Med City Beat is no longer publishing new articles, though archives from 2014-2022 remain accessible to the public.
Med City Beat is a Rochester-based news project rooted in fairness, transparency and civic responsibility.
Est. 2014
What a remarkable journey this has been.
It has been nearly nine years since I moved to this city, eight since I began reporting on the events that shape it. During this time, I have been fortunate to have a front-row seat to what makes this place one of a kind — its people, its great institutions, and its ethos of service to others. It has been an honor to share so many stories that reflect the best of the human spirit.
The time has come, however, to chart a new course, one I could not be more excited to travel on. This past year I married my best friend, Sarah; was welcomed into the family by her incredible son, Landon; and found out the news that another child is on the way, due in March. While these events only solidify my roots in Rochester, they have caused me to reconsider my place in it. As we move into this new year, it is with tremendous gratitude that I announce I will be closing down this project and refocusing my energy on what matters most: my family.
While I will miss some things about this work — notably the relationship with our readers — I am leaving this post with my head held high. What Med City Beat has accomplished goes far beyond any of the expectations I had for this project when it launched in late 2014. With the help of so many contributors, we turned this into a platform where transparency and fairness were priorities; where the community could expect our work to be reliable and accurate; where readers did not have to worry about commercial interference. Yes, we had to make money, but that was never the motivating factor. On Med City Beat, fact-finding was our highest pursuit.
The list of people I could thank here is boundless, but I would like to acknowledge a few key contributors: William Forsman, whose photography helped elevate our storytelling to a whole new level; Isaac Jahns, whose earnest approach to journalism immediately won over readers; and Bryan Lund, whose colorful writing style added a new dimension to Med City Beat. There are also many students, including dozens from the University of Minnesota Rochester’s CoLab program, who deserve credit for bringing meaningful, substantive stories to our audience.
Before I sign off, I do have a few final notes: First, I want to assure you that I am committed to preserving our archives so that our stories remain accessible for the long-term. Second, I encourage you to continue supporting local journalism in any way you can. Social media feeds are not substitutes for diligent reporting. And third, while it is too early to know what the future holds, I would not bet against me making a return to journalism someday down the road.
In the meantime, if you see me grabbing a brew along Historic Third or pushing a stroller around Quarry Hill, feel free to come up and say hello. I am always up for a good story or even a tall tale; just don’t expect the recorder to be running.
See you around town,
January 9, 2023
