Melhus beat Finn Samuli Karkkainen on a controversial split decision to win the WBO Inter-Continental title in 2023 and defended it once. In his last fight he stopped fellow Norwegian Emil Meek, a martial arts fighter making his pro debut. Arinze made his European debut in Finland with a close points win against the very same Samuli Karkkainen that Melhus beat. In the chief support, fighter and promoter Harald Pfingstl, 18-0 (12 KOs), defends the WBC CISBB light heavyweight title against Jack Scott, 19-3 (11 KOs). Scott is now back in the UK again but started his pro career fighting out of Spain. He was 3-3 when he signed with his Finnish matchmaker and agent in 2023 and has since racked up 16 straight wins fighting all over Europe against carefully selected opponents. Pfingstl, aka Harry Strikez, has done the same thing as Scott in regards to opponents but mainly fighting at home in Vienna. 0 commentsTagsKevin MelhusCommentsAll Boxing ArticlesRead the latest top stories and boxing news This website may contain adult language. TM & © 2025 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved. 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Upgrade now. “The Match” was created to honor the great competitors that have made their mark on the Pine to Palm Four “Legends” tested their talents against four “Young Guns” in a 9-hole “I want to bring back some of the guys that are a little bit older and guys that had turned pro and the guys that aren't Championship fighters anymore but have just a great history here at the club,” Detroit Country Club general manager Tom Dolby said talented players now that I wanted to bring the two ages together and the two groups of players together to really mesh the past with the present.” The Legends consisted of 1976-77 and ‘80 Pine to Palm champion Bill Israelson 1987 and 1989 champion and 1982 runner-up Jim Strandemo 1991 and 2005 champion and 2018 runner-up Rick Kuhn and 2003 champion and 2001 runner-up Greg Melhus The Young Guns were comprised of 2023 Pine to Palm runner-up and 2024 Minnesota Class AAA state champion Torger Ohe 2024 Minnesota Class AA state champion Jack Justesen 2024 PGA Junior runner-up and 2023 Minnesota Class AAA runner-up Joe Honsa and three-time Minnesota Class AAA top 10 finisher and 2024 PGA Junior runner-up Ryan Stendahl “I just have so much respect for the past champions here three times,” Dolby said about why he chose the format and competitors “It's a real special feat to win a match-play event with 64 players in it and I just really wanted to honor them.” The Legends went up one after six but the Young Guns had a chance to tie things up Justesen’s second shot landed about 3 feet from the pin The youngsters missed their putts and the Legends remained ahead Israelson hit a beautiful ball on Hole 8 that landed just in front of the green and sliced across the grass and his ball sat less than 5 feet from the hole After the Young Guns failed to put the ball in the cup Strandemo sunk his put to give the Legends a two-stroke lead heading into the final hole The two teams tied the final hole but the Legends took home the crown and were awarded wedges from Dolby The final score read Legends 29 and the Young Guns 31 But the competition brought together two special groups of players that had the utmost respect for each other “It was amazing to see how many people were out here and playing with Joe (Honsa) really cool environment to play in and just a fun way to get people excited about the week We had a couple of fourth and fifth graders out there “It's great to see old friends like Jim (Strandemo),” Israelson said “ grew up playing against him in the Pine of Palm back in the '70s Then Greg Melhaus actually played one of my sons and I came over here and watched him beat him in the quarterfinals I've known Rick Kuhn who went to the University of Minnesota Israelson had some ties with one of the Young Guns and enjoyed the new generation of hopeful Pine to Palm legends “Then it's always fun to see these young kids coming up,” Israelson continued So it's fun to see these people that you competed with their kids coming up and playing in the tournament Dolby and good friend Mark Johnson shared with the gallery the successes of the Legends and Young Guns he picked up on a few things the Legends and learned that their greatness went beyond Pine to Palm “It's pretty incredible how much success they've had They seem to have a really good head about them and just staying things mentally is just a huge part Israelson hasn’t played in a Pine to Palm tournament since turning pro in 1980 But he knows that the competition and atmosphere at Detroit Country Club throughout the week is something special “I used to stay with Joe Mayer over in his cabin and we had four or five other really good players We used to play tennis and had a lot of other competitive activities and stuff like that It made the actual competition less stressful because you weren't always thinking about golf That's where some of my success came from.” The response from a hopeful Pine to Palm tradition was cheers and smiles The gallery stayed with the eight golfers making it feel almost like championship Sunday at Pine to Palm It’s safe to say that Dolby wants to keep “The Match” as a Pine to Palm tradition maybe not in the same exact format every year but there'll be an event every year bringing back past champions and honoring them,” Dolby said “That's what this event to me is all about That's one of the things I think that has been missing which is to back the past because the youth here is really strong There's just no denying the youth movement in this event This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page How I Got Here is a weekly podcast from PhocusWire and Mozio getting the inside stories behind innovation and startups in travel and transportation A classic startup launch but an unconventional route through bootstrapping for the next ten years Mozio's David Litwak and Kevin May of PhocusWire get the story of ToursByLocals from its co-founder and CEO In one respect, ToursByLocals is a classic startup story It was the brainchild of CEO Paul Melhus and chief technology officer Dave Vincent with them having observed how the tour guide scene was handled during a trip to China in the mid-2000s They launched the business - a platform to find and reserve tour guides in numerous countries around the world - in 2008 But