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Holiday lights displays illuminate nightly across Columbia and mid-Missouri

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Holiday lights displays illuminate nightly across Columbia and mid-Missouri


Holiday lights have begun illuminating the nights in Columbia with displays all through the city.

Whether you’re looking for a walk-through experience, want to celebrate the season under a magic tree, or just planning a scenic drive, KOMU 8 has you covered with a list of holiday and Christmas lights near you.

Tap or click each location on the map for its address, and keep scrolling for more details on each location.

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Walk- or drive-through lights displays

Veterans United

The mile-long holiday lights display returned Tuesday at Veterans United. The Bright Lights/Holiday Nights drive-through display runs through Dec. 22.

The tour is located at 550 Veterans United Drive and is open from 7-10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 6-10:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Vehicles can enter the display from the eastern-most Veterans United Drive campus entrance and continue through the display until the western-most Veterans United Drive exit. During event hours, the only way to access Veterans United Drive will be from State Farm Parkway, as traffic from South Providence Road will be restricted from turning east onto Veterans United Drive.

A map is available on the event’s Facebook page.

The event accommodates about 1,000 vehicles each night, and Veterans United recommends visiting later in the evening, as traffic flow was heaviest early in the evening last year.

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Shelter Gardens

The Winter Wonderland Garden of Lights is located at 1820 W Ash St. The display is open every evening from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. until Dec. 14.

The display features thousands of lights shining on several different holiday scenes.

Visitors are able to walk through the light displays for free.

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The Gingerbread House

Located at 5403 Dalcross Drive, Columbia, The Gingerbread House will be open from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. every night until Jan. 5.

The display covers the front and backyard and includes interactive elements.

Vehicles can drive by the house to view the lights as well as walking through the display.

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Fulton Festival of Lights

Fulton Parks and Recreation lit the Festival of Lights on Dec. 5 and will remain lit until early January.

The festival is located at 808 State St. The display is free for the public and vehicles can drive through the light show.

Magic trees

The Crossing’s Magic Tree

More than eight miles of LED lights were lit on the 85-foot Sycamore tree at The Crossing on Nov. 29.

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Located at 3615 Southland Drive, viewers can enjoy the sights and sounds of the magic tree from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. every night.

Live music will be provided by Mason Ridge Bluegrass Band and Indie Artist Johnny Knox on Dec. 13 during their special Friday night experiences.

Cherry Hill’s Magic Tree

Cherry Hill lit its new Magic Tree on Dec. 5. Located at 4200 Merchant St., the tree will be lit every night from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. until Jan. 6.

Since 2010, five trees have held the honor of being adorned with the Christmas lights. A nine year old Crabtree is enjoying its debut this year. It was planted with the intent of being the next long-term Magic Tree.

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Boone Electric Cooperative’s Magic Tree

The Magic tree at Boone Electric Cooperative is located at 1413 Rangeline St.

More holiday and Christmas lights in Columbia and mid-Missouri

Logboat Brewing Co.

Logboat Brewing Co. held their annual Candy Cane Crib lighting ceremony on Nov. 29.

The lights are available to view at 504 Fay St.

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Boone County Courthouse

Located at 705 E Walnut St., the Boone County Courthouse lit holiday lights that surround the old courthouse columns and surrounding trees and bushes.

Alley A

Between Ninth Street and Tenth Street just south of East Broadway, Alley A decorated the path with a holiday lights display.

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Drone photography by Dominick Lee, KOMU 8 Chief Photographer and FAA-Certified Drone Pilot

Story and design by Jacob Richey and Matthew Jacobi, KOMU 8 Digital Producers

Video editing by Camden Buehler, KOMU 8 Digital Producer



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Groundbreaking date announced for Springfield Missouri Temple

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Groundbreaking date announced for Springfield Missouri Temple


In 1838, the governor of Missouri ordered members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to leave the area or face death. Nearly two centuries later, the church is preparing to build its third temple in the state.

The Church of Jesus Christ announced Monday that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Springfield Missouri Temple will be held on Saturday, June 6; Elder Aroldo B. Cavalcante, a General Authority Seventy and member of the church’s United States Southeast Area Presidency, will preside.

