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Anderson County equestrian owners face neglect charges

In Anderson County, a mother says what began as an attempt to provide healing and stability for her struggling teenage daughter took a turn no one expected. The adults who were in charge of her safety are now behind bars. Christine Mitchell said her daughter was struggling with drug use, behavioral issues, and was heading […]

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Anderson County equestrian owners face neglect charges

In Anderson County, a mother says what began as an attempt to provide healing and stability for her struggling teenage daughter took a turn no one expected. The adults who were in charge of her safety are now behind bars. Christine Mitchell said her daughter was struggling with drug use, behavioral issues, and was heading down the wrong path. In an effort to find a positive outlet, Mitchell enrolled her in therapeutic horseback riding lessons at Stephen Family Equestrian. Mitchell says after many lessons, the owners of the equestrian facility, Carolyn and Johnathon Stephens, offered to enter into a guardianship arrangement to help the teenager. Mitchell agreed, believing it would provide her daughter with the right direction, healing and support she needed.“The goals were to get her clean, to find her an outlet other than drugs and the wrong crowd. She was to go over there and do home school and go to her counseling,” Mitchell explained. According to Mitchell, the Stephens did not allow her to visit her daughter. “I was blocked from seeing my child, I was not allowed to come and visit,” Mitchell said. After the refused visits, Mitchell says South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) launched an investigation. “DSS told me that I could not go get her until the case was closed,” Mitchell said. On Dec. 14, Mitchell said DSS ordered her to retrieve her daughter, but when she arrived, her daughter went missing. According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, a search began with the use of many deputies, K-9 units and drones, combing the area around the equestrian center. “As a mom, you’re to know where your kids are and to take care of your kids and not knowing where they are and not being able to do that is horrific,” Mitchell said.After nearly two days, the teenager was located. Investigators allege that Carolyn and Johnathon Stephens had been harboring the teen and providing her with alcohol and marijuana. “I thought they were good people. I thought they were trying to help,” said Mitchell. The couple has been charged with unlawful neglect of a minor. Mitchell said her daughter is now back home, safe with family.

After the refused visits, Mitchell says South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) launched an investigation. “I thought they were good people. I thought they were trying to help,” said Mitchell.

According to Mitchell, the Stephens did not allow her to visit her daughter.


On Dec. 14, Mitchell said DSS ordered her to retrieve her daughter, but when she arrived, her daughter went missing. Mitchell says after many lessons, the owners of the equestrian facility, Carolyn and Johnathon Stephens, offered to enter into a guardianship arrangement to help the teenager. Mitchell agreed, believing it would provide her daughter with the right direction, healing and support she needed.“DSS told me that I could not go get her until the case was closed,” Mitchell said. In Anderson County, a mother says what began as an attempt to provide healing and stability for her struggling teenage daughter took a turn no one expected. The adults who were in charge of her safety are now behind bars.

“The goals were to get her clean, to find her an outlet other than drugs and the wrong crowd. She was to go over there and do home school and go to her counseling,” Mitchell explained.

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According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, a search began with the use of many deputies, K-9 units and drones, combing the area around the equestrian center. “I was blocked from seeing my child, I was not allowed to come and visit,” Mitchell said. The couple has been charged with unlawful neglect of a minor. After nearly two days, the teenager was located. Investigators allege that Carolyn and Johnathon Stephens had been harboring the teen and providing her with alcohol and marijuana. “As a mom, you’re to know where your kids are and to take care of your kids and not knowing where they are and not being able to do that is horrific,” Mitchell said.Mitchell said her daughter is now back home, safe with family. Christine Mitchell said her daughter was struggling with drug use, behavioral issues, and was heading down the wrong path. In an effort to find a positive outlet, Mitchell enrolled her in therapeutic horseback riding lessons at Stephen Family Equestrian.

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Middle blocker Alicia Andrew joining Wisconsin volleyball

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LSU Beach Volleyball Swept by Cal Poly

That’s unfortunate. The LSU beach volleyball team wrapped up their season in Gulf Shores Friday with a 3-0 loss to #6 Cal Poly. This is the first time the Tigers have failed to win a game in the NCAA tournament since missing the first tournament altogether. LSU got dominated in the first set on court […]

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That’s unfortunate.

