Great Plains News Digest
To see stories that have already moved, please visit AP Newsroom. For text, photos, video, live and audio plans beyond the next 24 hours, please visit Coverage Plan
——————————-—
IOWA
————-———————
US–Premature Birth-Record
Most premature baby celebrates his 1st birthday with a Guinness World Record
SUMMARY: A baby born at 21 weeks’ gestation in Iowa City, Iowa, has celebrated his first birthday, earning a Guinness world record for being the most premature baby. Nash Keen was born on July 5, 2024, weighing only 10 ounces. He spent six months in the neonatal intensive care unit before going home in January. His parents, Mollie and Randall Keen, were concerned they would lose him due to a previous miscarriage and medical complications. Doctors at the University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital provided lifesaving care. Nash remains on oxygen and a feeding tube but is making progress, learning to stand and roll over.
WORDS: 674 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 1:16 p.m. CDT
——————————
——————————-—
MINNESOTA
————-———————
UnitedHealth-Federal Investigation
UnitedHealth says it is under a federal investigation and cooperating
SUMMARY: UnitedHealth Group says it is cooperating with federal criminal and civil investigations involving its market-leading Medicare business. The health care giant said Thursday that it had contacted the Department of Justice after reviewing media reports about investigations into certain elements of its business. The Wall Street Journal has been reporting that federal officials had launched investigations into how the company records diagnoses that lead to extra payments for its Medicare Advantage plans. Those are privately run versions of the government’s Medicare coverage program mostly for people ages 65 and over. UnitedHealth runs the nation’s largest Medicare Advantage business.
WORDS: 430 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 8:04 a.m. CDT
——————————
ENT–Buckingham Nicks Reissue-Record Stores
‘Buckingham Nicks’ bombed in 1973. Then it became used vinyl treasure
SUMMARY: Warner Music Group has announced that it’s reissuing the lone album recorded by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham when they were just a duo. The couple later joined Fleetwood Mac for its most successful lineup. “Buckingham Nicks” bombed when it came out in 1973. But its cult status only grew over the decades. The album cover shows Nicks and Buckingham posing nude like a Laurel Canyon Adam and Eve. Their relationship famously ended later that decade. Record store owners say the album holds a special status, with a copy often selling immediately. It’ll be available for the first time on CD and streaming Sept. 19, along with new vinyl of course.
WORDS: 1136 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 11:08 p.m. CDT
——————————
——————————-—
MISSOURI
————-———————
US–USDA-Federal Workers
Trump’s USDA to scatter half its Washington staff to field offices. Critics see a ploy to cut jobs
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to move thousands of employees out of Washington, D.C., aiming to save money and bring them closer to farmers and ranchers. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Thursday that around 2,600 workers will relocate to five hubs from North Carolina to Utah. The plan is part of President Donald Trump’s effort to make the federal government more efficient. Critics worry about losing connections to Congress and potential disruptions. The union representing federal workers criticized the move as a ploy to cut jobs. The union also pointed out that some 95% of the department’s employees already work outside Washington.
WORDS: 626 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 2:30 p.m. CDT
——————————
——————————-—
NEBRASKA
————-———————
Union Pacific-Results
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern confirm merger talks to create coast to coast railroad
SUMMARY: Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are confirming they’re in merger talks that would create North America’s largest railroad, stretching service from East to West Coasts. The Associated Press reported last week that the companies were discussing a tie-up but neither company confirmed until Thursday morning. The potential merger would combine the largest and smallest of the country’s six major freight railroads. There’s widespread debate over whether such a merger would be approved by U.S. regulators, which have established a high bar for consolidation in the crucial industry.
WORDS: 646 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 7:08 a.m. CDT
——————————
——————————-—
NORTH DAKOTA
————-———————
US–Supreme Court-Redistricting
Supreme Court blocks North Dakota redistricting ruling that would gut key part of Voting Rights Act
SUMMARY: The Supreme Court has blocked a lower-court ruling in a redistricting dispute in North Dakota that would gut a landmark federal civil rights law for millions of people. The justices indicated in an unsigned order Thursday that they are likely to take up a federal appeals court ruling. This would eliminate the most common path people and civil rights groups use to sue under a key provision of the 60-year-old Voting Rights Act. The case could be argued as early as 2026 and decided by next summer. Three conservative justices, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, would have rejected the appeal.