Missouri holds an important role in the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ. From 1831 to 1838, thousands of Latter-day Saints worked to “build up the land of Zion” in the state, according to the church’s overview of the Missouri historic sites. They were largely unwelcome, with several instances of mobs driving out church members from established cities.

The Church broke ground for a temple in Far West, Missouri, in the summer of 1838. However, the temple was never constructed, as early members were expelled from the state shortly thereafter. The executive order was not formally rescinded until 1976.

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Late church President Russell M. Nelson announced the Springfield Missouri Temple in April 2023 general conference, making it the third in the state. A temple in St. Louis was dedicated in 1997 and one in Kansas City was dedicated in 2012.

As of April 2026, more than 84,000 Latter-day Saints live in Missouri and meet in around 180 congregations.

“Jesus Christ is the reason we build temples,” President Nelson said when announcing the Springfield temple. “Each is His holy house. Making covenants and receiving essential ordinances in the temple, as well as seeking to draw closer to Him there, will bless your life in ways no other kind of worship can.”



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Missouri Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 winning numbers for April 21, 2026

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The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at April 21, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from April 21 drawing

01-36-43-56-58, Mega Ball: 07

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 21 drawing

Midday: 0-0-9

Midday Wild: 9

Evening: 0-7-4

Evening Wild: 0

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 21 drawing

Midday: 4-2-2-8

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 9-4-7-5

Evening Wild: 9

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 21 drawing

Early Bird: 14

Morning: 05

Matinee: 03

Prime Time: 02

Night Owl: 12

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Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from April 21 drawing

17-19-22-25-29

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

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To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

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For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
  • Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
  • Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
  • Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
  • Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
  • Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Bill requiring sex-based restrooms, dorms clears Missouri House

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Bill requiring sex-based restrooms, dorms clears Missouri House


The Missouri House passed a bill Monday that would force entities receiving state funding to restrict usage of restrooms, changing areas, and sleeping accommodations based on biological sex and codify definitions for “female,” “male,” and “sex” throughout state statute.

State Rep. Becky Laubinger, a Republican from Park Hills, pitched the legislation as a “vital protection for women.” Lax policies and all-gender restrooms, like facilities in the Kansas City International Airport, invite predators, she argued.

“This is about our government facilities forcing people to share those spaces by creating all gender spaces where you don’t have the option in those spaces to go to a single sex space,” Laubinger said.

But during a House debate over the bill’s language last week, Democrats raised numerous issues with the legislation, saying it would be used to target transgender people.

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“If you can just call the police and accuse someone of using the wrong bathroom, think about the implications of that,” said state Rep. Wick Thomas, a Kansas City Democrat and the House’s first transgender member.

The bill lacks an enforcement mechanism, other than allowing people to sue state-funded entities that do not “take reasonable steps” to designate single-sex spaces.

The bill’s fiscal note reflects concerns about costly litigation, though state departments could not estimate how much they will be impacted.

The University of Central Missouri projected “an indeterminate fiscal impact,” pointing to the “costs associated with enforcement of the regulations.”

The bill would require public universities to restrict dorm rooms, bathrooms, and locker rooms based on biological sex. It states that, “no individual shall enter a restroom, changing room or sleeping quarters that is designated for females or males unless he or she is a member of that sex.”

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State Rep. Keri Ingle, a Democrat from Lee’s Summit, asked if this would bar college students from having students of the opposite sex in their dorm rooms overnight.

Laubinger said she had heard complaints from college students who felt uncomfortable when their roommate allowed a significant other to sleep over.

“I understand someone not wanting a boy over,” Ingle said. “I don’t know why we would legislate that. I don’t know why we would put that in the statute.”

State Rep. Mark Boyko, a Democrat from Kirkwood, said the bill would bar men from visiting women’s dorm rooms at any time. He wouldn’t be allowed to help his daughter set up her dorm room as a man, he said.

“I understand the intention you’re having,” he told Laubinger. “But the words don’t match your intention of this bill.”

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House Republicans offered broad support, calling the bill a basic safety measure.

State Rep. Carolyn Caton, a Blue Springs Republican, said she thinks the legislation would be a “good protection.

“If nothing else, I think it just eases some young ladies’ minds,” she said.

The bill passed along party lines Monday, apart from a lone Republican “nay” from state Rep. Tara Peters of Rolla, who also voted against the bill at the committee level.



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