Kim Johnson
Kim Johnson joined the WCCO-TV team in May 2014. You can find her reporting on traffic and much more on WCCO This Morning, Monday thru Friday.
As a native of Maple Grove, covering stories in her home state has always been a dream. For Kim, there’s no better place to do it than WCCO. She interned here while attending the University of Minnesota.
Throughout her career, Kim’s peers have honored her with the prestigious Regional Edward R. Murrow award for her emotionally candid stories of breast cancer survivors. Her undercover investigations have stopped retail stores from selling FDA-banned drugs. Her relentless questioning forced city leaders to finally fix a sewer pipe in a low-income Duluth neighborhood that had been flooding people’s basements for more than a decade. Kim’s work has earned her three Emmy Awards. She was also privileged to participate in the William Randolph Hearst National Television Broadcast News Competition.
Kim has covered the gamut from forest fires, the 35W Minneapolis bridge collapse to traveling with a local civil rights leader all the way to Washington D.C. for President Obama’s Inauguration. Kim’s thirst to cover the big political stories is partly what led her to Iowa just in time for the 2012 Republican Presidential caucuses where Kim produced and anchored a live newscast from caucus headquarters, giving viewers the latest numbers on the fly.
Kim is a big believer is giving back. When she’s not working in the newsroom, you can find her volunteering with one of her favorite charities: the American Cancer Society or in a classroom inspiring youth through Junior Achievement and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
She also craves the outdoors. So if you see her on the running trail, ski slopes or sipping a hoppy IPA on an outdoor patio, make sure to say hi! Kim is always looking for great story ideas. You can contact her at kmjohnson@wcco.com.
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Working For The Weekend: Skyway Golf, Auto Show & Music Expo
The weekend is approaching, and if you don’t have plans yet, you’re in luck. WCCO This Morning has you covered on affordable fun for the whole family in Working for the Weekend.
Middle School Shop Class Transformed Into High-Tech STEM Lab
From tinkering with robots, designing and building bridges to testing green energy, you might think you’re at the Science Museum. But the new and improved shop class in Litchfield Middle School is giving students the chance to learn high-tech skills they can someday use in real-world jobs.
Get Movin’ Monday: March Deals
If the saying is March comes in like a lion, there are some “roaring” good deals to be found this month only. Carrie Rocha from “Pocket Your Dollars” gets us movin’ on ways to save some green in the month of March.
Excellent Educator: Senor Jamil Salaam Of Richfield Dual Language School
Senor Jamil Salaam loves teaching in Spanish so much, his lessons continue even around the dinner table with his family. That’s what makes him this week’s Excellent Educator.
Working For The Weekend: Top Entertainment Bets
This weekend, our featured events for a good time include a softball tournament in the snow, an engineering expo for kids, mixing arts with beer and a motorcycle. Here’s what’s on tap as we are Working for the Weekeed.
Excellent Educator: Falcon Ridge Middle School’s Jen Welk
Not always, but often times people who teach special needs students do it because they have a loved one living with a disability, such as a sibling or a cousin they helped as a child and developed an empathy to help others.
MN Family Helps Fight Childhood Cancer By Eating Ice Cream For Breakfast
It’s something your mother told you never to do: eat ice cream for breakfast. But one Forest Lake family is asking everyone to eat ice cream Wednesday morning.
Get Movin’ Monday: Student Loan Debt
It’s considered one of the largest financial crises facing our country. If you don’t have it, chances are you know someone swallowed by it. The ‘it’ is student loan debt.
Excellent Educator: Fire Prevention Speaker Casidy Anderson
When we think of teachers, a truck, a hose and a helmet typically don’t come to mind. But those are props one teacher uses to engage her students, and items she wears for her job as a fire fighter.
Elk River Mother Shares Family’s Experience With Congenital Heart Defect
An Elk River mother is sharing her family’s traumatic experience and hoping to leave other parents-to-be with one message that could save a life.
