Stories from December 22, 2025

Enbridge, DNR reach $2.8M agreement to resolve Line 3 aquifer breach
Enbridge and the Minnesota DNR agreed to a settlement after the company pierced a groundwater aquifer while building Line 3 in northern Minnesota, violating water rules.
Minnesota state agencies are now required by law to report instances of suspected fraud to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. That's one of the new steps to crack down on schemes targeting human services programs, which are largely federally funded. One of the busiest times for air travel at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is coming up this week.
Melty days ahead with a mix of rain and snow Christmas night
Tuesday is a touch cooler than Monday, then we’ll enter a stretch of highs above freezing. Warm air leads to a mix of rain and snow in the region Thursday night.
Tell us your hopes for 2026
What do you want to do or experience more of in 2026? Send us your dreams, goals and intentions — big and small.
'Congress is in a coma.' Former lawmakers sound alarm on health of the House
Congress is wrapping up the year without a lot of legislative accomplishments under its belt and a growing list of lawmakers who are retiring. Former members say the challenges on Capitol Hill have been brewing for a long time.
Trump administration pauses 5 wind projects off the East Coast
The Trump administration is pausing leases for five large-scale offshore wind projects under construction on the East Coast due to what it said were national security risks identified by the Pentagon. 
Coast Guard is pursuing another tanker helping Venezuela skirt sanctions, U.S. official says
The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. Word of the pursuit comes as the Trump administration appears to be intensifying its targeting of such vessels connected to the Venezuelan government. The tanker pursuit Sunday was confirmed by a U.S. official.
U.S. stocks rise at the start of a holiday-shortened week, gold and silver touched records
Stocks are rising modestly on Wall Street at the start of what’s expected to be a quiet holiday week. The S&P 500 rose 0.4 percent in early trading Monday. Gold and silver touched records and oil prices jumped after the U.S. Coast Guard said it was pursuing another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean.
Man shot and wounded by St. Paul police officers
A man was shot and wounded by St. Paul police officers on Sunday afternoon, after reportedly pointing a handgun at officers.
Could proposed federal changes push thousands of Minnesotans back into homelessness?
The federal government’s approach to homelessness is changing. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks about what that means for Minnesotans who rely on federal money for housing. 
MacKinnon nets 2 goals, Makar and Nelson have goal, two assists, as Avalanche beat Wild 5-1
Nathan MacKinnon scored twice, Cale Makar and Brock Nelson each had a goal and two assists, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Minnesota Wild 5-1 on Sunday night. Martin Necas also scored and Gabriel Landeskog had two assists for Colorado, winners of five straight.
NPR analysis shows skyrocketing number of ‘no-shows’ in immigration court
More immigrants are not showing up for their mandatory immigration court hearings compared to prior years, an NPR analysis shows, allowing the government to order their immediate deportation.
St. Cloud saw a spike in fatal overdoses this year. Police Chief Jeff Oxton says 21 people have died of drug overdoses in the city so far in 2025. Oxton says the death toll likely would be higher if not for the city's efforts to expand the availability of Narcan.
Mild air moves back in for the week ahead
Watch for some potential slick spots early Monday. Mild air moves in and remains through the week. A wintry mix of precipitation is possible Thursday night into Friday. 
These Minnesotans with binoculars aren’t casing your house. They’re just doing the Christmas Bird Count.
For 126 years the National Audubon Society has been hosting the Christmas Bird Count. That makes it the longest running community science bird project in the nation. And Minnesota has been taking part since 1905. The annual volunteer-conducted bird census kicked off Dec. 14 and runs until Jan. 5.
Private well owners in Minnesota encouraged to test for arsenic, other contaminants
A group of nonprofits are holding free water screening clinics throughout the state for private well owners to test their water supplies. Arsenic is a naturally occurring metalloid and has been linked to cancers and other neurodevelopmental problems.
As Minneapolis Council member Andrea Jenkins retires, she reflects on ‘tumultuous’ time in office
Council member Andrea Jenkins has called her time in office “tumultuous” — most notably in 2020 during the pandemic and the upheaval after the murder of George Floyd in the ward.
CBS News chief Bari Weiss pulls '60 Minutes' story, sparking outcry
CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss pulled a “60 Minutes” segment on allegations of abuses at an El Salvador detention center where the Trump administration sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants.