Great Plains News Digest
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MINNESOTA
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US–Immigration-Enforcement
Justice Department investigating whether Minnesota’s Walz and Frey impeded immigration enforcement
SUMMARY: The Justice Department is investigating whether Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have impeded federal immigration enforcement through public statements they have made, according to two people familiar with the matter. The investigation focused on potential violation of a conspiracy statute, the people said. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss a pending investigation by name. Walz and Frey both issued statements calling it an attempt to intimidate them. The investigation comes during a weekslong immigration crackdown in Minneapolis and St. Paul that the Department of Homeland Security has called its largest recent immigration enforcement operation.
WORDS: 1008 – MOVED: 01/16/2026 10:53 a.m. CST
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US–Immigration Enforcement-Somali Businesses
Somali businesses struggle during the Minneapolis ICE crackdown
SUMMARY: Business owners in a Minneapolis Somali mall are feeling the impact of an immigration crackdown. The usually bustling Karmel Mall is now quiet, with many shops closed. While many immigrants say their businesses have been impacted, the Somali community has been a specific target of the Trump administration. Fears of ICE have turned off both vendors and customers, citizens and noncitizens. Business owners said they’ve lost almost all of their customers and are now struggling to pay rent.
WORDS: 654 – MOVED: 01/17/2026 11:09 p.m. CST
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US–Immigration Enforcement-Military
Army puts 1,500 soldiers on standby for possible Minnesota deployment, AP sources say
SUMMARY: The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active duty soldiers to be ready in case of a possible deployment to Minnesota, where federal authorities have been conducting a massive immigration enforcement operation. Two defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans, said Sunday that two infantry battalions of the Army’s 11th Airborne Division have been given prepare-to-deploy orders if President Donald Trump invokes the 19th century Insurrection Act. The president suggested he might use it but then later walked back the threat.
WORDS: 411 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 12:59 p.m. CST
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US–Immigration Enforcement
Sending soldiers to Minneapolis for immigration crackdown would be unconstitutional, mayor says
SUMMARY: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says sending active duty soldiers to Minnesota for an immigration crackdown is ridiculous and unconstitutional. He is urging protesters to remain peaceful. Protests have been ongoing since the Department of Homeland Security increased immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities. President Donald Trump had threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act but has since backed off. A federal judge ruled that immigration officers can’t detain or tear gas peaceful protesters and nearly all of the demonstrations have not seen violence. Postal workers marched against ICE on Sunday and some hotels protesters say housed ICE agents were not accepting reservations.
WORDS: 989 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 1:30 p.m. CST
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US–Minnesota Church-ICE
DOJ vows to press charges after activists disrupt church where Minnesota ICE official is a pastor
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Justice says it is investigating a group of protesters in Minnesota who disrupted services at a church where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apparently serves as a pastor. A livestreamed video posted on the Facebook page of Black Lives Matter Minnesota shows a group of people interrupting services at the Cities Church in St. Paul by chanting “ICE out.” The protesters allege that one of the church’s pastors also leads the local ICE field office overseeing the operations that have involved violent tactics and illegal arrests. Attorney General Pam Bondi said any violations of federal law would be prosecuted.
WORDS: 643 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 9:13 p.m. CST
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US–Immigration Enforcement-Detainee Death,
ICE says an immigrant who died in a sprawling Texas detention facility killed himself
SUMMARY: Federal officials say an immigrant from Nicaragua has been found dead at a Texas immigration detention facility. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents say 36-year-old Victor Manuel Diaz appears to have killed himself Wednesday at the Army’s Fort Bill base in El Paso. Diaz was detained in Minnesota on January 6th and sent to Texas. He entered the U.S. in March 2024. Diaz was at the same detention facility where ICE says another detainee died as staff members tried to prevent him from killing himself. Local officials say that death appeared to be a homicide as the detainee was being restrained.
