Great Plains News Digest
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KANSAS
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US–FEMA-Texas Floods
FEMA chief rejects criticism, calls Texas floods response ‘a model’ for dealing with disaster
SUMMARY: The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is pushing back on criticisms of the federal response to the central Texas floods that killed at least 136 people. David Richardson told a House panel of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that he couldn’t see anything the administration had done wrong. He called the response “a model for how disasters should be handled.” Lawmakers pressed Richardson on reports that FEMA urban search and rescue teams were delayed in deploying to the disaster and that FEMA call centers were understaffed due to lapsed contracts.
WORDS: 910 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 4:33 p.m. CDT
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US–Artificial Intelligence-Teens
Teens say they are turning to AI for friendship
SUMMARY: Teenagers are increasingly turning to AI for advice, emotional support and decision-making, according to a new study. Common Sense Media found that over 70% of teens have used AI companions, with many finding the interactions as satisfying as talking to real friends. Experts warn this trend could harm social skills and mental health, as teens rely on AI for validation and avoid real-world challenges. Concerns also include inappropriate content and the lack of regulation of AI platforms. Researchers emphasize that while AI can assist, it should not replace human connections, especially during adolescence, a critical time for social and emotional development.
WORDS: 1199 – MOVED: 07/22/2025 11:10 p.m. CDT
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US–Green Energy-Transmission
Trump administration canceled a $4.9B loan guarantee for a line to deliver green power
SUMMARY: The Trump administration has canceled a $4.9 billion federal loan guarantee for a new, 800-mile high-voltage transmission line for delivering solar and wind-generated electricity from the Midwest to the eastern U.S. The U.S. Department of Energy says Wednesday that it is not critical for the federal government to play a role in the first phase of Chicago-based Invenergy’s planned Grain Belt Express. The department also questioned whether the $11 billion project could meet the financial conditions required for a loan guarantee. But the company indicated that the project will go forward anyway with private financing. President Donald Trump has expressed opposition repeatedly to green energy.
WORDS: 722 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 1:57 p.m. CDT
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MINNESOTA
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US–Mike Lindell-Contest Prize
Mike Lindell celebrates victory after appeals court voids $5M award in election data dispute
SUMMARY: A federal appeals court has ruled that MyPillow founder Mike Lindell doesn’t have to pay a $5 million award to a software engineer. The engineer disputed data Lindell claimed proved China interfered in the 2020 election. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals found Wednesday that an arbitration panel overstepped its authority in 2023 when it awarded the money to Robert Zeidman. Lindell had offered the prize during a 2021 “Cyber Symposium” for anyone who could disprove his claims. The appeals court said the arbitrators went too far in interpreting the contest rules. Lindell hails his victory as a “big win.”
WORDS: 530 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 6:30 p.m. CDT
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ENT–Buckingham Nicks Reissue-Record Stores
‘Buckingham Nicks’ was a record store holy grail for decades. It’s finally getting reissued
SUMMARY: Warner Music Group has announced that it’s reissuing the lone album recorded by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham when they were just a duo. The couple later joined Fleetwood Mac for its most successful lineup. “Buckingham Nicks” bombed when it came out in 1973. But its cult status only grew over the decades. The album cover shows Nicks and Buckingham posing nude like a Laurel Canyon Adam and Eve. Their relationship famously ended later that decade. Record store owners say the album holds a special status, with a copy often selling immediately. It’ll be available for the first time on CD and streaming Sept. 19, along with new vinyl of course.
WORDS: 1136 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 11:08 p.m. CDT
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UnitedHealth-Federal Investigation
UnitedHealth says it is under a federal investigation and cooperating
SUMMARY: UnitedHealth Group says it is cooperating with federal criminal and civil investigations involving its market-leading Medicare business. The health care giant said Thursday that it had contacted the Department of Justice after reviewing media reports about investigations into certain elements of its business. The Wall Street Journal has been reporting that federal officials had launched investigations into how the company records diagnoses that lead to extra payments for its Medicare Advantage plans. Those are privately run versions of the government’s Medicare coverage program mostly for people ages 65 and over. UnitedHealth runs the nation’s largest Medicare Advantage business.
WORDS: 438 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 8:04 a.m. CDT
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MISSOURI
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US–FEMA-Texas Floods
FEMA chief rejects criticism, calls Texas floods response ‘a model’ for dealing with disaster
SUMMARY: The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is pushing back on criticisms of the federal response to the central Texas floods that killed at least 136 people. David Richardson told a House panel of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that he couldn’t see anything the administration had done wrong. He called the response “a model for how disasters should be handled.” Lawmakers pressed Richardson on reports that FEMA urban search and rescue teams were delayed in deploying to the disaster and that FEMA call centers were understaffed due to lapsed contracts.
