Great Plains News Digest
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IOWA
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US–Trump-Education-States
Trump officials loosen strings on federal education money for Iowa. More states could follow
SUMMARY: The Trump administration is giving Iowa more power to decide how it spends its federal education money. Washington is signing off on a proposal that’s expected to be the first of many as conservative states apply for new spending freedom from the federal government. Iowa was the first state to apply for an exemption from certain spending rules after Education Secretary Linda McMahon invited states to request the flexibility last year. Such waivers have been offered for years but are finding new interest under President Donald Trump. Indiana and Oklahoma have made similar requests.
WORDS: 893 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 10:46 a.m. CST
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KANSAS
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US–Trump-Education-States
Trump officials loosen strings on federal education money for Iowa. More states could follow
SUMMARY: The Trump administration is giving Iowa more power to decide how it spends its federal education money. Washington is signing off on a proposal that’s expected to be the first of many as conservative states apply for new spending freedom from the federal government. Iowa was the first state to apply for an exemption from certain spending rules after Education Secretary Linda McMahon invited states to request the flexibility last year. Such waivers have been offered for years but are finding new interest under President Donald Trump. Indiana and Oklahoma have made similar requests.
WORDS: 893 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 10:46 a.m. CST
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US–Income Tax-Georgia
Georgia Republicans move to scrap state income tax by 2032 despite concerns
SUMMARY: Georgia is the latest state to consider eliminating its personal income tax, with Republican leaders in the Senate backing a proposal to phase it out by 2032. This move is part of a broader trend among Republican-led states like Iowa and Kentucky. Georgia’s plan proposes exempting the first $50,000 of income for a single person or $100,000 for a married couple in 2027. Supporters argue it will boost the economy by attracting new residents and businesses. Critics including Democrats warn it could lead to cuts in essential services like education and health care. The plan faces uncertainty, as some Georgia Republicans prefer a more gradual approach.
WORDS: 1059 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 4:37 p.m. CST
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MINNESOTA
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US–Immigration-Enforcement-Minnesota-The Latest
The Latest: ICE officer shoots and kills a woman during Minneapolis immigration crackdown
SUMMARY: An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a Minneapolis motorist during the Trump administration’s latest immigration crackdown in a major U.S. city — a shooting that federal officials claimed was an act of self-defense but that the city’s mayor described as “reckless” and unnecessary. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Wednesday’s incident as an “act of domestic terrorism” carried out against ICE officers by a woman who “attempted to run them over.” Hours after the shooting of the woman, an angry Mayor Jacob Frey blasted the federal crackdown in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
WORDS: 2120 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 2:17 p.m. CST
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US–Education-Child Care Funding
Trump administration funding threats set child care providers and parents on edge
SUMMARY: The Trump administration’s crackdown on the $12 billion Child Care and Development Fund, which subsidizes care for 1.4 million children from low-income households, has rattled child care providers and families that rely on the aid money. Citing unspecified allegations of fraud, administration officials are requiring states to provide extra documentation before receiving the money. It’s unclear if or when child care providers and families will feel the pinch. Some states, like Minnesota, also invest state resources in child care programs, which could insulate families from any impacts.
WORDS: 996 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 1:56 p.m. CST
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US-Immigration-Enforcement-Minnesota-Use of Force
Minneapolis shooting by ICE agent brings debate over police force and moving vehicles back in focus
SUMMARY: The fatal shooting Wednesday of a woman by an immigration and customs enforcement agent in Minneapolis is raising questions about when law enforcement officers are justified in using lethal force against someone in a moving vehicle. Many police departments for decades have had policies in place prohibiting officers from firing at vehicles to stop a fleeing suspect. And many, including federal use-of-force policies, require a threat of lethal force from the person in the car, other than the car itself. But its not the first time in recent months federal officials have fired at civilians in cars, quickly followed by officials calling the person a “domestic terrorist.”
WORDS: 1293 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 6:40 p.m. CST
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US–Immigration Enforcement-Deaths
Driver shot in Minneapolis is at least the fifth person killed in US immigration crackdown
SUMMARY: A motorist who was fatally shot by an immigration officer in Minneapolis is at least the fifth person to die since the Trump administration launched its aggressive immigration crackdown last year. The Department of Homeland Security says the woman killed Wednesday was trying to run over officers with a vehicle. But Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says video of the incident shows it was reckless and unnecessary. Last September agents in suburban Chicago fatally shot a Mexican man during a traffic stop. Two men died in California and Virginia after being struck by vehicles while fleeing immigration authorities. And in July a California farmworker fell from a greenhouse roof during a raid.
