Tom Lyden
Tom Lyden has covered, and uncovered, some of the biggest stories in the Twin Cities in the last 26 years. His reports have led to new laws, put criminals behind bars, led to a politician's resignation, and a governor's open hostility.
In the last few years, Tom has focused on in-depth reporting as part of the FOX 9 Investigators. He uncovered a religious cult operating in Minnesota who’s leader, Victor Barnard, sexually assaulted his underage followers. His reporting lead to an international manhunt for Barnard, resulting in his capture, conviction, and incarceration.
His reporting on the mysterious death of conspiracy filmmaker David Crowley was also featured in a full length documentary.
Tom is part of FOX 9’s “jump team” to cover news far from home. He’s brought home stories to Minnesota viewers from New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, the massacre at Virginia Tech, and the hunt for serial killer Andrew Cunanan in Miami.
Tom has won more than 20 Regional Emmy Awards, and five Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for his reporting.
Tom graduated from Lewis and Clark College (B.A. International Affairs) in Portland, OR., and he has a masters degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
He started his journalism career in newspapers at the Daily Star Progress in La Habra, CA.
Tom is an obsessive tennis fan and a moderately good player (3.8 USTA rating). He lives in Minneapolis with his husband, Fred.
The latest from Tom Lyden
Model behavior: Estimates of COVID-19 spread ‘all over the place’
There is no COVID-19 crystal ball, so health officials and the public alike are eager to learn about mathematical projections of how the virus will spread.
New model predicts Minnesota's infection peak will arrive earlier, be less severe
A new model of the coronavirus spread in the U.S. predicts the peak in Minnesota won’t be as severe as officials feared, but it will hit earlier than they had hoped.
Minnesota hopes to have 5,000 hospital beds for COVID-19 peak
Minnesota officials are trying to manage a complicated supply-chain to support hospitals as they anticipate the peak of the pandemic, when resources like masks, respirators, and ventilators will be in short supply.
One More Thing: Farmers worry about coronavirus ahead of spring planting
The running joke among Minnesota farmers is that they’re already pretty good at social distancing. But with Spring planting about three weeks away, even the most independent-minded farmers are genuinely worried.
COVID-19: When is the tipping point?
At this point in the pandemic, there is a relentless momentum to the numbers.
Developing the Minnesota COVID model
Governor Tim Walz's stay at home order was based on modeling of what could happen with the coronavirus here in Minnesota.
Minnesota governor: Too late to flatten the curve of coronavirus spread
Armed with the first Minnesota specific model of the coronavirus spread across Minnesota, the diagnosis from Governor Tim Walz was grim, but not hopeless.
Minnesota hospitals increasing capacity, ventilators
Data released from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) shows hospitals are gearing up their capacity for the Coronavirus pandemic, as Governor Tim Walz made a dire prediction that 40 to 80 percent of all Minnesotan’s might eventually get the virus.
Model for COVID-19 spread in Twin Cities? Not enough data, yet
What does the future hold for Minnesota with the spread of the coronavirus?
Different kind of block party unites Minneapolis neighborhood amid pandemic
A neighborhood in south Minneapolis found a little slice of normalcy amid uncertain times due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.