Great Plains News Digest
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MINNESOTA
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US–Immigration-Tuition-Minnesota
The Trump administration is suing Minnesota over breaks in higher education for immigrant students
SUMMARY: The Trump administration is suing Minnesota over its tuition policies for immigrant students living in the country illegally. The lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday follows similar lawsuits it filed earlier this month in Kentucky and Texas. The latest lawsuit challenges Minnesota’s practice of offering in-state tuition rates and scholarships to the immigrant students. The lawsuit argues that federal law prohibits states such policies if all U.S. citizens cannot access the same benefits and that Minnesota is discriminating against citizens. Minnesota officials are reviewing the case, while supporters of such policies argue that they benefit students brought to the U.S. as children.
WORDS: 617 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 5:01 p.m. CDT
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MISSOURI
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US–Mideast Wars-Trump-MAGA Voters
Trump voters cheer his move against Iran. MAGA leaders had warned the bombing could backfire
SUMMARY: Interviews with supporters of President Donald Trump and a review of early polling suggest that his decision to order military strikes against Iran has been welcomed by his political base. While some say they’re weary of the U.S. becoming embroiled in a protracted war, most are cheering the order to bomb Iran’s nuclear sites. And members of his political base say they don’t see Trump’s move as running counter to his “America First” approach. As Trump considered action against Iran, many prominent leaders of his “Make America Great Again” movement warned that he was making a big mistake.
WORDS: 1091 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 2:41 p.m. CDT
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NORTH DAKOTA
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US–Explosion-Montana Disposal Plant
Oil field disposal plant in eastern Montana explodes, no injuries
SUMMARY: Authorities say a fiery explosion at a storage and disposal plant in the oil fields of eastern Montana was felt by people 10 miles away but caused no injuries or fatalities. Richland County Emergency Manger Brandon Roth says no one was on site when the explosion happened Wednesday night. The fire continued to burn Thursday. Roth says emergency crews were waiting to approach the site when it becomes less dangerous. Several storage tanks burned and Roth did not immediately know what they contained.
WORDS: 136 – MOVED: 06/26/2025 10:24 a.m. CDT
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OKLAHOMA
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US–Mideast Wars-Trump-MAGA Voters
Trump voters cheer his move against Iran. MAGA leaders had warned the bombing could backfire
SUMMARY: Interviews with supporters of President Donald Trump and a review of early polling suggest that his decision to order military strikes against Iran has been welcomed by his political base. While some say they’re weary of the U.S. becoming embroiled in a protracted war, most are cheering the order to bomb Iran’s nuclear sites. And members of his political base say they don’t see Trump’s move as running counter to his “America First” approach. As Trump considered action against Iran, many prominent leaders of his “Make America Great Again” movement warned that he was making a big mistake.
WORDS: 1091 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 2:41 p.m. CDT
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US–Executions-Glance
A look at the status of US executions in 2025
SUMMARY: Twenty-five men have died by court-ordered execution so far this year in the U.S. Four other people are scheduled to be put to death in three states during the remainder of 2025. A Mississippi man died by lethal injection on Wednesday, nearly five decades after he kidnapped and killed a bank loan officer’s wife in a violent ransom scheme. A Florida man received a lethal injection Tuesday evening, the seventh person put to death in the state this year. So far this year, executions also have been carried out in Alabama, Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Florida, Tennessee and Texas have additional executions scheduled later this year.
WORDS: 524 – MOVED: 06/24/2025 5:33 p.m. CDT
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Climate-Hail Chasing Journey-Photo Essay
PHOTO ESSAY: Behind-the-scenes moments as hail chasers learn about pounding and costly storms
WORDS: 1313 – MOVED: 06/26/2025 8:01 a.m. CDT
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SPORTS
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IOWA
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BBO–MLB-At-Bristol
MLB, NASCAR stars talk the legends of Bristol as racetrack transforms for historic ballgame
SUMMARY: NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. encourages the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves to learn about Bristol Motor Speedway before the MLB Speedway Classic on August 2. The teams are set to play the first MLB game in Tennessee on a ballpark built inside the racetrack’s infield. Stenhouse also recommends walking up to the banked walls at the half-mile bullring before that game. Sean Casey played in an exhibition at Los Angeles Coliseum in 2008 that drew the biggest crowd for a baseball game. He says this is a great crossover event for baseball and NASCAR fans alike and a night the players will always remember.
