On Wednesday, The American Hockey League (AHL) announced that Hershey Bears’ goaltender Hunter Shepard is the winner of the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding goaltender for the 2023-24 season. According to the AHL’s official announcement, the Cohasset, MN native Shepard, is “coming off a season in which he won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs, Shepard challenged the AHL record books in 2023-24 by posting a record of 27-4-3 – the...

BASEBALL Moose Lake-Willow River 4, Greenway-Nashwauk-Keewatin 0 Hill City-Northland , Greenway-Nashwauk-Keewatin GNK faced-off against Moose Lake-Willow River on the road Tuesday, falling to the Rebels 4-0. The Titans were back in action on Thursday, hosting Hill City-Northland in Nashwauk with both teams looking to break losing streaks. Results of the game were unavailable at publication. ...

Cole Christiansen glides over the hurdles at Tuesday's LSC Quad in Grand Rapids

Dreams Come True Dance brought two different groups to Competitions the weekend of April 12-14th. 18 routines were brought to Compete at Starz Regionals in Wisconsin Dells and 16 routines competed at Ovation Regional Competition in Superior Wisconsin. Dancers are now preparing for their last competition April 26-28th and their Spring Dance Show May 17th-19th. Below are our special awards and overalls. Starz Regionals Wisconsin Dells: ...

Pictured Group: Addison Perron, Peyton Glorivigen, Haven Abell, Breezie Shorma and Dahliah Barnes

Pictured: Dahliah Barnes Solo

A number of American Rescue Plan (ARP) requests were heard before the board at Tuesday’s Regular Session, beginning with a request from Bigfork Valley Community Foundation, which was brought forth by Itasca County Commissioner Terry Snyder (D2) to build a community wellness center that was cut out of the budget when the school built an addition. Heather Lovdahl with the Bigfork Community Foundation explained how the ARP grant would benefit...

A Coleraine man was the well-deserved recipient of a grand community gesture on Wednesday, when a parade of friends and community members surrounded a family mourning the coming loss of their husband, father, and grandfather. A parade passed by the Temper Payne house in Coleraine, transforming a quiet street to a magnificent farewell to beloved local Temper Payne, who was receiving hospice services near the end of his life, and was not expecting many more opportunities to say goodbye. ...

Thunderbirds MC displaying their love for Temper Payne the best way they know how.

In January, a junior student from Grand Rapids High School reached out to Itasca Area Schools Collaborative Executive Director, Jackie Skelly, because she had an inclusive idea that involved some of her fellow students. Kayla Jenkins, a junior student athlete, envisioned an event that enabled students to experience prom in a new and accessible way. IASC was on board and agreed to help turn the idea into a reality. The purpose of the event wants to provide a sensory-friendly prom experience for students throughout IASC...

Student council members

Kayla Jenkins (L) and teacher and student council leader Jinnea Zenzen (R)

Grand march at the Cohasset Community Center

Group photo from Prom with Purpose with attendees and student helpers.

Grand Rapids 11, Duluth East 1 GRAND RAPIDS— The Thunderhawks opened up Bob Streetar Field for the first time this season Tuesday and 10-runned Duluth East in a five-inning ball game. Klous Jones got the start for Grand Rapids, pitching a complete game while allowing four hits and one earned run. Head coach Bill Kinnunen likes what he saw from his starting pitcher on Tuesday. “Klous got the ball down...

Klous Jones threw a complete game for the win on Tuesday.

For just the fifth time in franchise history, the Vikings selected a quarterback in the first round, and with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select: J.J. McCarthy, quarterback, Michigan. Few drafts in the last handful of years have garnered as much pre-draft speculation as what took place prior to this year, but that’s going to happen when you have six quarterbacks going in the first 12 picks of the draft - for the first time in history. ...

This spring the Association of American University Women (AAUW) awarded 5 scholarships totaling $10,000 to five women who are 25 years or older and attending college to pursue and complete their educational goals. They also enjoyed catching up with members who had spent their winter in warmer climes. To further welcome spring AAUW invited Itasca County Extension Master Gardener and native plant enthusiast Bonny Siegford to speak about the importance of growing native plants to support butterflies, bees and birds. Siegford emphasized that native plants...

Bonny Siegford

As spring arrives in Minnesota, it’s time for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to kick off its popular program that relies on Minnesotans to monitor our 12,000+ lakes and 92,000+ miles of streams: the Volunteer Water Monitoring Program. The MPCA is currently recruiting volunteers to measure water clarity in numerous lakes and streams—including several high-priority sites in the Grand Rapids area—and then report back to the agency. This is the perfect opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts and those interested in protecting our state’s natural resources! ...