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News Team

Reporters

James Schugel

You can see James reporting on WCCO 4 News weeknights at 5, 6 and 10.

He grew up in Overland Park, Kan., which is a suburb of Kansas City, Mo., but he does have Minnesota roots. His grandfather grew up in New Ulm, Minn. The majority of his family still lives in the area and in the Twin Cities. In fact, his cousins own a trucking company that travels across the country and is based in New Ulm.

James went to college at St. Louis University, and while there, he pursued what he considers to be his "dream." He still remembers his first day as an intern at a TV station in St. Louis -- he was hooked immediately! After several internship, production and writing opportunities at the station, he got his first job on-air and moved to Bangor, Maine, after college.

He worked for WLBZ-TV there and WCSH-TV in Portland as a "one-man-band," where he shot, wrote and edited his own stories. He then moved to Omaha, Neb., and reported for KMTV-TV for almost five years. After that, he moved back to St. Louis to be a feature reporter for KSDK-TV and then a news reporter for KMOV-TV.

James has won several journalism awards for general news reporting, breaking news coverage, feature stories, an investigative news series and an in-depth news series. Awards have come from the Maine Association of Broadcasters, Nebraska Broadcasters Association and Associated Press.

James' career has taken him across the country and around the world. He went undercover with a S.W.A.T. team in Colorado while they were arresting a double murder suspect, reported from a Navy ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and reported on the destruction of a Nebraska town after a tornado ripped it apart. In February of 1998, James worked for CBS Sports at the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. He found time to see some of the Olympic events and travel throughout the country too.

You'll find James running alongside a local lake on a sunny day and downhill skiing on a snowy one. He's an Eagle Scout and member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He's excited to live and work in the Twin Cities and looks forward to spending lots of time outside!

Contact James

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Just The Facts

What year did you join WCCO? April 2007
What is your favorite thing about WCCO? The people. It's a warm, inviting place, where people take a genuine interest in each other. It really does feel like home.
What/who's on your iPod? Everything. I listen to jazz while I write my news stories, and I listen to more upbeat music when I'm running and working out. You'll find everything from Dave Koz to U2, Jim Brickman to Howie Day on my iPod
Do you embrace technology or run away from it? Run! Fast! I can set my VCR's clock, program my iPod and run my computer, but that's about it!
Do you text message? Do you know how? I only text when I have to. I'd rather talk with someone on the phone.
What do you watch on TV, if anything? I like to watch the comedies on CBS on Monday nights, along with Cold Case.
What or who was your last google? I google when I'm researching stories, so that was probably the last thing I googled.
Do you MySpace? No.
Who's your role model? My parents are my role models. They struggled through various situations while I was growing up, and they always made it through together.
What's the biggest risk you've taken? Just getting into this business has been my biggest risk. I've moved across the country, from city to city, and each time, I've had to start all over again. It's been tough, but it's been worth it every time!
What's the word that best describes WCCO? Home.
If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be? Why? A ski instructor at Vail Ski Resort in Colorado. I love to ski, and I think Vail has the best slopes. I have many fond memories of skiing during Spring Break in Colorado with my mom and dad when I was growing up.
What does "Know More" mean to you? Finding that special person, that special character for the story, that people at home can really relate to. Reporting is more than just facts and figures. Great reporting is about storytelling -- telling stories about real people.
Favorite word? Happy.
Sound or noise you love? Birds chirping at the crack of dawn. You just can't beat the peacefulness of the early morning.
What profession other than yours would you never want to attempt? Being a stuntman.
What is your favorite movie? Any James Bond movie will do
What is your favorite story you've covered? I got to be with a S.W.A.T. team in Aurora, Colorado, when they arrested a man for raping a mother and then killing her and her young son a couple decades earlier.
Who is the most memorable person you've interviewed? Bridget Kelly. She is a rape survivor who gave me the opportunity to tell her story.
Who is your dream interview? My great-grandparents. I'd like to know what it was like raising nine children on a farm in New Ulm, Minn.
Why are you a journalist? I get the honor of telling someone's story and pulling out their emotions. I love to write, but more importantly, I like to write about real people, their struggles, and their triumphs.
Do you have any hidden talents? What? I cook, and we're not talking mac n' cheese. I'm talking grilled salmon, chicken, and plenty of other dishes, including Italian food. I was also ranked as one of the top 10 skiers in Kansas for NASTAR downhill skiing, when I was in grade and high school.
Hometown? Overland, Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, Mo.
Alma Mater? Saint Louis University
Number of kids? 0
Number of siblings? 0
What are your hobbies? Snow skiing, water skiing, running, working out
Least favorite household chore? Cleaning floors
Number of pets (and names!)? 0
Favorite food? filet mignon
Favorite sports team? St. Louis Cardinals
Favorite musician? Bono and U2
Favorite movie star? Matt Damon
Favorite vacation spot? Camden, Maine

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