Walker Orenstein
Reporter
Energy, natural resources and sustainabilityWalker Orenstein covers energy, natural resources and sustainability for the Star Tribune. Orenstein previously covered state government and politics with a focus on greater Minnesota and environmental issues for MinnPost, and he reported on the Legislature in Washington state for The News Tribune of Tacoma. He was raised in St. Paul and attended the University of Washington in Seattle. In his spare time, Orenstein enjoys playing hockey, hiking and camping..
Latest from Walker Orenstein
This tiny town wants to be the first in Minnesota to evict Xcel Energy and start its own utility
A four-hour wait to shut off power to a burning utility pole was one of the last straws for Slayton.
August 8, 2025
‘I’m going to murder us all’: Isle Royale camper heard threats nearly two days before deaths reported
An emergency call to authorities raises questions about the National Park Service response to two deaths on the Lake Superior island.
July 28, 2025
Minnesota regulators bash electric co-op for threatening to cut tribal casino’s power
The state Public Utilities Commission said it would investigate and possibly punish a rural electric cooperative after it opposed the Upper Sioux Community’s solar project.
July 24, 2025
Secrecy surrounds possible plans for gigantic data center in southeastern Minnesota
An email from the Department of Employment and Economic Development is the first concrete evidence of Google’s search for a data center site in Pine Island, near Rochester.
July 22, 2025
Minneapolis City Council votes to study new ways to tax city's richest residents and businesses
New taxes on the wealthy, such as a city income or payroll tax, would likely need changes to state or federal laws.
July 11, 2025
Father and son identified as deceased Isle Royale campers
The two were found dead in early June at an interior campsite on the Lake Superior island.
July 1, 2025
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Two dead bodies, one remote island and a whisper network: What happened on Isle Royale?
The Lake Superior island off Minnesota’s coast grapples with mysterious deaths in the wilderness.
July 1, 2025
Our reporters answered your questions about the deaths of two campers on Isle Royale
Walker Orenstein and Anthony Soufflé answered questions during a live Q&A on Tuesday.
July 1, 2025
Fact check: Did suspect in Minnesota shootings have close ties to Gov. Tim Walz? No.
The governor reappointed Boelter to an advisory board in 2019, but one member says the board is bipartisan. A friend of Boelter’s called him a strong supporter of President Donald Trump.
June 16, 2025
What we know so far about Minnesota lawmaker shootings
Rep. Melissa Hortman was assassinated while Sen. John Hoffman was shot and injured.
June 16, 2025
How shootings of MN Rep. Melissa Hortman, Sen. John Hoffman unfolded
Hortman and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot early Saturday morning in what Gov. Tim Walz said appears to be a politically motivated assassination.
June 14, 2025
Two campers died on Lake Superior’s remote Isle Royale. Here’s what we know.
Located in the northwest part of Lake Superior, Isle Royale is one of the most inaccessible wilderness areas in the Midwest
June 13, 2025
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