WORDS: 632 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 3:10 p.m. CDT
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BKL–Fever-Clark
Fever’s Caitlin Clark ruled out of Thursday night matchup vs Sparks with groin injury
SUMMARY: The Indiana Fever will be without star Caitlin Clark against the Los Angeles Sparks on Thursday night. The team announced that the former No. 1 pick is battling a groin injury and will miss at least one game. Clark had recently returned from a quad injury that kept her sidelined for five games. She returned to action June 14 and helped the Fever to a 102-88 victory against the Liberty with an explosive 32-point performance. The Fever are currently 7-7. Clark is averaging 18.2 points, 8.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds on the season.
WORDS: 139 – MOVED: 06/26/2025 10:40 a.m. CDT
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KANSAS
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BBO–Rays-Royals
Rasmussen and the Rays bullpen shine in 3-0 win over Royals, extending their road win streak to 5
SUMMARY: Drew Rasmussen tossed five innings of two-hit ball, Tampa Bay scored three times in the second inning and the Rays held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 3-0. Rasmussen struck out five and walked two before a trio of relievers got the game to Pete Fairbanks, who handled the ninth for his 14th save. Tampa Bay has won five straight on the road and nine of 12 overall, moving a season-best 10 games over .500. Michael Wacha allowed all three runs for Kansas City. The Royals have lost nine straight at Kauffman Stadium, their longest home skid since dropping 10 in a row in April and May 2023.
WORDS: 343 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 9:00 p.m. CDT
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MINNESOTA
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HKW–PWHL-Awards
Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin wins PWHL’s Billie Jean King MVP award
SUMMARY: Montreal Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin has won the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Billie Jean King MVP Award for the 2024-25 season. Poulin, who was also named forward of the year, was presented the awards at a ceremony Wednesday. Poulin led the league with 19 goals and finished fourth with 26 points in 30 games. Toronto Sceptres defender Renata Fast took home defender of the year honors while New York Sirens forward Sarah Fillier was named the league’s top rookie. Montreal’s Ann-Renée Desbiens took goaltender of the year honors. Montreal’s Kori Cheverie won coach of the year after leading the Victoire to first place in the PWHL standings.
WORDS: 500 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 3:21 p.m. CDT
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SOC–US-Freese
Matt Freese, having displaced Matt Turner as US goalkeeper, not yet looking toward World Cup
SUMMARY: Having displaced Matt Turner as the starting U.S. goalkeeper for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Matt Freese isn’t contemplating starting in the Americans’ World Cup opener next June. Freese says ahead of Sunday’s CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal against Costa Rica, that the World Cup is “not at the forefront of my mind. The 26-year-old Harvard graduate has started all three group stage matches. American goalkeeping hasn’t been this worrisome since the 1980s. Tony Meola, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel and Tim Howard all gained renown, but Turner and Zack Steffen failed to get regular top tier playing time in Europe after leaving Major League Soccer.
WORDS: 898 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 5:40 p.m. CDT
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HKN–NHL Draft-Notebook
Victor Eklund’s persistence won out, as he and Swedish teammate Anton Frondell enter NHL draft
SUMMARY: Swedish teammates Victor Eklund and Anton Frondell top the list international skaters entering the NHL draft this weekend. Eklund convinced his coach to pair him with Frondell last season, leading their team, Djurgarden, to a championship. Frondell is now first and could go as high as No. 2 in the draft to San Jose. Eklund is a top-10 prospect, and outscored Frondell last season with 19 goals. Meanwhile, Minnesota high schooler Mason West is going all-in on hockey over football. It’s similar to his idol Islanders captain Anders Lee, who is also from Edina, and also played quarterback.