there the typical linear nature of a startup tale ends expanded quickly for the next ten years but never took a dollar in funding This period of bootstrapping ended in January 2020, when it signed a Series A investment deal for $33 million Melhus joins us at the latest guest on How I Got Here HIGH is a weekly show produced by PhocusWire and Mozio aimed at getting the inside stories behind startups and innovation in travel and transportation It's hosted by our editor in chief, Kevin May, and Mozio co-founder and CEO David Litwak Here is the video version via PhocusWire's YouTube channel: ToursByLocals has appointed Lisa Chen its new CEO and president as company founder Paul Melhus steps down to assume an advisory role Melhus is now executive chairman of the Vancouver-based company which connects travelers with independent local guides around the world had spent most of this year learning the inner workings of the business its values and vision before ascending to the CEO role Chen served as interim vice president for vacation rental partner success at Expedia and as director of brand management and corporate brand management at Disney "I'm beyond thrilled to take the helm at this moment in time," Chen said a dedicated team and a thriving marketplace I'm eager to build on our incredible track record with our customers and elevate even further the company's extraordinary growth in order to solidify ToursByLocals as a leading global provider of private customized tours I'm honored to step into the role of CEO and drive the company towards a future defined by continued growth and innovation." gay Vancouverite Paul Melhus and his longtime boyfriend Dave Vincent who ran a website for travel bloggers at the time found themselves in Beijing and wanted to experience one of the country’s biggest attractions Unlike Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City which occupy a single footprint on the map the 13,171 mile long wall boasts dozens of entry points where one can access and tour a segment which range from tourist-friendly and well maintained to crumbling and only to be climbed by experienced hikers “Most people go to a section called Badaling which is the Disney version of the Wall,” Melhus recollects.“It’s all fixed up and pretty and there are hordes of people and it’s totally not of interest to us to be packed with other tourists So we arranged for someone to drive us to a section called Simatai about two hours outside Beijing.” Once they arrived at the comparatively uncommercial they were approached by a pair of Chinese women farmers who offered an impromptu guided tour which in fact proved an illuminating and deeply local experience imparting knowledge about both the Wall and these women’s lives Wondering what was in the experience for the women Melhus had his answer once it wrapped up and they unpacked a panoply of cards “The obligation was we got this free thing so now we have to buy something,” Melhus shares and other guided tours that left much to be desired over the years sparked a conversation between Melhus and Vincent about how their Simatai Great Wall visit could have been improved for both themselves and the two women that served as private tour guides That included paying for the latter’s time upfront and removing the cheesy and making those prices all-inclusive and fair Two years later, ToursByLocals (www.toursbylocals.com) was born and has since grown into a network of almost 4,600 guides in 193 countries (and that’s out of the world’s total of 195 countries) who offer around 30,000 personally curated and unique experiences in their respective destinations many with specific fields of expertise and themed offerings These private tour itineraries and TBL guides can be searched via their website by city or country A tiny sampling include a half- day LGBTQ history walking tour of Dublin Peru; gay life in Medieval and Renaissance era Florence and of course the site of the Stonewall riot and birthplace of the modern gay civil rights movement “All of the content is developed by the local guides themselves,” Melhus explains “They tell the story they’re competent and passion- ate about telling but we want them to be authentically themselves: the B-side tours that get under the skin of the place and indeed the best guides always have something in their back pocket that’s an ‘a-ha’ moment or unexpected thing nobody will get when you follow the flag on a group tour.” A n entrepreneur hailing from a professional background in tech and new media Melhus earned a small business MBA at Montreal’s McGill University (with international studies as a minor) This is also where he first met Vincent 37 years ago who was studying electrical engineering and later moved into the music program The longtime couple finally tied the knot legally in 2020 We wanted to do something normal during 2020 The couple’s foray into the consumer tourism space with ToursByLocals was a second or third act reinvention for both Melhus was already into his mid-50s when he became founder and CEO (he also served as its first official tour guide while Vincent is its chief technical officer the timing of their launch proved unfortunate and fortunate at the same time: TBL’s website went live in October of 2008 just as Lehman Brothers crashed the global economy “We put all our savings into this new venture and then the world was spiraling down that was an incredibly fortuitous time to start this business because we focused mainly on getting guides to join Everyone was worried about what the future would bring so the people who wanted to be guides on our platform didn’t have other work to do and even if they didn’t believe it would lead to anything they were only investing a few hours of time to put up their profile and develop some tour content.” TBL had amassed a solid base of guides with their respective itineraries “It’s been a real successful growth story,” Melhus says Melhus ensured that it would not only be an LGBTQ-inclusive and friendly company but it wouldn’t tolerate bigotry of any kind Guides are extensively vetted during the application process via security checks to make sure they aren’t on Interpol lists for criminal activities and interviewed personally to help weed out homophobes If clients have any kind of an unpleasant experience with a guide that makes them feel uncomfortable that feedback is reviewed with utmost seriousness any post- tour review with a less than a five star rating is followed up on by TBL leadership “The world is pretty much open to LGBTQ travelers from our experience Even in those countries where anti-gay bias on the part of the government has been in the news Ordinary people everywhere are pretty relaxed about this issue We have guides in over 190 different countries who will welcome every individual with warmth and respect; bigotry in any form isn’t tolerated on our platform.” Melhus says that although many TBL guides are LGBTQ-identified and certainly welcome LGBTQ travelers they don’t always explicitly communicate this in their online profiles this is due to current political climates in their countries and regions “We used to have really interesting gay tours in St but they’ve all gone offline and I think that speaks about the political situation in Russia,” Melhus laments “It wouldn’t be safe to promote that for a guide and they can publish and unpublish the tours there’s been a real uptick in tours related to social justice lately TBL ensures their guides are paid fairly by encouraging them to set an upscale traveler-minded living wage for their services which Melhus’ past experiences as a consumer-traveler made clear isn’t always (or usually) the case with other companies and guides build everything into the price so you’re properly compensated,” he says “That’s one of the things that makes me proudest about TBL where people participate in tourism on the margins and get exploited We allow them to present themselves in a professional way and we take care of a lot of the stuff that would be hard for them to manage I remember in Bali our guide was offering six hours with a van and driver for $45 raise it to at least $120 and everyone will be a lot happier.’ They insisted that wouldn’t work and our customers are happier because they don’t think and it was a much more edifying situation.” Another element that Melhus feels is important for guides to consider is giving their destinations a context that delves beyond the pretty surface (e.g “we want them to talk about the reality for people who made all of that possible; you have to go to the slave quarters and talk about that”) Melhus also notes that although TBL guides choose their themes and create itineraries in advance tours can be customized to a client’s requests Brazil and tour of all the trans and drag bars,” Melhus recalls “We monitor the mes- sages to make sure no inapporpriate stuff is going through ‘I’m not gay but I like having sex with men,’ so he hired our guide to take him But [requests are] mostly the stuff you wouldn’t be too surprised about in the big cities you hardly need a tour guide to find gay Berlin!” Regarding the future of ToursByLocals and its destinations Melhus says they strive to offer private tours everywhere people can travel “If you go to Google and search the name of the place plus ‘tour,’ if the number of searches is over 50 per month that’s a place we want to be We have a whole department called ‘tour experience,’ and they’re out recruiting guides in smaller locations but the main source of tour guides is referrals from existing ones and we’ve sent some guides on road trips from city to city to pass out cards and do interviews So even though we know we won’t sell a lot of tours in those places the fact we have them will support the Barcelonas and Parises of the world as well Melhus admits that some of his own personal bucket list destinations happen to be on the smaller “For some reason I’m drawn to the extremes of the planet,” he admits which is a three-hour flight north of Oslo In 2019 I went from Vancouver to Tuktoyaktuk which is basically get- ting in a car and driving for 8 days and you end up at the Arctic ocean and go for a swim We don’t have a guide there and I’m very unhappy about that and to spend more time in Greenland and the northern part of Canada.” Gay-Owned Cookie Company, Wunderkeks, is Headed for the Oscars! June Chua: Helping the Trans Community in Singapore Lawrence Ferber is an NYC-based travel and arts journalist who has written for National Geographic Traveler Passport Magazine has always been a resource to guide inspire and encourage LGBTQ travelers and their friends to discover deeper richer and more fulfilling experiences at home and around the world through compelling story-telling online © 2025 Passport Magazine — All Rights Reserved — NYC USA Home / Business News Operations at the location to cease by May 7 West Liberty Foods will close its Mount Pleasant meat-processing and slicing facility in early May of next year The West Liberty-based company will move and consolidate operations from this location to other facilities in Iowa told The Gazette 130 employees will be impacted in the first phase with the remaining 220 employees impacted in the second phase All operations will cease at the plant on May 7 Employees will be offered work at one of its other locations as well as provided with relocation and transportation services stay bonuses — in which West Liberty Foods gives employees a bonus for not leaving the company for a set time — severance pay re-employment services and assistance with filing unemployment claims the company’s chief talent and culture officer West Liberty Foods also has plants in Bolingbrook Utah in addition to the West Liberty location Melhus said the company doesn’t expect the other locations to be impacted “There are no plans to close or consolidate any other operations,” Melhus said Employees were told about the decision in one-on-one and group meetings “Respect and care for people is a core value of our company and shutting down a plant is a tough thing to do,” said Brandon Achen “Although we are taking steps to lessen the impact on our team members we will be eliminating the jobs of some exceptional people through no fault of their own I want each of them to know that we value their contributions and deeply regret the need for this action.” the Mount Pleasant facility has produced “hundreds of millions of pounds” of sliced deli meats for customers in food service and retail The company has seen a “recent shift” in the products and capabilities needed to support customers A customer of West Liberty Foods decided to move its deli-slicing in store “This shift has resulted in a drastic reduction in pre-sliced deli meats leaving this particular facility and its equipment unmatched to the company’s future needs and direction,” the