WORDS: 785 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 3:07 p.m. CST
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US–Immigration Enforcement-Minnesota
ICE officer kills a Minneapolis driver in a deadly start to Trump’s latest immigration operation
SUMMARY: An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer has shot and killed a Minneapolis driver during the Trump administration’s latest immigration crackdown on a major American city. Federal officials called the 37-year-old woman’s killing Wednesday an act of self-defense. But Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey dismissed that characterization as “garbage,” saying he had watched videos of the shooting that show it wasn’t self-defense and was avoidable. Hundreds of people descended on the scene to protest the shooting, which happened in a snowy neighborhood about a mile from where police killed George Floyd in 2020.
WORDS: 1122 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 10:55 a.m. CST
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US–Immigration-Enforcement-Minnesota-Victim
Woman killed by ICE agent in Minneapolis was a mother of 3, poet and new to the city
SUMMARY: The woman shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis was a U.S. citizen and mother of a 6-year-old. In social media accounts, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Macklin Good described herself as a poet, writer, wife and mom. Trump administration officials painted Macklin Good as a domestic terrorist who had attempted to ram federal agents with her car. Her mother told a Minnesota newspaper her daughter wasn’t involved in protests against the administration’s immigration crackdown. She said her daughter was compassionate and took care of others all her life.
WORDS: 543 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 11:24 p.m. CST
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US-Immigration-Enforcement-Minnesota-Shooting Rules
What to know about the rules for officers firing at a moving vehicle
SUMMARY: A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a woman in a moving vehicle in Minneapolis this week, sparking renewed questions about use-of-force rules. Most police departments and federal guidance bar shooting at a moving vehicle unless the driver poses an imminent threat beyond the vehicle itself. Experts say firing at vehicles is especially dangerous because stray bullets or a driver losing control can put bystanders at risk. Justice Department policy says deadly force is justified only when no reasonable alternative exists, including stepping out of the way. Officers can’t use lethal force just to stop or arrest someone who isn’t an immediate threat.
WORDS: 383 – MOVED: 01/08/2026 10:50 a.m. CST
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US–Immigration Enforcement-Minnesota-What to Know
What to know about the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE officer in Minneapolis
SUMMARY: Protesters have confronted federal officers in Minneapolis the day after a woman was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. Border Patrol officers fired tear gas and used pepper spray to push back demonstrators Thursday outside a Minneapolis federal building. The protests came amid heightened tensions after President Donald Trump’s administration dispatched 2,000 officers and agents to Minnesota for its latest immigration crackdown. The killing of 37-year-old Renee Good on Wednesday set off a clash between federal officials who insist the shooting was an act of self-defense and Minneapolis officials who dispute that narrative.
WORDS: 728 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 9:28 p.m. CST
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US–Immigration-Enforcement-Minnesota-The Latest
The Latest: State investigators say they can’t access ICE shooting evidence after FBI takes case
SUMMARY: The head of Minnesota’s state investigations agency says the U.S. attorney’s office has barred it from taking part in the investigation into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer’s fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman. Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said in a statement Thursday that after the agency consulted with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, the U.S. attorney’s office and the FBI following Wednesday’s shooting of 37-year-old mother of three Renee Good, “it was decided that the BCA Force Investigations Unit would conduct a joint investigation with the FBI.” He said the FBI informed the BCA later Wednesday that the U.S. attorney’s office had changed the plan.
WORDS: 1592 – MOVED: 01/08/2026 8:43 a.m. CST
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US–Immigration Enforcement-Minnesota
Minneapolis protesters vent their outrage after an ICE officer kills a woman
SUMMARY: Minneapolis is on edge following the fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer taking part in the Trump administration’s latest immigration crackdown. Protesters gathered Thursday outside of a federal building that’s serving as a major base for the operation. They shouted “No More ICE” and other as Border Patrol officers pushed them back, doused them with pepper spray and fired tear gas. With tensions boiling since the unidentified ICE agent shot Renee Good in the head, Minneapolis canceled the rest of the school week as a precaution. Minnesota’s governor demanded the state be allowed to take part in the investigation. But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Minnesota authorities “don’t have any jurisdiction.”
