Staff Directory 6370562

James Walsh

Reporter | St. Paul and St. Paul Neighborhoods
Phone: 612-673-7428

James Walsh is a reporter covering St. Paul and its neighborhoods. He has had myriad assignments in more than 30 years at the Star Tribune, including federal courts and St. Paul schools.


"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.
Recent content from James Walsh
Sara Aegerter and Nura Ahmed

Meet the women who aren't just 'Feeding Frogtown' — they're making sure it's good

Two Frogtown moms have stepped forward to help their neighbors get enough good, healthy food to eat.
St. Paul City Council Member Rebecca Noecker, shown in 2022.

Despite criticism, St. Paul City Council incumbent says she's ready to lead in Ward Two

If re-elected, Rebecca Noecker will be the council's most experienced member.
Feeding St. Paul, a group of volunteers that includes Kevin McAllister, right, that’s been around nearly three years, was shut down by police nearly

Volunteers fed hundreds in St. Paul — until police shut them down

Police say persistent traffic issues, litter prompted action against Feeding St. Paul.
Sheila Leventhal

Meet the St. Paul deli matriarch who works seven days a week and still finds time for yoga

Sheila Leventhal started at Cecil's peeling and dicing potatoes as an 8-year-old. The 82-year-old is still there every day, alongside her grandkids.
Crowded field seeks Ward One Council seat in St. Paul

Crowded field seeks Ward One Council seat in St. Paul

Candidates have wide-ranging backgrounds, priorities.
Maureen Hartman

Meet the new boss in charge of keeping St. Paul libraries evolving, relevant — and safe

Maureen Hartman says she's "a library person."
Owner Stephanie Wright talked with DFL state Rep. Samakab Hussein while she worked at Golden Thyme Coffee & Cafe in St. Paul.

Golden Thyme owners stepping down after leading Selby rebirth in St. Paul

Rondo Community Land Trust to make Golden Thyme a cooperative engine for Black innovation.
Scott Wolter, owner of St. Paul-based American Petrographic Services.

Meet the geologist-turned-TV host who connects the Vikings to the Knights Templar and the Founding Fathers

Scott Wolter never intended to become so controversial.
Como Park officials have confirmed plans to install wheelchair ramps in place of the spotty custom lifts that seemed to be out of order more than in.

Wheelchair ramps will finally make Sunken Garden at St. Paul's Como Park fully accessible

Officials had worried ramps would take up too much space in the St Paul landmark. An architect says they won't.
“Sweet Martha” Rossini

Meet 'Sweet Martha' Rossini — the woman who makes the Minnesota State Fair gooey and sweet

Sweet Martha has been churning out her cookies since 1979.
Mim’s Cafe owner Mahmoud Shahin stood next to electrical boxes in front of his cafe in St. Paul on Aug. 8.

St. Paul cafe owner convinced city officials are trying to hurt his business

Mahmoud Shahin said officials have been unwilling to consider his concerns about light poles and electrical boxes in front of his restaurant.
Barbara Metzger

Meet the self-described 'lesbian provocateur' whose activism is grounded in faith

Despite health challenges, Barbara Metzger is itching to get back into the fight.
The Montreal Hi-Rise at 1085 Montreal Av. in St. Paul.

St. Paul public housing residents waited three weeks for elevator repair

Officials say repairs were delayed because the elevator contractor needed to manufacture a part.
Officials are exploring ways to expand and improve Como Lakeside Pavilion.

After 118 years, is it time for a revamped Como Lakeside Pavilion?

St. Paul City Council President Amy Brendmoen is gauging the public's appetite for an expanded and renovated dining and entertainment venue.
Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason

Meet the Irish ambassador to the U.S. who spent a weekend in (very Irish) St. Paul

Geraldine Byrne Nason visited the Twin Cities for the first time.
Tommy “TD” Mischke

Meet the irreverent St. Paul radio host who set his writing chops on Minnesota's favorite season

After years as a radio and podcast host, TD Mischke has written a book about the enduring power of winter.
Lee Nelson

Meet the St. Paul guy who traded dreams of the law for life on the water

Lee Nelson has made a career of connecting the capital city to the world through the Mississippi River.
Aisha, 6, played hopscotch in the closed-off street next to Bridal Veil Gardens during a National Night Out event in Prospect Park Tuesday night in Mi

Many National Night Out events put police at the forefront

The event, started in 1984, has goals beyond positive relationships between communities and police. It seeks to help forge neighborhood camaraderie.
Hoping to prod Mayor Melvin Carter back to the table for — among other things — increased staffing levels, off-duty members of Firefighters Local

After 200 days without a contract, frustrated firefighters to picket in St. Paul

Union members are hoping to prod Mayor Melvin Carter back to the table for — among other things — increased staffing levels.
Michael Noyes

Meet the St. Paul restaurant vet bringing connection — and a killer breakfast bowl — to Cathedral Hill

Michael Noyes learned to cook, wait tables and run the business at restaurants across St. Paul.
St. Paul City Council approved changes to the Highland Bridge master plan that will allow St. Thomas to build two new stadiums, an indoor practice fac

University of St. Thomas baseball, softball moving to Highland Bridge

The St. Paul City Council voted 6-0 to approve the teams' move to new stadiums 2 miles south of campus.
Joseph Bier scraped stickers and graffiti from lampposts and bicycle racks along St. Paul’s W. 7th Street on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Businesses alo

St. Paul's Downtown Improvement District won't include W. 7th after all

A group of property owners questioned assessments, fairness of the district that they previously asked to join.
Ashley Borud

Meet the cheerful boss of those neon-clad workers on the streets of downtown St. Paul

Ashley Borud oversees a team of about two dozen who aim to make downtown more welcoming.
St. Paul Parks and Recreation Director Andy Rodriguez spoke to community members during an unveiling event for the new “LightWave” LED display Wed

'Trial by fire': St. Paul parks director concludes packed first year

Andy Rodriguez is developing a reputation for listening — and responding — to the community.
LeeAnn Larson

Meet the East Sider who rallies her St. Paul neighbors to help those in need

Through a Facebook page, LeeAnn Larson connects struggling community members with those who can help.
Officials broke ground Tuesday on the Heights, the 112-acre former Hillcrest Golf Course on St. Paul’s East Side.

St. Paul golf course begins transformation into 112-acre redevelopment

The former Hillcrest Golf Course will become the Heights.
Dr. Charles Crutchfield III

Dr. Charles Crutchfield III, Minnesota's first Black dermatologist, dies at 62

Crutchfield worked to expand opportunities for physicians of color, improve patient care and fight fear and misinformation about medical conditions.
Noel Nix

Meet the St. Paul Bush Foundation Fellow who knows public officials need mental health support, too

Noel Nix wants to find ways to help the helpers.
Adam Swanson’s 21,000-mile bicycle trip included the Himalayas.

St. Paul teen bikes 21,000 miles crisscrossing the globe

"Fiercely independent" Adam Swanson, 19, first dreamed of the ambitious trip at age 10.
72-year-old man drowns in Minnetonka pool

72-year-old man drowns in Minnetonka pool

A 72-year-old man drowned Saturday in a residential swimming pool in Minnetonka, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office reported Sunday.The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office identified…
Swimmers flocked to Lake Nokomis Beach in Minneapolis to deal with the extreme heat in July 2021.

Hottest day yet of 2023 on the way for Twin Cities

Temps could reach 95 on Monday, the National Weather Service said, with the weather a little cooler on the holiday.
Ron Anderson started as a helper at District Energy St. Paul 40 years ago.

Meet the Patrick Henry grad who grew up with the company that powers downtown St. Paul

After high school, Ron Anderson had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. Forty years later, he helps keep downtown humming.
Paul watched as new owner Kwah Lay cut brats, made with Paul’s family recipie handed down through generations. After 39 years of working every day,

After 39 years, North End grocery store owners are finally taking a break

The recently sold Kamp's Food Market has been open 365 days a year since its owners took it over as newlyweds.
Pat Owen is a Como Park volunteer.

Meet the St. Paul woman who thinks pulling weeds can be meditative

Pat Owen volunteers to beautify Como Park.
Jasmine Amacher, holding her 2-month-old daughter Elora, and son Roman, looked at the a wall displaying the history of the Rondo neighborhood at the J

Juneteenth celebration in St. Paul's Rondo neighborhood looks to the past — and future

The governor and mayor were among those insisting history should not be hidden.
The Justus Ramsey House is one of the oldest houses in St. Paul and the oldest surviving limestone house from the city’s pioneer era.

St. Paul preservationists lay groundwork for new home for Justus Ramsey House

Many want to rebuild the deconstructed cottage in the W. 7th St. neighborhood.
Julian Loscalzo, in the red hoodie, outside of Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia with his cousin, also Julian Loscalzo.

