Great Plains News Digest
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MISSOURI
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US–Paid Sick Leave
Missouri governor repeals paid sick leave law approved last year by voters
SUMMARY: Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has signed a repeal of a law guaranteeing paid sick leave for workers and inflationary adjustments to the minimum wage. The repeal will take effect Aug. 28. Workers’ rights advocates call it a betrayal while business groups argue that the policies hurt job growth. Voters in Missouri, Nebraska and Alaska all approved paid sick leave measures last November. Alaska’s requirement kicked in on July 1. But lawmakers in Nebraska revised the measure before it could take effect Oct. 1. Missouri workers began earning paid sick leave May 1, but unused leave will not be guaranteed after the repeal date.
WORDS: 549 – MOVED: 07/10/2025 4:49 p.m. CDT
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US–Ex Police Chief-Prison Escape
Arkansas prison employees fired after ‘Devil in the Ozarks’ escape
SUMMARY: Two Arkansas prison employees have been fired after an inmate known as the “Devil in the Ozarks” escaped in May. Corrections officials said Thursday that the employees violated policies, allowing Grant Hardin to leave the Calico Rock prison wearing a fake law enforcement uniform. Hardin is a former police chief serving sentences for murder and rape. He was captured on June 6 not far from the prison. Lawmakers criticized the incident, calling it a sign of deeper systemic issues. Hardin has pleaded not guilty to an escape charge and is scheduled to face trial in November.
WORDS: 643 – MOVED: 07/10/2025 7:05 p.m. CDT
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NEBRASKA
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US–Paid Sick Leave
Missouri governor repeals paid sick leave law approved last year by voters
SUMMARY: Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has signed a repeal of a law guaranteeing paid sick leave for workers and inflationary adjustments to the minimum wage. The repeal will take effect Aug. 28. Workers’ rights advocates call it a betrayal while business groups argue that the policies hurt job growth. Voters in Missouri, Nebraska and Alaska all approved paid sick leave measures last November. Alaska’s requirement kicked in on July 1. But lawmakers in Nebraska revised the measure before it could take effect Oct. 1. Missouri workers began earning paid sick leave May 1, but unused leave will not be guaranteed after the repeal date.
WORDS: 549 – MOVED: 07/10/2025 4:49 p.m. CDT
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SPORTS
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KANSAS
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BKO–All-Star Replacements
Royals’ Estévez replaces Rangers’ deGrom on AL All-Star roster; Mariners’ Rodríguez will sit out
SUMMARY: Kansas City Royals closer Carlos Estévez has been named to the American League All-Star roster. He replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom. DeGrom will be inactive because his scheduled start against Houston on Saturday night falls too close to Tuesday’s All-Star game. He will travel to Atlanta for All-Star activities. Estévez has 25 saves and a 2.03 ERA this season. The Seattle Mariners announced Julio Rodríguez will not participate in the All-Star Game. The team said Rodríguez would use the break to rest and prepare for the second half of the season.
WORDS: 206 – MOVED: 07/11/2025 12:37 p.m. CDT
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MINNESOTA
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BBO–Cubs-Twins
Crow-Armstrong homers twice as Cubs top Twins 8-1 to deny series sweep
SUMMARY: Pete Crow-Armstrong powered the Chicago Cubs to an 8-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins with two home runs. This marks his fifth multi-homer game of the season. Crow-Armstrong went 3 for 4 with three runs and three RBIs to help the Cubs avoid a series sweep. Colin Rea pitched seven strong innings Thursday with only a solo homer allowed to Kody Clemens. Minnesota native Michael Busch drove in two runs while Twins starter Chris Paddack struggled. He gave up six runs on 11 hits in five innings. The Cubs now head to New York for a three-game series against the Yankees starting Friday.
WORDS: 350 – MOVED: 07/10/2025 2:52 p.m. CDT
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BKN–Prime Video-NBA
Prime Video brings familiar faces and new voices to NBA coverage
SUMMARY: Prime Video has announced its lineup for its first NBA season that begins Oct. 24. Familiar voices like Kevin Harlan, Ian Eagle, and Stan Van Gundy join from TNT, while Cassidy Hubbarth comes from ESPN. Prime Video’s coverage includes 66 regular-season games, NBA Play-In Tournament games, and playoff matchups, including a conference finals series for six seasons. The team also features analysts like Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade, and Candace Parker, with Taylor Rooks hosting studio coverage. Prime Video plans flexible announcer pairings and aims to treat every game as a major event, building on its success with “Thursday Night Football.”
