Missouri

Vote: Who should be Missouri high school Athlete of the Week? (11/25/2024)

Published

2 years ago

November 25, 2024

Vote: Who should be Missouri high school Athlete of the Week? (11/25/2024)

Which Missouri high school athlete had the best week?

Each week, SBLive scours the state for the top fall and winter sports performers, from football to basketball from all contests in the week of Nov. 17-23. That included the state championships in boys soccer this past weekend.

Congrats to SLUH‘s Connor Dunker, who ran away as the leading vote-getter with 56% of the votes to win SBLive‘s Missouri Athlete of the Week for Nov. 11-16.

The junior won the 200-yard freestyle and was on the winning 400-yard freestyle relay. He also two medals for the Jr. Bills by taking third in the 500-yard freestyle and on the 200-yard freestyle relay.

Scroll down, read up on the nominees and cast your vote for your winner. Voting closes Sunday, Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m. Central time.

If you would like to make a nomination in a future weeks, email swanson@scorebooklive.com.

MISSOURI ATHLETE OF THE WEEK NOMINEES

Henry Acorn, Rockhurst cross country

Competing in the Nike Cross Midwest Regional Championship on Sunday, the Virginia signee took sixth place. The Hawklets took second overall and advanced to the Nike National Championship.

Addilyn Amos, Troy Buchanan girls wrestling

Competing in her first Schuman Scramble, the team’s home meet, the freshman went 5-0 with five pins — three in the first period.

Terance Bills, Lafayette Wildwood football

The junior wide receiver caught a pair of touchdowns — 25 and 27 yards — in a 30-18 win over Cardinal Ritter in the Class 5 playoffs on Saturday.

Anna Bowles, Francis Howell girls wrestling

The junior posted a 5-0 mark to take first place for the Vikings at the St. Clair Scramble. She won the 125-pound title with five tech falls. Francis Howell won the team title as well.

Nic Calvaruso, Jefferson City Helias Catholic football

The junior booted a 36-yard field goal in OT to help the Crusaders claim a 24-21 win over Republic on Saturday, avenging a loss in the playoffs last year to the Tigers.

Jack Cooley, Hamilton Penney football

The running back scored twice and added an interception that led to a touchdown in the Hornets’ 35-13 win over North Platte in a district title game on Friday.

Zyree Collins, St. Mary’s South Side boys basketball

The Dragons scoring standout picked up where he left off last year. He scored 27 points, hitting 10 of 11 2-point shots, in an 86-34 St. Pius X Festus on Nov. 22.

Jackson Crews, St. Joseph Bishop LeBlond football

In what was a crazy finish to an 8-man game, LeBlond intercepted a hail mary at the buzzer and ran it back and then the senior got a lateral pitch and scored to give the Eagles a 60-54 win over Rock Port on Friday.

Jacob Eberhart, Kirkwood football

The wide receiver had seven catches for 158 yards and a touchdown and also had his first rushing touchdown of the season as the Pioneers beat Jackson on Friday.

Will Geary, Valley Park boys soccer

One of the best soccer players ever in MSHSAA capped off his career by leading the Hawks to the Class 1 title. He tied the state tournament record with 5 goals in a semifinal win and then added 2 goals and an assist in the title win. He broke the MSHSAA championship site record for most goals (7) and most points (15 points).

Josie Hosea, Kirkwood girls wrestling

At the Lady E. Ford Memorial Tournament in Affton, Hosea took first place in the 190-pound bracket. She won four of the five by pins in the first period.

Loganne Love, Principia girls basketball

The freshman had a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds on Saturday in a 79-42 win over St. Pius X (Festus) in Farmington.

Colton Miller, Adrian football

In the Class 1 District 3 championship game, he threw a touchdown, ran for a touchdown and kicked the game-winning field goal for the Blackhawks in a 17-16 win over Marionville.

Roman Miller, Seneca football

In a 55-26 win over Mount Vernon in the Class 3 quarterfinals, Miller accounted for three touchdowns on the ground for the Indians.

Jonathan Moore, Lutheran North football

The sophomore became the Crusaders’ single-season record holder for touchdowns in a season with 35, which happened during a playoff game on Saturday.

Sheek Pearson, John Burroughs boys basketball

The 6-foot-10 junior dropped in 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 72-57 win over Ladue Horton Watkins on Nov. 22.

Henry Sanders, SLUH boys soccer

The junior midfielder had the lone goal in 1-0 win against Liberty North in a Class 4 semifinal game on Friday. SLUH then beat De Smet on Saturday to win the state title.