Eight days, four cities, six games: Ballpark bus tour hits the road for 40th year

Julian Loscalzo says this year's Bleacher Bums Ballpark Tour is his last. Maybe.
Michael Houston, a mathematics teacher at Harding High School in St. Paul, gives an acceptance speech after being named 2023 Minnesota Teacher of the

Meet the Teacher of the Year who makes math matter to his St. Paul students

Michael Houston has spent 19 years at Harding Senior High School.
Billy Williams played for more than 30 teams in his baseball career.

Saints to honor local baseball pioneer Billy Williams for a storied career, on the diamond and off

St. Paul native was longest-serving Capitol employee ever.
Ofelia Ponce and Inti Martinez-Aleman own a Como Park cafe that focuses on Latin American, specialty coffee.

Meet the lawyers serving coffee — not just justice — in St. Paul's Como Park

Neighbors pressed their case for a coffee shop. The attorneys responded.
Attorney General Keith Ellison

Ellison sues Madison Equities over wage theft, retaliation

The attorney general and management company have been sparring for years over allegations of unpaid wages.
Tom Goldstein, one of the founding members of “Renovating 1558,” spoke to a small crowd outside of Hamline-Midway Library in St. Paul in May.

Preservationists sue city to save St. Paul library from demolition

Lawsuit seeks to save Hamline Midway Library building, alleging the city's plan to replace it violates environmental laws.
Members of the Pilgrim Baptist Church Troop 61 Boy Scouts led the flag ceremony at the start of the 34th annual Rondo Days Parade along Central Avenue

St. Paul's Rondo Days is a no-go this year

The festival is expected to return in 2024 after a yearslong hiatus.
Foreman Eric Fobbe and Jaden Wisti worked to remove sandstone from a new storm water tunnel underneath downtown Minneapolis in July 2022.

Legislators direct $1 billion to Twin Cities area infrastructure

The money is expected to kickstart road and bridge construction, fund more than 50 nonprofit organizations and launch upgrades to parks and community sports centers.
Martin Ludden

Meet the former Army engineer who spent six years leading 'best-kept secret in St. Paul'

Martin Ludden, executive director of SPNN since 2017, is stepping down this month.
Students from the GAP School on May 23 cleared the next-door lot in St. Paul which will be their second home site once the first home is sold. They pu

Legislature doubles funding for programs teaching trades

The program supplies new affordable housing while teaching trades to high school students.
Saints public address announcer Lee Adams

Meet the guy who keeps St. Paul Saints fans smiling

Lee Adams is more than an announcer. His job is to entertain.
A boarded-up window after a break in at the Lost Fox photographed on May 18, 2023, in St. Paul, Minn.

Lowertown St. Paul businesses grapple with rising crime

Repeated burglaries and break-ins have left business owners frustrated.
The Minneapolis ban has resulted in more trucks parking in parts of St. Paul close to the border between the two cities.

No parking? St. Paul considers banning idle trucks from city streets

Officials say parked rigs are a danger. Drivers say the ban will hurt business.
Aretta-Rie Johnson

Meet the St. Paul woman who opened a candy store to teach girls about entrepreneurship

Don't worry, dentists — the Tooth Fairy Candy Store offers toothbrushes and floss, too.
Ashley Borud, operations manager of downtown St. Paul’s Street Team, checked on a person who was sleeping on the sidewalk Wednesday morning next to

W. 7th property owners get in on the perks of nearby downtown

Commercial properties in the downtown improvement district pay assessments for cleaning and safety services.
Janis Loughrey Evans looked through a yearbook at the Mechanic Arts High School fundraising dinner on Monday at Mancini’s Char House in St. Paul.

Mechanic Arts alumni fight to keep St. Paul high school's memory alive: 'It was a special place'

It's been nearly 50 years since the school closed, but its M Club continues helping new generations of St. Paul students forge their futures.
Johnm Hoeschen

Meet the longtime St. Paul pharmacist who thinks the future won't be about filling prescriptions

John Hoeschen has owned St. Paul Corner Drug since 1997.
Jonathan Oppenheimer, one of the founding members of “Renovating 1558” spoke to a small crowd Thursday outside of Hamline Midway Library in St. Pa

In Minnesota, historic designation doesn't always stop wrecking ball

Preservationists have found that a listing on the National Register of Historic Places is not enough to prevent loss. They keep fighting.
After three years away, Grand Old Day is making a comeback June 4.