WORDS: 910 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 4:33 p.m. CDT
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US–Green Energy-Transmission
Trump administration canceled a $4.9B loan guarantee for a line to deliver green power
SUMMARY: The Trump administration has canceled a $4.9 billion federal loan guarantee for a new, 800-mile high-voltage transmission line for delivering solar and wind-generated electricity from the Midwest to the eastern U.S. The U.S. Department of Energy says Wednesday that it is not critical for the federal government to play a role in the first phase of Chicago-based Invenergy’s planned Grain Belt Express. The department also questioned whether the $11 billion project could meet the financial conditions required for a loan guarantee. But the company indicated that the project will go forward anyway with private financing. President Donald Trump has expressed opposition repeatedly to green energy.
WORDS: 722 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 1:57 p.m. CDT
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US–Mobile Homes-Water Problems
For millions in US mobile home parks, clean and safe tap water isn’t a given
SUMMARY: Millions of people living in mobile home parks don’t enjoy the same drinking water protections that Americans are accustomed to. A review by The Associated Press found nearly 70% of mobile home parks that run their own water systems violated safe drinking water rules over a recent five-year stretch. That’s a higher rate than utilities that supply water for cities and towns. And it’s impossible to know the full extent of the problem. That’s because the parks commonly aren’t identified in the Environmental Protection Agency’s national database of drinking water violations. Almost 17 million people in the U.S. live in mobile homes.
WORDS: 1798 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 8:03 a.m. CDT
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US–Body Identified-DNA
DNA reveals identity of man whose body was found more than three decades ago in Missouri
SUMMARY: Authorities in Missouri say DNA samples have solved a 1994 cold case, identifying a man’s body found in the Mississippi River more than three decades ago. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday it does not suspect foul play in the death of Benny Leo Olson. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and spent 11 years in a mental health facility. His half-sister Catherine Heston told the newspaper that his family always wondered what happened. She last spoke to him by phone during what she described as a “paranoid delusion,” about a month before his body was found.
WORDS: 352 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 4:23 p.m. CDT
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US–Mobile Homes-Water Problems-Takeaways
Takeaways from AP’s report on water quality and safety at US mobile home parks
SUMMARY: Millions of people living in mobile home parks don’t enjoy the same drinking water protections that Americans are accustomed to. A review by The Associated Press found nearly 70% of mobile home parks that run their own water systems violated safe drinking water rules over a recent five-year stretch. That’s a higher rate than utilities that supply water for cities and towns. And it’s impossible to know the full extent of the problem. That’s because the parks commonly aren’t identified in the Environmental Protection Agency’s national database of drinking water violations. Almost 17 million people in the U.S. live in mobile homes.
WORDS: 710 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 8:05 a.m. CDT
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NEBRASKA
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Union Pacific-Results
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern confirm merger talks to create coast to coast railroad
SUMMARY: Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are confirming they’re in merger talks that would create North America’s largest railroad, stretching service from East to West Coasts. The Associated Press reported last week that the companies were discussing a tie-up but neither company confirmed until Thursday morning. The potential merger would combine the largest and smallest of the country’s six major freight railroads. There’s widespread debate over whether such a merger would be approved by U.S. regulators, which have established a high bar for consolidation in the crucial industry.
WORDS: 646 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 7:08 a.m. CDT
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NORTH DAKOTA
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US–Plane Maneuver-Bomber–Things to Know
Close call between a B-52 bomber and a commercial jet over North Dakota puts focus on small airports
SUMMARY: The evasive action an airline pilot took to avoid a B-52 bomber in the skies over North Dakota has focused attention on the way small airport towers are often run by private companies without their own radars. Neither one of the pilots of the bomber or the Delta Air Lines jet seemed to know the other plane was there before the airline pilot saw the B-52 looming in its path. The incident last Friday is being investigated. Yet these contract towers are considered more cost-effective than FAA towers and have a similar safety record.
WORDS: 1094 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 2:55 p.m. CDT
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US–Measles Outbreak-Explainer
Colorado’s measles outbreak is over, and the weekly US case count continues to diminish
SUMMARY: Health officials in Colorado say its measles outbreak is over. The U.S. added 10 new cases this week for a total of 1,319. States with active outbreaks include Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah. Two elementary school-aged children and an adult have died from measles this year. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne. It is preventable through vaccines and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. This year’s U.S. tally is the highest since 1991.
