MPR People

Tom Robertson

Reporter
Minnesota Public Radio
trobertson@mpr.org

Tom Robertson is a reporter/producer at MPR's Bemidji bureau, where he covers news across north central Minnesota. After graduating from Bemidji State University in 1991, Tom worked as a newspaper reporter for the Bemidji Pioneer and later as editor of a small community newspaper. Tom transitioned to radio in 1994 when he became news director for several Bemidji radio stations. He's been with MPR since 1997. Tom and his wife Helean have three grown children and several grandkids. They live on five wooded acres near the Mississippi River.

Tom Robertson Feature Archive

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Hunting season not bringing in as many bucks to merchants

The deer hunting season is underway in Minnesota, but the northern Minnesota economy isn't getting as much of a boost as it often does. Stricter bag limits, combined with a weak economy, mean hunters are spending fewer dollars on the sport. (11/13/2009)

Bemidji: A tale of two economies

Getting a read on Bemidji's economy depends on where you look these days. You can find both ongoing struggle and boom times. It's a tale of two economies. (11/03/2009)

Analysts predict lower heating bills this winter

Officials with Minnesota's energy assistance program say they could see a record number of people seeking help with their home heating bills this winter, but the good news is that economists predict heating your home this winter will be a little bit easier on the pocketbook. (10/30/2009)

More drunken driving offenders using ignition device

A small but growing number of drunken driving offenders in Minnesota are using an electronic device designed to keep them from reoffending, a program first piloted in Hennepin and Beltrami counties and has now expanded statewide. (10/09/2009)

Voyageurs: 'It's all remarkable'

Voyageurs National Park in far northern Minnesota was created in the mid-1970s. It's the only national park in Minnesota. Voyageurs is known for its vast wilderness and stunning beauty, yet many locals say the park doesn't attract enough visitors. (09/28/2009)

Cabin owners prepared to go to court over fee increase

Cabin owners in the Chippewa and Superior National Forests are balking at a dramatic increase in fees for maintaining private cabins that have been historically modest. (09/25/2009)

Oil pipeline pumping millions of dollars into area communities

A controversial new oil pipeline called the Alberta Clipper has created thousands of construction jobs across northern Minnesota and is bringing millions of dollars into communities all along the pipeline route. (09/16/2009)

Summer tourism numbers mixed

A recent state survey shows that while many hotels saw fewer guests this summer, campground operators say business was up, and festivals across the state drew record crowds. (09/04/2009)

Idled lumber plants may get second life in bioenergy business

Canadian-owned Ainsworth Lumber Company permanently shuttered its plants in Bemidji, Grand Rapids and Cook earlier this year, and now those communities are wondering what's next for the huge, idle plants. (09/03/2009)

Federal grant helps bring solar heat to Ojibwe

With help from a federal grant, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe is putting some cutting-edge solar technology on the homes of low-income tribal members. (08/24/2009)

New mission for Depression-era camp

An old Civilian Conservation Corps work camp in the Chippewa National Forest is getting a facelift. Camp Rabideau near Blackduck was home to hundreds of young men in the 1930s and '40s. Now it's being turned into a year-round learning center for kids and young adults. (08/14/2009)