>>Man Arrested After Assault at Wyoming Hospital
(Wyoming, MN) – A man is in custody after allegedly fleeing the M Health Fairview Lakes Medical Center emergency room and assaulting a security officer on Christmas Day. Wyoming police officers responded around 5:30 p.m. and found the 35-year-old patient in the hospital parking lot. Investigators say he resisted arrest during a prolonged struggle before being detained. The security officer was taken to the hospital for treatment. The man was returned to the facility for evaluation. No charges have been filed, and the case remains under investigation.
>>Man Injured After Train Strikes Him Near Janesville
(Janesville, MN) – A man is recovering after being hit by a train in Waseca County on Christmas Eve. Deputies say Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Railway reported the incident just after 7 p.m. near Janesville. An adult man was found on the tracks with injuries and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. No other information is available.
>>U.S. Opens Play at World Junior Championship in St. Paul
(St. Paul, MN) – The United States opens play today in the World Junior Hockey Championship against Germany. The game starts at 5 p.m. at Grand Casino Arena, home of the Minnesota Wild. The tournament features the best under-20 players in the world. The U.S. roster has 25 players, with seven of them from Minnesota. The team is coached by the University of Minnesota Gophers coach Bob Motzko.
>>Greater MN Hope, Calls for Increased Local Gov. Aid
(Undated) – Communities across the state are hoping for an increase in Local Government Aid (LGA) from the legislature in 2026. Bradley Peterson of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities says one thing they’re proposing “is actually indexing that appropriation number to inflation. So that as inflation goes, so would local government aid. We did that in the late ’90s, early 2000s. ” Peterson says LGA helps cities meet their needs without significantly increasing property taxes.
>>Gas Prices Lower for Holiday Drivers
(Minneapolis, MN) – Gas prices remain lower for Minnesota drivers for the ride home from your holiday gatherings. The average price in Minnesota for a gallon of regular unleaded is $2.64. That is 27 cents cheaper than a month ago. A year ago, Minnesotans were paying an average of $2.85 a gallon. AAA says despite more drivers hitting the road, a surplus is leading to lower prices this holiday season.
>>Ice Castles Opens at Minnesota State Fairgrounds
(Falcon Heights, MN) – The annual Ice Castles attraction opens today at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, marking its earliest opening date ever. Organizers credit great winter conditions and weeks of work by ice artisans. The winter display features ice sculptures, caverns, slides, and the Frozen Tap Ice Bar. Gates open at 4 p.m., and the attraction will remain open through late February or early March, depending on the weather. Tickets are available online at icecastles.com.
>>MN Powerball Ticket Worth $100,000 From Woodbury
(Roseville, MN) – Christmas Eve was very merry for a lucky Minnesota Powerball player. One ticket worth $100,000 was sold at Jerry’s Foods in Woodbury. The ticket matched four numbers and the Powerball with Power Play. The Christmas Eve drawing ended a streak of 47 straight draws without a jackpot winner. One ticket in Arkansas matched all of the numbers for the top prize of $1.8 billion for the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history.
>>UM Football Plays NM in Rate Bowl in AZ Today
(Phoenix, AZ) – The University of Minnesota football team takes on New Mexico in the Rate Bowl in Arizona later today. Golden Gopher head coach P.J. Fleck says his team will have to be disciplined against a creative New Mexico offense, as “every game they’ve shown something a little bit different.” Today’s game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix.