news release said Comments: (319) 339-3155; izabela.zaluska@thegazette.com The Gazette has been informing Iowans with in-depth local news coverage and insightful analysis for over 140 years independent journalism with a subscription today © 2025 The Gazette | All Rights Reserved DETROIT LAKES – Mike Melhus is one year away from putting his name on the Pine to Palm tournament’s historic 25-year list Melhus became the third back-to-back champion in the Mid-Am Division with a 4-3 win over Jeff Bernstrom There are a lot of years of making it and sometimes not making it I got into (The Mid-Am Division) and really found my sweet spot two years in a row It means a lot because I love the tournament so much.” Despite closing in on his second straight title the front nine was dicey for the defending champion Melhus took a 1-up lead with an eagle on No Bernstrom took a 1-up lead with a birdie on No 5 before Melhus responded with a match-squaring birdie a hole later Melhus evened the score for a second time on No 8 with a par before taking a 1-up lead before the turn 10 before winning back-to-back holes on Nos Melhus finished off the win with back-to-back pars “Today was pretty clean all the way around I had a couple of tee shots that got a little squirrely Entering the field as the defending champion has pros and cons While Melhus didn’t have to worry about qualifying for the lot of 16 he was concerned he’d have rust in the first round those two qualifying rounds put you in a mental spot for a match I played with the leaders after the first day It’s a little bit of a concern because you get an edge from qualifying Once I put a tee in the ground on Thursday Melhus found the same rhythm he did a year ago “It helps to get that experience of what it takes to win under your belt,” Melhus said “You don’t get too high or too low because there’s a lot of golf ahead of you.” The Pine to Palm tournament turned Melhus from a visitor to a resident this was one of the first competitive tournaments I played in,” Melhus said We grew to love the tournament so much that we now both have a lake home here Our love for Detroit Lakes started with origins of (playing in) this tournament When we got a chance to buy lake homes here we did because of what this course and these people mean to us.” Melhus will celebrate his 25th summer of playing in Detroit Lakes’ match play extravaganza He will also look to be the first-ever three-time consecutive Mid-Am champion He joined Perry Piatz (2017-18) and Kent Spriggs (2014-15) as the only ones to win it back-to-back years “It’s always a fun week about camaraderie with the people you meet in the competition It’s great if you come home with the trophy you look back on all of the people you met But I’ll try as hard as anyone to get a third next year.” Storms rolled through halting the final qualifying round on Wednesday The morning groups were sprinkled with spotty showers while the afternoon groups were barraged a downpour midway through their round But the golfers didn’t allow the conditions to damper their day as they put on their water shoes and continued to fight for their spot in the 64-player championship flight for an exciting end to the qualifying rounds “I got up and down pretty much every time other than once I was just trying to keep it in play and make as many birdies as I can Skarperud went on to have 13 birdies with nine coming the day before He stayed ahead for most of the second day until a triple-bogey only put him a shot ahead of NDSU Men’s Golf teammate Moorhead’s Ian Simonich Skarperud found out where he was at and it immediately brought him back to the Birchmont The championship field was filled with Skarperud’s teammates Simonich ended in seventh with a final score of 4-under par 138 (66 2023 Championship division champion Lakeville’s Gavin Cronkhite was out on the course for his practice round Maple Grove’s Josh Galvin placed 36th after shooting a total 1-over par (69 76) after the two days and Chaska’s Jack Johnson rounded out the Bison teammates in 60th place and a total score fo 3-over par 145 (68 “It's fun,” Skarperud said about competing with his teammates at Pine to Palm “It's nice that we're all pretty much from around here So it's fun because we always grew up playing against each other Not only do we play with each other during the season but we can play against each other out of the season It builds our team chemistry and makes us better as players as well.” Alexandria’s Jack Holtz climbed to the second-lowest score after shooting a 6-under par 136 (71 Grand Forks’ Cole Hanson also finished with a 136 (69 Moorhead’s Jon Miller completed the qualifying rounds with a 5-under par 137 (66 The Championship division was cut to the lowest 64 scores that will begin match play on Thursday The only age restriction for the Championship division is golfers have to be 16 years old all ages are welcome if they are willing to challenge the top competition of the tournament Melhus could play in the Mid-Am division but he enjoys what the young guns bring to the table and it gets you energized and ready to go watching these young guys as well as they play,” Melhus said Everyone's usually just a treat to play with.” The biggest difference between their games is the youngsters hit the ball further giving them an advantage but Melhus has the experience and knowledge of the course to keep up with the long drivers So just prepare yourself and do the best you can and hopefully good things happen.” But Melhus continually tries to pick up on certain tendencies that he picks up from the younger competition play a lot smarter with really good course management,” Melhus said “You always try to learn anything off any golfer and you hit particular shots and different strategies — University of Nebraska–Lincoln doctoral student Karen Da Silva has been honored with the I.E Melhus Graduate Student Symposium award from the American Phytopathological Society (APS) in agronomy and horticulture with a specialization in plant pathology Melhus Graduate Student Symposium award,” said Sydney Everhart assistant professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Da Silva’s adviser “I’m happy that she will be recognized for her excellence and engagement in both research and leadership.” Joe Louis Harold and Esther Edgerton Assistant Professor in the Department of Entomology also serves as Da Silva’s adviser Melhus Graduate Student Symposium