Great Plains News Digest
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MINNESOTA
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US–Media-Public Broadcasting
PBS, NPR stations struggle with Trump-fueled government funding cuts
SUMMARY: A month after Congress voted to strip public media of public money, PBS and NPR stations are working to cope — and survive. More than 500 radio and television stations are affected, and while some have issues in common, most have problems and strategies unique to their own area. For example, the PBS station in Spokane, Washington, has turned to viewers for emergency donations, but a significant part of their membership is from Canada, and many are already angry with the U.S. because of President Donald Trump’s drive to make the country the 51st state. Many stations are heartened by the way viewers are responding, and different ideas to save money are emerging.
WORDS: 1276 – MOVED: 08/31/2025 2:52 p.m. CDT
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MISSOURI
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US–Missouri Lottery Winner
Winning $893.5 million lottery ticket was bought at St. Louis gas station
SUMMARY: Missouri lottery officials have announced that a QuikTrip gas station in St. Louis sold a winning ticket worth $893.5 million. Officials said on Monday the ticket belongs to one of two people that split a $1.787 billion jackpot, the second-largest in U.S. history. The other winning ticket was purchased in Fredericksburg, Texas. Each winner can choose between an annuitized prize of $893.5 million or a lump sum of $410.3 million, both before taxes. Missouri law requires public disclosure of winners, but Texas allows anonymity for prizes over $1 million. Many states have changed rules to protect winners’ identities.
WORDS: 234 – MOVED: 09/08/2025 6:56 p.m. CDT
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US–Disaster Delays-Takeaways
Takeaways from an AP analysis about longer delays in approving US disaster aid
SUMMARY: An Associated Press analysis reveals that survivors of major natural disasters in the U.S. are waiting longer for federal aid. The AP found that it took less than two weeks, on average, for presidents to approve requests for major disaster declarations during the 1990s and early 2000s. That rose to around three weeks in the past decade and now averages over a month during President Donald Trump’s current term. The delays mean individuals must wait longer for federal aid for living expenses, lodging, and home repairs. Delays also can cause uncertainty for local officials, leading some to pause or scale back recovery efforts.
WORDS: 1080 – MOVED: 09/09/2025 7:05 a.m. CDT
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US–Disaster Delays
AP finds major disaster declarations are taking longer under Trump
SUMMARY: Disaster survivors are waiting longer for federal aid. A new Associated Press analysis found that it’s taking more than a month, on average, for President Donald Trump to approve major disaster declarations after receiving requests. That’s up from an average of less than two weeks during the 1990s and early 2000s. Those wait times had grown to about three weeks during the past decade. The delays mean individuals must wait longer for federal aid for living expenses, lodging, and home repairs. Delays also can hamper recovery efforts by local officials uncertain about federal reimbursement for cleanup and rebuilding costs.
WORDS: 2071 – MOVED: 09/09/2025 7:02 a.m. CDT
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SPORTS
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KANSAS
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FBC–Big 12-Officials Disciplined
Big 12 officiating crew removed from next assignment for not enforcing kickoff rule in Missouri win
SUMMARY: The Big 12 officiating crew that worked the Kansas-Missouri game last week has been removed from its next assignment because it failed to enforce a rule in the kicking game. NCAA rules require the kick following a touchdown to be kicked off a tee or dropkicked. Missouri had Connor Weselman punt following its first touchdown. The Tigers should have been penalized 5 yards and then re-kicked the ball properly. The crew headed by referee Mike McCabe allowed the teams to play on after the punt. The only time a punt is allowed following a score is after a safety.
WORDS: 319 – MOVED: 09/09/2025 11:19 a.m. CDT
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MINNESOTA
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BKN-Timberwolves-Reid-Sister Killed
NBA player’s sister fatally shot at New Jersey apartment complex, her boyfriend charged with murder
SUMMARY: The sister of Minnesota Timberwolves player Naz Reid was fatally shot at a New Jersey apartment complex by her boyfriend. Twenty-nine-year-old Shaquille Green has been charged with murder. Ocean County prosecutors say Jackson police went to the Paragon apartment complex around 11 a.m. Saturday, after receiving reports of shots fired. They soon found 28-year-old Toraya Reid unresponsive. Officers also saw Green running down a nearby road, and he was soon taken into custody without incident. Prosecutors say Toraya Reid and Green had been in “a dating relationship” but did not provide further details. They didn’t know whether Green had retained an attorney.
WORDS: 223 – MOVED: 09/08/2025 11:12 a.m. CDT
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FBN–Vikings-Bears Inactives
Bears cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon sidelined for season opener against Minnesota
SUMMARY: Bears cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon have been ruled out for the team’s season opener against the Minnesota Vikings. Linebacker T.J. Edwards also is on the team’s inactive list, leaving the Bears without three key defensive players for their matchup with Justin Jefferson and the Vikings. The 26-year-old Johnson missed all of training camp because of a groin injury. Gordon and Edwards were sidelined by hamstring injuries. Safety Harrison Smith and offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw are on Minnesota’s inactive list. Smith did not travel with the team to Chicago because of an illness. The 26-year-old Darrisaw is coming back from a torn ACL suffered in Week 8 last season.
WORDS: 181 – MOVED: 09/08/2025 6:24 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Angels Injuries
Angels C O’Hoppe to injured list after getting hit in head by backswing. Adell scratched for vertigo
SUMMARY: Catcher Logan O’Hoppe has been placed on the Los Angeles Angels’ seven-day concussion injured list after he was hit in the head by Jacob Wilson’s backswing. The Angels also scratched outfielder Jo Adell from their starting lineup Monday against Minnesota due to vertigo. O’Hoppe was removed from the Angels’ game against the Athletics in the seventh inning on Sunday. Adell also left Sunday’s game with nausea, but he was in the Angels’ initial lineup Monday before being scratched. The slugger was named the AL Player of the Week on Monday after batting .407 with five homers and 12 RBIs.
WORDS: 169 – MOVED: 09/08/2025 7:43 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Twins-Angels
Royce Lewis hits 2 homers as Twins pound error-prone Angels 12-3
SUMMARY: Royce Lewis homered twice and drove in four runs as the Minnesota Twins beat the sloppy Los Angeles Angels 12-3. James Outman also went deep as the Twins moved to 4-0 against the Angels this season, outscoring them 33-7. Los Angeles committed four errors, including two by third baseman Yoan Moncada. Lewis’ first homer grazed off the tip of Bryce Teodosio’s glove at the center field wall in the second. Simeon Woods Richardson allowed three runs and struck out six in five innings to get the win.
WORDS: 291 – MOVED: 09/09/2025 12:01 a.m. CDT
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FBN–Bears-Johnson’s Debut
Ben Johnson loses 1st game with Chicago as Bears blow fourth-quarter lead against Vikings
SUMMARY: With Ben Johnson making his debut as Chicago’s head coach, the Bears blew an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter of an ugly 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Johnson’s team was flagged 12 times for 127 yards — including four false start penalties — and his offense was shut down for much of the second half. There were some scattered boos from what was left of the Soldier Field crowd of 58,742 when it was over — a familiar scene after Chicago dropped its last five home games on its way to a 5-12 record last season. The 39-year-old Johnson was hired by Chicago in January after spending three seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions.
WORDS: 617 – MOVED: 09/09/2025 12:42 a.m. CDT
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FBN–Vikings-Bears
J.J. McCarthy rallies the Vikings in the fourth quarter of his debut for a 27-24 win over the Bears
SUMMARY: J.J. McCarthy threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes and ran for another in his long-awaited NFL debut, and the Minnesota Vikings rallied for a season-opening 27-24 win over the Chicago Bears. Chicago’s Caleb Williams had his first career rushing touchdown and threw for a score in Ben Johnson’s first game as the Bears’ head coach. McCarthy delivered down the stretch after struggling through the first three quarters. The Vikings and coach Kevin O’Connell are counting on the former Michigan star after he missed his rookie season because of a knee injury, and he delivered when it mattered.
WORDS: 891 – MOVED: 09/08/2025 10:54 p.m. CDT
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BKL–Around the WNBA
New York Liberty are set to enter playoffs healthy and confident despite No. 5 seed
SUMMARY: The New York Liberty are finally healthy heading into the playoffs and the defending champions have confidence they can win another title. The road won’t be easy as the team is a No. 5 seed and will most likely have to start the postseason on the road in Phoenix. Since the WNBA changed its playoff format in 2016 to the top eight teams regardless of conference making the postseason, no five seed has ever won a championship. The only team not in the top two to do it was Chicago in 2021, which was a six seed.
WORDS: 518 – MOVED: 09/09/2025 10:46 a.m. CDT
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MISSOURI
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CAR–NASCAR-Toyota On Top
Toyotas turning heads with speed in NASCAR playoffs. ‘They’re ridiculously fast,’ Joey Logano says
SUMMARY: Punctuated by its 200th victory in the NASCAR Cup Series, Toyota is proving to have strong contenders for the 2025 championship. Camrys have swept the top two spots in the first two races of the Cup Series playoffs and left defending series champion Joey Logano marveling at their speed. With Gateway similar in size and shape to the championship race at Phoenix Raceway, Denny Hamlin’s win at the track near St. Louis is fostering hope that Toyota can end a six-year title drought this season.
WORDS: 966 – MOVED: 09/08/2025 11:45 a.m. CDT
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BBO–Royals-Guardians
Slade Cecconi loses no-hit bid in 8th, Guards rout Royals 10-2, stay in thick of AL wild card race
SUMMARY: Slade Cecconi took a bid to end Cleveland’s long no-hitter drought into the eighth inning, and the Guardians rolled to a 10-2 win over Kansas City and leapfrogged the Royals in the AL wild-card race. Cecconi was six outs from throwing the first no-hitter in the majors this season — and Cleveland’s first since Len Barker’s perfect game in 1981 — when Kansas City’s Michael Massey singled leading off the eighth. With the win, the Guardians moved past the Royals into second place in the AL Central and stayed in the thick of the tight playoff chase. Cleveland entered 2 1/2 games behind Seattle for the third wild-card spot.
WORDS: 416 – MOVED: 09/08/2025 8:34 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Guardians-Cecconi’s Gem
No no-no: Slade Cecconi flirts with ending Guards’ long no-hitter drought in 10-2 romp over Royals
SUMMARY: Slade Cecconi didn’t need anyone to tell him he was throwing a no-hitter. He found out on his own. Stealing a glance at Progressive Field’s giant scoreboard, Cecconi noticed something unusual — zeros. Cecconi took a no-hitter into the eighth before Kansas City’s Micheal Massey hit a single to spoil the right-hander’s bid to throw the majors’ first no-hitter this season and end Cleveland’s 44-year drought without a no-hitter. That hardly mattered as the Guardians rolled to their fourth straight win, 10-2 and jumped the Royals in the standings. Cleveland’s last no-hitter was Len Barker’s perfect game in 1981.
WORDS: 668 – MOVED: 09/08/2025 7:29 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Cardinals-Mariners
Josh Naylor’s late go-ahead double helps Mariners beat Cardinals 4-2
SUMMARY: Josh Naylor hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the sixth inning to help the Seattle Mariners beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2. Naylor, who homered in his last two games, turned on a hanging curveball from Cardinals reliever Gordon Graceffo (3-1) for a two-run shot after Julio Rodríguez got Seattle on the board with an RBI single. After his double, Naylor made a heads-up play and stole third base, allowing him to score with ease on a sacrifice fly from Jorge Polanco. Alec Burleson hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning for the Cardinals.
WORDS: 290 – MOVED: 09/08/2025 11:12 p.m. CDT
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FBC–Big 12-Officials Disciplined
Big 12 officiating crew removed from next assignment for not enforcing kickoff rule in Missouri win
SUMMARY: The Big 12 officiating crew that worked the Kansas-Missouri game last week has been removed from its next assignment because it failed to enforce a rule in the kicking game. NCAA rules require the kick following a touchdown to be kicked off a tee or dropkicked. Missouri had Connor Weselman punt following its first touchdown. The Tigers should have been penalized 5 yards and then re-kicked the ball properly. The crew headed by referee Mike McCabe allowed the teams to play on after the punt. The only time a punt is allowed following a score is after a safety.
WORDS: 319 – MOVED: 09/09/2025 11:19 a.m. CDT
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NEBRASKA
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BOX–Nebraska-Team Crawford
Rhule wants Nebraska players to thrive on competition as much as world boxing champ Crawford does
SUMMARY: The Nebraska football team’s theme of the week is Be Like Bud. Coach Matt Rhule said he wants his players to model themselves athletically after Terence “Bud” Crawford, the unbeaten world champion boxer who has moved up two weight classes to fight super middleweight Canelo Alvarez on Saturday night in Las Vegas for a shot to become the first three-division undisputed champion. Crawford is a lifelong resident of Omaha and has become a friend of the football program since Rhule took over three years ago.
WORDS: 393 – MOVED: 09/08/2025 1:29 p.m. CDT
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OKLAHOMA
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US–School Bus Crash-Oklahoma
Oklahoma school bus carrying softball team crashes and injures 8 people
SUMMARY: Authorities say a school bus carrying a softball team has crashed and ejected some passengers in Oklahoma, injuring eight people. The crash happened Monday night on U.S. Highway 152 near Minco in Grady County, southwest of Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says three adults and five juveniles were hurt and taken to hospitals. The OHP says one adult remained hospitalized Tuesday in critical condition. All of the students were in stable condition. The Minco Public Schools superintendent says school is closed Tuesday. The Minco First Baptist Church in the town of about 1,500 people posted online that the church sanctuary was open “if you would like to come and pray.”
WORDS: 254 – MOVED: 09/09/2025 6:26 a.m. CDT
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