WORDS: 527 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 3:07 p.m. CDT
——————————
——————————-—
OKLAHOMA
————-———————
US–Paxton-Mortgages
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Senate hopeful, claimed 3 homes as his primary residence
SUMMARY: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife, Angela, are longtime owners of a $1.5 million home in a Dallas suburb. In 2015, they snapped up a second house in Austin. Then another. The problem: Mortgage documents signed by the Paxtons that contained inaccurate statements declared that each of those three houses was a primary residence, enabling the now-estranged couple to lock in low interest rates and save tens of thousands of dollars in mortgage payments, according to an Associated Press review of public records.
WORDS: 1654 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 11:01 p.m. CDT
——————————
——————————
SPORTS
——————————
——————————-—
IOWA
————-———————
BKL–WNBA-Clark Card
Caitlin Clark’s WNBA rookie card fetches $660,000 at auction in a record-breaking sale
SUMMARY: Caitlin Clark has set yet another record, this time with her 2024 WNBA rookie card selling for the most money yet for a female athlete at a public auction. Clark’s Rookie Royalty WNBA Flawless Logowoman 1/1 card sold Thursday night for $660,000. That sale price tops the previous mark for Clark’s 2024 Panini Prizm WNBA Signatures Gold Vinyl 1/1 PSA 10 in March. The card that sold Thursday night is signed and inscribed with Clark’s scoring total for her rookie season. The card sold for more than Clark is due to be paid throughout her rookie contract with the Indiana Fever.
WORDS: 239 – MOVED: 07/25/2025 10:01 a.m. CDT
——————————
——————————-—
KANSAS
————-———————
US–Athlete-Home Burglaries
NYC pawn shop owner pleads guilty to fencing luxury items stolen from homes across US
SUMMARY: A Manhattan pawn shop owner has pleaded guilty to serving as a fence for luxury items stolen from wealthy people across the U.S. Dimitriy Nezhinskiy admitted Friday that he purchased watches, jewelry and other high-end goods to sell despite knowing they were stolen. The charge he pleaded guilty to in Brooklyn federal court carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Prosecutors say Nezhinskiy fenced the stolen goods for international burglary crews. Prosecutors say some of the crooks who visited the pawn shop were involved in burglarizing the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, though Nezhinskiy himself wasn’t charged with participating in that burglary.
WORDS: 837 – MOVED: 07/18/2025 3:38 p.m. CDT
——————————
BKC–Kansas-Self-Heart Procedure
Kansas basketball coach Bill Self has 2 stents inserted to treat blocked arteries
SUMMARY: Kansas basketball coach Bill Self had two stents inserted into his heart to treat blocked arteries Thursday at Lawrence Memorial Hospital after he “felt unwell and experienced some concerning symptoms.” The Kansas athletic department released a statement, saying: “The procedure went very well, and he is expected to make a full recovery. He is in good spirits and expects to be released from the hospital soon.” The 62-year-old Self directed the final practice of the summer session Thursday morning as he prepares for his 23rd seasons as head coach of the Jayhawks. He missed the 2023 Big 12 and NCAA tournaments because of a heart condition, getting a standard catheterization and having two stents inserted to help treat blocked arteries.
WORDS: 210 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 7:21 p.m. CDT
——————————
——————————-—
MINNESOTA
————-———————
US–Athlete-Home Burglaries
NYC pawn shop owner pleads guilty to fencing luxury items stolen from homes across US
SUMMARY: A Manhattan pawn shop owner has pleaded guilty to serving as a fence for luxury items stolen from wealthy people across the U.S. Dimitriy Nezhinskiy admitted Friday that he purchased watches, jewelry and other high-end goods to sell despite knowing they were stolen. The charge he pleaded guilty to in Brooklyn federal court carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Prosecutors say Nezhinskiy fenced the stolen goods for international burglary crews. Prosecutors say some of the crooks who visited the pawn shop were involved in burglarizing the home of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, though Nezhinskiy himself wasn’t charged with participating in that burglary.
WORDS: 837 – MOVED: 07/18/2025 3:38 p.m. CDT
——————————
GLF–3M Open
Adam Svensson sets tournament record with opening-round 60, leads by 1 shot at 3M Open
SUMMARY: Adam Svensson made a 48-foot eagle putt on the closing hole to complete an 11-under 60 that gave him a two-shot lead over Sam Stevens and Thorbjorn Olesen after one round of the 3M Open. Svensson also made nine birdies and did not drop a shot in the lowest round in the tournament’s seven-year history. Chris Gotterup continued his strong recent play with a 63. He won the Scottish Open two weeks ago, then finished third in the British Open. Chad Ramey and Matti Schmid also were three shots back.
