Vice President Kamala Harris made history on March 14, 2024, becoming the first sitting vice president to visit a clinic providing abortions in St. Paul. Months later, President Joe Biden withdrew from the Democratic presidential race, leading to Harris becoming the party’s nominee. *(Photo by Madison McVan/Minnesota Reformer)*
My inbox consistently receives a particular type of email: lengthy, deeply researched accounts of a single issue, often presented with a conspiratorial tone and backed by numerous links and documents. Many reporters receive similar emails; some are anonymous ramblings, others hate mail. However, some are legitimate, highlighting real problems overlooked by other news outlets.
Former *Reformer* reporter Deena Winter taught me the value of investigating these emails, even those that appear outlandish, as they can uncover compelling stories. One such email led me to the struggles many Minnesota homeowners face with their homeowners’ associations (HOAs). The lack of a statewide advocacy group has prompted individual homeowners to independently research, raise awareness, and organize around HOA reform. Late in the year, I published the first two articles in a series called “HOA files,” examining the impact of HOAs, property management companies, and insurance on homeowners. I plan to continue this series next year.
My first Minnesota legislative session in 2024 involved following ambitious housing policies aimed at increasing housing diversity and availability. These policies—eliminating city-mandated parking minimums, banning single-family zoning statewide, and allowing apartments in commercially zoned areas—all failed. This experience provided a valuable lesson in Minnesota state politics. However, given the bipartisan support some policies received, I anticipate similar discussions, perhaps with more realistic, smaller-scale bills, in the next session.
My favorite aspect of working at the *Reformer* is my editor’s willingness to publish strong stories, even outside my usual coverage area. This year, several of my best stories stemmed from unexpected events or ideas. I finally wrote a long-form piece I had contemplated for years: an in-depth look at the small-town politics surrounding a proposed dairy expansion in Winona County (subsequently upheld by higher courts). A phone call with a source in Waite Park revealed the cancellation of the only Spanish-language mass in the St. Cloud metro area, a story largely ignored by local news that resonated widely. I also covered Vice President Harris’s visit to a St. Paul Planned Parenthood clinic, months before she became the Democratic presidential nominee, and wrote a feature on Minnesota’s religious left, exploring the intersection of politics and faith.
I eagerly anticipate the stories 2025 will bring.
*Madison McVan, Minnesota Reformer, December 26, 2024*
*(The following is the standard footer information provided, which is not part of the original author’s year-end reflection.)*
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Madison McVan is a Report for America corps member who covers economic mobility for Minnesota Reformer. She previously covered agriculture for Investigate Midwest after graduating from the University of Missouri in 2020 with degrees in Journalism and Latin American studies.
Minnesota Reformer is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
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Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website. (See full republishing guidelines.)
© Minnesota Reformer, 2024