSHB reports that the body was discovered Wednesday afternoon near Highgrove and Raytown Roads.

BABY DIES IN SITTER'S CARE

A four-month-old baby is dead, but Springfield police say they do not suspect foul play.

Cops say the baby girl was found unresponsive Wednesday at 2243 S. Mayfair Ave., the home of the infant's sitter. The child was taken to St. John's, where she was pronounced dead.

Police spokesman Grant Story says "no initial signs of foul play were observed."

JERRY FALWELL, 73

Updated 12:35 p.m. Falwell is dead, according to CNN.

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The Rev. Jerry Falwell was found unconscious in his office at Liberty University around noon Tuesday.

The News & Advance in Lynchburg, Va., reports that Falwell has been taken to Lynchburg General Hospital.

Falwell, 73, is "gravely ill," according to CNN.

Falwell graduated from Baptist Bible College in Springfield in 1956.

GREENSBURG SURVIVOR FOUND

The Associated Press reports the survivor of the Kansas tornado was found late Sunday; the news was confirmed Monday.

Kansas Highway Patrol spokesman Ron Knoefel gave no other details.

GOP'S MONICA CALLS IT QUITS

Monica Goodling, the U.S. Department of Justice official who recently said she'd take the Fifth Amendment rather than testify under oath to Congress, handed in her resignation on Friday.

CNN reports that Goodling resigned as counselor to Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez.

In her goodbye letter, Goodling wrote:

"I am hereby submit my resignation to the Office of the Attorney General, effective April 7, 2007. It has been an honor to have served at the Department of Justice for the past five years. May God bless you richly as you continue your service to America."

The Friday news dump -- a time-honored tradition of releasing bad news just as the weekend starts and people stop paying attention.

ICE STORM 2007

Promising to be bigger, better, badder than the Christmas 1987 storm. A quick note while there's still time. This from Greene County:

In response to widespread power outages in Springfield, the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the American Red Cross is opening a winter storm shelter at 12 a.m. at Schweitzer United Methodist Church, 2747 E. Sunshine St.

The Red Cross will provide cots and food at the Schweitzer shelter. Persons traveling to the shelter are advised to bring bedding, personal hygieneitems and necessary medical supplies, like perscription medications. Pets are not allowed in the shelter.

The Scheitzer shelter will remain open as long as needed during the winter storm. Transportation to the shelter will be available through the Springfield City Utilities bus transit during regular bus service hours of 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The previously announced shelter at the Salvation Army has been unable to open due to lack of power at that location.

Good luck, locals.

U.S. SUB, JAPANESE TANKER COLLIDE

Not many details at this hour. The collision occurred in the Arabian Sea, according to a Japanese defense ministry official. Reuters has the skinny:

The spokesman said the ministry was investigating the incident but no other details were immediately available.

No immediate report of injuries, but CNN says there is damage.

NORTH KOREA CONDUCTS NUKE TEST

Breaking Sunday night. South Korean leaders say via the Yonhap news agency that the test is reality; North Korea has just confirmed. Big news.

Updated 1:46 a.m. Monday: The USGS earthquake center reports a 4.2 magnitude earthquake, located:

70 km (45 miles) N of Kimchaek, North Korea
90 km (55 miles) SW of Chongjin, North Korea
180 km (110 miles) S of Yanji, Jilin, China
385 km (240 miles) NE of PYONGYANG, North Korea

Preliminary reports say the blast was equivalent to 550 tons of TNT -- not a big nuke bang, but that's a relative term.