Nick Coleman

Born and raised in St. Paul, Nick Coleman, 57, is an award-winning veteran journalist and columnist who has divided his 35-year career -- and his mortgage payments -- equally between Minneapolis and St. Paul. His most recent award: Editors and readers of City Pages, the Twin Cities alternative newspaper, named Coleman best columnist in 2008. Coleman has been a Metro News columnist at the StarTribune since returning to his first newspaper in 2003. In previous assignments, he has worked as a City Hall reporter, a business reporter, an out-state Minnesota correspondent, a media critic (for the Strib, 1983-86) and a metro and editorial columnist at the St. Paul Pioneer Press. His wife, former Pioneer Press columnist Laura Billings, was down-sized from her job in late 2006 and works as a freelance journalist trying to feed three young boys.