Great Plains News Digest
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MINNESOTA
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MN–Legislature-Single Subject Bills
Minnesota seeks court clarification on ‘single subject’ legislation after gun trigger law rejected
SUMMARY: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and the state’s attorney general are asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to weigh in on a case that could transform how the Legislature makes law. The state last week appealed a decision that found a trigger ban contained in a 1,430-page omnibus policy bill violated the state Constitution, which says legislation must address a single subject that should be included in the title. The judge found the bill contained hundreds of subjects and questioned the way the Legislature has been passing bills. In June, another judge had upheld a portion of the omnibus bill, saying the bill had clear subheadings. The state wants the Supreme Court to decide which ruling is correct.
WORDS: 1421 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 1:40 p.m. CDT
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MN–Historic Building-Clean Energy
McKnight Foundation decarbonizes historic building, showcasing technique to fight climate change
SUMMARY: The McKnight Foundation’s new headquarters in downtown Minneapolis is in a building that’s over a century old, but it’s on the cutting edge of clean energy technology. The 45,000-square-foot building that houses the Minnesota-based nonprofit is fully decarbonized. McKnight Foundation is one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the country and provides millions of dollars in grants for environmental initiatives each year. When the foundation moved into a new headquarters this summer, it committed to the major retrofit. McKnight Foundation President Tonya Allen says the project “allows us to embody our mission.”
WORDS: 839 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 4:23 p.m. CDT
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US–Elections-Justice Department
US Justice Department sues 6 more states, including NY and California, in its quest for voter data
SUMMARY: The U.S. Justice Department is suing six more states, saying the states refused to turn over their voter registration lists. The lawsuits filed Thursday also accuse the states of failing to respond sufficiently to questions about how they maintain voter rolls. The department’s newest lawsuits targeted California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania after it sued Oregon and Maine last week. States called the department’s request for voters’ personal information intrusive, unprecedented and illegal, and vowed to fight it. The department says it’s mounting a nationwide effort to ensure that states are complying with federal requirements to maintain voter rolls. The federal government doesn’t run elections.
WORDS: 749 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 2:40 p.m. CDT
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US–School Shooting-Minneapolis
Minnesota’s political divide stalls gun control efforts after deadly church shooting
SUMMARY: Minnesota is grappling with a political deadlock over gun control after a church shooting in August left two children dead and 21 injured. Gov. Tim Walz has vowed to call a special legislative session to address gun violence and school safety. However, a month later, discussions remain stalled. The state Legislature is very closely divided, making bipartisan support essential for any progress. Urban Democrats generally support gun restrictions, while rural Republicans oppose them. Walz has prioritized bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, but consensus remains elusive. Both parties continue to debate potential solutions without reaching an agreement.
WORDS: 1013 – MOVED: 09/26/2025 11:22 a.m. CDT
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MISSOURI
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CA–Regulating Data Centers
California Legislature passes two watered-down bills to regulate data center water use, energy costs
SUMMARY: California lawmakers started the year saying they were ready to get tough on data centers, aiming to protect the environment and electric ratepayers. But the two bills that passed are weakened versions. Gov. Gavin Newsom is considering a bill that mandates data centers disclose their water use, but that information may not be made public. The other initially sought to protect energy customers from shouldering infrastructure costs driven by data centers. However, it now just lets regulators figure out if that is happening. The increase in the number of data centers means more water is being used to cool them along with more power plants and transmission lines being built to serve them.
WORDS: 1458 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 3:12 p.m. CDT
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SOUTH DAKOTA
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US-Hegseth-Wounded-Knee-Medals
Hegseth says Wounded Knee soldiers will keep their Medals of Honor
SUMMARY: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that he has decided that the 20 soldiers who received the Medal of Honor for their actions in 1890 at Wounded Knee will keep their awards. He announced it in a video posted to social media Thursday evening. Hegseth’s predecessor, Lloyd Austin, ordered the review of the awards in 2024 after a Congressional recommendation in the 2022 defense bill. This was itself a reflection of efforts by some lawmakers to rescind the awards for those who participated in the bloody massacre on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation near Wounded Knee Creek.
WORDS: 522 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 7:28 p.m. CDT
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US–Congress-Shutdown-Thune
Thune says a shutdown can still be avoided if Democrats ‘dial back’ their demands
SUMMARY: Senate Majority Leader John Thune is rejecting Democratic demands on health care as unserious but says a government shutdown is still “avoidable.” Thune tells The Associated Press in an interview he’s “a big believer that there’s always a way out.” Thune says Democrats are going to have to “dial back” their demands to immediately extend health insurance subsidies and reverse the health care policies Republicans passed over the summer. Absent that, the South Dakota Republican says, “we’re probably plunging forward toward the shutdown.” Democrats have shown little evidence of pulling back on their threats.
WORDS: 874 – MOVED: 09/26/2025 5:34 a.m. CDT
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SPORTS
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MINNESOTA
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BBO–Rangers-Bochy
Bruce Bochy’s future with the Texas Rangers is unclear
SUMMARY: Bruce Bochy is in the final games of his three-year contract with the Texas Rangers, a span that began with the franchise’s only World Series title. Baseball’s winningest active manager isn’t ready to discuss if he will be back next season. Bochy said before Thursday’s 4-0 loss to Minnesota in the home finale that’s something to talk about after the season. Both Bochy and Chris Young, the team’s president of baseball operations, say they will talk about next season after this one is done. The Rangers, who will miss the playoffs for the second year in a row since that championship in 2023, finish with three games at Cleveland this weekend.
