Missouri
Missouri political parties grudgingly organize contests to select presidential delegates
Missouri Republicans and Democrats typically don’t agree on much, but they’re united in irritation over the legislature’s decision to ditch the state-run presidential primaries.
State lawmakers eliminated the primary in 2022 and instead placed political parties in charge of the process for divvying up presidential delegates. Before 2022, local election officials, such as county clerks and election authorities, were in charge of running presidential primaries.
During Friday’s episode of The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, Missouri Democratic Party Executive Director Matthew Patterson and GOP political activist Chris Grahn-Howard talked about how the state’s political parties are trying to make the best of the situation.
Patterson said the Democratic process will resemble a primary, with mail-in voting and in-person voting throughout the state on March 23. The entire contest is expected to cost $150,000 to $200,000, with the Democratic National Committee picking up some of the cost.
“We felt like that was the best way to get as many people involved as possible,” Patterson said.
The Missouri GOP caucus will resemble Iowa’s, in which people will go to select locations in the state’s counties and vote in groups on whom they want to support for president. Grahn-Howard said voters should expect to be present in the caucus for about three hours. He said the Democrats’ process would have been too costly for Republicans.
“And so then we were left with a caucus,” Grahn-Howard said. “We’ve done caucuses before in 2012 and 1996. And so we just built a process that we felt was cleaner and more efficient than those years.”
Frustration over lack of legislative action
One of the proponents of getting rid of the primary was Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who told St. Louis Public Radio last month that he had concerns about the cost and purpose of the contest because there was nothing tying the delegates to the primary vote.
“If we’re going to have an election, the election needs to be the one that actually determines those delegates,” Ashcroft said. “And we need to make sure that every election we hold in Missouri, the people of Missouri’s votes count.”
Ashcroft said he tried to revive the primary with the stipulation that the result would determine how delegates are selected. He said he was especially concerned about a caucus being able to allow for military personnel to participate. Grahn-Howard said the legislature’s decision in 2022 “disenfranchised” Missouri residents who serve overseas.
Grahn-Howard also said Missouri Republicans have tied the result of the primary to how delegates are allocated since 2016.
He said the legislature shouldn’t have the ability to micromanage political party rules, especially since they’re private entities.
“And they can create the rules to determine how their delegates are allocated,” Grahn-Howard said.
Even though President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will likely be the nominees, Ashcroft said the delegate selection processes are still important to the top race of the 2024 election cycle.
“We are better off with more everyday people like you and me participating, instead of just assuming that the people we’ve elected know what they’re doing,” Ashcroft said.
Both Grahn-Howard and Patterson said they hope that lawmakers switch back to a state-run primary for the 2028 presidential election, which probably will feature open races for both parties.
“I think just from the outcry from Democrats and Republicans and unaffiliated voters, that legislators will do the right thing and restore the primary,” Patterson said.
Listen to the full St. Louis on the Air conversation on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or by clicking the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
Copyright 2024 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.
Missouri
2 charged in connection with Kansas City, Missouri, police investigation of 7 drug overdose cases
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two people have been charged in connection with a weeks-long Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department investigation of seven drug overdose cases along Prospect Avenue.
According to court documents filed Thursday, first responders were called out on March 13 to an area near 31st Street and Prospect Avenue after receiving word that four people had been hospitalized after overdosing on an unknown drug.
A few weeks later, on April 5, police learned of three additional people who had been hospitalized after overdosing on an unknown drug in the same area.
As detectives worked the case, they identified a house in the area with increased foot traffic at all hours of the day.
On April 29, police learned that a suspect, later identified as Danasia Miller, was likely involved in a transaction to sell fentanyl at a business in the area. Police and SWAT members responded to the business and took Miller into custody.
A second suspect, identified as Myran Mays, was also arrested following the April 29 incident.
A search of a vehicle connected to the April 29 incident recovered 20 grams of fentanyl, 100 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, phencyclidine and a firearm.
On Thursday, Jackson County prosecutors charged Miller with two counts of felony second-degree drug trafficking and one count of possession of a controlled substance – hydrocodone.
Mays faces three counts of felony second-degree drug trafficking, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of possession of a controlled substance – hydrocodone.
Both defendants remained in custody Friday at the Jackson County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond.
—
If you have any information about a crime, you may contact your local police department directly. But if you want or need to remain anonymous, you should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com. Depending on your tip, Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.
Missouri
Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for April 30, 2026
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at April 30, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 30 drawing
Midday: 1-3-0
Midday Wild: 1
Evening: 0-4-5
Evening Wild: 1
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 30 drawing
Midday: 8-0-6-1
Midday Wild: 7
Evening: 0-9-9-0
Evening Wild: 1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 30 drawing
Early Bird: 12
Morning: 09
Matinee: 06
Prime Time: 06
Night Owl: 08
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from April 30 drawing
02-11-21-30-34
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
Emu killed in Missouri as hailstorm rolls through region
Southwest US faces destructive tornadoes, hail with severe storms
Severe storms tear through the Southwest U.S. with tornadoes, hail and damaging winds as the NWS warns of a very active spring pattern.
Extreme weather with hail as large as softballs hit a zoo in Missouri on Tuesday, April 28, killing a female emu and injuring a male rhea. The storm, which rolled quickly through the area, also damaged vehicles and roofs.
Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield said in an April 28 Facebook post that its 21-year-old female emu, Adam, died during the storm, while a male rhea was injured and is under veterinary care. The zoo also sustained significant damage and remained closed on Wednesday, April 29.
In a follow-up post on April 29, the zoo said the male rhea, Oscar, was “doing well” and thanked everyone for the “well wishes.” The zoo also said it plans to open on Thursday, April 30, though some “small birds will be off exhibit until skylights are repaired.”
“Thank you to all staff and volunteers who are working right now to be ready for tomorrow,” the zoo said. “There is still much to be done, but please come visit.”
Emus, native to Australia, are tall, flightless birds, according to the San Diego Wildlife Alliance. The emu is the second-largest living bird in the world after the ostrich, with adult females being larger and heavier than their male counterparts. Emus live up to 35 years in zoos and between 10 and 20 years in the wild.
Storm caused significant damage in Missouri
An intense storm rolled through parts of Springfield, Missouri, and Greene County on April 28. Justin Titus with the National Weather Service office in Springfield said meteorologists measured 4-inch hail after the first wave of the storm in the early afternoon.
Cars across the region suffered significant damage, the Springfield News-Leader, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. Power outages and damage to gas meters were also reported.
Springfield-Branson National Airport said passengers who parked cars at the airport should expect to see hail damage.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
-
New York14 minutes ago9-Year-Old Hit and Killed by School Bus in Brooklyn
-
Detroit, MI44 minutes agoWhere to watch Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic Game 6 NBA playoffs: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Friday, May 1
-
San Francisco, CA56 minutes agoChonkers the Gigantic Steller Sea Lion Draws Crowds to Pier 39
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoDallas firefighter injured in early‑morning house fire expected to recover
-
Miami, FL1 hour agoMax Verstappen: Red Bull Miami updates have “almost halved” gap to F1 frontrunners
-
Boston, MA1 hour ago
Jazzy Francik tosses no-hitter as FSU softball run-rules Boston College
-
Denver, CO1 hour agoHundreds targeted by Denver text scam show up for fake court hearing
-
Seattle, WA1 hour agoSeahawks rookie minicamp tryout players revealed