Midwest
Minnesota fraud whistleblower says ‘lack of guardrails was pretty shocking’
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A Minnesota woman employed by the state’s Department of Human Services is speaking out against what she describes as incompetence within the department following the discovery of rampant fraud in the state’s healthcare system.
Faye Bernstein told the City Journal in an interview that she first began to realize the high risk of fraud at Minnesota’s DHS in 2018 and 2019 following a promotion to a lead position.
“Over the years, I had often thought that DHS is sloppy,” she said. “But 2018 and 2019 are when I saw, oh gosh, this is beyond normal. If we don’t have fraud today, we’re going to have fraud soon.”
Bernstein has been a DHS employee for two decades, working in contract management and as a compliance officer, she told the outlet. In her lead position, she said she was able to see all the contracts being worked on by those in her division and witnessed conflicts with the contracts that could be deemed risky.
MINNESOTA ‘ON THE CLOCK’ AS HHS THREATENS PENALTIES OVER CHILDCARE FRAUD SCANDAL
The Minnesota Department of Human Services building in St. Paul. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, File)
“I was aware that our contracting processes were leaving us completely open to fraud,” Bernstein said. “But to realize the lack of guardrails was pretty shocking.”
Federal prosecutors estimate that up to $9 billion was stolen through a network of fraudulent fronts posing as daycare centers, food programs and health clinics. The majority of those charged, so far, in the ongoing investigation are part of Minnesota’s Somali population.
Homeland Security investigators were part of a large fraud investigation last month in Minneapolis following the release of a video alleging daycare fraud. (Department of Homeland Security)
When she tried to report the issues at the time to her deputy director, Bernstein said she was told to stop asking questions. Bernstein said she felt retaliated against after most of her duties were reassigned and was eventually “shuffled from one job to another.”
HOUSE REPUBLICANS CALL MINNESOTA FRAUD PROBE ‘TIP OF THE ICEBERG’ AS MORE BLUE STATES FACE SCRUTINY
“Even our human resources people would tell us, ‘If your supervisor tells you to do something, you must do it.’ And when you didn’t, the word ‘insubordination’ came up,” she said. “They considered it insubordinate if you resisted an unlawful direction.”
Bernstein told the outlet that she has been going through emails received beginning in 2024 from members of the public warning about the alleged fraud.
“I was really surprised at how much notification we had,” she told the outlet. “Did we really ignore all those people writing in? Members of the public had advised us of this [alleged fraud] in email after email after email.”
TRUMP ADMIN PUTS MINNESOTA ON NOTICE, MOVES TO AUDIT MEDICAID AND CLAW BACK FUNDS TO PROTECT TAXPAYERS
The state’s DHS on Friday said that recently released federal data shows Minnesota’s Medicaid program has a significantly lower improper payment rate than the national average, with an error rate of just over 2.1%, compared with a national average of 6.1%.
State officials also noted the data was collected before Minnesota began rolling out additional measures aimed at reducing fraud risk.
“We’re committed to making Minnesota a national model for preventing fraud and catching errors,” said Shireen Gandhi, the state’s interim human services commissioner. “This review shows we have strong internal controls that we continue to improve, and we are not stopping there as we accelerate our efforts to fight fraud.”
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Bernstein, who said she has only voted Democratic, said the fraud was genuine and not partisan politics.
“This is definitely not something that the Republicans are making up,” she said. “This is real.”
Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report.
Read the full article from Here
INDIANAPOLIS — Almost nothing went according to prediction for the Colts in 2025.
Widely believed to be an also-ran without a quarterback, Indianapolis instead raced out to an 8-2 start behind the surprising emergence of Daniel Jones, prompting the Colts to take a big swing at the trade deadline for Sauce Gardner and sparking predictions of a home playoff game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Then Jones got hurt, the pass rush wilted without a healthy DeForest Buckner and the Colts lost seven consecutive games, the freefall interrupted only by the inspirational return of a 44-year-old Philip Rivers, something nobody could have seen coming at the halfway point of the season, much less in May.
The NFL can be awfully difficult to predict.
But IndyStar is going to try again, making a way-too-early prediction on how the Colts’ 2026 season will play out on a game-by-game basis.
Buy 2026 Indianapolis Colts tickets!
