Meet Kim Hyatt, our new north central Minnesota reporter, as she moves home

When we posted the job for a new reporter covering north central Minnesota, Kim Hyatt felt called to apply. She grew up in the area and her family is still there.

“This is such a surreal experience and an opportunity I never anticipated,” she said. “I know the area so well, but I know many surprises are in store. I can’t wait to meet new and familiar people while roaming the Northland.”

Hyatt worked as an investigative reporter at the Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and the Owatonna People’s Press, where she was named New Journalist of the Year by the Minnesota Newspaper Association. She joined the Star Tribune in 2019 and has covered the suburbs of the Twin Cities and most recently Hennepin County courts. She grew up in Laporte and graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Get to know her a little better:

Why did you want this job?

I felt called to apply. North central Minnesota is home. I grew up in a town that many have not heard of: Laporte, where the population sign reads 111, where the graduation class size never exceeds 30, and where I thought I would never live again. But then this newspaper that has invested so much in me resolved to invest in telling stories of these communities that I care about deeply.

Why journalism?

I’m what they call an accidental journalist. My art school dreams didn’t exactly pan out, so I had to pivot. I fell into the journalism program at UMD where I met Professor John Hatcher and knew I was exactly where I was meant to be. My first story for the student paper made A1 and I was hooked instantly. I’ve been reporting stories ever since from Duluth to Owatonna, Fargo-Moorhead and the divine opportunity to work for this legacy newspaper in Minneapolis. Now I’m back home for a total full-circle experience.

Favorite story so far?

I covered Hennepin County courts the past two years, where I witnessed unending trauma. It’s an honor and great responsibility to gain the trust of victims and their families. So when the county attorney dismissed a case in the rape of a 13-year-old girl, I spent days trying to find her. There was understandable concern from her parents, but they welcomed me in. I was the only reporter to sit down with this young woman at the dining table, where she proved to be wise beyond her years and resilient in ways a child shouldn’t have to be. “Favorite” doesn’t quite fit the feeling of it, but giving her voice a platform was one of the most meaningful things I’ve done in my ten years as a journalist.

On a lighter note, this spring I helped cover the Caitlin Clark frenzy at the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament (thanks to thoughtful editors who know how much I love basketball).

What are you most excited for being back up north?

Planting my very own garden for the first time with the guidance of my green-thumbed mom. She’s handing down my grandpa’s canoe, too, so we can paddle on the lake where I live in a cozy log cabin and hear the loons sing each night.

And of course, uncovering stories and shining a light on overlooked issues and solutions across the Northland. I know this region, but I’m so excited to meet people from all walks of life and see this area anew.

How deep do you think the division is between the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota?

It’s all a matter of perspective and lived experience. Look to any state and you have people living outside the metro area who don’t want to step foot downtown, and people downtown who happily choose to live in the thick of it. But it doesn’t have to be so black and white. Plenty see and embrace the gray; they live in St. Paul but spend weekends in the woods or they work remotely outstate and jump at any opportunity to hit a Timberwolves game or show at First Ave.

“I’m sorry,” was the most common response from folks up north when I told them I lived in Minneapolis. Now that I’ve moved back home, they say “betcha glad you got out of there.” That’s certainly not my perspective. I didn’t run away; rather, I jumped at this incredible opportunity to roam the Northland and give it the attention it deserves. Living and working in the heartbeat of the city was a total Mary Tyler Moore moment. I loved it. I’ll visit often (like this weekend to watch the Wolves sweep Denver!). Was it stressful covering crime and courts? You betcha. Did I have multiple bicycles stolen during my four years living on Hennepin Avenue? Yes, but that’s about the worst of it.

Do you think the Star Tribune’s expansion into greater Minnesota can help inform that divide?

Absolutely. The divide feels wider when greater Minnesota communities don’t appear in the newspaper. Representation matters. This spring on a visit to see family and attend the funeral of a childhood best friend’s grandma, I saw my high school science teacher for the first time in a decade. I told him I was moving home to report on the region for the Star Tribune.

“Why would the paper care about us up here?” he said.

I do. And I know that leadership at the Star Tribune is genuine in this approach to cover all corners of the state. We’ve committed to that in Duluth, and I believe many readers have a deeper connection and understanding of that city because of our coverage there.

Bemidji, Brainerd and beyond — you’re next!

I think we’re reminded of bridges to the urban-rural divide with stories like the Kathy Cargill saga. Minnesotans rallied together in ways we see at sporting events. We cherish places like Park Point that are woven into the identity and culture of this state, and we’d protect them for all the world’s Cheerios.

What else should we know about you?

I’m the proud auntie of Jack and Valerie, a member of Laporte High School’s 1,000 point club, and last summer I embarked on a nearly 1,000-mile bicycle ride with my partner from the Mississippi River Headwaters at Itasca State Park down to St. Louis, Missouri. It took us two weeks averaging 60-plus miles per day. Uffda! More on that to come!

Kim can be reached at kim.hyatt@startribune.com or 612-673-4751.