is held each year at the APS annual meeting The symposium features graduate student research around a central theme The topic for this year’s symposium is “Molecular basis of plants and plant-microbe interactions: Today’s students build the foundation for next level plant disease resistance.” Only four to five nominations are accepted each year Da Silva will give a 30 minute presentation on her research during the national meeting Her research focuses on whether plant host resistance to a biotrophic pathogen predisposes the plant to attack by chewing insects Da Silva earned a bachelor’s in agronomy from São Paulo State University in Brazil in 2011 and a master’s in entomology from Nebraska in 2015 Some parts of this site work best with JavaScript enabled have long evocatively expressed the difficulty of such a time speaking to the joys and struggles of getting out of the trappings of childhood Rob Reiner’s 1986 classic Stand By Me remains one of the coming-of-age genre’s greatest tales, with the Stephen King adaptation speaking to one idyllic day in the life of four best friends, which switches when they discover a dead body. While Reiner’s film defines a definitive endpoint of childhood, Frank Perry’s 1968 classic The Swimmer suggests that nostalgia can imprison people in a torment of their own making Such entertaining expressions of the adolescent transition are explored in Bjørn Melhus’ 1997 short film No Sunshine which was originally created as a looping art installation with viewers flocking to the film thanks to its nightmarish take on the death of childhood and the embrace of adolescence Perhaps ‘surreal’ is an understatement, too, with the film beginning by zooming into some sort of organism or human cell, in which two Playmobil-looking humanoids float in empty space and communicate using only sound bites from early Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson songs Made to the rhythm of an odd occupying beat No Sunshine initially feels like the product of an over-ambitious and slightly unhinged young experimental musician stringed instruments take over and build to a grand crescendo and we zoom into a fleshy television behind the two figures where a pair of pink humans perform some sort of ritualistic dance Explaining the remainder of the film feels needless as eerie surrealism takes hold Melhus seems to let himself frolic in boundless creativity reaching into the subconscious of his childhood to bring No Sunshine to life Supposed to represent this complex emotional period of adolescent transition, the two central Playmobil figures float in the red dystopia of the human body itself as idealistic, infantile representations of childhood. Such figures “set the stage for the perception of the world and the playful coming to terms with it for many children,” as detailed in Melhus’ portfolio An experimental art installation in the best way possible Melhus also describes his work as a “tragicomedy” and isn’t against the idea that his expression of what a child is and is expected of them in respect to social norms when the pink humanoid breaks out in song towards the end of the short it’s difficult not to totally double over in laughter at the sheer audacity of the film’s surrealism it seems to access something strangely profound almost like one’s inner child is singing and boogying along to the nonsense While some viewers may connect with Stand By Me or The Swimmer Mount Bohemia on Michigan's Upper Peninsula is Midwest backcountry adventure at its finest Mount Bohemia's reputation certainly precedes it which was why I finally found myself there last winter perched high atop the plateau on the northern tip of Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula As I took in a breathtaking view of Lac La Belle — a frozen inlet off the sprawling south shore of Lake Superior — it immediately became clear why I had needed to experience this wonderland for myself I strapped into my snowboard and stood agape at the elegant simplicity before me an untamed fluffy wilderness splayed out for exploration and escape Mount Bohemia boasts not just the highest vertical drop in the Upper Midwest (about 900 feet topping Minnesota’s Lutsen) but also nearly 300 inches of lake-effect snow each winter As I leaned forward and down into the steep face of this relatively speaking small mountain it was clear from my first high-edge turns that I was descending into the same rush I felt when I first began shredding nearly 30 years ago This unkempt playground was different — not like the Rockies or Northeast slopes but rather the Northwoods of my Midwestern youth: rising and falling dense forest ravines and bluffs; cold echoes of cracking branches and twigs; whoops of joy in the distant frozen air This Bohemia is Midwest backcountry adventure at its finest — an adventure of your own making but at six hours by minivan across the Wisconsin woods That was one of my biggest calculations last winter Paul "powder dads" and I began plotting a realistic 72-hour getaway Over more than 20 years as a snowboard instructor I'd heard repeated stories of this mystical snow globe Shangri-La of the Upper Peninsula — mostly from fellow instructors "Mount Bohemia does not disappoint," raved one on social media "It is a place like nowhere else in the country with runs like nowhere else in the country," Nick Nerbonne media relations director for Pure Michigan "They deliver a product that is the real deal." This big cape on Lake Superior has always held an allure These 625 acres were dubbed Bohemia shortly after Michigan statehood, by miners exploring for copper and iron in 1845 leaving this tip of land mostly undeveloped but for Houghton 8,386 — home of the original Michigan Mining School (now Michigan Technological University) opened in 2000 on a gamble and a hunch by Lonie Glieberman a former Canadian Football League executive from Detroit "I had people tell me I was the stupidest person in the entire ski industry," Glieberman told me after I'd been wowed by Bohemia on my own "They assured me it would fail." the resort ran on a shoestring for more than a decade struggling to draw skiers and snowboarders with six yurts providing space for bathrooms But word of mouth began taking off with the advent of social media 1 for powder skiing east of the Rockies in 2013 Glieberman also launched a YouTube channel The resort, with its playful anti-establishment approach, was here