WORDS: 506 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 7:57 p.m. CDT
——————————
——————————-—
MISSOURI
————-———————
BKC–Kansas-Self-Heart Procedure
Kansas basketball coach Bill Self has 2 stents inserted to treat blocked arteries
SUMMARY: Kansas basketball coach Bill Self had two stents inserted into his heart to treat blocked arteries Thursday at Lawrence Memorial Hospital after he “felt unwell and experienced some concerning symptoms.” The Kansas athletic department released a statement, saying: “The procedure went very well, and he is expected to make a full recovery. He is in good spirits and expects to be released from the hospital soon.” The 62-year-old Self directed the final practice of the summer session Thursday morning as he prepares for his 23rd seasons as head coach of the Jayhawks. He missed the 2023 Big 12 and NCAA tournaments because of a heart condition, getting a standard catheterization and having two stents inserted to help treat blocked arteries.
WORDS: 210 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 7:21 p.m. CDT
——————————
BBO–Padres-Cardinals
Donovan and Contreras hit 3-run HRs in 2nd inning, Cardinals beat Padres 9-7
SUMMARY: Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras hit three-run homers in the second inning and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 9-7 on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series. Willson had with four RBIs and Donovan finished with three hits. Iván Herrera had three hits and two RBIs, including a solo homer in the sixth. Sonny Gray (10-4) gave up seven runs — six earned — on 11 hits with five strikeouts in five innings. Ryan Helsley pitched a scoreless ninth for his 20th save. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado each had three hits for San Diego. Tatis led off the third with a home run and Machado added a two-run shot that made it 7-5.
WORDS: 313 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 10:06 p.m. CDT
——————————
——————————-—
NORTH DAKOTA
————-———————
HKN–Hurricanes-Blake
Hurricanes forward Jackson Blake signs 8-year, $45 million contract extension
SUMMARY: Carolina Hurricanes forward Jackson Blake signed an eight-year, $45 million contract extension Thursday that will begin with the 2026-27 season. The 21-year-old Blake, the son of former NHL forward Jason Blake, had 17 goals and 17 assists in 80 regular-season games last season and added three goals and three assists in 15 playoff games. The 5-foot-11 right wing was drafted by the Hurricanes in the fourth round in 2021. He played two seasons at the University of North Dakota.
WORDS: 151 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 10:31 p.m. CDT
——————————
——————————-—
OKLAHOMA
————-———————
FBC–American Conference Media Days-Memphis
Pernetti on Memphis’ attempted move to Big 12: Your job is to do what’s best for the school
SUMMARY: American Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti acknowledged Memphis’ ambition to join the Big 12, despite their bid being rejected. Yahoo Sports reports that the Big 12 board turned down Memphis’ application, meaning the school remains in the American Conference for now. Pernetti, speaking at the conference’s media days on Friday, said he has been aware of Memphis’ intentions since last August. He admires their ambition and credits them for their transparency. Memphis released a statement expressing disappointment but emphasized their strength and commitment to national prominence. Pernetti says the conference is open to evolving and adding new schools if it is a good fit.
WORDS: 512 – MOVED: 07/25/2025 9:21 a.m. CDT
——————————
FBC–American Conference Media Days-Playoffs
American Conference deserves fair shot at College Football Playoff, commissioner says
SUMMARY: Commissioner Tim Pernetti wants the newly rebranded American Conference included in the College Football Playoff conversation. Pernetti says his conference has teams capable of competing in the 12-team playoff for the national championship. H emphasized on Friday a merit-based system where the five highest-ranked conference champions receive automatic bids, regardless of conference. Last season, the American Conference had competitive teams but none made the playoffs. Pernetti argues against predetermined playoff spots for larger conferences, advocating for opportunities to be earned on the field. He warns against repeating past mistakes of favoritism and confusion that he said came with the Bowl Championship Series.
WORDS: 518 – MOVED: 07/25/2025 11:16 a.m. CDT
——————————
If you have a coverage enquiry, please contact Editorial Support (available 24/7) via editorialsupport@ap.org
<END>
