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KARE 11’s John Croman signs off for last time
John has covered four governors, countless would-be laws and issues — and elections. So many elections.
MINNEAPOLIS — Starting in 1997, a fresh-faced kid from Kansas started popping up on your television screen.
John Croman has covered just about everything you can think of during those 27 years.
The big stories that put a mark on this state — both good and bad.
From the death of Paul Wellstone to the Comfrey tornado to the 35W bridge collapse, John Croman has been a steady stream of reliability and information.
But his strengths go well beyond breaking news.
John joined the investigative team digging deep into important issues, and then the extras unit, but “chief political reporter John Croman” is likely how you remember him.
John has been to national conventions, Iowa caucuses and Washington D.C. He’s been everywhere to cover our Minnesota politicians, but most of the time, his office was the Minnesota State Capitol.
John has covered four governors, countless would-be laws and issues — and elections. So many elections.
He says the most dramatic political story he covered was the Al Franken-Norm Coleman recount, which stretched from November of 2008 to July of 2009.
And the most memorable? The passage of same-sex marriage.
For some, politics may be dry.
The only thing dry about him is his sense of humor.
“He took the work seriously, but he has never taken himself seriously. There’s always a little twinkle in his eye. Hit me. What’s he thinking about? There’ll be some, you know, some video or show up on social media,” said KARE 11’s Boyd Huppert.
“I mean, we all know the ‘bill on Capitol Hill,’ right? But John, in some ways takes it to the next level because he localizes Schoolhouse Rock for us every day. I can’t imagine what our younger employees are like. What is that? Who is that? Why is that?” said KARE 11’s Jana Shortal.
But he’s also the first one to share information, a contact, or context for a story. The ultimate teammate.
“He’s going to be missed. Not just by us, but by the people at the Capitol, because he treats them with respect. And he’s always so well-versed on the issues he’s talking to the politicians about, the wealth of knowledge that he has is irreplaceable.” said KARE 11’s Lou Raguse.
Often his own cameraman and editor, working late and on days off… John is dedicated entirely to his craft.
“I’m sure we’ll have a new political reporter. I’m sure we will never have another John Croman. They just don’t make him like that. He’s one of a kind,” said KARE 11 anchor Julie Nelson.
No, we’ve never lost our hearts, but you can be sure a piece of it walked out the door the day John Croman left.
Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities in St. Paul is expecting to serve 300 to 400 people on Thanksgiving Day.
ST PAUL, Minn. — Volunteers and staff members at nonprofit organizations across Minnesota spent Wednesday evening preparing thousands of Thanksgiving meals to be served for free the following day.
For some, volunteering on the night before Thanksgiving has become a family tradition. Annika Duryea has brought her family and friends to volunteer at Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities for four years.
“I’m Annika’s mom—proud, happy mom,” Kris Duryea said. “Annika got us into this gig and we come every year when she says, ‘I need help.'”
Their time spent preparing meals and helping out in the shelter’s kitchen is a reminder, they said, of what Thanksgiving is truly about.
“Taking a look at what I have, at least as a person, like material things or opportunities, things I’m doing and being grateful for it,” Annika added. “Just realizing not everyone is so lucky.”
The mother and daughter are two of the many volunteers making a Thanksgiving meal possible for people in need this holiday.
Staff members and volunteers at Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities are expecting to serve 300 to 400 people between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the men’s campus in St. Paul. The meals are free and anyone is welcome, according to the organization’s community relations director Sarah Peterka.
“We like to say hope begins with a meal,” Peterka said. “So serving our three hot meals a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year is one of our main missions beyond providing safe and warm housing for those in need right now.”
Roughly 800 meals will be served at the Salvation Army Harbor Light Center shelter on Thursday. The event is not open to all members of the public, but the organization hosted various free meals to all members of the community on several days throughout the week. Thanksgiving Day meals are provided by Blue Door Pub.
“We’re trying to create something special for the clients, as special as we can,” said the Harbor Light Center operations director Damien Poling. He said he’s thankful for the volunteers and staff who make it all possible.
The Twin City Model Railroad Museum is celebrating its 90th anniversary by turning down the lights and turning up the holiday spirit.
ST PAUL, Minn. — If you’re into holiday lights but not the cold that often comes with them, the Twin City Model Railroad Museum has a tradition that’s perfect for the entire family.
“All you have to do is press the button and see what happens,” said 6-year-old Connor Jutz, who gave KARE 11 a special tour of the museum with his twin sister, Lillian.