Alyzah Scaggs, Festus girls basketball

The Lady Tigers got 25 points from the junior in a 64-49 win over West County (Leadwood) in the Farmington Tournament on Saturday. Scaggs drained six 3-pointers on the night.

Dane Schlotzhauer, Tipton football

The junior connected with Paxton Pyle for the game-winning touchdown with less than a minute left to give the Cardinals a 42-36 win over Harrisburg to claim Class 1 District 2 finals. It was the first district crown for Tipton since 2012.

Sadie Sehnert, Wright City girls wrestling

The junior didn’t have to wrestle for more than 1:05 in her five matches on Saturday at the Wright City Invitational. She had two pins in 30 seconds or less to win the 135-pound bracket.

Jordan Speiser, Lutheran St. Charles girls basketball

The Lady Cougars picked up a 61-57 win over Alton, Ill., on Saturday behind Speiser’s 29-point effort. The Kansas State signee went 10-for-10 from the free-throw line and hit 5 3-pointers.

Carter Temple, Kearney football

The Bulldogs starting quarterback ran for four touchdowns as the Bulldogs won their 24th straight in a 49-14 triumph over Warrensburg on Friday.

Seaton Thompson, Ladue Horton Watkins boys soccer

He stopped every shot in the state semifinals and finals and helped the Rams win the Class 3 title. He had shutouts in both wins.

Wyatt Vincent, Nixa football

He caught the game-winning touchdown with 10.4 left in the fourth to help the Eagles rally for a 21-20 win over Lee’s Summit North in a Class 6A playoff game.

Niko Vuong, Clayton boys soccer

The junior scored a goal in a 4-0 win over Logan-Rogersville in the semifinals and added a goal in a 3-0 win over St. Michael the Archangel in the Class 2 finals on Nov. 21. The state title was the first for the Greyhounds.

Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll are intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified

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Missouri

Lake of the Ozarks ranks among cleanest US lakes, study finds

Published

6 hours ago

June 27, 2026

Press Room

Lake of the Ozarks ranks among cleanest US lakes, study finds

One of Missouri’s largest lakes is among the cleanest in the nation, according to a new report.

A study conducted by Lake.com, a vacation rental platform for properties near or on water, focused on the 100 largest lakes in the United States and their chemical data from Jan. 1, 2020, to July 15, 2025.

The lakes were tested for eight of the most commonly measured characteristics that can suggest their cleanliness, including pH, ammonia and lead.

What’s the cleanest lake in Missouri?

Lake.com rated the Lake of the Ozarks as the fourth-cleanest lake in the country.

The lake earned a 1.85 out of 10 in its pollution score, bolstered primarily by its low pH and sulfate levels, as well as its lack of lead and ammonia.

The report listed the following measurements for the lake:

Dissolved oxygen: 7.5 mg/L
Phosphorus: 0.01 mg/L
Sulfate: 1.66 mg/L
Turbidity: 2.3 NTU
Difference from pH7: 2.3 pH
Pollution score: 1.85/10

What did Lakes.com have to say about Lake of the Ozarks?

“With 54,000 surface acres and 1,150 miles of shoreline, more coastline than the entire state of California, it is the largest non-flood-control man-made lake in the United States. The lake’s distinctive serpentine shape, stretching 92 miles from Bagnell Dam to the lake’s western reach, earned it the nickname “The Magic Dragon.” The lake extends across four Missouri counties, Camden, Morgan, Miller, and Benton, with the city of Osage Beach at the busy southeastern junction of the main channel and the Grand Glaize arm serving as the region’s commercial hub.”

What are the cleanest lakes in the nation?

Lake.com lists these lakes as the cleanest in the nation:

Lake Superior (Michigan/Minnesota/Wisconsin/Ontario)
Lake Chelan (Washington)
Lake Hartwell (Georgia/South Carolina)
Lake of the Ozarks (Missouri)
Lake Pend Oreille (Idaho)
Lake Winnibigoshish (Minnesota)
Kentucky Lake (Kentucky/Tennessee)
Lake Norman (North Carolina)
Lake Mead (Arizona/Nevada)
Flathead Lake (Montana)

What are the dirtiest lakes in the nation?

