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Vondracek has reported on prairie dog lawsuits in the Black Hills to federal education policy in Washington D.C. A native of Faribault County, Minnesota, he's a graduate of the University of South Dakota, holds an MFA from Hamline University, and taught college English for many years in Winona and St. Paul. His debut collection of poetry, Rattlesnake Summer, was published in 2020, and his memoir, Dancing with Welk, in 2022. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Carrie, and daughter, Rosie.

Katelyn Vue

Metro reporting intern | Metro

Follow @katelyn_vue

Melissa Walker

News Assistant | Calendars

A self-proclaimed "List Maker to the Stars," Melissa spends her days coordinating calendars, sorting through press releases and combing the internet for a variety of events for Twin Citian's to occupy themselves in their free time for Star Tribune and Vita.mn entertainment calendars. In rare, spare moments, she writes stories and book reviews.

Tom Wallace

| Newsroom

James Walsh

Reporter | St. Paul and St. Paul Neighborhoods

"A St. Paul native, Walsh lives in St. Paul with his wife and two cats. He has two adult children. He graduated from the College of St. Thomas, where he was named the top journalism graduate by the Society of Professional Journalists, before beginning his career with stops at the Mankato Free Press and the Rochester Post-Bulletin. Walsh has covered local government, local schools, local and federal courts and even spent some time writing about farming and medical technology. A former college football player and semi-pro coach, he enjoys reading history and following the Vikings, Gophers and Tommies.

Paul Walsh

Reporter | Breaking News

Walsh writes what's interesting and important, with interesting being his preference.

John Wareham

Reference Librarian | Newsroom

Peter Warren

News intern | Newsroom

MaryJo Webster

Data Editor | Newsroom

Webster is most interested in telling stories that get behind the daily news, give readers a deeper understanding of what's happening around them and hold government agencies and officials accountable. Previously, she worked at the St. Paul Pioneer Press, USA Today, the Center for Public Integrity, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Oshkosh Northwestern and the New Ulm Journal. She has journalism bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and the University of Missouri-Columbia, respectively. Webster is board member for the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information (MNCOGI), which is the state's all-volunteer freedom of information council. She is also a senior fellow for the Center for Health Journalism's Data Fellowship program, where she trains and mentors journalists on how to incorporate data into their reporting. She previously taught part-time at the University of Minnesota's journalism school and is a regular panelist and teacher at national journalism conferences and workshops.

Follow @MaryJoWebster

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John Volk

Christopher Vondracek