**Merry Christmas**
>>Archbishop Hebda Tells Parishioners ICE Will Not Target Churches on Christmas
(St. Paul, MN) — Archbishop Bernard Hebda is telling Catholics in Minnesota that ICE agents will not interrupt their Christmas services. The head of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said that local Department of Homeland Security officials told his representatives, “they do not intend to conduct enforcement actions at churches and K-12 schools, unless there is an imminent public safety threat.” Governor Walz warned Tuesday that ICE could target Mass services. Archbishop Hebda said in a statement to parishioners, “Please know that you will be most welcome to worship with us at any of our Catholic parishes this Christmas.”
>>Governor Walz Issues Executive Order Easing Regulations for Heating Assistance
(St. Paul, MN) — An executive order issued by Governor Tim Walz exempts certain motor carriers and drivers transporting propane and diesel fuel from service hour regulations. This comes after the federal government didn’t release funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) program on time. The governor says this resulted in higher demand and increased deliveries of propane and diesel fuel in November. Approximately ten percent of Minnesota households use propane as their primary heating fuel.
>>Woman Dead, Man Wounded in Christmas Eve Shooting near Farmington
(Farmington, MN) — The Dakota County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a deadly shooting on Christmas Eve near Farmington. Deputies were called to a double shooting in Castle Rock Township around 2:20 Wednesday afternoon where they found a woman dead of a gunshot wound. A man was located with a gunshot wound to the head and taken to the hospital. Authorities say there is no danger to the public. No other information was released.
>>St. Paul Woman Faces Third-Degree Homicide Charge in Chisago County OD Death
(Center City, MN) — A St. Paul woman is charged with third-degree homicide in the drug-related overdose death of a woman last January in Chisago County. Prosecutors say 44-year-old Marcella Wells provided the drugs that killed the 43-year-old victim in Shafer Township. The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office determined she died of acute fentanyl toxicity. Investigators say they found cell phone evidence that Wells communicated with the victim about a drug deal prior to her death. Wells made her first court appearance Tuesday and bail was set at $500 thousand.
>>Brooklyn Park Man Charged in Maple Grove Restaurant Shooting
(Maple Grove, MN) — A Brooklyn Park man is charged in connection with a shooting last month at the Benihana restaurant in Maple Grove. Prosecutors say 31-year-old Deontae Coney faces second-degree assault after allegedly shooting a man during an argument on November 14th. Investigators say Coney pulled a gun from a crossbody bag and fired once, hitting the victim in the groin. Police say the two men knew each other and the shooting was not random. The victim survived. Coney was arrested Tuesday in Inver Grove Heights and is being held on $250 thousand bail.
>>Christmas Eve Snowmobile Crash in Virginia Sends Rider to Duluth Hospital
(Virginia, MN) — A 41-year-old man is hospitalized in Duluth following a snowmobile crash early Christmas Eve morning in Virginia. Police found the rider lying 20 feet from his snowmobile after crashing 75 yards off the shoreline of Bailey’s Lake. Officers say the man was taken to the hospital in Virginia before being airlifted to Essentia St. Mary’s Duluth. No word on his current condition.
>>Champlin Crash Kills 70-Year-Old Woman
(Champlin, MN) — A 70-year-old woman is the victim of a deadly three-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon in Champlin. Police say the driver of one of the vehicles was dead at the scene on West River Road. A 17-year-old boy and a 36-year-old woman were taken to nearby hospitals. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The victim hasn’t been identified.
>>Powerball Ticket Purchased in Minnesota Wins $100K in Wednesday’s Drawing
(Roseville, MN) — A Powerball player in Arkansas is the winner of the $ 1.87-billion jackpot in the Christmas Eve drawing. A ticket sold in Minnesota won $100 thousand. The Minnesota Lottery says the lucky ticket was purchased at Jerry’s Foods in Woodbury. The numbers in the December 24th drawing are 4, 25, 31, 52, 59, and the Powerball is 19.
>>Holiday Travelers in Minnesota Greeted with Lower Gas Prices
(St. Louis Park, MN) — Minnesota drivers are sharing one gift this holiday season – lower gas prices. Triple-A Minnesota reports gas prices have dropped seven cents in the last week. The state average for a gallon of unleaded is now $2.65. That is 26 cents cheaper than a month ago. Triple-A says crude oil prices remain low, and despite an increase in demand over the holidays, the supply is strong.
>>Minnesota Vikings Host Detroit Lions on Christmas Day
(Minneapolis, MN) — The 7-8 Minnesota Vikings and 8-7 Detroit Lions play a Christmas Day matinee (Thurs 3:30pm) at U-S Bank Stadium. Quarterback J-J McCarthy is out with a broken hand, so former Gopher Max Brosmer will start today’s game. The Purple topped the Giants 16-13 on the road Sunday for their third straight win. The Lions are coming off a 29-24 loss to the Steelers. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell says,”it’s gonna be physical, it’s gonna be 60-minutes of N-F-C North football and this game means a lot of to us and we’re putting everything we got into it.”
>>Timberwolves and Nuggets on Christmas Night in Denver
(Denver, CO) — The Minnesota Timberwolves play the Denver Nuggets in a Christmas night matchup (Thurs 9:30pm) in Colorado. The 20-10 Wolves topped the Knicks 115-104 Tuesday night at Target Center for their third straight victory. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 38 points. The 21-8 Nuggets lost to the Mavericks 131-130 Tuesday night in Dallas. Denver forward Cameron Johnson is expected to miss some time with a bone bruise to his right knee.
>>USA Hockey Roster Named for World Junior Championship
(Colorado Springs, CO) — U-S-A Hockey is naming its roster of 25 players for the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship held in the Twin Cities. The roster includes seven Minnesotans and University of Minnesota Gophers head coach Bob Motzko. There are eight returning players who were part of the 2025 gold-medal winning U-S National Junior Team. The Americans open play Friday evening at Grand Casino Arena against Germany. The tournament runs through January 5th.