WORDS: 626 – MOVED: 07/10/2025 3:44 p.m. CDT
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FBN–Vikings-Turner
Vikings’ Dallas Turner scammed for $240K in alleged bank fraud scheme under police investigation
SUMMARY: Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Dallas Turner has reportedly lost $240,000 in an alleged bank fraud scheme. Eagan police are investigating and have identified multiple suspects. Only $2,500 has been recovered so far. According to a search warrant affidavit, Turner received a call in February from someone posing as a banker who advised him to transfer money to prevent a theft. He contacted police in April after suspecting it was a scam. Turner was drafted last year in the first round. He was a backup edge rusher with three sacks in 16 games.
WORDS: 173 – MOVED: 07/10/2025 3:46 p.m. CDT
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BKL–Lynx-Sparks
Natisha Hiedeman scores 18, Napheesa Collier adds 17 and the Lynx beat the Sparks 91-82
SUMMARY: Natisha Hiedeman came off the bench to score 18 points, Napheesa Collier added 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Los Angeles Sparks 91-82. Collier made a step-back jumper in the lane with 1.7 seconds left in the first half to give Minnesota a 50-40 lead. The Lynx bench posted 30 points in the first half, led by Hiedeman’s 16 on 6-of-9 shooting. Minnesota dominated the third quarter by shooting 56.5% (13 of 23) from the floor to outscore Los Angeles 30-19. Collier’s basket with 44 seconds remaining in the third gave the Lynx a 27-point lead at 80-53. But the Sparks scored the final six points of the third and the opening 11 points of the fourth to get within 80-70.
WORDS: 285 – MOVED: 07/10/2025 4:13 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Cubs-Crow-Armstrong
Crow-Armstrong hits 25 homer-25 steal mark for Cubs in 92 games, the 4th-fastest in MLB history
SUMMARY: Pete Crow-Armstrong continues his breakout season with the Chicago Cubs. The 23-year-old center fielder hit two home runs in an 8-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday to mark his fifth multi-homer game in 92 games. That’s the most by a Cubs player in one season since Derrek Lee had eight in 2005. Crow-Armstrong also became the fourth-fastest player in MLB history to reach 25 home runs and 25 steals in a season. Only Eric Davis, Alfonso Soriano and Bobby Bonds did it in fewer games. Crow-Armstrong ranks among MLB leaders in steals, home runs, runs and RBIs this season.
WORDS: 201 – MOVED: 07/10/2025 4:18 p.m. CDT
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MISSOURI
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BBO–Nationals-Cardinals
Miles Mikolas stars as the Cardinals beat the Nationals 8-1
SUMMARY: Miles Mikolas pitched two-hit ball into the sixth inning, helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 8-1. Willson Contreras homered and Alec Burleson drove in two runs as St. Louis won the rubber game in the three-game series. Brendan Donovan had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run. St. Louis went 5-1 against Washington this year, winning the season series against the Nationals for the first time since 2021. Mikolas struck out six and walked one in 5 2/3 innings. It was his first win since May 23. Jacob Young drove in Washington’s only run on a fielder’s choice in the eighth.
WORDS: 301 – MOVED: 07/10/2025 9:55 p.m. CDT
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BKO–All-Star Replacements
Royals’ Estévez replaces Rangers’ deGrom on AL All-Star roster; Mariners’ Rodríguez will sit out
SUMMARY: Kansas City Royals closer Carlos Estévez has been named to the American League All-Star roster. He replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom. DeGrom will be inactive because his scheduled start against Houston on Saturday night falls too close to Tuesday’s All-Star game. He will travel to Atlanta for All-Star activities. Estévez has 25 saves and a 2.03 ERA this season. The Seattle Mariners announced Julio Rodríguez will not participate in the All-Star Game. The team said Rodríguez would use the break to rest and prepare for the second half of the season.
WORDS: 206 – MOVED: 07/11/2025 12:37 p.m. CDT
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