to stay. That's for sure: On Friday, Mount Bohemia was named the No. 1 ski resort of 2023 in the USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards (Minnesota's Lutsen Mountains came in fourth.) Mount Bohemia is nothing like a Western ski resort Two-lane country roads lead to a deep-woods snow-packed gravel parking lot full of RVs (yes and skiers of all ages suiting up for the day's adventure There's no ticket window — just a 'sup-dude powder hound in a fat leather chair in the corner of the log-cabin bar it's still serviced by the same two chairlifts from 2000 (one of which is in the process of a multi-season upgrade) The bulk of Bohemia's trails end on gravel roads near shuttle stops along the forest's edge microwave soups and sandwiches — is available in the spiderweb of yurts next to the bar survive-at-your-own-risk adult playground — like if you built a tow rope and homemade jumps in your backyard and invited 1,000 of your friends though once you're in the thick of the backwoods the areas bleed together so closely it's often difficult to know where one begins or ends The front face of the mountain makes for the steepest open runs that flow into long mellow glides back to the base The backside is where the true adventure awaits with a dealer's choice of trails: a bevy of long or a wingding buffet of tree runs through places with names like Middle Earth These aren't the tree runs you see out West tree runs are deep-welled glades so thick and shady and steep that at times you're bound to come out bruised birch and maple trees spreading thick across gullies was a feeling of constant dancing and dodging trunks and branches in a fluffy skate park dipping and table-topping natural features before graduating into ever faster but I think it’s important to say it’s not just for experts only “This isn’t a place for 4- and 5-year-olds the uniqueness of the place made for exhilarating shred after shred — capped with shuttle bus rides back to the base with like-minded Bohemians sharing the joys of our exploits before another refill before ending the day with singalongs in the Nordic spa pool Where: Mount Bohemia (mtbohemia.com) is about 400 miles or 6 hours northeast of the Twin Cities Where to stay: Don't expect traditional ski lodges and hotels The ski area offers around 50 billings — trailside cabins What to do: Mount Bohemia is for intermediate and expert skiers and snowboarders Nordic skiing and snowshoeing is available nearby but does have a small repair and retail shop Also: Houghton (visithoughton.com) is also home to picturesque Mont Ripley, a public skiing, snowboarding and tubing area that serves a range of skills (mtu.edu/mont-ripley). Troy Melhus is a St. Paul writer and professional snowboard instructor at Vail Ski Resort in Colorado. No Section Peek inside homes for sale in the Twin Cities area After falling behind 17-0 at halftime and being dominated most of the game the Bulldogs may have locked up a spot in the College Football Playoff Lynn was a devoted Cosmetologist and owned Dynamic Hair Design for 25 years She was very successful from the first day she opened her salon Lynn sold her business in 2000 and went to work for Melhus Management In 2009 the owner of the apartment complex she managed Lynn Ford decided to break ties with Melhus and have Lynn manage his properties independently managing and caring for the residents at Summit-Breckenridge Apartments Lynn belonged to the cosmetologist association for many years Kim Dickson; her former husband and friend Vanderford; her significant other of 32 years who called her “Minnesota Grandma”; Lynn (Ed) Tousley and Lynn’s son Diane Bolander; many special grand nieces and nephews 2022 at Williams Lobermeier Boettcher Funeral Home Memorials to Animal Allies would be appreciated Registration for the Vertical MRO Conference in Kelowna B.C. is now open! Click here to learn more. Helitrans AS becomes the sole owner of the Icelandic helicopter company Þyrluþjónustan ehf which owns “Reykajvík Helicopters” and “Helo” HELITRANS AS was founded in 1990 and is one of the largest helicopter companies in the Nordics They own and operate 26 helicopters that operate at the company’s 15 bases The company also has a flight and helicopter school in Sweden The company’s head offices are at Værnes Airport in Trondheim states that Helitrans has been in partnership with the Þyrluþjónustuna for a period of time and has built up a good level of expertise in the Icelandic market He is also looking forward to working in the Icelandic market which offers a growing need for helicopter services Iceland is an attractive tourist destination and many have put the island on their “bucket list” through all the wonderful sights that Iceland has to offer Helitrans will also be able to contribute highly skilled pilots for flying with suspended loads and building power lines which are the company’s special competencies Chairman of Þyrluþjónustan ehf says that the acquisition represents a big step into the future for helicopter operations in Iceland especially for our employees and customers Helo and Reykjavik Helicopter are quite well know brands in Iceland and Helitrans will just make them stronger The last few years have been exciting and challenging to operate and I am grateful to our employees and customers Helitrans has 18 Leonardo AW09 helicopters on order which will be deployed on the Norwegian and Icelandic markets in line with the company’s expansion plans For more information, Fjölvar Darri Rafnsson, chairman of Þyrluþjónustan ehf, can be contacted at darri@helo.is, and Ole Christian Melhus, managing director of Helitrans AS, at ole.christian.melhus@helitrans.no This press release was prepared and distributed by Helitrans. and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Bell 525 Walkaround: The First Commercial Fly-by-Wire Helicopter Bell 505 Contact seller for price Year: 2022 Click on the button below to send an email to our team and we will get to it as soon as possible Have a story idea you would like to suggest Paul native and Vail snowboard instructor compares his favorite winter destinations along the I-70 corridor Plus: Essential tips on getting to the mountains no two Colorado mountain towns are the same Each of the major ski resorts along Interstate 70 in Summit and Eagle counties has a personality and vibe all its own When skiers and snowboarders ask me for my recommendations I always