Great Plains News Digest
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IOWA
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US–Lee Enterprises-Investor
Lee Enterprises stabilizes finances with $50M investment led by billionaire David Hoffmann
SUMMARY: Lee Enterprises has announced a compromise with the billionaire investor who tried to take over the nation’s third-largest newspaper chain this year. The deal is intended to help stabilize the company’s finances with a $50 million investment and set Lee up for the future. Investor David Hoffmann will become Lee’s chairman as he continues to pursue his goal of becoming the country’s largest newspaper publisher. The deal will also allow Lee to renegotiate its debt and save about $18 million a year. Hoffmann has spoken previously about investing in local reporting and high school sports coverage to build a successful digital subscription business. Observers say the question is whether Hoffmann will follow through on that.
WORDS: 547 – MOVED: 12/30/2025 5:06 p.m. CST
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US–Special Election-Iowa
Democrat Renee Hardman wins Iowa state Senate seat, blocking GOP from reclaiming a supermajority
SUMMARY: Democrat Renee Hardman has been elected to the Iowa state Senate in a holiday-week special election, denying Republicans’ bid to reclaim two-thirds control of the chamber. Hardman bested Republican Lucas Loftin on Tuesday to win the seat representing parts of Des Moines’ suburbs. It became vacant after the Oct. 6 death of state Sen. Claire Celsi, a Democrat. Hardman becomes the first Black woman elected to the Senate. A GOP win would have given Republicans a supermajority once again, just months after a Democrat flipped a Republican seat in an August special election.
WORDS: 551 – MOVED: 12/29/2025 11:04 p.m. CST
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MINNESOTA
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US–Stolen Seafood
Oysters, crab and $400,000 worth of lobster meat stolen in New England
SUMMARY: Forty-thousand oysters, lobster worth $400,000 and a cache of crabmeat all were stolen in separate recent incidents in New England. The first seafood heist took place Nov. 22 in Falmouth, Maine, where authorities suspect someone stole 14 cages full of oysters from an aquaculture site in Casco Bay. The other two thefts happened in Taunton, Massachusetts. First, a load of crab disappeared after leaving the Lineage Logistics warehouse on Dec. 2. Then, on Dec. 12, according to a broker, lobster meat destined for Costco stores in Illinois and Minnesota was stolen by a fraudulent trucking company.
WORDS: 418 – MOVED: 12/30/2025 3:46 p.m. CST
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US–Child Care Fraud-Minnesota
Trump administration says it’s freezing child care funds to Minnesota after series of fraud schemes
SUMMARY: The Trump administration has announced that it is freezing child care funds to Minnesota after a series of fraud schemes in recent years. Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill said on the social platform X on Tuesday that the move is in response to “blatant fraud that appears to be rampant in Minnesota and across the country.” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says the state has spent years cracking down on fraudsters but that Trump is “politicizing the issue to defund programs that help Minnesotans.” The announcement comes after years of investigation. It included a $300 million scheme for which 57 defendants in Minnesota have been convicted.
WORDS: 598 – MOVED: 12/30/2025 5:18 p.m. CST
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MISSOURI
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US–Lee Enterprises-Investor
Lee Enterprises stabilizes finances with $50M investment led by billionaire David Hoffmann
SUMMARY: Lee Enterprises has announced a compromise with the billionaire investor who tried to take over the nation’s third-largest newspaper chain this year. The deal is intended to help stabilize the company’s finances with a $50 million investment and set Lee up for the future. Investor David Hoffmann will become Lee’s chairman as he continues to pursue his goal of becoming the country’s largest newspaper publisher. The deal will also allow Lee to renegotiate its debt and save about $18 million a year. Hoffmann has spoken previously about investing in local reporting and high school sports coverage to build a successful digital subscription business. Observers say the question is whether Hoffmann will follow through on that.
WORDS: 547 – MOVED: 12/30/2025 5:06 p.m. CST
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NEBRASKA
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US–Lee Enterprises-Investor
Lee Enterprises stabilizes finances with $50M investment led by billionaire David Hoffmann
SUMMARY: Lee Enterprises has announced a compromise with the billionaire investor who tried to take over the nation’s third-largest newspaper chain this year. The deal is intended to help stabilize the company’s finances with a $50 million investment and set Lee up for the future. Investor David Hoffmann will become Lee’s chairman as he continues to pursue his goal of becoming the country’s largest newspaper publisher. The deal will also allow Lee to renegotiate its debt and save about $18 million a year. Hoffmann has spoken previously about investing in local reporting and high school sports coverage to build a successful digital subscription business. Observers say the question is whether Hoffmann will follow through on that.
WORDS: 547 – MOVED: 12/30/2025 5:06 p.m. CST
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US–Warren Buffett’s Wisdom
Some Warren Buffett wisdom on his last day leading Berkshire Hathaway
SUMMARY: The advice that legendary investor Warren Buffett offered on investing and life over the years helped earn him legions of followers who eagerly read his annual letters and filled an arena in Omaha every year to listen to him at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meetings. Buffett’s last day as CEO is Wednesday after six decades of building up the Berkshire conglomerate. He’ll remain chairman, but Greg Abel will take over leadership. Buffett summed up his investing approach by saying “Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful.” He also warned employees to make sure they’d be comfortable with anything they do being reported the next day on the front page of their local newspaper.
WORDS: 487 – MOVED: 12/31/2025 11:14 a.m. CST
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SPORTS
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MINNESOTA
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US–Patriots-Diggs-Strangulation Charge
Patriots star receiver Stefon Diggs faces strangulation charge, denies allegations
SUMMARY: New England Patriots star wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with a dispute with his former private chef. News of the charges emerged after a court hearing Tuesday in Dedham, Massachusetts. Diggs’ lawyer said in an emailed statement that Diggs “categorically denies these allegations.” According to police, the chef told investigators that Diggs hit her and tried to choke her during a discussion about money. The 32-year-old NFL veteran joined New England this season after a trade from Houston. Diggs has been a standout player for the Patriots this season, helping his team clinch the AFC East title.
WORDS: 597 – MOVED: 12/30/2025 12:09 p.m. CST
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HKW–Frost-Sceptres
Kendall Coyne Schofield scores twice, Hensley stops 31 as Frost cruise to 5-1 win over Sceptres
SUMMARY: Kendall Coyne Schofield scored her league-leading sixth and seventh goals, Nicole Hensley shined with a 31-save outing, and the Minnesota Frost topped the Toronto Sceptres 5-1 on Tuesday night. Katy Knoll, Britta Curl-Salemme and Grace Zumwinkle also scored for Minnesota. Taylor Heise had three assists. Daryl Watts had the lone goal for Toronto. Elaine Chuli made 14 saves, with Raygan Kirk turning away two shots in relief in the third period.
WORDS: 267 – MOVED: 12/30/2025 9:08 p.m. CST
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NEBRASKA
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BKC–T25-New Hampshire-Nebraska
No. 13 Nebraska pulls away in 2nd half against New Hampshire to go unbeaten in nonconference play
SUMMARY: Pryce Sandfort scored 19 points and No. 13 Nebraska shook off a second straight slow start to beat New Hampshire 86-55 and go undefeated in nonconference play for the first time since the 1928-29 season. The 13-0 Cornhuskers extended the best start in program history but not before the 4-9 Wildcats of America East caused some anxious moments. The Huskers led by just three at halftime but were much sharper on both ends after that and will ride momentum into Friday night’s Big Ten home game against No. 9 Michigan State. Jack Graham scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half to lead New Hampshire.
WORDS: 333 – MOVED: 12/30/2025 10:24 p.m. CST
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