The Ravens have Lamar Jackson at quarterback, and they added Trey Hendrickson to revamp the pass rush, but Baltimore also has a new head coach, Jesse Minter, and a roster in transition. Daniel Jones returns for the season opener, takes advantage of the Ravens secondary and the Colts get off to a good start for the second year in a row. Pick: Colts 27, Ravens 23
If Patrick Mahomes isn’t recovered from the torn ACL that ended his 2025 season, then all bets are off, but if Jones is back from an Achilles, expect Mahomes back as well. Even with a limited Mahomes, the lack of Indianapolis pass rush becomes a problem, and the Colts lose a shootout in prime time. Pick: Chiefs 34, Colts 27
Houston’s defense has only gotten better, and no matter how the offensive line shakes out, the Colts will have a young right tackle. Frustrated all day by the pass rush, Indianapolis drops a tough game to an AFC South rival. Pick: Texans 19, Colts 13
Washington’s run to the NFC title game in 2024 was followed up with a disastrous 2025, and the Colts have handled international games well under head coach Shane Steichen. Indianapolis defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo makes life difficult on Jayden Daniels, and Steichen’s offense takes advantage of Dan Quinn’s scheme. Pick: Colts 31, Commanders 20
Indianapolis broke one streak by winning the opener in 2025. Pittsburgh was a house of horrors for Jones a year ago, but with the Steelers still facing quarterback uncertainty in May and a changing of the guard at head coach, Pittsburgh feels more in flux than ever. Pick: Colts 21, Steelers 14
Expect Tennessee to make some strides in Cam Ward’s second season as the starting quarterback, but it’s still a young team in the early stages of a rebuild. With momentum on their side and Jonathan Taylor rolling, the Colts make it three straight. Pick: Colts 34, Titans 20
Minnesota is another team facing uncertainty at quarterback, but a coaching staff led by Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores is top-notch. Indianapolis struggles against all of Flores’ wrinkles, and Kyler Murray does just enough. Pick: Vikings 20, Colts 16
If there were any questions left about the curse the city of Jacksonville has placed on the Colts, they should have been erased when Jones suffered a season-ending injury there last season. Until the curse is broken – maybe by a stadium renovation – it’s hard to see a win here. Pick: Jaguars 28, Colts 24
Dallas has tried to revamp its defense since trading Micah Parsons, but the Cowboys still don’t have a difference-making edge rusher who can hound Jones all day. With time in the pocket, Jones attacks Dallas with Alec Pierce and Josh Downs for a big win. Pick: Colts 38, Cowboys 31
Miami’s a mess, a team in the process of laying a foundation after tearing everything down to the studs. The Colts know how to handle a team in that spot. Pick: Colts 35, Dolphins 17
A short week on the way to Houston is a difficult test, especially considering how good the Texans’ defense has become. The schedule-makers did the Colts no favors with this Thursday night game. Pick: Texans 23, Colts 21
New York already has injury concerns with wide receiver Malik Nabers, and young quarterback Jaxson Dart is the kind of target that Anarumo can exploit. New York’s pass rush gives Jones some problems against his old team, but Taylor takes advantage of the lack of Dexter Lawrence for big yardage. Pick: Colts 31, Giants 21
Philadelphia’s roster remains stacked, and even with the bye week, the Colts find themselves struggling at Lincoln Financial Field against a team that has been one of the NFC’s best since Nick Sirianni took over. Pick: Eagles 21, Colts 17
Tennessee’s receivers simply don’t have the experience to beat Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward’s man coverage consistently, and the Colts get back in the win column by riding Tyler Warren to a big day. Pick: Colts 33, Titans 22
If Joe Burrow is healthy, the Cincinnati offense is the kind of unit that could give the Indianapolis defense fits, and even though the Bengals’ defense is in its own rebuild, Burrow wins this one with a vintage performance. Pick: Bengals 41, Colts 38
With a snowstorm whipping in off the lake, the conditions are difficult, but Cleveland’s fatal flaw is a quarterback position that is somehow still begging for a savior. Indianapolis keeps itself in the playoff race with a hard-fought win. Pick: Colts 24, Browns 14.
With a playoff berth on the line, the Colts get moved into prime time for a game against the Jaguars, and Jones returns the favor for what happened in Jacksonville in 2025. A last-second field goal sends Indianapolis into the playoffs as a wild card. Pick: Colts 27, Jaguars 24
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – A U.S. Navy warship will be commissioned in Ohio on Saturday for the first time in 250 years.
The USS Cleveland is docked on Lake Erie ahead of the 10 a.m. ceremony.
Commander Bruce Hallett has commanded the USS Cleveland for more than two years.
“It is extremely exciting to be able to bring the USS Cleveland here to Cleveland and to be able to commission this ship here — obviously to introduce it to the city so that they can see the ship that bears their name,” Hallett said. “This has been a long time coming.”
The ship’s hallways are named after Cleveland streets, including East 9th and St. Clair Avenue.
A mural honoring the city of Cleveland is displayed on board. The Navy says it is rare to see something like this on a warship.
“Amazing mural, right? We’re so proud to have that on board,” Hallett said. “We’re just pretty much in awe when we saw all the stuff that we have in the city, and now we have it as part of the Cleveland. We love it as a crew.”
The ship’s weight room was outfitted by the Cleveland Browns with flags, towels, and mats.
“The Browns came and added their own touches to that weight room,” Hallett said. “So it’s all swagged out with all kinds of Cleveland Browns stuff now.”
The ship carries a crew of about 90, including two sailors who grew up in Cleveland.
