Christopher Vondracek

Former ag reporter encountering farm art in a museum in Montreal today.

The June 16, 2025, front page of the Star Tribune with the headline suspect caught

Tomorrow's front page of the Minnesota Star Tribune

Two-day manhunt for suspected Minnesota political assassin ends with surrender in farm field Authorities had been searching woods and farm fields in search of Vance Boelter as anxiety reigned across the state.

A dispatch on the manhunt for the assassin that ended tonight in a farm field in southern Minnesota, rural Sibley County www.startribune.com/on-second-da...

Melissa Hortman, shepherd of Legislature’s historic 2023 session, called House Democrats’ ‘captain’ Gov. Tim Walz said Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in what he called targeted political violence.

My dispatch from today’s anguish back home in Minnesota www.startribune.com/melissa-hort...

What no federal tax on tips would mean for Minnesota service workers The provision comes in the budget bill passed by Republicans in both chambers of Congress. The issue may be more complicated than it seems, industry watchers and workers say.

We couldn’t fit details about a 2-pound Duke burger from Eagle Lake into the story on tax exemption for tips, but happy with this collab nevertheless www.startribune.com/tips-tax-exe...

Morning walking commute here in DC: spotted a video billboard critiquing Interior Sec Doug Burgum, a tiff between staffers at coffee shop over “a colon or em dash” in budget bill, and animal control on hunt for raccoon loose at car mechanic.

With trade war pause, Minnesota firms rush to place orders from China, remaining wary of what’s next U.S. and Chinese negotiators worked out a deal to lower tariffs for 90 days.

Dispatch from DC:

www.startribune.com/trump-tariff...

A Midwest trifecta here in DC today as farmers from South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa lead presser of those barnstorming to DC calling for passage of farm bill.

Where to find Minnesota’s only salt lake It attracts huge flocks of migrating birds — and birders — this time of year.

Minnesota's only salt lake attracts more than 150 species of birds and guess what? If you don't have time to make it this spring, you can go again in the fall when they're making their way down south.
Photos by the @startribune.com's intrepid Anthony Souffle
www.startribune.com/where-to-fin...

Either the Red River Valley or France here with farm art in Nashville.

Minnesota Catholics mourn Pope Francis and his ‘gospel of mercy’ At an afternoon Cathedral mass led by Archbishop Bernard Hebda, Francis was remembered for his commitment to social justice and forgiveness.

My dispatch yesterday from the big Cathedral on a hill in Saint Paul.

www.startribune.com/pope-francis...

Wisconsin man claims Minnesota feedlot operators broke cattle-rustling law The man wants $4.1 million from Pequot Lakes feedlot for disappearance of nearly 600 cattle. The feedlot operators say the cattle died of disease.

Wisconsin cattle man says Pequot Lakes feedlot operator essentially ‘rustled’ hundreds of his cattle when he claimed they died at his facility — latest from me

www.startribune.com/cattle-rustl...

Packinghouse Christopher Vondracek · Album · 2025 · 9 songs

Over winter I ventured to a Baldwin piano in a south Minneapolis home to record my new album, “Packinghouse,” tales of the roads of southern Minnesota. Give a listen on this Record Store Day! Come see me play April 21 at White Squirrel in StP.

open.spotify.com/album/3IlTUS...

In Minnesota’s soybean country, trade war with China hits hard Soybeans are the country’s largest export to China, and southern Minnesota farmers are worried about the effect of skyrocketing tariffs.

The blurred space between my new DC-MN biz beat and old ag reporter beat continues in latest dispatch (from my hometown of Wells, with Jp Lawrence.

www.startribune.com/minnesota-so...

Anxiety increases over possibility that Duluth EPA Great Lakes lab could close Klobuchar, Smith send letter to EPA administrator as doubt mounts that the lab’s 170 jobs are safe.

Helped on this dispatch from Duluth with @janahollingsworth.bsky.social

www.startribune.com/klobuchar-sm...

Needed to talk to soybean farmers, so I drove home to Wells, MN — pivoting between my former ag beat and the new Washington biz correspondent beat for @startribune.com.

Feels fittingly absurd that on eve of my last day on the Minnesota agriculture beat I am stuck in traffic on the Minneapolis/Edina border thanks to some jaywalking turkeys.

In rural Minnesota, immigrants prepare for the day they’ve long feared In rural Minnesota, advocates and legal clinics prepare immigrants for family separation with things like Delegation of Parental Authority (DOPA) forms, amid the Trump administration’s immigrant crack...

In rural Minnesota, advocates and legal clinics are preparing immigrants for family separation amid the Trump administration’s immigrant crackdown.

Spent last week in DC, preparing to move (spiritually, literally) my beat to our growing DC bureau at @startribune.com, and I encountered (as I so often have on Ag beat) farmland paintings: grain elevator and wheat in Smithsonian, soybeans and farmhouse in Sen. Smith’s office.

Passenger seat-on the roving MN ag beat today—in town of my birth, Albert Lea. We bought some local locker beef sticks. Happy Valentine’s.

A river runs through Hockeytown USA, and you can skate on it for miles. Ice trails like the one in Warroad have become destinations for skilled hockey players and new skaters alike.

Is it just me or are skate paths having a moment? The one in Warroad looks so freaking cool.

You don't have to go all the way up there to find a skate path though -- read to the bottom for more options (probably pending snow!)

via @walkerorenstein.bsky.social

Shuttering of USAID could mean the end of millions in income for Midwest farm operations Frozen by Elon Musk’s DOGE personnel, the USAID program purchased $70 million in commodities in 2024 from Minnesota vendors.

News today from me on how USAID dismantling also impacts Minnesota farmers and agribusiness

www.startribune.com/usaid-shutte...

Minnesota hat trick tonight at the bar: Vikings on TVs, bingo in lounge, someone jumping a stranger’s stalled car out front.

How does 2024’s weather compare with your childhood? See if 2024 was anything like what you remember from growing up.

See if 2024 was anything like what you remember from growing up.

Saw a man negotiating his snowboard into an Uber today in snow-encased Minneapolis and then reminded the driver for the “airport” — felt very much the first leg of a long journey to some mountaintop west of here.

Day later, we’ve got ANOTHER Minnesotan matriculating to ranking-member status on a congressional ag committee, as Sen. Klobuchar will hold that spot in the Senate.

We’ve got some breaking MN ag news today, Rep. Angie Craig — from suburbs and cornfields south of Cities — has just been named top Democrat on House Agriculture committee.

Folks ice-skating the lakes in Minneapolis.

MN regulators approve controversial Summit carbon pipeline Construction on Summit’s pipeline can’t start until the project moves ahead in North Dakota. It has inspired a debate over risk of a leak and the value of carbon capture for ethanol as a climate solut...

Minnesota regulators Thursday unanimously approved what would be the state's first carbon dioxide pipeline.

The Summit project still hinges on the Dakotas but has sparked debate over ethanol, climate & rupture risks. “It’s a new concept, we get that."

www.startribune.com/commission-a...

Santa at a St. Paul dive bar tonight. FYI.