Missouri
Missouri father uses a funeral to wean daughter off pacifier
The Bishop family of Festus, Missouri, can smile now, but a few months ago the mood was much more somber as Courtney, Jake and their 3-year-old daughter Hazel said goodbye to a very important member of the family: Hazel’s beloved pacifier.
“It’s not good for her teeth and her jaws and all of that, so we had been trying to wean her off of it for some time,” Jake, 35, said.
Hazel’s beloved pacifier, affectionately known as “Paci,” had been with her for years. Jake knew saying goodbye could come with tears and tantrums, so he searched for creative approaches to ease the transition. He considered options such as cutting off the end of the pacifier, soaking it in vinegar or planting it in a pot.
Instead, Jake chose to give Paci a funeral.
Of course, before the internet, parents used to just take the thing away and deal with the tantrum. But today, for better or worse, young parents like Jake would rather not go to war over a binky. They’re “pacy-fists,” if you will.
“You need them to go through some tough times to really grow as a person but you don’t need to make extra tough times for them,” Jake said. “They’ll have plenty of those coming up.”
Parents delight in making milestones, but those milestones are often bittersweet because each turning point is a point of no return.
“She’s transitioning to the next stage of her life,” Jake said of Hazel, their first child. “We just got to hold onto those moments and those memories, because it goes fast.”
Hazel hasn’t asked for Paci again since. Although, shortly after the ceremony, Jake dug it up and buried it again in a keepsake box, making dad the one who just can’t let go.
Missouri
Missouri Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 winning numbers for Feb. 27, 2026
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Feb. 27, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from Feb. 27 drawing
11-18-39-43-67, Mega Ball: 23
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing
Midday: 3-5-8
Midday Wild: 6
Evening: 4-3-8
Evening Wild: 3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Feb. 27 drawing
Midday: 8-0-1-0
Midday Wild: 4
Evening: 2-6-8-2
Evening Wild: 3
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from Feb. 27 drawing
Early Bird: 02
Morning: 14
Matinee: 09
Prime Time: 09
Night Owl: 12
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Feb. 27 drawing
06-14-25-26-38
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.
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
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.
Missouri
See how much new unemployment claims in Missouri fell last week
Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Missouri dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.
New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 2,182 in the week ending February 21, down from 2,462 the week before, the Labor Department said.
U.S. unemployment claims rose to 212,000 last week, up 4,000 claims from 208,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Rhode Island saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 132.0%. Michigan, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 49.9%.
USA TODAY Co. is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s weekly unemployment insurance claims report.
Missouri
Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for Feb. 26, 2026
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Feb. 26, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Feb. 26 drawing
Midday: 9-4-0
Midday Wild: 0
Evening: 5-3-9
Evening Wild: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Feb. 26 drawing
Midday: 9-7-1-7
Midday Wild: 5
Evening: 4-8-6-3
Evening Wild: 8
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from Feb. 26 drawing
Early Bird: 10
Morning: 10
Matinee: 14
Prime Time: 10
Night Owl: 12
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Feb. 26 drawing
05-20-24-28-33
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.
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
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.
-
World2 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts3 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Louisiana5 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Denver, CO2 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Technology7 days agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Technology7 days agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
Politics7 days agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT