The paper sits on the porch, or maybe it’s just an icon on your phone screen now. For a lot of people in the Twin Cities, the St. Paul Pioneer Press is just "the other paper." You know, the one that isn't the Star Tribune. But if you think that, you’re missing the point of Minnesota’s oldest daily newspaper.
It’s been around since 1849. Honestly, that’s before Minnesota was even a state. James Goodhue started it as the Minnesota Pioneer, and it’s basically been the heartbeat of the East Metro ever since. It isn't just a relic. It’s a survivor. While national outlets chase clicks with rage-bait, the PiPress (as locals call it) is still grinding away on Ramsey County board meetings and high school hockey scores.
The Pulitzers and the Reality of Local News
People forget that this paper has some serious teeth. They’ve won three Pulitzer Prizes. The most famous one? That’s probably the 2000 award for Beat Reporting. George Dohrmann uncovered massive academic fraud in the University of Minnesota men’s basketball program. It wasn't some flashy national TV expose. It was a local reporter doing the boring, difficult work of digging through records and talking to sources who didn't want to talk.
That’s the thing about the St. Paul Pioneer Press. It’s gritty.
But we have to be real here. The industry has changed, and it hasn't been kind. The paper is currently owned by MediaNews Group, which is managed by Alden Global Capital. If you follow the news business, that name usually brings a bit of a chill. Alden is known for aggressive cost-cutting. They moved the paper out of its iconic downtown St. Paul building years ago. Now, the "newsroom" is a lot smaller, and the physical printing happens elsewhere.
Does that suck? Yeah, kinda.
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But the journalists still there—people like Frederick Melo or the sports crew—are still doing the work. They’re covering the Wild, the Vikings, and the legislative chaos at the State Capitol with a specific St. Paul lens that you just don't get from a Minneapolis-based outlet.
Why St. Paul Needs Its Own Voice
There has always been this weird rivalry between the Twin Cities. Minneapolis is the flashy younger sibling; St. Paul is the historic, slightly more reserved older one. If you live in Highland Park or Woodbury, you don’t necessarily want your news filtered through a Minneapolis perspective.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press understands the East Metro.
Think about the Winter Carnival. Or the specific brand of politics that happens in the St. Paul City Council. The PiPress covers these things with a level of granular detail that a national aggregator would never touch. They still run the Treasure Hunt during the Winter Carnival, which is basically a city-wide obsession. People literally wander through parks with shovels because of a poem published in the newspaper. That is a level of community engagement you can't manufacture with an algorithm.
The Digital Shift and the Paywall Struggle
You've probably hit the paywall. It’s frustrating, right? You click a link from Twitter or Facebook, and boom—"Subscribe now for 99 cents."
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Here is the truth: Local journalism is expensive.
When you pay for a subscription to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, you aren't just paying for words. You’re paying for the legal fees when the paper sues for public records. You’re paying for the gas money for a reporter to drive out to a suburban crime scene at 2:00 AM.
The digital version, TwinCities.com, has had to adapt. It’s heavy on ads, and the layout can be a bit cluttered. It’s a far cry from the clean, minimalist designs of big tech sites. But it’s where the breaking news lives. If there’s a massive pileup on I-94 or a fire in Lowertown, they are usually the first ones with boots on the ground.
The Columnists: The Soul of the Paper
What keeps a paper alive isn't just the hard news. It’s the personalities. Joe Soucheray is a name that everyone in the region knows. Whether you love his "Garage Logic" perspective or it drives you crazy, he’s a fixture of the Pioneer Press identity.
Then you have the sports section. Minnesota is a sports-obsessed state. Between the Gophers, the Loons, and the big four pro teams, there is a lot to cover. The PiPress has always punched above its weight class in sports. They don't just report the score; they give you the locker room vibe. They tell you why the Twins' pitching rotation is falling apart in July.
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How to Actually Use the Pioneer Press Today
If you’re someone who actually wants to stay informed about the East Metro, you can't just rely on social media. Algorithms show you what you want to see, not what you need to know. The St. Paul Pioneer Press still serves that "need to know" function.
- Check the "Politics" section specifically for State Capitol news. Because the paper is located in the capital city, their legislative reporters often have better access to the movers and shakers in the House and Senate.
- Follow individual reporters on social media. Often, the best "extra" details that don't make it into the final edit of a story end up on a reporter's personal feed.
- Look at the archives. If you’re a history nerd, the PiPress archives are a goldmine. You can track the development of the entire region through their old headlines.
The paper has survived the arrival of the radio, the invention of television, and the explosion of the internet. It’s smaller now, sure. The ink doesn't stain your fingers as much because you’re probably reading it on an iPad. But the core mission—holding local power accountable—remains the same.
Without a dedicated St. Paul paper, who is watching the Ramsey County budget? Who is checking in on the local school boards?
It’s not just about nostalgia. It’s about making sure someone is still asking the hard questions in the city of St. Paul.
Next Steps for Staying Informed
To get the most out of local coverage, start by signing up for the "Top Headlines" newsletter on TwinCities.com. It’s a free way to see what’s moving the needle each morning without committing to a full subscription immediately. If you find yourself hitting the paywall more than three times a week, consider the digital-only pass; it’s frequently discounted and ensures that local reporters can keep covering the stories that the national media ignores. Finally, if you have a news tip or a local issue that isn't being addressed, don't hesitate to email their city desk directly—local papers thrive on community input and often find their best stories from reader tips.