Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado - The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is ready to track Santa for the 61st year beginning on Christmas Eve.

The NORAD Tracks Santa program began in 1955 after a phone call was made to the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The call was from a local youngster who dialed a misprinted telephone number in a local newspaper advertisement. The commander on duty who answered the phone that night gave the child the information requested - the whereabouts of Santa.

This began the tradition of tracking Santa, a tradition that was carried on by NORAD when it was formed in 1958.

The NORAD Tracks Santa program has grown immensely since first presented on the Internet in 1997. The website, www.noradsanta.org receives millions of unique visitors from hundreds of countries and territories around the world. In addition, a live Operations Center is occupied for 23 hours with more than 1,200 volunteers each year who receive hundreds of thousands of phone calls and emails from families around the world.

Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukah all fall within three days of each other this year. As friends and families gather together this season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service has four food safety tips to ensure a healthy and safe holiday.

Even on Holidays, Always Follow the Four Steps to Food Safety

Clean hands before food preparation by following these simple steps: wet hands, lather with soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds, rinse with clean warm water and dry hands with a clean towel. Always serve food on clean plates and avoid reusing plates that previously held raw meat and poultry.

Separate raw and cooked foods to avoid cross contamination, which is transferring bacteria from raw food onto ready-to-eat food. For example, when preparing a roast and raw veggies for a dip platter, keep the raw meat from coming into contact with the vegetables, or food that does not require further cooking such as sliced, cooked meat and cheese.

Cook using a food thermometer to make sure food reaches a safe minimum internal temperature. Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality reasons, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming.

Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of 160 °F as measured with a food thermometer. Cook all poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. When transporting hot, cooked food from one location to another, keep it hot by carrying it in an insulated container. For more information about food thermometers, visit FoodSafety.gov

Chill leftovers within two hours of cooking. Keep track of how long items have been sitting on the buffet table and discard anything out longer than two hours. Never leave perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, eggs and casseroles in the “Danger Zone” over two hours. The danger zone is between 40 and 140 °F where bacteria multiply rapidly. After two hours, enough bacteria may have grown to make partygoers sick. Exceptions to the danger zone include ready-to-eat items like cookies, crackers, bread and whole fruit.

An Amber Alert has been issued for a missing baby last seen in the parking lot of a Church's Chicken restaurant Monday night.

Eden Hawthorne was last seen at the restaurant on the 7200 block of Natural Bridge Road at around 8 p.m. Monday.

According to a missing person report from Normandy police, the mother and daughter were riding in the mother's van with three men and a female driver to the restaurant on the 7200 block of Natural Bridge Road in Normandy.

When they arrived, the mother and one of the men got out of the car and went into the restaurant. The other three left the scene with the child in the car.

Police said they may be traveling in the mother's van, a dark-grey 2006 Chrysler Town and Country with Missouri pates PN4R7B.

Anyone with information is asked to call the 911 or the Normandy Police Department at (314) 385-3300.

Chillicothe, Missouri - An Endangered Person Advisory has bee issued for a missing 7-year-old from Chillicothie MO. Seth Davis was last seen during a custody exchange at a Wal-Mart at 6pm on December 2, 2016.

Police say that his father, Anthony Davis, 32, was supposed to return the child on December 4th and never showed up. His cell phone was pinged in the Washington Missouri area on December 6th and 7th. Anthony suffers from a mental health issue and is believed to be off of his medications.

Seth Davis, is described as a white, male, age 7, height 4′, 50 lbs, brown hair, blue eyes, wearing unknown clothing. Anthony D. Davis, is described as a white, male, age 32, height 5’11”, 130 lbs, brown hair, hazel eyes, wearing unknown clothing.

The father and son may be traveling in a dark red 1998 Dodge Durango bearing Missouri plates, SM4G3N.

Anyone seeing the missing person should call the Gallatin Police Department at 660-663-9512.

Missouri’s weather forecast changes regularly, especially when winter is approaching. Depending on where you live in Missouri, the weather may be sunny, foggy, or include rain, hail, sleet, ice, or snow! The Missouri State Highway Patrol encourages motorists to plan ahead and drive safely or not at all during inclement weather. Winter weather will affect driving conditions and traffic patterns. Please remember to buckle up, stay alert, be courteous, and obey all traffic laws.

Section 304.012 RSMo. directs motorists to exercise the highest degree of care while driving on Missouri's roadways. When inclement weather hits, please adjust how you drive, so that you continue to "exercise the highest degree of care." For instance: Stopping quickly in the winter on snow-covered or icy roads is next to impossible. Use care by increasing your following distance as you drive. Ask yourself if the speed you're traveling is safe for the weather conditions. Slow down when driving in snow or on ice. Driving the speed limit may not be "exercising the highest degree of care" during inclement weather; driving over the speed limit never is.

Take time to make sure your vehicle is in good working condition before winter arrives and before you travel. The Missouri State Highway Patrol suggests keeping your fuel tank at least half full. Place an ice scraper, tire chains, battery booster cables, blankets, extra coats, gloves, water, non-perishable food, flashlight, and a bag of sand or cat litter in your trunk. Emergencies cannot be predicted, but planning ahead can help you if one should arise. Missouri’s Road Condition Report (1-888-275-6636) can help you plan your route--before you leave. You may also view MoDOT’s Road Condition Map by going to the Patrol’s website www.mshp.dps.mo.gov and clicking on the Road Condition icon. When road conditions become slick from ice and snow the Patrol encourages motorists to refrain from driving unless absolutely necessary.

Take the time to make sure the windows are completely cleared to ensure visibility. Clear your driveway so that your vehicle enters the roadway safely. Allow extra driving time for you to reach your destination at a slow, safe speed. Remember: Missouri law states if you’re using your windshield wipers, your headlights must be turned on. It takes only a second to turn on your vehicle’s headlights. That second could make you more visible to other drivers and prevent a traffic crash.

If you have a cell phone, make sure it’s fully charged and with you when you travel. Please do not use your cell phone when you are driving; park your vehicle well off the roadway or in a parking lot before placing a call. The Missouri State Highway Patrol emergency number is 1-800-525-5555 (or *55 on a cellular phone). These numbers ring at the nearest troop headquarters.

The only 100 percent survivable traffic crash is the one that never happens. Make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint. Every day as we travel on Missouri’s roadways, we trust that every driver on the road is going to obey the speed limit, pay attention, and drive sober. “Don’t Violate The Trust.”

Press Release from Missouri Highway Patrol