KTTC Through the Years 2013 - 2023

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – The past decade was overshadowed by an enormous international cloud. The COVID-19 pandemic upended travel, livelihoods, personal health, and safety.

In March 2020, KTTC gave viewers a live Coronavirus Town Hall where we brought viewers’ questions to medical experts and community leaders.

No one could’ve guessed coverage would’ve needed to continue for years. We reported on shutdowns, business closures, mask mandates, the launch of vaccines, an eventual loosening of restrictions, and finally, the official end of the national COVID emergency this May.

But the decade of 2013 - 2023 still managed to pack in some fun too.

Super Bowl LII seized downtown Minneapolis in 2018.

The Twin Cities also played host to the Men’s and Women’s NCAA Final Four tournaments in different years.

KTTC aired coverage of five Olympic games during that time, including PyeongChang in 2018 when Minnesota’s Team Shuster claimed gold in curling.

Rochester saw massive changes over the past ten years, starting with the passage of a bill to transform the city, already home to Mayo Clinic, to Destination Medical Center.

Current Mayor Kim Norton was a state representative at the time. She worked for this growth.

“We knew it would be hard. I think there was even question whether we could do it in one year. People were saying it couldn’t be done, but we did do it, and in fact, it opened the door for the community to be able to help design the future of downtown Rochester,” Norton said.

The 2020 election was one for the record books. KTTC’s Tom Overlie had a one-on-one interview with then-President Donald Trump during a campaign event.

“It’s very important,” Trump said of his visit.

KTTC, along with our sister stations in the state, hosted the only televised gubernatorial debate in 2022 between Governor Tim Walz and Republican Challenger, Dr. Scott Jensen.

“It was a tremendous opportunity for KTTC to showcase not only our journalistic prowess, but the wonderful facility we have here in Rochester,” said KTTC News Director Michael Oder.

The past decade also had its share of heartbreak.

2018 marked 30 years since the Brom family murders.

KTTC took viewers behind the bars of the prison in Stillwater where David Brom was serving his sentence at the time.

We were on the ground, providing coverage of the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police in 2020.

“It’s feeling very historic,” one demonstrator told our reporter.

In April 2022, an EF-2 tornado ravaged the small community of Taopi, Minnesota.

The same month, KTTC grieved our own tragedy as our longtime sports anchor and friend Pat Lund passed away.

Our news team put together a 30 minute tribute to the Rochester sports legend.

Recently, KTTC tracked the search and eventual discovery of the remains of missing Winona mother Madeline Kingsbury. Our reporters are continuing to follow the aftermath of the crime, as Adam Fravel is charged with her murder.

To round out the decade on a high note, KTTC was honored to receive a Service to America Award from the National Association of Broadcasters this summer.

The award recognized our nearly 70 years airing the Fifth District Eagles Cancer Telethon.

“Without KTTC, we wouldn’t have that impact,” said longtime Executive Director of the Telethon Teresa Chapman.

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