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Sean Baker

Reporter | Newsroom

Sean Baker is a reporter for the Star Tribune covering southeast Minnesota.


Baker joined the Star Tribune in June 2024. He previously spent eight years covering Rochester for Med City Beat, an independent news website he founded at the age of 25. Prior to moving to Southeast Minnesota, Baker worked as a news producer for WBAY-TV in Green Bay, Wis. Baker also served as news editor for the Fourth Estate, the student paper of UW-Green Bay, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism. Baker lives in Rochester with his wife, Sarah, and their two boys.
Recent content from Sean Baker
Pastors Andy and Christy Cass recently purchased the former Cinemagic movie theater in Rochester for their upstart Echo Church. They plan to begin ser

Lights, camera, worship: Church buys shuttered Rochester movie theater for $5 million

Echo Church marked its fifth anniversary by purchasing the former Cinemagic movie theater. It plans to begin holding services there Oct. 13.
Byron High School (Sean Baker/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Minnesota school district's finances under scrutiny ahead of referendum

Byron Public Schools faces uphill climb as it looks to convince voters its finances are in order following a $1.5 million budget miscalculation.
Stephanie and Carols Flores brought school items of daughter Olivia who died in a crash with Minnesota State Trooper Shane Roper in Rochester on Aug.

State Patrol: 'No justification' for fired trooper's reckless driving that killed Owatonna teenager

Former trooper Shane Roper was fired last week for his role in a crash that killed Olivia Flores.
The Edison Administrative Building photographed in Rochester in August 2022.

Rochester voters to decide on $20 million school referendum

After failing to win approval for additional funding in 2023, Rochester Public Schools hopes bigger turnout this November will help the district avoid major spending cuts.
Steph and Carlos Flores show photos of daughter Olivia, who died in a crash with Minnesota state trooper Shane Roper in Rochester.

Trooper pleads not guilty to manslaughter in death of Owatonna teen

Minnesota state trooper Shane Roper was traveling 83 mph when he drove his squad car into a busy Rochester intersection, killing 18-year-old Olivia Flores.
Steph and Carlos Flores, the parents of daughter Olivia who died in a car crash this May, pose for a portrait in front of a photograph of her in Roche

Owatonna couple's daughter killed in crash with trooper: 'She was supposed to come back'

Shane Roper's charges include second-degree manslaughter and criminal vehicular homicide in the crash that left five others seriously injured.
The University of Minnesota, Rochester campus is made up of six buildings in downtown Rochester, including the Galleria.

University of Minnesota Rochester's education district plans remain years out

The Rochester campus is embracing a community campus model as it plans for the next decade of growth.
An aerial view of the former IBM site, now known as the Rochester Technology Campus.

Huge housing, retail complex in the works for former IBM campus in Rochester

Site could also be used for planned $65 million regional sports complex.
Channel One is southeast Minnesota's largest food bank, serving more than 33,000 households across 14 counties. (Sean Baker/The Minnesota Star Tribune

Rochester food bank blames 'insurmountable need' as it discontinues service to 11 rural agencies

Channel One Regional Food Banks cites the need for more efficiency with resources as demand for food assistance continues to climb.
A rendering of two new clinical buildings to be constricted on the sites of the Ozmun complex and Damon Parking Ramp in downtown Rochester.

Demolition to begin this fall for Mayo's $5B Rochester buildout

Mayo Clinic's Ozmun complex will be torn down to make way for one of two new clinical buildings in downtown Rochester.
Genetically modified piglets gather together at the United Therapeutics-owned Revivicor research farm near Blacksburg, Va. A new facility being built

United Therapeutics to build $100M pig-to-human organ research center in southeast Minnesota

Announcement of the Minnesota facility comes as United seeks FDA clearance to begin clinical trials to prove the safety and effectiveness of pig-to-human organ transplants.
Molly Dennis’ challengers made the case that the Ward 6 council member had become a distraction during her first term on the council.