WORDS: 378 – MOVED: 01/19/2026 9:51 a.m. CST
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SPORTS
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IOWA
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BKW–T25-Iowa St-Oklahoma St
Stailee Heard’s triple-double highlights Oklahoma State women’s 86-58 drubbing of No. 19 Iowa State
SUMMARY: Stailee Heard had 18 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists and Oklahoma State routed No. 19 Iowa State 86-58, sending the reeling Cyclones to their fifth consecutive loss. It was Heard’s first career triple-double and the third in Oklahoma State history. She is averaging 20.8 points over the past four games. Before Sunday, Iowa State’s losing streak included only one loss by double digits. Oklahoma State’s 13-0 run in the middle of the second quarter put the Cyclones down by 16 points and they never recovered. Entering the fourth, Audi Crooks and Jada Williams were the only players with more than three points for Iowa State. They finished with 15 points each. Haleigh Timmer finished with 16 points and Micah Gray had 15 for the Cowgirls.
WORDS: 355 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 2:30 p.m. CST
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BKW–T25-Women’s Poll
Iowa cracks top 10 in AP women’s basketball poll for first time in 2 years; UConn-South Carolina 1-2
SUMMARY: Iowa moved into the top 10 for the first time in two years and UConn remained the unanimous No. 1 choice in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll. The Hawkeyes last were ranked this high in the final poll of Caitlin Clark’s senior year. They had been as high as 11th a few times this season and finally were able to crack the first 10. UConn received all 30 first-place ballots from a national media panel as the top six teams in the poll were unchanged from a week earlier. The Huskies have won 34 consecutive games dating back to last season. South Carolina and UCLA were next. Texas remained fourth despite falling at South Carolina 68-65 on Thursday. Vanderbilt and LSU followed the Longhorns.
WORDS: 474 – MOVED: 01/19/2026 10:57 a.m. CST
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MINNESOTA
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BKN–Wembanyama vs Edwards
Edwards, Wembanyama enjoy another showdown between two of the West’s best as Spurs top Timberwolves
SUMMARY: Anthony Edwards doesn’t want to be the face of the NBA, but the Minnesota Timberwolves star is becoming a focus of one the league’s marquee matchups when he goes up against San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. Edwards had a career-high 55 points, but Wembanyama scored 39 points and captured a key offensive rebound in the final seconds as San Antonio held off Minnesota 126-123 on Saturday. Wembanyama and Edwards exchanged highlights and baskets in the final minutes of a showdown between two of the Western Conference’s top teams.
WORDS: 647 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 1:28 p.m. CST
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HKW–PWHL-Six-Player-Trade
Charge and PWHL expansion Goldeneyes shake up rosters with league-record 6-player trade
SUMMARY: The Ottawa Charge and the PWHL expansion Vancouver Goldeneyes shook up their rosters by completing a six-player trade. The trade set a PWHL record for most players involved in one trade. The league a third of the way into its third season. Ottawa acquired forwards Michela Cava and Brooke McQuigge, and defender Emma Greco. All three won at least one Walter Cup championship with Minnesota. Vancouver added three forwards: rookie Anna Shokhina, Mannon McMahon and Anna Meixner.
WORDS: 384 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 10:55 p.m. CST
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MISSOURI
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GLF–Latin America Amateur
Mateo Pulcini wins Latin America Amateur in a playoff. His next stop is the Masters
SUMMARY: Mateo Pulcini of Argentina is headed to the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open. Those are the rewards for winning the Latin American Amateur Championship in a thriller at Lima Golf Club. Pulcini made two big par saves to outlast Virgilio Paz of Venezuela. Both shot 68 to reach only the second playoff in tournament history. Pulcini made a 20-foot par save on the 17th hole, and he escaped the trees to make an 18-foot par putt in the first playoff hole. Paz made an 8-foot par to force the playoff. But he made bogey on the second playoff hole.
WORDS: 411 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 3:22 p.m. CST
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HKN–Obit-Phil Goyette
Phil Goyette, former NHL forward and Islanders’ first coach, dies at 92
SUMMARY: Phil Goyette, the former NHL forward who helped the Montreal Canadiens win Stanley Cup titles in his first four seasons and was the New York Islanders’ first coach, has died. He was 92. The Canadiens said Goyette died Saturday. The team didn’t provide a cause of death. Goyette, from Lachine, Quebec, made his debut with the Canadiens in 1956-57. He also played for the New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres and St. Louis Blues, winning the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct in 1969-70 with St. Louis. In 940 regular-season games, Goyette had 207 goals and 467 assists. He added 17 goals and 29 assists in 94 playoff games. Goyette coached the expansion Islanders in 1972-73, going 6-40-4 before he was replaced.