“Here comes the train,” Lillian said, pointing to one of several Christmas trains that have recently been added to the rails around the spacious, interactive space located in St. Paul. “It’s all nice and decorated.”
Those holiday decorations and lights get a little extra chance to grow during Night Trains, the museum’s once-a-week, wintertime showcase that turns down the overhead lights — and turns up the holiday music — so that all generations can soak up the magic of the season.
“This is our O scale, two-rail, Christmas train,” said Brandon Jutz, Connor and Lillian’s dad. ” it was custom made by several of our volunteers and every single one of these lights is individually wired in, hand drilled into the side of the car. There’s just something calming and soothing about watching trains go round.”
Brandon says that the very first Christmas train helped kick off Night Trains about 20 years ago, as a fundraiser for the nonprofit museum that just celebrated its 90th birthday.
“I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid,” Brandon said. “My grandpa was a volunteer and he worked every Tuesday, so if there was a Tuesday after school for any reason, I was here running trains with him.”
Though the museum — and the Night Trains tradition — are certainly nothing new, each year the displays build on the next.
Six years ago that meant adding a whole lot of Lego building.
“I’m Lego first, then trains,” said Jesse Mohler, with the Twin Cities Lego Train Club, which also has a massive Lego display inside the museum. “I like to say I’m the architect because it’s not just me, with these millions of bricks, it’s my friends helping build a huge train city.”
And just like all of the other layouts, the Lego city adds holiday lights and attractions for Night Trains.
“This is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on display,” Jesse said. “We have floats, a couple of balloons and a marching band. It’s all made of Lego, all custom made, no instructions.”
There’s also no pay for all the work; though Jesse, Brandon and all the other volunteer master builders and engineers will tell you the rewards are still priceless.
“It’s a blessing to have this as our home and to see the smiles on their faces,” Jesse said.
Connor and Lilian’s dad would certainly agree.
“When we were decorating for Night Trains, my son was very proud to decorate some of the Thomas the Tank engine layouts,” he said. “My daughter is over here pressing buttons, keeping the trains running while we’re here, so it’s been fun to have another generation of our family here.”
you can check out Night Trains from 3-7 p.m. every Saturday from now through the end of February. Tickets are $15, with kids four and under getting in free. Click here to reserve tickets and check out other special events.
Cameron Wright sang at MSP Airport on Wednesday, just a day after his final Voice performance aired on NBC.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota’s Cameron Wright has been eliminated from NBC’s The Voice, but their voice serenaded the nearly 31,000 people who passed through TSA checkpoints Wednesday in Terminal 1 alone.
Just as they did on The Voice, Wright hit intricate vocal riffs and held long notes in an MSP Airport concert on Wednesday. It comes less than a day after Wright’s final Voice performance aired. That elimination, however, happened longer ago.
During intermission, Wright shared some of the insider info.
“This has almost been like a year-long process,” they said. “I know it seems like it’s a few weeks on TV, but it’s been a year almost. I’m just super grateful.”
Born in St. Louis and raised in north Minneapolis, Wright is considered the first openly non-binary singer to make it to the Voice Playoffs.
“It never was my goal to like be … the beacon, but it does feel very – it’s an honor that people are being inspired by me just being myself,” said Wright, who was on team Michael Bublé.
As well as inspiration, Wright provided holiday cheer in the airport concert.
One family from Boise, Idaho, had a five-hour layover at MSP and was on the way to Uganda for an annual mission trip. One of the daughters was carrying a guitar.
“We were just sitting and then we were blessed with an amazing free concert … The pianist, they both – you could tell they put a lot of practice in,” the Thomas family told KARE.
For those who missed the performance and still have an upcoming flight, there are more opportunities to catch live music. Through its Arts@MSP program, Airport Foundation MSP provides more than 1,000 performances per year. There are 50 performances per week over the holiday season involving 20 rotating artists.
One such artist is jazz musician David Billingsley, who performs at the airport weekly and has known Wright since childhood.
“Cameron is one of the best singers of our generation in our time,” Billingsley said. “People are now discovering what we knew in Minnesota all along.”
He’s performed all over but says there’s nothing like the airport.
“You have people from all walks of life, all beliefs,” he said. “Everyone gathers around the piano and it’s just a really great time.”
Wright says they performed at MSP last holiday season for the first time.
“It’s just my gift that I get to share, which brings me so much to it,” Wright said.