WORDS: 1475 – MOVED: 07/09/2025 3:07 p.m. CDT
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OKLAHOMA
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US-Muscogee Nation-Freedmen Citizenship
Muscogee Nation court rules descendants of enslaved people are entitled to citizenship
SUMMARY: The Muscogee Nation Supreme Court has ruled in favor of two descendants of former slaves held by the tribe. The court found Wednesday that when the Muscogee Nation’s citizenship board denied them membership, it violated an 1866 treaty granting citizenship to former slaves once held by the tribe. The Muscogee Nation is one of five tribes in Oklahoma that once practiced slavery. In that 1866 treaty with the U.S. government, the tribe both abolished it and granted citizenship to the formerly enslaved.
WORDS: 666 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 3:51 p.m. CDT
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US–Paxton-Mortgages
Texas AG claimed three homes as primary residence. Democrats are being probed for similar issue
SUMMARY: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife, Angela, are longtime owners of a $1.5 million home in a Dallas suburb. In 2015, they snapped up a second house in Austin. Then another. The problem: Mortgage documents signed by the Paxtons that contained inaccurate statements declared that each of those three houses was a primary residence, enabling the now-estranged couple to lock in low interest rates and save tens of thousands of dollars in mortgage payments, according to an Associated Press review of public records.
WORDS: 1701 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 11:01 p.m. CDT
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SPORTS
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IOWA
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FBC–Big Ten-Making Promises
NIL promises made to recruits, now coaches wait for key decision to learn whether they can keep them
SUMMARY: Next week, college football coaches can put the recruiting promises they’ve made to high school seniors on paper. Then, the question becomes whether they can keep them. Uncertainty over interpretations of a key element of the lawsuit settlement that’s reshaping college sports has placed recruiters on a tightrope. They need clarity about whether the third-party collectives that ruled name, image, likeness payments over the first four years of NIL can be treated as a workaround of the $20.5 million cap on what schools can now pay players directly or whether they’ll simply become a small cog in the new system.
WORDS: 881 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 4:24 p.m. CDT
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KANSAS
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BBO–Royals-Cubs
Vinnie Pasquantino hits two of Royals’ four homers, Kansas City tops Cubs 8-4
SUMMARY: Vinnie Pasquantino hit two of Kansas City’s four two-run homers and doubled on a 3-for-4 afternoon, leading the Royals past the Chicago Cubs 8-4. Salvador Perez and rookie Tyler Tolbert also went deep as the Royals took two of three games from the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Tolbert’s homer was his first in the majors. Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong hit solo shots for Chicago, which entered tied with Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central and the best record in the majors. Pasquantino’s pair of 400-foot-plus drives gave him two multi-homer games this season and three for his career.
WORDS: 360 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 4:07 p.m. CDT
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MINNESOTA
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BBO–Twins-Moves
Twins starting pitcher David Festa placed on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation
SUMMARY: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher David Festa has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. The 25-year-old Festa was scheduled to consult with a doctor and get an MRI on Wednesday. The Twins are in Los Angeles to play the Dodgers and were scheduled to head home after the early game. On Monday, Festa allowed four runs on three home runs in 5 1/3 innings. Festa has started 10 games for the Twins, who are 10 1/2 games behind Detroit in the AL Central. Festa is 3-4 this season with a 5.40 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 53 1/2 innings.
WORDS: 200 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 2:12 p.m. CDT
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FBC–Big Ten-Making Promises
NIL promises made to recruits, now coaches wait for key decision to learn whether they can keep them
SUMMARY: Next week, college football coaches can put the recruiting promises they’ve made to high school seniors on paper. Then, the question becomes whether they can keep them. Uncertainty over interpretations of a key element of the lawsuit settlement that’s reshaping college sports has placed recruiters on a tightrope. They need clarity about whether the third-party collectives that ruled name, image, likeness payments over the first four years of NIL can be treated as a workaround of the $20.5 million cap on what schools can now pay players directly or whether they’ll simply become a small cog in the new system.
WORDS: 881 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 4:24 p.m. CDT
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FBN–Vikings-Addison
Vikings’ Jordan Addison waits for potential NFL suspension after drunken driving plea deal
SUMMARY: The Minnesota Vikings believe Jordan Addison’s off-the-field issues are behind him. Potential NFL punishment looms. Addison avoided a trial in a drunken driving case in California by pleading no contest to a lesser charge last week. He could still face a three-game suspension under league policy. Addison expressed readiness for whatever comes. Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said the team is in contact with the NFL but has no expected timeline for a decision. Addison has been a key receiver alongside Justin Jefferson, with 133 catches and 19 touchdowns in two years.