ask what kind of Colorado adventure they’re looking for Here’s how I describe and rate the “Big 5.” From shredding the gnar to shopping and pampering there’s ample snow terrain for every skill level: easy green-groomed runs for beginners and black diamond runs that will leave your heart pounding in your throat walkable and affordable Old West main street experience here — with dozens of shops and restaurants lining blocks of amiable sidewalks If Disneyworld was a ski resort — Keystone is as close to a perfect family destination as you can find It isn’t as much a traditional town as it’s a “resort village” that effectively rolls up the sidewalks each night after the runs shut down from a bustling children’s ski school to steep-and-deep back country runs for their parents heated pools and early bedtimes in the condo I love that it’s the only major resort on the I-70 corridor to offer night skiing As one of the few I-70 resorts that aren’t part of the Vail Resorts family Copper Mountain is a pinnacle for some of the best snowsport athletes on the planet dreamy and my ideal destination when I just want to open the throttle it’s also one of the few Colorado locations to boast a world-class The resort is also home to Woodward Copper (“The Barn”) year-round training facility for some of the best athletes and Olympians from around the world With more than 5,300 acres at Colorado’s largest ski resort it feels like you can float on these runs forever Vail Resorts’ flagship location is not for everyone The front side offers everything from thick tree runs to steep-and-deep chutes to a single run nearly four miles long while the backside sprawls into bowls and valleys so far into the distance that you’ll feel like you’ve fallen off the grid The town of Vail itself is classy and magical Beaver Creek would be my mountain of choice Avon — at the base of Beaver Creek Resort — would be the postcard as well as a top-notch community center and swimming pool for those apres nights.The resort itself looks like something out of a fairy tale Everything from the perfectly groomed runs for all skill levels to the warm chocolate chip cookies served slopeside by chefs at the end of the day A fabulous place to stay — not to mention some of the best hot pho west of the Vail Pass Paul writer and a snowboard instructor at Vail for over a decade The weather is real. Even for a Minnesotan, winter driving is something to take seriously here. Even if you think your wheels and skills can tackle the slick roads, you’re not going anywhere if the state patrol shuts the roads down. And they do. A lot. Pack snacks, be flexible, and be prepared to possibly miss a flight because of weather. Follow the Colorado DOT on X and download their app for the latest road safety information Consider a shuttle. Consider any one of the multiple companies that offer shuttle vans that, for a flat rate, can take you and your equipment to the base of any single resort or your VRBO. For that matter, the Amtrak and “ski train” returns this year, connecting Denver to Winter Park Resort. If you rent a car, pack your patience. Renting a car at Denver International is a lengthy slog from the baggage carousels to a packed shuttle bus — and then extended waits. Reserve early and smart: Don’t be that ski tourist who tries to brave mountain roads in an economy compact. A 2019 Colorado traction law requires vehicles to meet certain winter-weather requirements, and if you slide out and block traffic, you could face a fine of $650 or more. Don’t measure your trips in distance. The 80 miles to Breckenridge sounds deceptively close, but it’s not uncommon for that trip to take two to three hours. Two-lane traffic can be excruciating, not to mention the hair-raising switchbacks. One of the biggest challenges heading west is Vail Pass. The views are breathtaking, but that final leg makes for an exhausting and ear-popping roller coaster into the Vail Valley every time. Travel These three cousins were dropped in the middle of the Denali backcountry with nothing to do but explore The Mile High City leads the way for marijuana vacation appeal State and federal officials shared what documents Minnesotans will need ahead of the Real ID Act’s May 7 deadline Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information The company is betting that a weaker peso will attract foreigners and a recession at home will boost domestic travel chief executive officer of the Argentine unit which began selling tickets Tuesday for in-country flights in Argentina to begin Oct is pushing for its low-cost flights to stand out in the middle of a currency rout 10.6.2021 13:29:26 CEST | Helitrans AS | Press release The Board of Helitrans AS and Richard Simonsen have agreed that he will resign as CEO with as of today Ole Christian Melhus (49) has been appointed acting CEO of Norway's largest domestic helicopter operator Melhus has since February held the role of chief operations officer at Helitrans and has over 30 years of experience in aviation as well as from various management positions at Norwegian.Ole Christian Melhus in Helitrans (Photo: Helitrans)"Ole Christian has impressed us with his clear he has gained the support of the employees and made a significant mark on the organization We are pleased that Ole Christian has agreed to lead the company during the next phase where we will build on our position as Norway's largest domestic helicopter operator while also continue to grow and strengthen ourselves within helicopter preparedness,” said chairman Bård Mikkelsen “I would like to thank Richard for his efforts and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours,” added Mikkelsen “I am grateful that the board has given me the opportunity to lead Helitrans through a necessary strategic change that will contribute to sustainable growth while at the same time strengthen us as Norway's best community for helicopter services and emergency preparedness I look forward to building on the solid expertise of the company and to working with fantastic colleagues at Helitrans,” said acting CEO Ole Christian Melhus Helitrans is Norway's largest domestic helicopter company with a fleet of 25 helicopters and 100 employees at a total of nine bases from Alta in the north to Stavanger in the south The main office is in Stjørdal in Trøndelag The company carries out assignments for several companies in the power and telecom industries and plays an