WORDS: 253 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 5:12 p.m. CST
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HKN–Blues-Oilers
Hyman, Ingram lead Oilers to 5-0 win over Blues
SUMMARY: Zach Hyman had two goals and an assist, Connor Ingram made 27 saves for his first shutout of the season, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the St. Louis Blues 5-0. Vasily Podkolzin had a goal and an assist and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Andrew Mangiapane also scored for the Oilers, who have gone 5-1-2 in their last eight games. Nugent-Hopkins played in his 1,000th regular-season contest, becoming just the 63rd player in history to record a goal in his milestone match. Connor McDavid and Mattias Ekholm each had a pair of assists. Edmonton is now 21-1-4 when scoring first this season. Jordan Binnington had 23 saves for St. Louis, who snapped a two-game win streak..
WORDS: 247 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 10:30 p.m. CST
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OKLAHOMA
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BKW–T25-Iowa St-Oklahoma St
Stailee Heard’s triple-double highlights Oklahoma State women’s 86-58 drubbing of No. 19 Iowa State
SUMMARY: Stailee Heard had 18 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists and Oklahoma State routed No. 19 Iowa State 86-58, sending the reeling Cyclones to their fifth consecutive loss. It was Heard’s first career triple-double and the third in Oklahoma State history. She is averaging 20.8 points over the past four games. Before Sunday, Iowa State’s losing streak included only one loss by double digits. Oklahoma State’s 13-0 run in the middle of the second quarter put the Cyclones down by 16 points and they never recovered. Entering the fourth, Audi Crooks and Jada Williams were the only players with more than three points for Iowa State. They finished with 15 points each. Haleigh Timmer finished with 16 points and Micah Gray had 15 for the Cowgirls.
WORDS: 355 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 2:30 p.m. CST
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BKW–T25-LSU-Oklahoma
Flau’jae Johnson’s 23 points, 10 rebounds lead No. 6 LSU past No. 13 Oklahoma 91-72
SUMMARY: Flau’jae Johnson had 23 points and 10 rebounds as No. 6 LSU defeated No. 13 Oklahoma 91-72. Jada Richard added 21 points for the Tigers, who beat then-No. 2 Texas a week earlier. Oklahoma’s star freshman, Aaliyah Chavez, was held to 11 points, well below her average. LSU, which leads the nation in scoring, outpaced Oklahoma, which ranks second. Two Sooners fouled out, and Oklahoma fans left early as the team lost its third straight game. LSU led 45-35 at halftime and extended the lead to 70-52 by the third quarter.
WORDS: 355 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 4:21 p.m. CST
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BKC–Tulsa-UAB
Green scores 26, Tulsa takes down UAB 99-77
SUMMARY: Led by David Green’s 26 points, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane defeated the UAB Blazers 99-77. Miles Barnstable added 25 points for the Golden Hurricane.
WORDS: 187 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 4:39 p.m. CST
https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/GreenscoresTulsatakesdownUAB/e06a1f893ffa43d9a949619b48abaf86/text
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BKN–Cavaliers-Garland
Cavaliers’ Darius Garland out at least a week with sprained toe
SUMMARY: Cavaliers guard Darius Garland will be sidelined for at least one week due to a sprained right great toe. Garland suffered the injury on January 14 at Philadelphia and missed Friday’s game against the 76ers. The Cavaliers said further evaluation and imaging on Saturday revealed a Grade 1 sprain. The seventh-year guard will be reevaluated in seven to 10 days as he undergoes treatment. Garland is averaging 20.2 points and 7.4 assists over this last 16 games. The Cavaliers have been plagued by injuries all season. They are 24-19 and fifth in the East going into Monday afternoon’s game.
WORDS: 192 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 6:58 p.m. CST
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GLF–Sony Open
Chris Gotterup opens PGA Tour season by winning Sony Open for his 3rd straight year with a title
SUMMARY: Chris Gotterup didn’t take much time adding to his PGA Tour victory total. He rallied for a 64 on the final day of the Sony Open for a two-shot victory. Gotterup started the final round two shots behind and took advantage of a meltdown by Davis Riley. The victory is his third in three years since getting a PGA Tour card. Gotterup was at No. 195 in the world when he left the Sony Open last year. Now he’s up to No. 17 and closing in on the elite in golf. Ryan Gerard shot 65 and finished second.
WORDS: 780 – MOVED: 01/18/2026 9:01 p.m. CST
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