WORDS: 1039 – MOVED: 01/08/2026 1:00 a.m. CST
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MISSOURI
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US–Income Tax-Georgia
Georgia Republicans move to scrap state income tax by 2032 despite concerns
SUMMARY: Georgia is the latest state to consider eliminating its personal income tax, with Republican leaders in the Senate backing a proposal to phase it out by 2032. This move is part of a broader trend among Republican-led states like Iowa and Kentucky. Georgia’s plan proposes exempting the first $50,000 of income for a single person or $100,000 for a married couple in 2027. Supporters argue it will boost the economy by attracting new residents and businesses. Critics including Democrats warn it could lead to cuts in essential services like education and health care. The plan faces uncertainty, as some Georgia Republicans prefer a more gradual approach.
WORDS: 1059 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 4:37 p.m. CST
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NEBRASKA
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US–Nebraska Lawmaker-Harassment
Nebraska senator faces historic expulsion vote over sexual misconduct allegations
SUMMARY: Nebraska lawmakers are considering a motion to expel Sen. Dan McKeon over allegations of inappropriate behavior. The complaint involves a sexually-charged comment and inappropriate touching at a party last year. If expelled, McKeon would be the first Nebraska senator removed for misconduct. A report found his conduct violated workplace harassment policy but didn’t meet legal thresholds for harassment. McKeon has pleaded not guilty to a related misdemeanor charge. The Legislature’s Executive Board will hold a hearing Monday, with a vote of the full Legislature soon likely in the days after.
WORDS: 802 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 3:41 p.m. CST
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US–State Legislatures 2026
Trump’s ‘beautiful’ new law means states have big decisions this year on Medicaid, SNAP and taxes
SUMMARY: State lawmakers and governors will have decisions to make in 2026 about the budgets for their biggest social safety net programs. It comes in response to the tax cut and policy law that President Donald Trump signed last year. The measure imposes new work requirements for some people with Medicaid health coverage. It also raises the states’ share of costs for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries. Many states could also decide whether to fall in line with tax cuts, including eliminating income taxes on tips and overtime.
WORDS: 1086 – MOVED: 01/08/2026 12:07 a.m. CST
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SPORTS
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IOWA
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BKC–Belmont-Northern Iowa
Jack Smiley scores 19 as Belmont beats Northern Iowa 78-65
SUMMARY: Jack Smiley scored 19 points off of the bench to help lead the Belmont Bruins past the Northern Iowa Panthers 78-65 on Wednesday. The Bruins are now 14-3 on the season, while the Panthers fell to 12-4.
WORDS: 174 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 9:30 p.m. CST
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BKC–T25-Iowa St-Baylor
No. 3 Iowa State sets school record with 15-0 start after 70-60 win over Baylor
SUMMARY: Joshua Jefferson had 19 points and 17 rebounds as third-ranked Iowa State won its 15th consecutive game to start the season, beating Baylor 70-60. Tamin Lipsey scored 24 points for the 15-0 Cyclones, who didn’t lead until Jefferson’s 3-pointer on their final shot before halftime. They never gave up that lead, beginning the second half with a 14-1 run. Iowa State’s 15-0 start and 15-game winning streak both are school records, surpassing the 14-0 start by the 2013-14 team. Cameron Carr had 17 points for 10-4 Baylor.
WORDS: 387 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 9:34 p.m. CST
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BKC–T25-Perfect Cyclones
Ames native Tamin Lipsey a big part of first 15-0 start for No. 3 Iowa State
SUMMARY: Iowa State senior point guard Tamin Lipsey grew up near campus in Ames and says he’s been a Cyclone his entire life. Now he’s part of something the program had never done before. Third-ranked Iowa State is 15-0 for the first time following a 70-60 victory at Baylor. Lipsey scored 24 points, overcoming some early foul trouble that kept him on the bench for nearly eight minutes in the first half. Joshua Jefferson had 19 points and 17 rebounds for the Cyclones. Their 15-0 start and 15-game winning streak are both school records, surpassing a 14-0 start by the 2013-14 team.
