Midwest

Pritzker names new head of embattled Illinois family services agency

Published

2 years ago

January 7, 2024

Pritzker names new head of embattled Illinois family services agency

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday named his director of juvenile justice to take over the troubled Department of Children and Family Services.

Heidi Mueller, 49, will replace Marc D. Smith, who has been at the helm since 2019 and has been held in contempt of court numerous times for improper housing of young people under the agency’s care. Smith, who announced his resignation in October, will help with the transition through January.

Mueller has been director of the Department of Juvenile Justice since 2016. The agency oversees the custody of young people committed to the state by Illinois courts.

HEAD OF EMBATTLED ILLINOIS CHILD SERVICES AGENCY TO RESIGN AT YEAR’S END

“I have witnessed firsthand the critical importance of a strong and supportive safety net for our state’s most vulnerable residents and the tragedy that results when there are holes in that net,” Mueller said in a statement. She thanked Smith for “driving real progress at DCFS.”

Mueller, who currently makes $173,250, was chosen after a nationwide search. Pritzker said her “transformative” work at Juvenile Justice has gained her national attention.

“Heidi’s care and compassion for the most at-risk young people in our state and her exceptional leadership are hallmarks of her career and I know that her passion and expertise will be a significant asset as we continue to improve our state’s child welfare system,” Pritzker said in a statement.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker greets constituents as he campaigns in Bellwood, Illinois, on Nov. 1, 2022. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Smith, 54, whose salary is $210,000, began his tenure months into Pritzker’s first term. The Democrat had pledged reforms, releasing an outside report on agency failures including the deaths of three children under its care in just a few months.

But the department continued to struggle. In 2022, Smith was held in contempt of court on numerous occasions for failing to find proper placement for young people in the agency’s care. Pritzker repeatedly blamed his Republican predecessor for the dismantling of private social-service agencies capable of proper youth housing during a budget stalemate with Democrats in the Legislature from 2015 to 2017.

The situation has seen little improvement. DCFS’ own annual report on placement released last week showed that during the fiscal year that ended last June, hundreds of children were kept in so-called temporary quarters, in some cases for months, or held in psychiatric hospitals beyond need for treatment or juvenile incarcerations past their release dates because DCFS had no place to put them.

The DCFS inspector general’s annual report released last week indicated that during the same fiscal year, 160 children with some level of involvement with the department had died.

PRITZKER ADMIN SCRAPS CHICAGO MIGRANT CAMP PLAN OVER SOIL CONTAMINATION CONCERNS

“The DCFS director has arguably the hardest and most important job in state government. Heidi Mueller has an outstanding reputation as a reform-minded manager and brings substantial child welfare experience to the task,” said Charles Golbert, the Cook County public guardian, whose office has filed class-action lawsuits over lengthy placements in psychiatric hospitals and juvenile justice incarceration. He urged Mueller to make the expansion of DCFS’s placement capacity an urgent priority.

Heidi Dalenberg, interim legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which also has legal action against DCFS, said Mueller “must embrace the challenge of finding a safe place to stay — preferably with the child’s family members” and turn away from large, institutional settings.

“This is a challenging job that requires a leader with vision and a commitment to transformational change,” Dalenberg said.

Robert Vickery, currently deputy director of programs at Juvenile Justice, will serve as interim director of the agency during a search for Mueller’s permanent replacement.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for March 1, 2026

Published

5 minutes ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

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

Here’s a look at March 1, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 1 drawing

Midday: 0-6-1

Midday Wild: 3

Evening: 3-1-3

Evening Wild: 7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 1 drawing

Midday: 4-0-5-8

Midday Wild: 3

Evening: 8-8-4-7

Evening Wild: 3

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 1 drawing

Early Bird: 14

Morning: 07

Matinee: 13

Prime Time: 12

Night Owl: 03

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from March 1 drawing

05-16-23-29-34

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.

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Nebraska

Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 5 on March 1, 2026

Published

17 minutes ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 1.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 1 drawing

7-6-5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 1 drawing

04-20-28-30-39

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from March 1 drawing

Red Balls: 02-10, White Balls: 25-26

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning MyDay numbers from March 1 drawing

Month: 11, Day: 28, Year: 38

Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 1 drawing

10-11-12-35-56, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Nebraska Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, 5: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
Lucky For Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
2 By 2: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
MyDaY: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

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

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North Dakota

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

Published

53 minutes ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

On this day in 1943, two North Dakota army officers, Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz and First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson, were killed in separate medium bomber training crashes in Florida and Georgia.

Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:

Army Plane Crashes Kill Two N. D. Men

Two North Dakota officers in the army air forces were killed Sunday in bomber crashes during training flights, Associated Press dispatches revealed Monday.

Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz of Harvey (Wells county) was killed with 10 others from the Avon Park, Fla., army bomber base when two medium bombers collided during a routine formation flight. Both planes crashed and there were no survivors.

First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson of Warwick (Benson county) was one of six killed when a medium bomber from MacDill field, Tampa, Fla., crashed near Savannah, Ga. Lieutenant Anderson was co-pilot of the plane.

None of the other victims of either accident was from the Dakotas or Minnesota.

Lieutenant Kuntz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Kuntz of Harvey, was graduated from the army air force navigation school at Hondo, Texas, as a second lieutenant last October, and received his wings as a navigator.

See more history at Newspapers.com

An ad featured in The Forum on March 2, 1943. Newspapers.com

Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.

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