WORDS: 607 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 3:57 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Twins-Dodgers
Ohtani homers in 5th straight game, Freeman drives in 2 runs in the 9th as Dodgers beat Twins 4-3
SUMMARY: Shohei Ohtani matched a franchise record with a homer in the fifth straight game and Freddie Freeman drove in two runs with a two-out single in the ninth inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3. Freeman hit a sinking liner to left field that eluded a diving Harrison Bader and scored Mookie Betts and Ohtani, setting off a wild celebration. Ohtani hit a solo homer to center in the first, his National League-leading 37th of the season. It marked the seventh time in Dodgers history that a player has homered in five consecutive games. Ohtani joins Max Muncy, Joc Pederson, Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp, Shawn Green and Roy Campanella in that club.
WORDS: 427 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 6:38 p.m. CDT
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FBC–Big Ten-Minnesota’s Razorback
Shunned by hometown Razorbacks, redshirt-freshman Drake Lindsey set to lead Minnesota offense
SUMMARY: Minnesota redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey grew up with Arkansas blood running through his veins. His grandfather played football at Arkansas before being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings. His uncle played tight end for the Razorbacks, his dad was a wide receiver for them, his cousin played quarterback for the Hogs, and another uncle also played quarterback. So after finishing his high school career with a state championship and throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 54 touchdowns with only three interceptions in his senior season, it seemed like a no-brainer he’d be lighting up Razorback Stadium. But his hometown college never made him an offer.
WORDS: 540 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 11:40 a.m. CDT
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MISSOURI
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BBO–Royals-Cubs
Vinnie Pasquantino hits two of Royals’ four homers, Kansas City tops Cubs 8-4
SUMMARY: Vinnie Pasquantino hit two of Kansas City’s four two-run homers and doubled on a 3-for-4 afternoon, leading the Royals past the Chicago Cubs 8-4. Salvador Perez and rookie Tyler Tolbert also went deep as the Royals took two of three games from the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Tolbert’s homer was his first in the majors. Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong hit solo shots for Chicago, which entered tied with Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central and the best record in the majors. Pasquantino’s pair of 400-foot-plus drives gave him two multi-homer games this season and three for his career.
WORDS: 360 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 4:07 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Rockies-Shutout Win
A zero for the Rockies snaps record 220-game streak since last shutout win
SUMMARY: The Colorado Rockies have ended a dubious streak by recording a zero. Rookie right-hander Tanner Gordon pitched six innings and the Rockies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0 for their first shutout since May 15, 2024. That ended a record streak of 220 games since they last kept an opponent from scoring. Colorado is the only major league team since at least 1901 to go more than 200 games without a shutout win, according to Stathead and Baseball Reference. The last shutout for the Rockies had been 8-0 at San Diego in their only one last season.
WORDS: 351 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 5:55 p.m. CDT
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BBO–Cardinals-Rockies
Tanner Gordon’s 6 scoreless innings help Rockies beat Cardinals for their 1st shutout of the season
SUMMARY: Tanner Gordon pitched six scoreless innings and Ezequiel Tovar hit a home run to help the Colorado Rockies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0 and win back-to-back series for the first time since Sept. 13-18, 2024. Gordon gave up four hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Jimmy Herget threw two innings of one-hit relief before Tyler Kinley pitched a 1-2-3 ninth. The trio combined for Colorado’s first shutout of the season. The Rockies hit five consecutive singles in their four-run second inning off St. Louis starter Andre Pallante. The Rockies have won as many series since the break (two) as they did prior to it.
WORDS: 343 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 5:15 p.m. CDT
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FBC–Missouri-Drinkwitz Extension
Missouri extends Eli Drinkwitz’s contract through 2029, adds money to assistant salary pool
SUMMARY: Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz has received a second contract extension in less than two years. This extension keeps him with the Tigers through the 2029 season and adds more money to his salary pool for assistants. Drinkwitz signed an extension in December 2023 that paid him $46 million through the 2028 season. He has led the Tigers to back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the first time in a decade. Missouri athletic director Laid Veatch says the extension reflects the school’s commitment to sustaining success. The Tigers open the season on Aug. 28 against Central Arkansas.
WORDS: 459 – MOVED: 07/24/2025 11:02 a.m. CDT
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NEBRASKA
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FBC–Big Ten-Making Promises
NIL promises made to recruits, now coaches wait for key decision to learn whether they can keep them
SUMMARY: Next week, college football coaches can put the recruiting promises they’ve made to high school seniors on paper. Then, the question becomes whether they can keep them. Uncertainty over interpretations of a key element of the lawsuit settlement that’s reshaping college sports has placed recruiters on a tightrope. They need clarity about whether the third-party collectives that ruled name, image, likeness payments over the first four years of NIL can be treated as a workaround of the $20.5 million cap on what schools can now pay players directly or whether they’ll simply become a small cog in the new system.
WORDS: 881 – MOVED: 07/23/2025 4:24 p.m. CDT
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