Great Plains News Digest
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MISSOURI
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US–Ex-Police-Chief-Prison-Escape
‘Devil in the Ozarks’ who escaped Arkansas prison has likely fled state, marshals say
SUMMARY: A new federal court filing shows that investigators believe the convicted murderer and rapist known as the “Devil in the Ozarks” has likely fled Arkansas after escaping prison last month. A deputy U.S. marshal in a criminal complaint released this week cited two unconfirmed sightings of Grant Hardin, 56, who escaped from the Calico Rock prison May 25. One of those sightings was in southern Missouri. Authorities have said Hardin escaped prison by wearing an outfit designed to look like a law enforcement uniform. The filing was first reported by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
WORDS: 466 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 9:57 a.m. CDT
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US-Cake Decorators-Walmart
Walmart’s army of bakery decorators take the cake when it comes to hourly store pay
SUMMARY: The school graduation season is the busiest time of year for the Walmart workers who hand-decorate cakes per customers’ orders. The cakes and optional fillings come pre-baked and frozen from suppliers, but the nation’s largest retailer holds a big slice of the American custom cake market. The company says one out of four cakes sold in the U.S. comes from Walmart, and that its workers will collectively decorate more than 1 million cakes during May and June. The discount retail chain’s 6,200-strong army of icing artisans are Walmart’s highest paid hourly workers, excluding store managers. Detractors on social media have accused the decorators of stealing ideas and undercutting professional cake artists with inexpensive products.
WORDS: 1094 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 10:51 p.m. CDT
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NORTH DAKOTA
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US-Catholic-Association-Workers-Lawsuit
A judge tells federal agencies they can’t enforce anti-trans bias policies against Catholic groups
SUMMARY: A federal judge has ruled that two federal agencies cannot punish Catholic employers and health care providers if they refuse, for religious reasons, to provide gender-affirming care to transgender patients or won’t provide health insurance coverage for such care to their workers. The ruling Thursday from North Dakota’s chief federal judge bars the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from enforcing a 2024 health care rule that said health care providers risked losing federal funds if they refused to provide gender-affirming care. The judge also barred the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from telling employers that failing to have their health plans cover gender-affirming care would be discriminatory.
WORDS: 713 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 6:53 p.m. CDT
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SPORTS
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IOWA
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BKN–NBA Finals-Pacers-Haliburton
Mr. Clutch: Tyrese Haliburton keeps delivering in the ultimate moments for the Pacers
SUMMARY: Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers went to the Eastern Conference finals last year and got swept. He went to the Olympics last summer and didn’t play much. He came into this season with high expectations and his Indiana Pacers got off to a 10-15 start. And on top of that, some of his NBA peers evidently think he is overrated. But in the ultimate moments of these playoffs, most recently Game 1 of the NBA Finals, he keeps delivering. His jumper with 0.3 seconds gave the Pacers a 111-110 win over the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder.
WORDS: 967 – MOVED: 06/06/2025 1:14 a.m. CDT
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KANSAS
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BBO–Royals-Caglianone
Royals rookie Jac Caglianone gets first career hit and RBI
SUMMARY: Kansas City Royals rookie outfielder Jac Caglianone got a pair of firsts out of the way with one swing of the bat Thursday. Caglianone ripped Miles Mikolas’ curveball into the right-field corner for an RBI double that scored Salvador Perez in the fourth inning of the first game of a doubleheader against the Cardinals. It was the first career hit and RBI for the highly touted prospect who was selected sixth overall by Kansas City in the 2024 amateur draft. Caglianone also added a nice running catch in right field to rob Alec Burleson of an extra base hit in the fifth in the Royals’ 6-5 loss.
WORDS: 491 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 4:48 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Royals-Cardinals-Game 2
Garcia homers as the Royals beat the Cards 7-5 to split doubleheader
SUMMARY: Maikel Garcia homered, doubled and scored three times, and the Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-5 n the second game of a day-night doubleheader. Royals starter Cole Ragans pitched three innings in his return from the 15-day injured list with a left groin strain. He allowed five runs on five hits, struck out four and walked three. Angel Zerpa (3-0) pitched three scoreless innings in relief and Carlos Estévez earned his 18th save in 21 tries. Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore (3-5) was pulled after four-plus innings with fatigue-related issues. The Cardinals rallied to take game one of the doubleheader 6-5.
WORDS: 342 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 9:55 p.m. CDT
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MINNESOTA
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BBO–Athletics-Langeliers
Athletics’ Shea Langeliers exits vs. Twins after grabbing left side while batting
SUMMARY: Shea Langeliers of the Athletics left Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Twins after grabbing his left side during an at-bat in the sixth inning. The team later said he had left flank soreness. Langeliers fouled off a pitch and went to the dugout with a 2-2 count. The A’s were ahead 12-1 at the time. Logan Davidson finished Langeliers’ at-bat and struck out looking. Langeliers, the A’s usual starting catcher, was the designated hitter Thursday. Willie MacIver was behind the plate. Langeliers is batting .237 with 10 home runs and 27 RBIs.
WORDS: 111 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 4:51 p.m. CDT
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HKW–PWHL-Expansion Signings
PWHL expansion signings: Seattle adds Barnes, Serdachny; Vancouver adds Nurse, Maschmeyer, Gardiner
SUMMARY: Hilary Knight has company in Seattle. The new PWHL team has added two 2024 first-round draft picks — Ottawa forward Danielle Serdachny and Montreal defenseman Cayla Barnes. Seattle reached agreements with those players on Thursday, the second day of the league’s expansion signing period. The PWHL’s other expansion team, Vancouver, continued stocking up on Canadian national team stars with the additions of Toronto forward Sarah Nurse and Ottawa goalie Emerance Maschmeyer. Vancouver reached its five-player signing limit by agreeing to a one-year contract with Montreal forward Jenn Gardiner, who grew up in the city’s suburbs. The New York Sirens are the only team to not yet lose a player in the expansion process.
WORDS: 872 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 1:12 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Twins-Athletics
Soderstrom hits grand slam, 2-run HR to help Athletics beat Twins 14-3 and snap 9-game skid
SUMMARY: Tyler Soderstrom hit a grand slam and a two-run homer, Max Muncy hit a three-run shot in the first inning, and the Athletics beat the Minnesota Twins 14-3 to snap a nine-game losing streak. Brent Rooker had three hits, three RBIs and scored three runs for the Athletics. The A’s snapped their worst 21-game stretch (1-20) since the club lost 23 of 24 in August 1943. Lawrence Butler, who has reached base safely in 17 of his last 18 games, led off the first inning with a single and scored on a single by Rooker. Muncy’s two-out homer made it 4-0. Shea Langeliers left the game due to an injury after fouled off a pitch in the sixth inning.
WORDS: 354 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 5:39 p.m. CDT
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MISSOURI
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BBO–Royals-Caglianone
Royals rookie Jac Caglianone gets first career hit and RBI
SUMMARY: Kansas City Royals rookie outfielder Jac Caglianone got a pair of firsts out of the way with one swing of the bat Thursday. Caglianone ripped Miles Mikolas’ curveball into the right-field corner for an RBI double that scored Salvador Perez in the fourth inning of the first game of a doubleheader against the Cardinals. It was the first career hit and RBI for the highly touted prospect who was selected sixth overall by Kansas City in the 2024 amateur draft. Caglianone also added a nice running catch in right field to rob Alec Burleson of an extra base hit in the fifth in the Royals’ 6-5 loss.
WORDS: 491 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 4:48 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Cardinals-Liberatore
Cardinals LHP Matthew Liberatore leaves start against Royals with fatigue issues
SUMMARY: St. Louis Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore left Thursday night’s game against Kansas City with fatigue issues, the team said. The Cardinals did not elaborate on the specifics of the fatigue. Liberatore left with no outs in the fifth inning after throwing 71 pitches. His final pitch was a 73.8-mph ball four curveball to Royals center fielder Maikel Garcia, who eventually scored on a single by Salvador Perez, giving Kansas City a 7-5 lead.
WORDS: 202 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 8:58 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Royals-Cardinals-Game 2
Garcia homers as the Royals beat the Cards 7-5 to split doubleheader
SUMMARY: Maikel Garcia homered, doubled and scored three times, and the Kansas City Royals beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-5 n the second game of a day-night doubleheader. Royals starter Cole Ragans pitched three innings in his return from the 15-day injured list with a left groin strain. He allowed five runs on five hits, struck out four and walked three. Angel Zerpa (3-0) pitched three scoreless innings in relief and Carlos Estévez earned his 18th save in 21 tries. Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore (3-5) was pulled after four-plus innings with fatigue-related issues. The Cardinals rallied to take game one of the doubleheader 6-5.
WORDS: 342 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 9:55 p.m. CDT
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SOF–Texas Tech-Mahomes
Texas Tech alum Patrick Mahomes cheers Red Raiders on to victory in Game 2 of the WCWS
SUMMARY: Texas Tech evened up the finals of the Women’s College World Series on Thursday night with one of the Red Raiders’ biggest supporters on hand. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and former Texas Tech signal caller Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, cheered on the Red Raiders, who hung on to beat Texas 4-3 in Game 2 of the series behind the solid pitching of NiJaree Canady, forcing a decisive third game on Friday night. Both teams will be trying to win their first national championship. “Come on!!! Let’s go!” Mahomes posted on social media during the game, which started 50 minutes late because of storms.
WORDS: 256 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 11:51 p.m. CDT
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OKLAHOMA
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BKN–NBA Finals-Silver
NBA set to have 9th franchise win a title in Adam Silver’s 12 seasons as commissioner. Parity reigns
SUMMARY: In the entirety of David Stern’s 30-year tenure as the NBA’s commissioner, eight different franchises won a championship. Adam Silver is in Year 12 of his run overseeing the league — and a ninth different franchise is about to win a title on his watch. The parity era in the league is not new, and it most certainly lives on this year, with either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Indiana Pacers set to become NBA champions. The winning team in these NBA Finals will be the seventh different champion in the last seven seasons, a run the likes of which the league has never experienced before.
WORDS: 973 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 6:57 p.m. CDT
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BKN–Thunder-Lineup Change
Cason Wallace starts Game 1 for Thunder, taking Isaiah Hartenstein’s spot
SUMMARY: Cason Wallace got the call to start Game 1 of the NBA Finals for the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, taking the place of Isaiah Hartenstein. The Thunder had used the same starting five — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and Hartenstein — for each of the 16 games needed to get through the Western Conference playoffs. Wallace started 43 games in the regular season for the Thunder. He had appeared in 26 playoff games over his first two NBA seasons with Oklahoma City, but Thursday’s series-opener against the Indiana Pacers was his first playoff start.
WORDS: 179 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 7:40 p.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals-Pacers-Turnovers
Pacers commit 19 first-half turnovers in Game 1 of NBA Finals against Thunder
SUMMARY: The Indiana Pacers started the NBA Finals by making the wrong type of history. The Pacers committed 19 turnovers in the first half of Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. It was the highest number of turnovers by a team before halftime of a postseason game during the league’s digital play-by-play era, which goes back to the 1997 playoffs. There has not been a 20-turnover first half in any NBA game since Nov. 17, 2007.
WORDS: 183 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 8:55 p.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals
NBA Finals: Haliburton caps huge rally with winning jumper as Pacers stun Thunder 111-110 in Game 1
SUMMARY: Tyrese Haliburton scored with 0.3 seconds left for Indiana’s first and only lead of the game and the Pacers, the last-minute comeback kings of these playoffs, did it again to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. The Pacers were down by 15 with 9:42 left, matching the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in a finals game since Dallas came from 15 down to beat Miami on June 2, 2011. The coach of those Mavericks: Rick Carlisle. The coach of these Pacers: Rick Carlisle.
WORDS: 520 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 8:35 a.m. CDT
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SOF-NCAA-Texas-Texas Tech
Canady tosses 6-hitter as Texas Tech beats Texas 4-3 to set up decisive Game 3 at WCWS
SUMMARY: NiJaree Canady scattered six hits and pitched her way out of a seventh-inning jam, and Texas Tech forced a decisive third game in the Women’s College World Series with a 4-3 victory over Texas on Thursday night. The Game 3 showdown on Friday matches two teams looking for their first national title.
WORDS: 623 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 10:44 p.m. CDT
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SOF–Texas Tech-Mahomes
Texas Tech alum Patrick Mahomes cheers Red Raiders on to victory in Game 2 of the WCWS
SUMMARY: Texas Tech evened up the finals of the Women’s College World Series on Thursday night with one of the Red Raiders’ biggest supporters on hand. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and former Texas Tech signal caller Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, cheered on the Red Raiders, who hung on to beat Texas 4-3 in Game 2 of the series behind the solid pitching of NiJaree Canady, forcing a decisive third game on Friday night. Both teams will be trying to win their first national championship. “Come on!!! Let’s go!” Mahomes posted on social media during the game, which started 50 minutes late because of storms.
WORDS: 256 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 11:51 p.m. CDT
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BKN–Thunder Collapse
Thunder collapse late as Haliburton’s buzzer-beater lifts Pacers to Game 1 win
SUMMARY: Things were going as expected for the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. They forced the normally efficient Indiana Pacers into 19 turnovers in the first half to lead by 12 at the break. That advantage had swelled to 15 early in the fourth quarter, and it looked like the Thunder were off to one of their usual blowout victories. The Thunder fell apart late, then Tyrese Haliburton hit a mid-range dagger that gave Indiana a 111-110 victory. The homecourt advantage Oklahoma City fought all season to gain vanished in a game it dominated for three quarters.
WORDS: 539 – MOVED: 06/06/2025 12:01 a.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals-Inside the Comeback
Inside the Comeback: How the Pacers pulled off a stunner in Game 1 of the NBA Finals
SUMMARY: The game plan was the obvious one. Just chip away, the Indiana Pacers said, because there was no other option that would have made any sense at that point. They were down by 15 with 9:42 remaining. They were turning the ball over about once every three possessions, couldn’t stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and had the Oklahoma City crowd in a deafening fury. What happened next, for the Pacers, was theater.
WORDS: 668 – MOVED: 06/06/2025 12:09 a.m. CDT
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SOF–NCAA–Canady’s Challenge
Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady bounces back in Game 2 after Game 1 heartbreak
SUMMARY: NiJaree Canady has achieved almost everything since transferring to Texas Tech from Stanford and signing an NIL deal worth just over $1 million. She led the Red Raiders to three firsts — the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles and a berth in the Women’s College World Series. She was the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Pitcher of the Year for the second straight year and leads the nation in wins (34) and ERA (0.97). The only thing missing is a national championship. She’ll get that chance on Friday in the third and deciding game of the series against Texas.
WORDS: 511 – MOVED: 06/05/2025 1:20 a.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals Guide
NBA Finals guide: When the games are, how to watch, what the odds are
SUMMARY: When a game is on the line in these NBA playoffs, Tyrese Haliburton delivers. The Indiana guard’s jumper with 0.3 seconds left gave the Pacers a 111-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. It was Indiana’s only lead of the game and capped a 15-point fourth quarter comeback. The teams are officially off on Friday. Practices will resume Saturday. Game 2 is Sunday night in Oklahoma City.
WORDS: 719 – MOVED: 06/01/2025 8:57 a.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals-Thunder-OKC Memorial
It’s a Thunder rule: To work in OKC, you must learn about OKC and what the bombing meant to the city
SUMMARY: The Thunder didn’t even exist in Oklahoma City when the 1995 bombing happened; the franchise that had been known as the Seattle SuperSonics didn’t relocate to America’s heartland until more than a decade later. But it has been part of the steadfast commitment that the team shows the city; the bombing still resonates deeply here, and the Thunder have taken great pains to not ignore the impact it had, and has, on Oklahoma City. That is why every newly acquired player, even those on tryout contracts or just training camp deals, and every person who gets a job with the organization, has to go to the memorial.
WORDS: 766 – MOVED: 06/06/2025 9:23 a.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals-Comeback Playoffs
The Comeback Playoffs: There have been 10 rallies from 15 points or more down in this NBA postseason
SUMMARY: Welcome to the Comeback Playoffs, led by the Indiana Pacers. Indiana’s rally from 15 points down in Game 1 of the NBA Finals was the 10th such comeback — from 15 or more — in this season’s playoffs. The Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton are responsible for five of those comebacks; the rest of the league, combined, have the other five. Since the NBA began keeping track of such things in 1997, there has never been a postseason with more 15-point comebacks or more by a single team than the Pacers have pulled off this spring.
WORDS: 839 – MOVED: 06/06/2025 10:31 a.m. CDT
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