Great Plains News Digest
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OKLAHOMA
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US–Oklahoma Execution-Glossip
Oklahoma man who was given 3 last meals will stand trial again but won’t face the death penalty
SUMMARY: Oklahoma prosecutors say they will pursue a murder charge, but not the death penalty, against longtime death row inmate Richard Glossip for his role in the 1997 killing of his former boss. The decision announced Monday comes after the U.S. Supreme Court in February tossed Glossip’s conviction and death sentence. Glossip was twice convicted and sentenced to die for the killing of Oklahoma City motel owner Barry Van Treese in what prosecutors say was a murder-for-hire. Glossip has come so near to being executed that he ate three last meals while on death row. But the U.S. Supreme Court determined that prosecutors failed to correct testimony from a key witness they knew to be false.
WORDS: 514 – MOVED: 06/09/2025 11:46 a.m. CDT
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SPORTS
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KANSAS
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BBO–Royals-White Sox
Jonathan India hits a tiebreaking double as the Royals beat the White Sox 7-5
SUMMARY: Jonathan India hit a tiebreaking double in Kansas City’s two-run seventh inning, and the Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 7-5 to avoid a series sweep. Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. each hit a two-run homer for Kansas City, which had lost three of four. Jac Caglianone went 4 for 4 in his sixth major league game. The Royals also got a big lift from Michael Lorenzen, who pitched six effective innings for his first win since April 29. Miguel Vargas hit a two-run homer for the White Sox, who had won three in a row.
WORDS: 429 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 4:07 p.m. CDT
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MINNESOTA
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BBO–Blue Jays-Twins
Lee and Vázquez go back to back to power Twins past Blue Jays 6-3 and avoid series sweep
SUMMARY: Brooks Lee and Christian Vázquez hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning and the Minnesota Twins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 to avoid a sweep and snap a three-game skid. Minnesota trailed 3-2 when Lee led off against Bowden Francis with his homer. Vázquez followed and the Twins never trailed again. Joe Ryan allowed three runs — two earned — and four hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked three. Brock Stewart, Cole Sands and Griffin Jax all followed with a scoreless inning. Jhoan Duran pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 11 opportunities. Toronto’s four-game winning streak ended.
WORDS: 396 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 4:46 p.m. CDT
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BKL–Lynx-Wings
Collier scores 28, McBride hits 6 3-pointers and the Lynx beat the Wings 81-65
SUMMARY: Napheesa Collier had 28 points and 10 rebounds, Kayla McBride made six 3-pointers and scored 21 points, and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Dallas Wings 81-65 to extend their season-opening win streak to nine games. McBride hit a deep 3-pointer about 2 1/2 minutes into the game to make it 5-2 and the Lynx led the rest of the way. Arike Ogunbowale hit six 3-pointers and led Dallas with 26 points. Rookie Paige Bueckers missed her fourth consecutive game.
WORDS: 301 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 5:16 p.m. CDT
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MISSOURI
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BBO–Royals-White Sox
Jonathan India hits a tiebreaking double as the Royals beat the White Sox 7-5
SUMMARY: Jonathan India hit a tiebreaking double in Kansas City’s two-run seventh inning, and the Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 7-5 to avoid a series sweep. Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. each hit a two-run homer for Kansas City, which had lost three of four. Jac Caglianone went 4 for 4 in his sixth major league game. The Royals also got a big lift from Michael Lorenzen, who pitched six effective innings for his first win since April 29. Miguel Vargas hit a two-run homer for the White Sox, who had won three in a row.
WORDS: 429 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 4:07 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Dodgers-Cardinals
Clayton Kershaw gets 1st win this season with 5 sharp innings as Dodgers beat Cardinals 7-3
SUMMARY: Clayton Kershaw allowed one run in five innings to record his first win since last August, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-3 to avoid a three-game sweep. Kershaw (1-0) threw 82 pitches, gave up six hits, struck out seven and walked none. The 37-year-old left-hander had not struck out at least seven since June 8, 2023, at Cincinnati, and his last win was also at St. Louis, on Aug. 18, 2024. Tommy Edman drove in three runs on two hits and a sacrifice fly, and Mookie Betts homered for the Dodgers. Michael McGreevy took the loss in his first start this season for the Dodgers.
WORDS: 344 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 4:33 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Royals-Caglianone
Jac Caglianone posts his first multihit game with the Kansas City Royals
SUMMARY: Kansas City Royals rookie Jac Caglianone showed off his sweet swing in his first multihit game since his promotion to the major leagues. Caglianone lined a single to center in the first inning at the Chicago White Sox. He doubled in the fourth, recording a 113.6 mph exit velocity on his drive into the gap in right-center. He singled again in the sixth and in the eighth. Caglianone was selected by Kansas City with the No. 6 pick in the 2024 amateur draft out of the University of Florida. He went 2 for 21 in his first five games with the Royals.
WORDS: 509 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 3:02 p.m. CDT
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BBO–White Sox Moves
Tyler Alexander signs with the White Sox, then pitches 3 innings in a loss to the Royals
SUMMARY: Tyler Alexander signed a one-year deal with the White Sox, and then hopped in a car for a ride from Milwaukee to Chicago to join his new team. Then he got into the game. Alexander pitched three innings of one-run ball in his Chicago debut. The left-hander picked up the loss as the White Sox fell 7-5 to the Kansas City Royals in the finale of their weekend series. Alexander says, “Today has been a whirlwind.” Alexander, a Chicago native who turns 31 next month, was designated for assignment by Milwaukee last weekend. He cleared waivers and opted for free agency.
WORDS: 347 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 12:58 p.m. CDT
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SOC–MLS-St. Louis City-Timbers
David Ayala scores in stoppage time to give Timbers 2-1 win over St. Louis
SUMMARY: David Ayala scored in stoppage time to give the Timbers a 2-1 victory over St. Louis City, extending Portland’s unbeaten streak at home to eight games. Ayala’s goal came in the second minute of second-half stoppage time off a corner kick. After a scoreless first half in temperatures that soared into the 90s Fahrenheit, Akil Watts scored in the 50th minute to put St. Louis City ahead. Five minutes later, Antony fooled a defender and put his shot from atop the box into the upper far corner to pull the Timbers even. It was Antony’s team-leading sixth goal of the season.
WORDS: 191 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 8:25 p.m. CDT
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OKLAHOMA
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BKN–Nelson-Doncic Trade
Don Nelson expresses his disappointment with Luka Doncic trade by wearing the star’s shoes
SUMMARY: Hall of Fame coach Don Nelson was not a fan of the Dallas Mavericks trading Luka Doncic — and chose his footwear for Game 2 of the NBA Finals accordingly. Nelson arrived for the news conference announcing him as the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award winner, as selected by the National Basketball Coaches Association, wearing a pair of Doncic’s signature Jordan Brand sneaker. The reason: He was showing Doncic — who he calls “my dear friend” — support.
WORDS: 306 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 6:46 p.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals-Nelson Award
Hall of Famer Don Nelson selected as this year’s winner of Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award
SUMMARY: Don Nelson has been invited to the NBA Finals countless times in recent years, always declining those opportunities. This time, his peers found a way to ensure he couldn’t say no. Nelson — a Basketball Hall of Famer and three-time NBA coach of the year — was announced Sunday as this year’s recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association. It will be formally given out Sunday night, about an hour before Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
WORDS: 624 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 12:24 p.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals-Gilgeous-Alexander
SGA3K: Gilgeous-Alexander reaches 3,000 points for season, 12th player to do so in NBA history
SUMMARY: The milestones keep coming for Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. With his first basket of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, Gilgeous-Alexander — the NBA’s reigning MVP — reached the 3,000-point mark for the season, including playoffs. Officially, the milestone came on a 10-footer with 8:24 left in the opening quarter. He needed only two points to get there Sunday, after scoring 38 in Oklahoma City’s Game 1 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.
WORDS: 193 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 7:20 p.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals
Game 2: Thunder open another big lead and keep control, topping Pacers 123-107 to even NBA Finals
SUMMARY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, Alex Caruso added 20 off the bench and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 123-107 on Sunday night to tie the NBA Finals at one game apiece. Jalen Williams scored 19, Aaron Wiggins had 18 and Chet Holmgren scored 15 for the Thunder. It was the franchise’s first finals game win since the opener of the 2012 series against Miami. Tyrese Haliburton scored 17 for Indiana, which erased a 15-point fourth quarter deficit in Game 1 but never made a push on Sunday.
WORDS: 566 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 9:17 a.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals-Pacers
Pacers fail to sweep Games 1 and 2 in a series for the first time in these playoffs
SUMMARY: For the Indiana Pacers, a chance at being perfect in Games 1 and 2 of these playoffs went awry. They’ll have to settle for a mere split of the opening two games in the NBA Finals instead. The Pacers’ bid to become the fifth team in NBA history to go 8-0 to open the four playoff rounds — sweeping Games 1 and 2 in all four series — was stopped on Sunday night by the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder took control early and won Game 2 of the NBA Finals 123-107, tying the championship matchup at a game apiece.
WORDS: 610 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 9:47 p.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals-OKC Supporting Cast
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets help in Game 2 as Thunder roll past Pacers to even NBA Finals
SUMMARY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got some much-needed assistance from his teammates in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, and the Oklahoma City Thunder evened the series against the Indiana Pacers with a 123-107 victory. After scoring 38 points in Game 1, Gilgeous-Alexander had 34 points and eight assists in Game 2 — typical performances from the league’s MVP and scoring champion. Co-stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren played more like their usual selves on Sunday. Veteran reserve Alex Caruso had another strong performance and Aaron Wiggins provided a surprise boost in Oklahoma City’s first Finals win since 2012.
WORDS: 513 – MOVED: 06/08/2025 11:03 p.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals-Thunder
Through 2 Finals games, it’s clear that the moment isn’t too big for OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SUMMARY: The moment is clearly not too big for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. These are his first NBA Finals. It’s hard to remember that sometimes. The Oklahoma City Thunder star — and NBA MVP — just had a pair of debut finals games like nobody in league history, with a combined 72 points in his first two appearances in the title series. That’s a record. The previous mark for someone in his first two finals games: 71 by Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson in 2001.
WORDS: 697 – MOVED: 06/09/2025 12:03 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: The NBA Finals are tied at a game apiece. Oklahoma City struck back in Game 2 on Sunday night, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 34 points to go along with eight assists in a 123-107 win over the Indiana Pacers — tying the title series at 1-1. Game 3 is in Indianapolis on Wednesday night.
WORDS: 908 – MOVED: 06/01/2025 8:57 a.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Finals-Pacers
Pacers, back home in Indiana, have some things to figure out before Game 3 vs. Thunder in NBA Finals
SUMMARY: The Indiana Pacers simply couldn’t wait to get home early Monday. There’s a slew of possible reasons for that. Maybe they just wanted to get out of Oklahoma City with their split of the first two games in the NBA Finals. Maybe they couldn’t wait to see what finals fever will look like in Indianapolis after a 25-year wait to get back to the title round. Or maybe they just wanted to get back to work. It’s probably a little of everything — especially the last part.
WORDS: 773 – MOVED: 06/09/2025 9:33 a.m. CDT
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