U.S.

In the days that have followed a viral video illustrating potential day care fraud in Minnesota, Minnesota GOP leaders, including House Speaker and governor candidate Rep. Lisa Demuth, have confirmed they were aware of the efforts of YouTuber Nick Shirley prior to the video being released. FOX 9’s Soyoung Kim has the details.

Minnesota’s Paid Family Leave program is ready to roll out, with applications opening to be accepted on Wednesday, Dec. 31. FOX 9’s Tim Blotz explains what you need to know.

FOX 9 evening news: Dec. 30, 2025

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced it is freezing all federal childcare payments to Minnesota amid an ongoing fraud investigation focused on several day care centers.

Several Minnesota child care centers have come to the forefront of a massive fraud investigation. Tuesday night, the federal government stepped in, freezing funds to the state.

A federal judge in Minnesota is blasting the Trump administration’s mandatory detention policy as “illegal” as immigration enforcement operations continue across the Twin Cities. FOX 9’s Paul Blume has the details.

Authorities in Chisago City are telling residents to avoid the area of Liberty Lane Tuesday afternoon due to an ongoing mental health crisis.

The Minnesota Vikings host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium to close out the 2025 season. Will it be the last time Brian Flores is the leader of the Vikings’ defense? We’ll have to wait to find out.

Minnesota's new paid leave law: Applications open

In this week’s episode of the H & H Podcast, Ahmad Hicks and Henry Lake break down the current state of the Minnesota Timberwolves following a stretch of big wins mixed with some tough losses. While acknowledging the positives, both hosts also point out key areas of concern that could impact the Wolves moving forward. On the gridiron, the Vikings are riding a season-high four-game winning streak and have an opportunity to close the year strong with a rivalry matchup. Hicks sees the turnaround as an encouraging sign for a team that struggled early, crediting the defense for leading the resurgence. Lake goes a step further, arguing that defensive coordinator Brian Flores has done enough to earn another head coaching opportunity. Hicks pushes back, questioning whether Flores’ ongoing lawsuit against the NFL could stand in the way of him leading a team. The Gophers football program added another bowl win under P.J. Fleck, but neither Hicks nor Lake were particularly impressed with the performance. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s basketball programs are gaining momentum—especially the women’s team, which sits at 10–3 on the season and is preparing for a challenging stretch against ranked opponents.