WORDS: 665 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 11:35 p.m. CST
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KANSAS
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SOC–NWSL-Current-Armas
Former US team midfielder Chris Armas named head coach of the Kansas City Current
SUMMARY: Former Colorado Rapids coach and U.S. team midfielder Chris Armas has been named head coach of the Kansas City Current. Armas replaces coach Vlatko Andonovski, who was named to a new position as the club’s global sporting director following the 2025 season. Andonovski, the former U.S. women’s team coach, had led the Current for the past two seasons. In addition to leading the Rapids for the past two seasons, Armas had previous head coaching stints with the New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC. A defensive midfielder, Armas played in 66 matches for the United States from 1998-2005.
WORDS: 362 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 2:46 p.m. CST
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BKC–Rice-Wichita State
Trae Broadnax scores 22 as Rice knocks off Wichita State 66-64
SUMMARY: Led by Trae Broadnax’s 22 points, the Rice Owls defeated the Wichita State Shockers 66-64. The Owls are now 7-9 on the season, while the Shockers moved to 9-7.
WORDS: 141 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 9:54 p.m. CST
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BKC–T25-Kansas St-Arizona
No. 1 Arizona remains unbeaten with 101-76 win over Kansas State
SUMMARY: Brayden Burries scored 28 points, Motiejus Krivas added a career-high 25 and No. 1 Arizona remained unbeaten with a 101-76 win over Kansas State. PJ Haggerty led Kansas State with 19 points and Nate Johnson added 15. Arizona is off to its best start since winning the first 21 games of the 2013-14 season. Arizona won by at least 18 points for the 10th consecutive game, matching a mark Michigan had earlier this season that tied for the longest such run since 2003-04. Koa Peat had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Tobe Awaka added nine and 11 for Arizona.
WORDS: 363 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 10:50 p.m. CST
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FBN–Chiefs-Rice
Chiefs aware of domestic violence allegations that appear to be directed toward Rashee Rice
SUMMARY: The Kansas City Chiefs have acknowledged domestic violence allegations that appear to be directed toward wide receiver Rashee Rice. A former girlfriend posted photos on social media that appeared to show signs of physical abuse. She did not name Rice but mentioned the father of her children, and she has two children with him. The Chiefs say they are in communication with the NFL and have no further comment. No police reports are available in Overland Park, Kansas, where the abuse allegedly occurred. Rice missed the first six games this season due to an NFL suspension related to a previous incident.
WORDS: 254 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 11:30 p.m. CST
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MISSOURI
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SOC–NWSL-Current-Armas
Former US team midfielder Chris Armas named head coach of the Kansas City Current
SUMMARY: Former Colorado Rapids coach and U.S. team midfielder Chris Armas has been named head coach of the Kansas City Current. Armas replaces coach Vlatko Andonovski, who was named to a new position as the club’s global sporting director following the 2025 season. Andonovski, the former U.S. women’s team coach, had led the Current for the past two seasons. In addition to leading the Rapids for the past two seasons, Armas had previous head coaching stints with the New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC. A defensive midfielder, Armas played in 66 matches for the United States from 1998-2005.
WORDS: 362 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 2:46 p.m. CST
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FBN–Raiders-Coaching Search
Raiders schedule interviews with 3 coordinators for head coach position
SUMMARY: The Las Vegas Raiders are interviewing candidates to replace Pete Carroll as head coach. They’ve scheduled interviews with Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Kansas City Chiefs OC Matt Nagy. The Raiders also requested to speak with Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb. Joseph and Nagy have previous head coaching experience. Joseph’s defense ranked high in yardage and scoring. Kubiak’s offense was strong in points and yardage. Nagy’s Chiefs had challenges but he has Super Bowl experience. Webb, considered an up-and-comer, has impressed with his work with quarterbacks.
WORDS: 369 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 5:17 p.m. CST
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BKC–Saint Louis-VCU
Kellen Thames scores 18 off the bench, Saint Louis knocks off VCU 71-62
SUMMARY: Kellen Thames scored 18 points off of the bench to help lead the Saint Louis Billikens over the VCU Rams 71-62. The Billikens are now 14-1 with the win and the Rams fell to 11-5.