Lake.com lists the following lakes as the dirtiest lakes in the nation:

Lake Okeechobee (Florida)
American Falls Reservoir (Idaho)
Lake Texoma (Oklahoma, Texas)
Eufaula Lake (Oklahoma)
Lake Clark (Alaska)
Lake George (Florida)
Utah Lake (Utah)
Oneida Lake (New York)
Pyramid Lake (Nevada)
Richland-Chambers Reservoir (Texas)

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Missouri

First-generation-American students remind Missouri politicians why unity, freedom of speech are so important ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary

Published

16 hours ago

June 26, 2026

Press Room

First-generation-American students remind Missouri politicians why unity, freedom of speech are so important ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary

Phoenix’s Stage 1 fire restrictions could limit where people can use fireworks ahead of Fourth of July celebrations. Phoenix leaders say professional fireworks shows are still planned, but they’re urging residents to leave the fireworks to the pros. Under the city’s updated rules, fireworks are banned on city property and within one mile of mountain preserves, desert parks and wilderness areas. Pop-up fireworks tents are appearing across the city, but police are already checking for vendors selling without permits. Anyone caught setting off fireworks illegally could face a $2,500 fine, possible jail time and even bigger costs if they start a fire.

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Missouri

24 Missourians charged in national health care fraud investigation

Published

1 day ago

June 26, 2026

Press Room

24 Missourians charged in national health care fraud investigation

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged more than 450 people — including more than two dozen Missouri residents — in connection with global health care fraud schemes totaling a record $6.5 billion.

The DOJ wrote in a news release on June 23 that the alleged fraud and opioid abuse schemes involved 455 people across 45 states who submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and other health care programs and “caused significant patient harm, including death.” Ninety doctors and other licensed medical professionals are among those charged in the schemes.

In all, 56 federal districts and 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participated in the investigation ― the most in the DOJ’s history.

“Health care fraud steals from taxpayers, exploits vulnerable patients, and puts lives at risk,” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said. “Today’s historic enforcement action sends a clear message: if you use our health care system to enrich yourself at the expense of patients or the American people, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will hold you accountable.”

Luxury cars, fine art and a hotel in the Philippines

Since June 8, hundreds of defendants have been arrested in connection with the schemes, in what the DOJ is calling the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.

In one case in Arizona, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said a corporate executive allegedly took $1 billion in taxpayer funds after billing for wound grafts and charging more than $1 million per patient. The money was later allegedly used to buy million-dollar homes, luxury cars and even build a hotel in the Philippines.

In another case in Florida, three defendants were charged for their roles in an $118 million allograft fraud scheme where a nurse practitioner allegedly used the proceeds to fund their lavish lifestyle, including a luxury box at an NFL stadium and over $400,000 in fine art.

How many Missourians have been charged in the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Take Down?

Twenty-four Missourians have been charged in the state for their alleged participation in health care fraud, with three others being charged out of state. The most common charges include “false statement to receive a health care payment” and “stealing by deceit in connection with Medicaid fraud.”

Two of the complaints allege that the accused parties fraudulently pocketed more than $100,000.

Michelle Terry, 48, of Saint Peters, was charged with Medicaid fraud and stealing. Terry, who owns an adult daycare center, is accused of submitting false claims for purported services to four Medicaid recipients from May 2023 to September 2024, collecting $114,480.32 in Medicaid funds in the process.
Chontell Wilkes, 34, and Sandra Wilkes, 55, of St. Louis, were charged with Medicaid fraud and stealing. The pair owns Smiles Adult Day Care, and are accused of submitting 1,418 false claims for adult day care services that were not provided. Through this scheme, Medicaid paid the Wilkeses more than $121,362.20 for services not provided.

In total, the cases cost the state more than $613,000, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said in a news release.

What is health care fraud?

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation states that health care fraud is defined as intentionally deceiving the health care system to receive illegal benefits or payments. It can be committed by medical providers, patients and other individuals.

What are the most common types of health care fraud?

The FBI lists the following as some of the most common types of health care fraud committed by medical providers:

Double-billing: Submitting multiple claims for the same service.
Phantom billing: Billing for a service visit or supplies that the patient never received.
Unbundling: Submitting multiple bills for the same service.
Upcoding: Billing for a more expensive service than the patient actually received.

Common types of fraud committed by patients and other individuals include:

Bogus marketing: Convincing people to provide their health insurance identification number and other personal information to bill for non-rendered services, steal their identity, or enroll them in a fake benefit plan.
Identity theft/identity swapping: Using another person’s health insurance or allowing another person to use your insurance.
Impersonating a health care professional: Providing or billing for health services or equipment without a license.

Common types of fraud involving prescriptions included:

Forgery: Creating or using forged prescriptions.
Diversion: Diverting legal prescriptions for illegal uses, such as selling your prescription medication.
Doctor shopping: Visiting multiple providers to get prescriptions for controlled substances, or getting prescriptions from medical offices that engage in unethical practices.

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