WORDS: 994 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 4:20 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Mariners-Twins
Ryan wins for 7th time in 8 decisions, Clemens hits 9th homer and Twins beat Mariners 2-0
SUMMARY: Joe Ryan won for the seventh time in eight decisions, Kody Clemens hit his ninth homer and Willi Castro drove in the go-ahead run as the Minnesota Twins beat the Seattle Mariners 2-0 to stop a five-game losing streak. Ryan allowed three hits in six innings, struck out eight and walked none to help Minnesota end a six-game home skid, its longest at Target Field since an eight-game slide from April 27 to May 20, 2016. Jhoan Duran got three straight outs for his 11th save in 13 chances, combining with Louis Varland and Griffin Jax for hitless relief.
WORDS: 295 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 9:48 p.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Draft-Northwest Division
In Northwest Division, NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder get deeper, Jazz get busy, Wolves go big
SUMMARY: The Oklahoma City Thunder have added big man Thomas Sorber to their championship roster. They took Sorber with the 15th overall pick in the NBA draft. The versatile 6-foot-9 Sorber played one season in college at Georgetown. He’ll give the Thunder more bulk and depth to complement the slender Chet Holmgren and fellow frontcourt mate Isaiah Hartenstein. The Utah Jazz had the busiest night among the five Northwest Division teams. They took wing Ace Bailey with the fifth pick out of Rutgers and wound up with Florida point guard Walter Clayton Jr. with the 18th selection after a proposed trade.
WORDS: 794 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 10:27 p.m. CDT
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HKN–Wild-Kraken Trade
Wild trade veteran center Freddy Gaudreau to the Kraken for a fourth-round draft pick
SUMMARY: The Minnesota Wild have traded veteran center Freddy Gaudreau to the Seattle Kraken for a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft. Gaudreau has three years remaining on his contract with an annual average value of $2.1 million. He had 18 goals and 19 assists while playing in all 82 regular season games in 2024-25. He went without a point in six playoff games. The pick from the Kraken is 102nd overall and gives the Wild five selections in the draft this weekend. The 32-year-old Gaudreau has 152 points in 410 games over eight NHL seasons with Nashville, Pittsburgh and Minnesota.
WORDS: 198 – MOVED: 06/26/2025 11:47 a.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Draft
Minnesota Timberwolves will make the first selection of the second round of the NBA draft
SUMMARY: The NBA draft resumes Thursday night with the Minnesota Timberwolves making the first selection of the second round. The second round begins with the No. 31 pick and this year runs through No. 59 instead of 60, with the New York Knicks having been penalized their selection for tampering by negotiating with Jalen Brunson too soon before eventually signing the guard away from Dallas in 2022. The NBA began a two-night format for the draft last year after doing it one night ended too late. The Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick on Wednesday.
WORDS: 190 – MOVED: 06/26/2025 12:58 p.m. CDT
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MISSOURI
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BBO–Cardinals-Walker
Cardinals place OF Jordan Walker on 10-day IL with appendicitis retroactive to Monday
SUMMARY: The St. Louis Cardinals have placed outfielder Jordan Walker on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Monday with appendicitis. The team announced Wednesday that Walker was first examined by the team’s medical staff after feeling discomfort before batting practice on Tuesday. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Walker got some imaging and results came back as early signs of appendicitis. Surgery is not required. Walker is expected to be able to resume baseball activities in four to five days. He is hitting .210 with three home runs and 23 RBIs in 55 games. The team also recalled infielder José Fermín from Triple-A Memphis.
WORDS: 175 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 5:41 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Rays-Royals
Rasmussen and the Rays bullpen shine in 3-0 win over Royals, extending their road win streak to 5
SUMMARY: Drew Rasmussen tossed five innings of two-hit ball, Tampa Bay scored three times in the second inning and the Rays held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 3-0. Rasmussen struck out five and walked two before a trio of relievers got the game to Pete Fairbanks, who handled the ninth for his 14th save. Tampa Bay has won five straight on the road and nine of 12 overall, moving a season-best 10 games over .500. Michael Wacha allowed all three runs for Kansas City. The Royals have lost nine straight at Kauffman Stadium, their longest home skid since dropping 10 in a row in April and May 2023.
