Jp Lawrence
Reporter
Lawrence has worked for the Albany Times Union, the San Antonio Express-News, and Stars and Stripes. He was born in the Philippines and grew up in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. He joined the Army National Guard and deployed to Iraq in 2009. Big Minnesota Timberwolves fan.
Contact me with tips on stories on local governance, immigration, and interesting slice of life experiences from Mankato to Worthington to Willmar and anywhere in-between.
Latest from Jp Lawrence
Visa denials deflate a Minnesota State Mankato program to help international students
The university has about 200 fewer international students compared with the same time last year.
December 4, 2025
Rural child care center on the brink receives cash lifeline
Commissioners voted unanimously to advance $200,000 in forgivable loans and transfer an additional $300,000 for future lending to the county’s only child care center.
December 3, 2025
Faced with a housing crisis, this southern Minnesota city is saying yes to experimental builds
Over the summer, the New Ulm City Council voted in favor of tiny homes, shed houses and zoning flexibility.
December 1, 2025
In social media posts, Trump targets Somali community in Minnesota after National Guard shooting
The messages posted late Thanksgiving night on social media blaming immigrants for social issues came as the president intensified anti-immigrant rhetoric.
November 28, 2025
He chases semitrucks so food can be ‘rescued,’ not dumped along the route
Tom Polich, the “air traffic controller” of rejected food around Mankato, says food rescuers have saved 30 tons of food that would have gone into landfills.
November 27, 2025
This southern Minnesota city turns its 40-foot Christmas tree upside down
Uber-German New Ulm flips the tree proudly to mark the town’s rich heritage.
November 26, 2025
New Ulm working to keep Hermann the German standing tall
The beloved statue is in fine shape, but its base is deteriorating, and the city must decide whether to restore or rebuild the structures holding up the 128-year-old landmark.
November 13, 2025
Mankato man accused of murder after man found dead in car
The shooting early Sunday involved a money dispute, drugs and an ex-boyfriend, according to court documents.
November 13, 2025
Minnesota soybean farmers fear lasting scars from Trump’s trade war with China
Farmers are already feeling financial stress, but they hope a deal might alter what they fear is a shift that will result in permanent lower demand for U.S. soybeans.
October 29, 2025
Bipartisan backlash, led by Midwest politicians, rises against Trump’s comments on beef industry
Some Minnesota ranchers, though, are supportive of the president’s economic policy.
October 23, 2025
For these tiny Minnesota towns with big restaurant crowds, the draw is more than a meal
From Essig to Bergen to Huntley, to Dorset and Denham, these rural eateries have become destination dining spots and the hearts of their tiny communities.
October 23, 2025
Federal cuts have emptied Minnesota food shelves. Officials say things could get worse.
As demand increases, food pantries struggle to keep up.
October 21, 2025
