Missouri

Missouri closing in on top-15 recruiting class after two blue-chip commitments

Published

3 months ago

March 17, 2026

Missouri closing in on top-15 recruiting class after two blue-chip commitments

Eli Drinkwitz and Missouri are in the midst of a recruiting heater, one which has netted the Tigers four commitments in the past 10 days alone.

The latest additions Mizzou two of the nation’s best pass-catchers — both of whom hail from inside the Show-Me State. Four-star Jack Brown out of Francis Howell Central in St. Charles got things going Tuesday afternoon, choosing the Tigers over rival Illinois. Just a few hours later, they’ve also landed four-star wideout Chris Harris Jr. from the other wide of the state at Lee’s Summit West.

Securing both gives the Tigers their first two blue-chip pledges of the 2027 cycle, and it also pushes them up by 13 spots in the latest Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. Coming into the day, Drinkwitz’s three-man class ranked No. 32 nationally. But the updated rankings have the Tigers jumping Tennessee, Michigan, North Carolina and a host of others all the way up to No. 19.

Their average rating per commit also places them just outside the top 15.

Keeping top targets inside the state has been a big priority for Drinkwitz during his tenure. And this class is no different.

“It just felt like home,” Harris told Rivals’ Greg Smith of his decision to commit. “I trust what Drinkwitz is doing with the program and I trust in [wide receivers coach Jacob] Peeler. And who doesn’t want to go play and ball out for their own state?”

Latest commits could be start of a big run for the Tigers

Missouri now has two of the top four players inside the state’s borders committed and are in the mix for a few more. They’ve also already secured a pledge from East St. Louis (Ill.) safety Jabarri Lofton and are one of the top contenders for his teammate, elite running back Myson Johnson-Cook.

A 1,300-yard rusher as a junior, Johnson-Cook is also on campus Tuesday for a visit, according to Rivals’ Steve Wiltfong. Last month, he logged an expert prediction in Missouri’s favor for the 6’2, 230-pounder with 4.4 speed.

Miami, LSU and Auburn are seen as the other top contenders there. But Missouri is very much a threat.

“They’re right over the bridge,” Johnson-Cook told Wiltfong recently. “Ever since I moved back (from Texas) they were on me. We had a camp there. Coach Luper and Coach Drinkwitz they’re great guys too.”

Four-star receiver Lawrence Britt is another who could be on commit watch soon after multiple visits to Columbia in the past few months. According to Rivals’ Chad Simmons, no program is recruiting him as aggressively as the Tigers.

“I love it when I am at Missouri,” Britt said. “I have been there a few times and built a strong relationship with them in this process. They have shown me I’m a major priority. Coach Peeler is a great developer and pours into his guys a lot. I love what the whole coaching staff is doing and they continue to show me they want me to be in their program.”

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Missouri

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

Published

10 hours 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.

How to find a Clementine’s near you

Clementine’s has more than a dozen locations, mostly centered around St. Louis. It also has locations in Kansas City and Bentonville, Arkansas.

A Clementine’s is scheduled to open in Columbia this summer.

Check out this map to find the nearest Clementine’s location near you:

You can also get Clementine’s shipped directly to your front door via Goldbelly.

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Missouri

Missouri lawmaker pushes for more transparency from data center developments

Published

20 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Press Room

Missouri lawmaker pushes for more transparency from data center developments

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) – As more data centers are announced across Missouri, one state lawmaker wants to get rid of non-disclosure agreements.

Republican State Rep. Tricia Byrnes from St. Charles County organized a public hearing for Sept. 16 at the Missouri Capitol for lawmakers to discuss data center regulations. Any legislation that comes out of the hearing will have to wait until January to be introduced in the General Assembly. Byrnes said she hopes local communities take action before January.

The effort comes after Amazon and Google announced multibillion-dollar data center projects in Montgomery County, which Byrnes represents.

Montgomery County farmer Harry Cope said residents have concerns about how the projects have been handled.

“The transparency that’s gone on with all of this stuff in our county has been about like looking through muddy water,” Cope said.

Byrnes said Missourians are looking for state leaders to respond.

“Missourians should never take a bad deal. And right now, folks are waiting for Jefferson City to stand up and pay attention,” Byrnes said.

Byrnes is not proposing a complete statewide stop to data center projects. She said she wants to get rid of nondisclosure agreements for data center projects and create specific noise standards and water permits. She said she wants the process to happen in public.

Gov. Mike Kehoe, a Republican, has said he supports more data centers in Missouri, saying they are better for the economy.

“It’s about opportunity, good-paying jobs, investment in our community, better efficiency. And it’s about making sure Missouri remains on the forefront of next-generation technology,” Kehoe said.

Byrnes did not directly comment on whether Kehoe will support her legislation. She addressed a comment the governor made last week, when he implied foreign adversaries such as China are spreading misinformation about data centers.

“We have extremely intelligent people all across Missouri, and what I’m hearing now is this spin that they’re hearing stuff from China. I can tell you, no one from China asked me to have you here today,” Byrnes said.

Missouri House Democratic Leader Ashley Aune said there is an opportunity for lawmakers to craft legislation based on what Missourians want.

“I don’t have a proposal top of mind about what regulation would, should, can look like across the state. But what I will say is that we have a real opportunity to work with our voters,” Aune said.

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