WORDS: 343 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 9:00 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Cubs-Cardinals
Happ hits leadoff HR, Boyd tosses 6 innings to help the Cubs beat the Cardinals 8-0
SUMMARY: Ian Happ hit a leadoff home run and drove in three, Matthew Boyd gave up three hits in six scoreless innings and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-0. Reese McGuire and Kyle Tucker also homered for the Cubs, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Boyd (7-3), who struck out three and did not issue a walk, has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last six starts. Ryan Brasier, Michael Fulmer and Porter Hodge combined to toss three scoreless innings of relief to close out the shutout. Erick Fedde (3-7) allowed seven runs on eight hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings.
WORDS: 340 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 9:20 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Cubs-Imanaga
Cubs activate LHP Shota Imanaga and designate RHP Michael Fulmer for assignment
SUMMARY: The Cubs activated left-hander Shota Imanaga from the 15-day injured list to start Thursday’s season finale at St. Louis. To make room on the roster, Chicago designated right-hander Michael Fulmer for assignment. The 31-year-old Imanaga had been shelved since early May with a strained left hamstring. Imanaga has made eight starts this season, allowing two or fewer runs in six of them. The Cubs have gone 25-16 since he went on the IL.
WORDS: 241 – MOVED: 06/26/2025 12:47 p.m. CDT
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NEBRASKA
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BKN–NBA Draft-Best Available
Fleming, Raynaud, Penda headline the list of best available players entering Round 2 of NBA draft
SUMMARY: The freshman-heavy first round of the NBA draft squeezed out some veteran college big men. That means players like St. Joseph’s junior Rasheer Fleming and Stanford senior Maxime Raynaud are among the notable names waiting to hear their name called entering the second round Thursday night. The list includes fifth-year big men in Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner and Auburn’s Johni Broome. The list of best-available talents includes French forward Noah Penda and Marquette guard Kam Jones. Minnesota is on the clock for the first pick of the second round.
WORDS: 944 – MOVED: 06/26/2025 1:22 a.m. CDT
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OKLAHOMA
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BKN–NBA-Silver-Achilles
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, in ESPN interview, says league taking serious look at Achilles tears
SUMMARY: The NBA had already convened a panel of experts to study Achilles tendon injuries even before Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday night. The league had seven known Achilles injuries this season — Pacers forwards James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson, New Orleans guard Dejounte Murray and Miami guard Dru Smith had them in the regular season, while Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard and Haliburton then had them in the playoffs.
WORDS: 436 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 6:41 p.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Draft-Heat
NBA draft night fashion to meet blistering New York heat, as players know suits will get sweaty
SUMMARY: NBA draft night is all about getting dressed up, with players donning their finest suits for the walk on stage after their name is called. The weather in New York is better suited for shorts and flip-flops. With temperatures soaring to 100 degrees in the city on Tuesday, players knew their nice attire on draft night Wednesday was going to get a little uncomfortable. Little relief is expected is expected Wednesday, so players were glad that most of their time would be spent indoors. But even just a few minutes felt like too much.
WORDS: 824 – MOVED: 06/24/2025 4:28 p.m. CDT
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BKN–NBA Draft-Northwest Division
In Northwest Division, NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder get deeper, Jazz get busy, Wolves go big
SUMMARY: The Oklahoma City Thunder have added big man Thomas Sorber to their championship roster. They took Sorber with the 15th overall pick in the NBA draft. The versatile 6-foot-9 Sorber played one season in college at Georgetown. He’ll give the Thunder more bulk and depth to complement the slender Chet Holmgren and fellow frontcourt mate Isaiah Hartenstein. The Utah Jazz had the busiest night among the five Northwest Division teams. They took wing Ace Bailey with the fifth pick out of Rutgers and wound up with Florida point guard Walter Clayton Jr. with the 18th selection after a proposed trade.
WORDS: 794 – MOVED: 06/25/2025 10:27 p.m. CDT
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