Missouri

Top Missouri education official hopes shrinking state budget will not hurt teacher pay

Published

2 years ago

December 23, 2024

Top Missouri education official hopes shrinking state budget will not hurt teacher pay

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) – Missouri’s top education official is worried about funding for teacher pay as the state’s budget shrinks.

In three weeks, Jefferson City will once again be bustling with lawmakers as they decide which policies will affect the future of Missouri. With about 150 bills already filed on the topic, lawmakers are sure to discuss K-12 education at length.

The passage of an expansive education bill this year came with a big price tag — one that has people like Matt Michelson with the Missouri Teachers Association worried about funding. Gov. Mike Parson said that education bill will cost $400 million more than anticipated. It includes raises for teachers and incentives for schools to stay in session five days a week.

“We have growth in current programs, and if we’re not seeing growth in the economy, where are those cuts going to come from? We know in the past, many of those cuts have come from K-12, transportation and even the foundation formula,” Michelson said.

One of the things that new law promises is a starting salary of $40,000 for teachers. That starting salary briefly changed Missouri’s status as the lowest paying in the country, but only if the state can keep up with it.

Missouri put $4 million toward raising that teacher pay in the most recent budget, but lawmakers will have to renew that grant every year for it to continue. The state would pay for 70% of the salary while the school districts must cover the rest.

This year, several Missouri lawmakers did try to implement the teacher salary grant permanently, but it never got past committee.

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Karla Eslinger is preparing for her first state legislative session in a new position. She knows the state is facing a tighter budget next year. Small districts are only able to afford the new pay bump with the help of a state grant, but Eslinger is already thinking of sacrifices that might have to be made to protect that grant.

“If we’re not funded, I could act adequately, then obviously we’re not going to be able to do that, so other areas will probably have to be put aside or or not fully funded,” Eslinger said.

Eslinger is also focused on retaining quality teachers. In an anonymous survey conducted by the Missouri State Teachers Association, 70% of educators said they have seriously considered leaving the profession. The top reasons are stress, student behavior and lack of pay. According to the anonymous survey, a common reason for teachers to be stressed is low staffing.

“It depends on the quality of that teacher, then as far as what’s happening with the classroom and how successful the kids are,” Eslinger said. “So we’re again focusing on those pieces and hoping that we see some legislation that will help us to recruit and retain some really, really high fliers to meet the needs of our kids.”

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for June 24, 2026

Published

4 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Press Room

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

Here’s a look at June 24, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from June 24 drawing

13-14-16-21-38, Powerball: 14, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 24 drawing

Midday: 3-0-3

Midday Wild: 2

Evening: 8-4-8

Evening Wild: 0

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 24 drawing

Midday: 7-5-8-5

Midday Wild: 9

Evening: 7-4-7-6

Evening Wild: 9

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 24 drawing

Early Bird: 06

Morning: 13

Matinee: 03

Prime Time: 14

Night Owl: 02

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from June 24 drawing

16-17-19-26-35

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from June 24 drawing

03-11-20-31-65, Powerball: 05

Check Powerball Double Play 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.

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Missouri

Four years after Dobbs, Missouri abortion fight continues in court, ballotbox

Published

14 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Press Room

Four years after Dobbs, Missouri abortion fight continues in court, ballotbox

JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. (KFVS) – Four years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Missouri became the first state to ban abortion, Planned Parenthood is once again offering abortions.

Medication abortions are returning, too, after a Jackson County Circuit Court ruling. However, the state’s legal battle continues with court cases and a new ballot measure.

The past four years

Four years ago, Missouri politicians used a 2019 trigger law to ban abortion within 20 minutes of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned the limited federal abortion protections of Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

Abortion was put on the ballot in 2024 by an initiative petition that collected more than 380,000 signatures. Missouri became the first state to end an abortion ban by a vote of the people in 2024 and established the Right to Reproductive Freedom in the state constitution.

Another vote this year

This year will mark the second time Missourians vote on abortion. In November, Missourians will once again vote on abortion on the new Amendment Three. A “yes” vote is to ban abortions.