WORDS: 184 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 9:38 p.m. CST
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FBN–Chiefs-Rice
Chiefs aware of domestic violence allegations that appear to be directed toward Rashee Rice
SUMMARY: The Kansas City Chiefs have acknowledged domestic violence allegations that appear to be directed toward wide receiver Rashee Rice. A former girlfriend posted photos on social media that appeared to show signs of physical abuse. She did not name Rice but mentioned the father of her children, and she has two children with him. The Chiefs say they are in communication with the NFL and have no further comment. No police reports are available in Overland Park, Kansas, where the abuse allegedly occurred. Rice missed the first six games this season due to an NFL suspension related to a previous incident.
WORDS: 254 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 11:30 p.m. CST
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HKN–Blues-Blackhawks
Moore and Murphy help the Blackhawks beat the Blues 7-3 for their 4th straight win
SUMMARY: Oliver Moore and Connor Murphy scored during Chicago’s four-goal second period, and the Blackhawks beat the St. Louis Blues 7-3 for their fourth consecutive win. Moore, Murphy, Louis Crevier and Landon Slaggert each had a goal and an assist as Chicago improved to 2-1-0 against St. Louis this season. Chicago went 3 for 4 on the power play, while St. Louis was 0 for 5 with the man advantage. The Blackhawks are 8 for 8 on the penalty kill during their win streak. Tyler Tucker, Otto Stenberg and Nathan Walker scored for St. Louis in the opener of a three-game trip.
WORDS: 348 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 11:43 p.m. CST
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HKN–Obit-Hall
Glenn Hall, whose NHL goalie starts streak may never be broken, dies at age 94
SUMMARY: Glenn Hall, a Hockey Hall of Famer whose streak of 502 consecutive starts as a goaltender remains an NHL record, has died at age 94. A spokesperson for the Chicago Blackhawks confirmed the team was informed of Hall’s death from his family. A league historian in touch with Hall’s son, Pat, said Hall died at a hospital in Stony Plain, Alberta, on Wednesday. A pioneer of the butterfly style of goaltending of dropping to his knees, Hall backstopped Chicago to the Stanley Cup in 1961. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the playoffs in 1968 with St. Louis when the Blues reached the final before losing to Montreal.
WORDS: 742 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 7:36 p.m. CST
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FIG–US Championships-Efimova Citizenship
Figure skater Alisa Efimova’s Olympic dream hinges on last-minute US citizenship approval
SUMMARY: Alisa Efimova hopes to represent the United States at the Milan Cortina Olympics, but she needs to become a citizen first. She and her pairs partner, Misha Mitrofanov, delivered a stellar performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Wednesday. Efimova is from Finland. She and Mitrofanov were married in February 2024, and she received a green card in July of that year. She is seeking a waiver of the required three-year waiting period for citizenship. The finalized U.S. squad for the Winter Games will be announced on Sunday, and Mitrofanov says they are hoping for “a last-minute miracle.”
WORDS: 838 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 8:17 p.m. CST
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FIG–US Championships
Amber Glenn sets record at US Figure Skating Championships, leads over world champ Alysa Liu
SUMMARY: Two-time defending champion Amber Glenn has set the record for a women’s short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Her performance Wednesday night gave her the lead world champion Alysa Liu heading into the free skate. Liu had broken the record mere minutes earlier with a score of 81.11 points at the home of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. But then Glenn took the ice and was flawless from an opening triple axel to her finishing combination spin, earning 83.05 points. Earlier in the night, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov began defense of their U.S. pairs title with a near-perfect short program.
WORDS: 867 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 7:14 p.m. CST
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OKLAHOMA
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BKN–Jazz-Thunder
Gilgeous-Alexander scores 46 points as Thunder halt rare skid with OT win over Jazz
SUMMARY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 46 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Utah Jazz 129-125 in overtime Wednesday night to snap a two-game losing skid. Gilgeous-Alexander calmly made a shot from near the free-throw line at the regulation buzzer to force overtime, then scored nine points in the extra period. The reigning MVP increased his streak of games with at least 20 points to 109, the second-longest run in NBA history. Chet Holmgren had 23 points and 12 rebounds, Jalen Williams scored 17 points and Ajay Mitchell added 16 for defending champion Oklahoma City. Lauri Markkanen had 29 points and 13 rebounds for Utah. Keyonte George added 25 points and 11 assists.
WORDS: 304 – MOVED: 01/07/2026 10:04 p.m. CST
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