Semi Rollover Blocks 3 Lanes Of Traffic In Fridley
A semi-truck rollover in Fridley has blocked three lanes of traffic on westbound Interstate 694 Tuesday morning. MnDOT video of the area shows huge back-ups building up behind the crash, which occurred near University Avenue.
More Women Freezing Eggs & Focusing On Careers First
When and how women decide to have a family is changing. In some cases, women are postponing parenthood to focus on their career. Apple and Facebook are now even offering to pay for female employees to freeze their eggs.
Excellent Educator: Cedar SUN’s Saige Decleene
It takes years to hone your skills in any profession, and that is true in teaching, especially teaching students with special needs. But Saige Decleene has a natural gift for connecting with those students, making her this week’s and one of our youngest ever Excellent Educators.
MN Students Compete For Chance To Attend National Art Competition
You might know the names Andy Warhol, Truman Capote and Stephen King. But you might not know that they’re all recipients of the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
Get Movin’ Monday: Best Buys For February
The Super Bowl may be over, but the Super Bowl sales on TVs continue. They’re one of the great deals you can find during the month of February. John Ewoldt of the Star Tribune talked about some of the other steals this month, from sweet treats to big ticket items.
Excellent Educator: Lisa Martin Of Northview Elementary
As a young girl growing up in Eagan, Lisa Martin used to dream of being a teacher, she even played “school” in the basement of her family home. As an adult, Mrs. Martin is living out her childhood dream teaching second grade at Northview Elementary. And she loves every minute of it.
Excellent Educator: Osseo Senior High’s Dan Prody
When it comes to budget cuts in schools, art programs are sometimes the first on the chopping block. One teacher at Osseo Senior High is showing how valuable art can be by helping students use it to pay for college. It’s what makes Dan Prody this week’s Excellent Educator.
How To Book Budget Friendly Winter Getaways
It’s January and it’s cold. You might be thinking ‘Gosh, I wish I booked that winter vacation to the Caribbean!’ Well, there is still time to do so and not break the bank.
Get Movin’ Monday: The Safe Way To Detox
Detox diets are a popular way to cleanse your system or lose weight. Beyoncé tried the Master Cleanse to slim down for her role in Dream Girls and lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks. But are detox diets safe? Nutritionist Sue Moores from Kowalski’s says they can be.
Excellent Educator: Lexington Kids’ Katelyn O’Keefe
For most kids, preschool is their first experience away from mom and dad. And that can put a lot of pressure on the teacher to make the classroom comfortable. Ms. Katelyn O’Keefe at Lexington Kids Christian Child Care in St. Paul has a knack for making it an easy transition for both the children and their parents.
Mpls. Business Helps Prepare You, Your Bike For Winter Cycling
When the snow starts to fall and the temperatures dip many decide to retire their bicycles for the year. But not so fast! Winter cycling has become a favorite way for many Minnesotans to enjoy the outdoors during the cold months.
Get Movin’ Monday: Getting The Right Health Tracker For You
Fitbits are just one brand of a device that tracks daily physical activity, weight and goals, by syncing with an app on your smart phone or tablet. So, with so many to choose from, Best Buy’s Alexandra LeBlanc Gets Us Movin’ by showing us which may be the best fit for you.
Excellent Educator: Adam Leicht Of Forest Hills Elementary
Third graders can have a lot of energy. But one teacher in Eden Prairie has found a way to keep them from bouncing off the walls. Instead he lets them bounce in their seats. The once mechanical engineer’s ability to problem solve in the classroom and get kids to focus is what makes Mr. Adam Leicht of Forest Hills Elementary this week’s Excellent Educator.
Get Movin’ Monday: Fitness Expert Helps Us ‘Swap This For That’
With the New Year upon us, chances are that getting in better shape is on your list of resolutions. But your plan for accomplishing that goal might not be as effective as you think.
4 Alternatives To New Year’s Resolutions
New Year’s resolutions can be tough to keep. Studies show only 8 percent of people actually keep them. So why not try something new this year? Twin Cities blogger Jasmine Stringer shared with WCCO four alternative ways to establish goals and live a more fulfilling life in 2015.