The new ballot measure has limited exceptions for rape, incest and medical emergencies, only if performed before the 12-week gestational period. It’s set to be on the statewide ballot for the November 2026 midterm election.

Bonnie Lee with 40 Days for Life said she hopes Missourians vote in favor of new restrictions in November.

“Missouri is waking up, and we will make a difference in November,” Lee said.

Missourians will see this question on their ballot:

“Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

Repeal the 2024 voter-approved Amendment providing reproductive healthcare rights, including abortion through fetal viability;

Allow abortions for rape and incest (under twelve-weeks’ gestation), emergencies, and fetal anomalies;

Allow legislation regulating abortion;

Ensure parental consent for minors’ abortions;

Prohibit gender transition procedures for minors?”

A “yes” vote would essentially repeal the Amendment Three passed in November 2024. But this language may not be final. If lawyers appeal again, it can go to the Missouri Supreme Court.”

“I think voters are now seeing they didn’t know what they were voting on [in 2024]. There was a lot of misinformation, a lot of hidden information, a lot of legalese,” Lee said.

Maggie Olivia with Abortion Action Missouri said she wants the opposite outcome at the ballot box.

“I feel all the more invigorated having seen the consequences of abortion bans to do whatever it takes to stop this new abortion ban,” Olivia said.

Olivia called the new Amendment Three an overreach by Missouri politicians.

“There are some politicians in Jefferson City who don’t like the decision we just made in 2024, so they think they can muddy the waters, change the rules,” Olivia said.

Ongoing lawsuit

This month, a Jackson County Circuit Court judge issued a permanent injunction striking down several state abortion restrictions.

Planned Parenthood said the decision also clears the way for medication abortion to be available in Missouri for the first time since 2018 and allows Planned Parenthood to resume providing it.

“For too long, politicians forced patients to leave the state for an evidence-based and trusted form of abortion care. Now that care is coming home,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains.

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway criticized the ruling and said she plans to appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court.

“This radical decision gives abortion providers a free pass to police themselves,” Hanaway said in a statement. “My office will expeditiously appeal this dangerous decision to the Missouri Supreme Court.”

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Missouri

Missouri ice cream shop named best in the state. Here’s why.

Published

1 day ago

June 24, 2026

Press Room

Missouri ice cream shop named best in the state. Here’s why.

Think you know the best ice cream shop in Missouri? Ask ten people, and you’ll likely get ten different answers.

Cheapism, a website focused on budget living, is weighing in on the debate with its recently released list of the best ice cream shops in every state. Here’s what it selected as Missouri’s best ice cream spot:

What’s the best ice cream shop in Missouri, according to Cheapism?

The media outlet selected the winners by scouring through Reddit threads, Yelp reviews, Google ratings and local favorites to find the best ice cream shop in every state.

Factoring all of that in, the honor of Missouri’s best ice cream shop goes to Clementine’s Ice Cream in St. Louis.

Clementine’s is a locally owned artisanal ice cream shop founded in 2015, known for its “naughty” (alcohol-infused) and “nice” (nonalcoholic) offerings, as well as non-dairy options.

The company has expanded from its beginnings as a single shop to multiple locations, boasting 11 shops across the Midwest, with three more on the way.

What’s Clementine’s best ice cream flavor?

Clementine’s also landed on Food & Wine’s list of essential ice cream flavors for all 50 states with its gooey butter cake ice cream.

The magazine praised the “super creamy” texture of the cream cheese ice cream and appreciated the large chunks of Clementine’s homemade gooey butter cake mixed throughout.

What is gooey butter cake?

For those not in the know, gooey butter cake is one of the Show Me State’s best-kept secrets, with its origins tracing back to St. Louis in the 1930s.

The cake allegedly came about when a baker accidentally reversed the butter-to-flour ratio while making a batch of coffee cake, resulting in a gooey, custard-like filling. Given it was the Great Depression, the bakery decided to sell the resulting cake rather than waste it, making it a hit with locals in the process.

It became so popular, in fact, that other bakeries in the city soon began making their own versions, and an iconic Missouri treat was born.