Embattled Rochester council member ousted in primary, blames local media

Ward 6′s Molly Dennis finished last in a four-way primary to hold onto her seat. Newcomers Dan Doering and Mark Schleusner advanced to November's general election.
Jaidyn Brower, right, a senior in marketing and finance, easily makes her way around a new ropes course in Winona, Minn., on Wednesday. Winona State U

With high ropes course, Winona State University adds adventure to campus life

Ropes course is latest recreational resource on campus as university positions itself as a leader in outdoor education.
Dr. Elizabeth Cathcart-Rake, an oncologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, led a team that opened a cancer clinic tailored to the needs of the LGBTQ comm

Trying to reduce stigma, Mayo launches LGBTQ-focused breast cancer clinic

With Rainbows open in Rochester, Dr. Elizabeth Cathcart-Rake hopes to increase access to care and also improve care for the LGBTQ population.
Marrow restaurant following a car crash on May 12 (Contributed)

Rochester's hot Marrow restaurant to reopen following crash

"Seeing those reservations coming in, with so many familiar names, we are just getting really excited to see our people again," said co-owner Sarah Schwenker.
Abby and Mike Rakun stand in the dining room of Mill Valley Kitchen in Rochester, which is set to open on Aug. 6.

Twin Cities' Mill Valley Kitchen expands to downtown Rochester

Restaurant will be Mike and Abby Rakun's second Mill Valley Kitchen location.
Dashcam footage from Trooper Shane Roper's squad car shows him colliding with another officer in February 2019.

Dashcam video shows prior crashes of Minnesota trooper charged in Rochester fatal wreck

State Trooper Shane Roper faces charges of second-degree manslaughter and criminal vehicular homicide for his role in a May crash that killed Owatonna teen Olivia Flores.
The city of Rochester on Wednesday began restricting social media users from leaving comments on posts from its official Facebook and Instagram pages,

Rochester blocks comments on city social media pages

City says the move "reduces the potential for harmful content and negative interactions" on social media.
Chris Mathews, who is legally blind, points out safety hazards at the Peace Plaza in Rochester.

Rochester's redesigned Peace Plaza raises accessibility concerns

Pavers on the plaza present safety risks for the city's most vulnerable visitors, disability advocates say.
Pat and Michael York at a gallery exhibition put on by Pat prior to moving to Minnesota

Celebrity photographer and her famous actor husband call Minnesota home

Pat York's photos of Steve Martin, Liza Minnelli, Andy Warhol and other stars are on display at the Rochester Art Center.
Attorneys for Olivia Flores' family are calling on state leaders to launch an “open and independent investigation of the organizational failures”

Trooper charged in fatal Rochester crash had history of reckless driving on the job

State trooper Shane Roper was reprimanded four times in eight years for on-duty crashes before the collision that killed an Owatonna teen, records show.
Olivia Flores

Minnesota trooper charged in Rochester crash that killed 18-year-old student

Olmsted County Attorney's Office files second-degree manslaughter and criminal vehicular homicide charges against trooper Shane Roper.
The Edison Administrative Building in Rochester.

Rochester schools to allow students to fail classes again

The district is reinstating the "F."
Dwight and Dian Diercks gave $20 million to Mayo Clinic to support the use of AI in health care.

Red Wing native donates $20 million to Mayo Clinic for use of AI in early cancer detection

"People need new therapies and cures now."
Mayo Clinic recently signed an agreement with Zipline, the world’s largest commercial drone delivery company, with the goal that medications could b

Mayo Clinic to use drones to deliver prescription drugs to patients' homes

The Rochester-based health care system inks agreement with Zipline to begin offering prescription deliveries by drone beginning in 2025.
Local writer and anthropologist Nicole Nfonoyim-Hara poses on June 20 in front of a bookshelf inside the creative hub she is launching to amplify Blac

Rochester writer to open city's first Black-owned art gallery, bookstore

"Black culture is essential to American culture," says Nicole Nfonoyim-Hara.
Husband-and-wife duo Mark and Lynn Scotch, both living donors, are riding across the Midwest in support of organ donations. “As crazy as it might so

'Nothing but grateful': In Rochester, Organ Trail donors meet boy they helped save

Along a 1,173-mile bike ride through the Midwest, Mark and Lynn Scotch bring attention to the urgent need for living organ donors.