News

Dennis Weimann and Stacy Christenson have served Bemidji and north-central Minnesota by covering the region at Lakeland News for a quarter century. As the telecast celebrated its 25th anniversary on Thursday, the longstanding duo held their heads high with the pride of knowing they’ve been there since the very beginning.

Members of the BSU and Bemidji communities packed the David Park House to celebrate the 81st birthday of professor emerita Dr. Annie Henry. The reception was filled with singing, joyful speeches and deep appreciation for Henry’s dedication to Bemidji State and its students.

The Gordy Skaar Memorial Golf Tournament had its 46th annual iteration on Friday, June 16, when over 100 golfers teed off in support of the Beavers at the Bemidji Town and Country Club. Together, they raised $44,000 for athletic scholarships.

Vance Balstad famously found his niche in hockey by serving as the university’s beloved ice maker for 45 years. He retired after the 2019 season and has since enjoyed other lifelong passions in retirement, but not before authoring a colorful career that could fill a Zamboni-sized book.

Zach Whitecloud joins Joel Otto (1980-84) as the only former Beavers to raise the Stanley Cup. Otto helped the Calgary Flames reach hockey’s summit in 1989.

She wouldn’t realize it until much later, but Chrissy Downwind’s motivation to help Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College students overcome barriers and reach their education goals can likely be attributed to her trailblazing father.

Coley Rezabek is in her second season kicking it as a videographer for Minnesota United, where she produces digital content for the club. Her expertise comes from similar experiences at Bemidji State.

In short, students win. And when students win, so do our colleges and universities and so do our local economies. This truly is a revolutionary package of legislation that will help carry Minnesota into a brighter future.