Is there a plugin that allows you to have a single text item?

You could use the search feature and try and find out.

I have without luck. its an item that has “search words” that pull back other items.

You can try my AdRotator plugin. There you can change the news item by uploading / modifying a text file.

Also you can randomly rotate between multiple news items.

How about this:

https://www.ads-software.com/support/topic/68621?replies=3

Sounds like just the thing you’re after.