The USS Cleveland is the final Freedom-variant littoral combat ship to be commissioned in the U.S. Navy.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
Illinois
Illinois Wesleyan to Launch First-of-its-Kind Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Quantum Science and Engineering Program
Fisher Center for Interdisciplinary Quantum Science & Engineering positions Illinois
as a leader in next generation quantum education
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University today announced the creation of the Fisher Center for
Interdisciplinary Quantum Science & Engineering, a first-of-its-kind undergraduate
program that brings together multiple areas of study to better prepare students for
careers in this emerging field.
The Fisher Quantum Center will make Illinois Wesleyan the first undergraduate liberal
arts university in the United States to offer an interdisciplinary quantum program,
positioning both the University and the state as leaders in the quantum space.
The Fisher Quantum Center is supported by a founding gift from Ann ‘82 and Alan Fisher,
providing the resources to establish the center and launch programming. Ann is a graduate
of Illinois Wesleyan University and serves on the university’s Board of Trustees.
The Fisher Quantum Center is designed to grow in phases and will expand its curriculum,
facilities, and partnerships over time.
“The Fisher Quantum Center represents a defining step forward as the first undergraduate
interdisciplinary quantum program. Quantum is reshaping industries and the way we
solve complex problems, and this complexity is an ideal fit with Illinois Wesleyan’s
cross-curricular approach to undergraduate education. We are especially grateful to
Ann and Alan Fisher for their generous gift that is making this distinctive program
possible,” said Illinois Wesleyan University President Sheahon J. Zenger.
What is Quantum?
Quantum science studies how matter and energy behave at the smallest scale, where
the differences can be used to create new, more powerful technologies. Because of
this, quantum has a wide variety of real-world applications and is poised to transform
everyday lives and revolutionize industries ranging from computing and cybersecurity
to healthcare, finance, and agriculture.
Most quantum programs are primarily offered at the graduate level and focus on a single
area of study. The Fisher Quantum Center takes a fundamentally different approach
by focusing exclusively on undergraduate education and bringing together physics,
chemistry, computer science, mathematics, biology, business, philosophy, and engineering
into one holistic curriculum. Instead of separating these fields and narrowing the
focus, it connects them to better reflect the broad applications of quantum. This
first-of-its-kind approach prepares students not only with the technical skills for
these emerging careers, but with an understanding of the economic, ethical, environmental,
and societal implications of quantum technologies.
and instrumental performance (euphonium). He has also conducted research on the ethical
implications of quantum computing.
Students will be able to engage with quantum in multiple ways, including through individual
courses, certificates, concentrations, hands-on experiments, projects, faculty-mentored
research, and internships. The Fisher Quantum Center is designed to be flexible, inclusive,
and accessible to undergraduate students from all areas of study to create a gateway
into quantum for students who might not otherwise encounter the field. It will also
serve as hub for visiting scholars, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty to collaborate
on strengthening undergraduate quantum laboratories and infrastructure.
“We are proud to support the creation of the Fisher Quantum Center and the unique
opportunity it creates for students coming to Illinois Wesleyan. The Fisher Quantum
Center will open the door for students from many different backgrounds to engage with
quantum in a way that is accessible and better prepares them for future careers. We
are excited to see how this program grows and the impact it will have on Illinois
Wesleyan students, the university, and the broader community,” said Ann and Alan Fisher.
The first courses through the Fisher Quantum Center will be available in Spring 2027,
alongside enhanced quantum lab space, with programming expanding throughout the year.
Beyond the classroom, the Fisher Quantum Center will support outreach initiatives
to engage high school teachers and students to strengthen pathways into quantum and
STEM fields. Beginning in Summer 2026, Illinois Wesleyan will host a fully funded
Quantum Day Camp for high school STEM teachers and counselors from surrounding counties,
with a residential Quantum Camp for high school students anticipated for Summer 2027.
“The Fisher Quantum Center represents a first-of-its-kind program that will create
new opportunities for students to engage with quantum across disciplines while preparing
them for the high-quality jobs of the future. Quantum technology is already shaping
the future of the global economy, and Illinois is positioning itself as a global leader.
To compete, we need to continue building a strong workforce pipeline, and Illinois
Wesleyan is playing a critical role by giving students the skills and training needed
to fill these emerging jobs and help keep Illinois at the forefront of innovation,”
said Gov. JB Pritzker.
At a time when Illinois is emerging as a national hub for quantum innovation, the
Fisher Quantum Center will play a critical role in developing the next generation
of talent, expanding awareness of quantum careers and opportunities, and ensuring
the state remains competitive in this rapidly evolving field.
“Developing the next generation of talent is essential to maintaining Illinois’ momentum
in quantum,” said Illinois Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Christy George. “Illinois Wesleyan’s new program creates opportunities for students in high demand
fields while helping build the workforce pipeline Illinois industries need. The Fisher
Center reflects the forward-thinking approach that has helped position Illinois as
a growing hub for quantum innovation and emerging technologies.”
For more information about the Fisher Quantum Center, visit www.iwu.edu/fisher-quantum-center.
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