The LSU beach volleyball team wrapped up their season in Gulf Shores Friday with a 3-0 loss to #6 Cal Poly. This is the first time the Tigers have failed to win a game in the NCAA tournament since missing the first tournament altogether. LSU got dominated in the first set on court 1, but the first set on the other four courts went beyond the 21 typically required to win a set. Unfortunately, despite having several chances to close those sets out with a win, LSU dropped the remaining four and put themselves in a hole. The 1s clawed back a win in set 2, but courts 3, 4 and 5 dropped their second sets to end what was an underwhelming season by the program’s lofty standards.

Cal Poly will face #3 Stanford today at 10 a.m. pending delays caused by either the first two quarterfinals running long or, more likely, weather. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be broadcast on ESPN2, and the final is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on ESPN.



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Beach Volleyball Bears Earn Four AVCA Top Flight Awards

Story Links LEXINGTON, Ky. – Four Missouri State beach volleyball pairs have earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top Flight Award, the organization announced on Friday. MoState’s regular pairs at Flight Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5 were honored with the award. The Top Flight program, now in its […]

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Four Missouri State beach volleyball pairs have earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top Flight Award, the organization announced on Friday. MoState’s regular pairs at Flight Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5 were honored with the award.

The Top Flight program, now in its seventh year, recognizes beach pairs who compete in at least 15 matches together at a specific flight and win at least 75% of their matches. This year, 88 pairs representing 45 schools—from all three NCAA divisions, NAIA, and Two-Year Colleges—have earned Top Flight status. To qualify for the award, the team’s head coach must be an active AVCA member.

Missouri State is one of three Division I teams to win four AVCA Top Flight Awards, along with Chattanooga and Loyola Marymount. Overall, MoState is one of six schools nationally to win four awards. Carson Newman (DII), Fresno City College (Two-Year) and Santa Monica College (Two-Year) also won the honor on four flights.

Becca Bach and Allyson Larkin earned the award at Flight No. 1. The two boasted a record of 17-9 in 2025, which included a nine-match winning streak to start the season. Bach and Larkin only lost two sets during that stretch. The duo ended the season with a straight-set sweep over UAB’s three-time Conference USA Pair of the Week, Olivia Stant and Jasmine Haas, who each made the All-CUSA First Team. Bach was named to the All-CUSA Second Team on Thursday to become the first Missouri State student-athlete to make a CUSA all-conference team. She finished her career with 53 wins, the second-most in program history. Larkin sits at 42 career wins after her first two seasons, good for seventh all-time in team history.

Missouri State’s all-time winningest duo of MacKenzie Steele and Amanda Cleary earned the Top Flight Award for the first time at Flight No. 2. The two ended with a 17-8 record, including a 1-0 result in the Conference USA Tournament with their win over UAB’s Isabel Day and Azmabeth Infante. Steele and Cleary started the season 10-0 while only dropping two sets during that stretch. The 37 wins Steele and Cleary have amassed over the last two seasons are the most in team history, surpassing the previous record of 35 set by Grace Cook and Chloe Tome. Steele became the fourth Missouri State player to reach 50 career individual wins with the victory against UAB in the conference tournament.

Rylie Cepicky and Manuela Niemeyer also earned their first career AVCA Top Flight Awards with a team-best 20-6 record and a Flight No. 4 record of 20-5. The two became the fifth Missouri State pair to reach 20 wins in a single season. Cepicky and Niemeyer also started the season on a 10-match winning streak and had a separate stretch of seven straight wins to start the season as winners of 17 out of 18 matches. Cepicky was named to the CUSA All-Freshman team on Thursday. Her 20 wins are the second most by a MoState freshman in team history. Niemeyer also won her 50th career match during the conference tournament, the third Bears player to reach that milestone. 

Lastly, Missouri State earned a Top Flight Award at No. 5 for the second straight year. Olivia Rattler and Erin Eschleman received the honor with a 16-9 record together. The two started their time together on a six-match winning streak, then later won seven consecutive matches spanning from late March to mid-April. Rattler went 19-9 as an individual, including going 3-0 to start the season with Riley Drew at Flight No. 5. Rattler became the first Bears player to reach 50 career wins at the start of the season and finished her beach volleyball career with a program record 61 career victories. Eschleman is the first player in team history to win the AVCA Top Flight Award twice. She won it last season at Flight No. 3 alongside then-senior Olivia Muriel when the pair went 24-7.

Missouri State beach volleyball went 18-10 in 2025 to complete its eighth year as a program and second as a Conference USA affiliate. The Bears advanced to the second day of the CUSA Tournament in Louisiana for the second straight season.

 

#BearsUnite



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Blue Moon becomes Official Event Partner for World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final in Beijing

Blue Moon will provide its trusted laundry detergents and cleaning products to support Team AQUA and the Organising Committee as part of the hospitality arrangements for this landmark event. Blue Moon has supported the Chinese Diving Team on its way to outstanding success in international competitions. The partnership with World Aquatics for the competition in […]

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Blue Moon will provide its trusted laundry detergents and cleaning products to support Team AQUA and the Organising Committee as part of the hospitality arrangements for this landmark event.

Blue Moon has supported the Chinese Diving Team on its way to outstanding success in international competitions. The partnership with World Aquatics for the competition in Beijing demonstrates Blue Moon’s commitment to leveraging the huge popularity of diving in China to support the global development of the sport.

The growth of diving around the world has already been seen through the gold medals won by athletes from Mexico and Great Britain on the first two stops of this year’s World Aquatics Diving World Cup.


Image Source: Blue Moon will provide its laundry detergents and cleaning products to support Team AQUA and the Organising Committee during the World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

“Blue Moon, as a partner of the Chinese Diving Team for many years, is honoured to join hands with World Aquatics to become the official event partner for laundry and cleaning products of the World Aquatics Diving World Cup 2025 – Super Final in Beijing. In the future, adhering to the concept of ‘Professional Cleaning’, Blue Moon will continue to support the Chinese Diving Team, and sincerely wish the Chinese Diving Team remarkable success in this event, and look forward to their continuous writing of a glorious chapter for the ‘Dream Team’,” said a Blue Moon spokesperson.

World Aquatics President, Captain Husain Al-Musallam, commented:

“We are delighted to welcome Blue Moon as an official partner for our Super Final in Beijing”

By World Aquatics President, Captain Husain Al-Musallam

“Their support for the Chinese Diving Team over the years shows real passion for our sports, and it’s great to bring that energy to one of our biggest events. We are looking forward to a world-class competition that celebrates our athletes and inspires our community worldwide.”

About Blue Moon

The Blue Moon brand was established in 1992 and has been developed into a leading innovative household cleaning solutions provider in China. The Group has spent relentless effort in focusing on providing the customers with top quality products in fabric care, personal hygiene and home care categories. The Group’s liquid laundry detergent and liquid soap have ranked first in the China Brand Power Index for 14 consecutive years (2011-2024). The Group has stayed true to its consumer-centric brand philosophy and aimed to allow every family to enjoy a clean, healthy, comfortable, respectable and delightful lifestyle. Going forward, the Group will continue to provide comprehensive home cleaning solutions that bring relaxing and efficient cleaning experience to consumers.

About World Aquatics

Driven by the vision of a world united by water for health, life and sport, World Aquatics is the international governing body for aquatic sports. Founded in 1908, World Aquatics is an independent organisation formed of 210 National Federations and five Continental Organisations.   

World Aquatics oversees six aquatic sports – swimming, water polo, diving, artistic swimming, open water swimming and high diving – and is recognised as the leading global authority of these sports by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 

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Spring high school softball heats up; MSU baseball leading the Valley

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – KY3′s Chad Plein and the Ozarks Sports Zone’s Chris Parker look at area high school and college action. Check out the latest high school action on the Ozarks Sports Zone’s website by clicking here. To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Please include the article info in the subject […]

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – KY3′s Chad Plein and the Ozarks Sports Zone’s Chris Parker look at area high school and college action.

Check out the latest high school action on the Ozarks Sports Zone’s website by clicking here.

To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Please include the article info in the subject line of the email.



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Grand Slam Track, a pro league for track and field

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. May 2, 202501:10 Plane makes emergency landing on California golf course 00:17 Harvard students push back on DHS demands 03:04 California considers increasing marine protections 01:07 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Chile sparks tsunami alert 00:19 Trump downplays concerns of potential economic […]

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Grand Slam Track, a pro league for track and field

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Team USA Olympic legend Michael Johnson has created Grand Slam Track, a first-of-its-kind pro league for elite track and field athletes, giving them the opportunity to establish themselves outside of the Olympic games. Grand Slam Track is streaming on NBCUniversal’s Peacock this weekend.

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