WORDS: 606 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 2:10 p.m. CDT
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FBN–Bengals Run Game
Bengals are searching for answers in the run game
SUMMARY: The Cincinnati Bengals are struggling with their running game as they adjust to backup quarterback Jake Browning. On Sunday, they lost 48-10 to the Minnesota Vikings. Starting running back Chase Brown managed only 3 yards on 10 carries. Brown is averaging just 2 yards per carry this season. Coach Zac Taylor says the issue involves the entire team, not just Brown. Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher acknowledges the need for a better running strategy. The Bengals tried new tactics against the Vikings, but they were still ineffective. The offensive line’s performance has been a key problem, contributing to the team’s overall struggles.
WORDS: 646 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 6:21 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Twins-Rangers
Byron Buxton homers twice including a 2nd-straight leadoff shot to lead Twins over Rangers 4-0
SUMMARY: Byron Buxton hit two home runs including a second-straight leadoff homer, Bailey Ober threw six innings with five strikeouts and two hits, and the Minnesota Twins beat the Texas Rangers 4-0. The Twins outhit the Rangers 10-3, with Buxton, Trevor Larnach, Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien and Christian Vázquez each recording two hits. Ober tied a season-low in hits allowed and did not allow a run for the first time this year. His last scoreless outing was Sept. 7, 2024, against Kansas City. Buxton’s 10th leadoff home run of the season followed his leadoff homer in a 4-2 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday.
WORDS: 353 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 4:36 p.m. CDT
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HKN–Wild-Leipold
Wild owner Leipold expresses patience with Kaprizov contract talks, confidence in GM Guerin’s role
SUMMARY: The Minnesota Wild have yet to secure star forward Kirill Kaprizov beyond this season with a long-term contract. Owner Craig Leipold is trying to remain patient and leave the process to general manager Bill Guerin and his assistants. The Wild have long expressed confidence in being able to complete a new deal with Kaprizov. He has been skating with the team in training camp for a week without any news. Leipold declined to discuss specifics regarding the status of the 28-year-old left wing when he met with reporters during the Wild’s preseason game.
WORDS: 700 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 10:19 p.m. CDT
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FBN–Ireland-Steelers
In Ireland, Aaron Rodgers talks Guinness and NFL international growth
SUMMARY: Aaron Rodgers was dressed in black, appropriately, to field questions about Guinness. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback spoke to the international media at a resort hotel where the team is staying ahead of Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. Can’t avoid the Guinness questions in Ireland, it seems. He says “I don’t really drink beer, but if I do, I drink Guinness.” It would certainly taste better with a victory at Croke Park on Sunday, when Ireland joins the NFL’s growing list of host countries. The league is staging seven international games this season.
WORDS: 764 – MOVED: 09/26/2025 8:56 a.m. CDT
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FBN–Ireland-Vikings
Ready for the O’Griddy? Justin Jefferson wants to put on a show in Ireland
SUMMARY: Justin Jefferson has something special planned for Dublin when the Vikings face the Steelers at Croke Park. It’s the first time Ireland is hosting a regular-season NFL game, so the Minnesota wide receiver wants to make it memorable with a new twist to his touchdown dance. He says he has an “Ireland edition” of his touchdown dance planned. A local reporter asked “Will you call it the O’Griddy?” Jefferson smiled and responded: “I might take that, actually.” The Vikings are 4-0 in regular-season international games — all in London.
WORDS: 287 – MOVED: 09/26/2025 12:13 p.m. CDT
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MISSOURI
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SOC–WCup-2026 Mascots
2026 World Cup mascots include bald eagle Clutch, jaguar Zayu and moose Maple
SUMMARY: FIFA has announced next year’s World Cup will feature three mascots: a bald eagle named Clutch in the U.S., a jaguar named Zayu in Mexico, and a moose named Maple in Canada. The announcement came Thursday, less than nine months before the tournament’s June 11 opener. This World Cup will be the first to be played across three nations. In 1994, the World Cup in the U.S. had a dog named Striker as its mascot. Past mascots have included a variety of animals and characters, from a lion in England to a wolf in Russia.
WORDS: 210 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 2:14 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Royals-Angels
Pasquantino has HR and 3 RBIs, Witt gets 4 hits as Royals beat Angels 9-4
SUMMARY: Vinnie Pasquantino homered and drove in three runs, Bobby Witt Jr. had four hits and the Kansas City Royals beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-4. Michael Lorenzen (7-11) gave up two earned runs and five hits with a season-high nine strikeouts and no walks in 5 2/3 innings for the Royals. Jo Adell, Nolan Schanuel and Mike Trout each homered for the Angels. Trout’s two-run shot — his 23rd of the season and 401st of his career — cut Kansas City’s lead to 5-4 in eighth. However, the Royals scored four in the top of the ninth, a rally highlighted by Salvador Perez’s two-out, three-run double off Angels reliever Sam Bachman, to pull away.
WORDS: 395 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 11:40 p.m. CDT
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OKLAHOMA
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FBC–T25-Oklahoma-Mateer’s Replacement
Michael Hawkins Jr. set to step in for injured Oklahoma QB John Mateer
SUMMARY: Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer has undergone surgery on his injured right hand. He scored a crucial touchdown against Auburn before the injury was revealed. The team expects him back this season. Meanwhile, backup quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. will step in. Hawkins, a sophomore, started four games last season and will start against Kent State on Oct. 4. Coach Brent Venables says Hawkins is ready and has shown growth. Receiver Deion Burks notes Hawkins is more comfortable in the pocket. The team is healthier now, and Venables believes Hawkins will handle the pressure well.
WORDS: 612 – MOVED: 09/25/2025 7:36 p.m. CDT
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