Grand Old Day returns to St. Paul on June 4

Organizers tout new and continuing sponsorships for revival of 50-year festival.
Brendan Henehan

Meet the St. Paul man who's produced a live TV show every week for 40 years

"Almanac" producer Brendan Henehan is retiring from Twin Cities Public Television.
Hillcrest Golf Club in northeast St. Paul had been on the market since August.

A week of firsts at the former Hillcrest Golf Course site in St. Paul

Port Authority picks housing developers, first light-industrial employer.
The Walker West Music Academy Jazz Ensemble, including drummer Jasier Bailey, performed during the first ever Rondo Night at the Winter Carnival Thurs

St. Paul's Walker West Music Academy to expand earlier than expected, thanks to $2.5M loan

Model Cities is providing the funding to purchase the former Wilder Foundation site.
Camila Gadotti

Meet the St. Paul executive who volunteers to fight crime

Camila Gadotti is the new chairwoman of Crime Stoppers of Minnesota.
Kimaya Hernandez-Emery and her monarch dress.

St. Paul area young artists program seeks to spark lives of creativity

Longtime St. Paul Jaycees art show now run by COMPAS, which hopes to expand it metrowide.
The women who run El Burrito Mercado: Suzanne Silva, Milissa Silva and Analita Silva.

Meet the women keeping traditions alive at El Burrito Mercado on St. Paul's West Side

With her sister and her niece, Milissa Silva carries forward the restaurant and market her parents started in 1979.
Summit Avenue where it intersects Lexington Parkway.

Hundreds turn out in St. Paul for first hearing on Summit Avenue trail plan

The Parks and Recreation Commission heard from supporters and opponents of the plan to install a separated bike trail along the corridor.
Anthony Walsh

St. Paul law student shares love of hockey to encourage more kids of color to play

Anthony Walsh wrote the children's book "Hockey Is for Everybody."
Visitors walked down a shallow flight of stairs last week at the Sunken Garden in the Como Park Conservatory in St. Paul. The wheelchair lifts have be

Como's Sunken Garden out of reach to people with limited mobility

St. Paul officials say elevators that provide access to the gardens have been a problem for years.
Tom Goldstein

Meet the guy who's a thorn in the side of St. Paul City Hall

Despite unsuccessful runs for mayor and City Council, Tom Goldstein keeps pushing for accountability.
St. Paul City Hall and Ramsey County Courthouse, Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Members of St. Paul Mayor Carter's staff involved in St. Patrick's Day altercation at ramen restaurant

No one was arrested in the incident at Tori Ramen on W. 7th Street.
Two Men and a Truck movers carried a couch to a truck on Wednesday in Shoreview. For the second year in a row, more people left Hennepin and Ramsey co

Hennepin, Ramsey counties lose residents: 'Ripples' of pandemic

While not as dramatic as during the pandemic, more people are still moving out of the core counties.
Tony Sanneh.

Meet the St. Paul soccer star building community through his expanding foundation

Tony Sanneh works to give young people skills, remove barriers.
Meet the St. Paul couple who resurrected a 100-year-old movie theater

Meet the St. Paul couple who resurrected a 100-year-old movie theater

North Garden Theater on W. 7th Street hosts weddings, graduations and the occasional pop-up performance.
Martin Ludden

Director stepping down from community media and technology center SPNN

After six years, Martin Ludden said, "It's time to make room for somebody else."
A proposed regional trail, separated from traffic, would run the 5-mile length of Summit Avenue.

District council favors Summit regional bike trail, with some suggestions

St. Paul officials say Summit Avenue needs to be rebuilt, with new underlying sewer, water, gas and electrical service.
Neal Luebke

Neal Luebke, a teacher who inspired students to choose the arts, dies at 96

The longtime Robbinsdale teacher was demanding but warm: His students called him "Uncle Neal."
Angela Davis

Meet Angela Davis, former TV journalist now Minnesota Public Radio host

"As a talk show host, I'm not here to preach to you. I'm not here to judge you," Davis said. "I'm just having a conversation with you."
Vehicles passed Davern Street on Shepard Road in St. Paul on Friday. Crews gave up filling potholes and chose instead to cut speed limits from 50 to 3

Freeze, thaw, then repeat: Minnesota's potholes are deeper than ever

Officials admit they can't keep up with potholes "because nothing's sticking."
Elyse Jensen is a board member of Historic St. Paul.

Meet the owner of historic St. Paul home who helped save Justus Ramsey House

Elyse Jensen developed a passion for St. Paul history over a decade of sweat equity.