important role in contingency planning for wildfires Helitrans also offers internal and external cargo flights and sightseeing Melhus will also lead two other companies in the Røysi group Melhus will join the boards of the two companies “Ole Christian has solid expertise in aviation he has extensive experience from strategic and operational leadership His ability to put plans into action will strengthen the company on its path to sustainable growth and contribute to us becoming a competence centre for domestic helicopter operations I am confident that we are better positioned than ever before to deliver products of the highest quality and safety to customers,” said Oddvar Røysi Investments in the helicopter service of the future Røysi Invest-owned Swiss Helikopter Norway AS entered into an agreement in 2017 as a distributor of AW09 helicopters in Norway Swiss Helikopter Norway AS has ordered 12 helicopters of the type AW09 and has an option to order another six The company is a launch customer for this type of helicopter Røysi Invest and Helitrans aim to become a competence centre for domestic helicopter operations That is why Røysi Invest has ordered two Airbus H125 helicopter simulators The simulators will be the first of their kind in the world and will help to raise the standard and safety culture of domestic helicopter training to the highest level with a fleet of 25 helicopters and 100 employees at a total of nine bases from Alta in the north to Ljosland in the south Subscribe to all the latest releases from Helitrans AS by registering your e-mail address below Styret i Helitrans AS har i dag blitt enige med administrerende direktør Richard Simonsen om at han fratrer sin stilling med umiddelbar virkning Ole Christian Melhus (49) konstitueres som administrerende direktør i Norges største innenlands helikopteroperatør med umiddelbar virkning Melhus har siden februar hatt rollen som driftsdirektør i Helitrans og har over 30 års fartstid fra luftfart og ulike topplederstillinger i Norwegian This article was published more than 5 years ago A fast-growing Vancouver company that has built a prosperous niche in the global travel market has raised $33-million from a U.S an online marketplace that connects travellers with 4,100-plus guides in 1,000 locations globally for private tours has received a minority investment from Austin The deal values the 186-person company at more than $100-million “This company has great momentum,” said Tritium partner Brett Shobe The service is essentially an Uber for travellers seeking experiences off the beaten path with local guides giving customized half-day or day-long tour of their cities for small groups they offering insights and interactions with locals Art history majors take customers around famous art museums while others lead genealogy tours for descendants of immigrants retracing their roots “We’re not for people who have price on the top of their list of considerations,” said chief executive officer and co-founder Paul Melhus adding the average customer is 60 years old and has a household income of US$200,000 typically more sophisticated travellers and fully independent Thirty per cent of the business is from repeat customers – one Florida couple has taken 83 tours Melhus said ToursByLocals follows up with every customer who gives a rating of four stars or less Glasgow and Kuala Lumpur offer 24-hour support for customers and guides “They’ve done a great job addressing the needs on both sides That’s positioned them well in a niche growing market,” Mr The idea for ToursByLocals came during a 2006 trip to the Great Wall of China by Mr The couple wanted to avoid bus tours and when they arrived two women offered them an engaging and informative talk – then hawked souvenirs at them It was awkward and “unfulfilling,” and the travellers bought things they didn’t want While that scenario is familiar to many world travellers who had met in 1982 at McGill University and then built an education-software company together saw a business opportunity providing a reliable trustworthy and simple platform that connected tourists with vetted local guides personalized and unique experiences – leaving everyone happier “We spend a lot of time upfront making sure every guide is high quality and will give a desirable experience for our travellers,” Mr In the fall of 2008 they began recruiting guides and sold 79 tours in 2009 The company keeps 20 per cent of gross sales which were $70-million in its past fiscal year and have been rising by about 40 per cent annually Shobe said ToursByLocals has tapped into several trends including growing demand for customized and authentic experiences He said Tritium will help recruit seasoned executives and guides and expand marketing Melhus said the founders decided to seek outside private funding after years of unsolicited entreaties which was content to buy a non-controlling stake “was in the spot we were looking for,” he said The co-founders are receiving an unspecified portion of the financing for part of their stakes We don’t have any particular interest in riding off into the sunset at this point We want to see what the company can become.” Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Editorial code of conduct Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. 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For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions DETROIT LAKES – Thursday at the Pine to Palm Golf Tournament means stroke play is put aside and golfers are paired up as match play begins. Competitors in all divisions battle one-on-one to see who comes out on top. The day was full of upsets and close calls. One of the bigger upsets was No. 16 seeded and West Fargo, North Dakota native Alan Spriggs knocked out defending champ and No. 1 seeded Michael Melhus 3-and-2. Spriggs started the round 1-up after an early birdie. Melhus answered by winning hole No. 2 to tie things back up. Spriggs won the following two holes to take a 2-up lead. Melhus couldn’t cut into Spriggs’ lead as the two teed off on the 12th hole. Spriggs birdied the hole to take a 3-up lead with six left. The two players carded the same scores over the next four holes. Spriggs ended the defending champs' repeat title run after they both parred hole No. 16 and Spriggs was 3-up with two holes left. Spriggs will take on Moorhead’s Jeff Bernstrom in the second round of match play on Friday at 12:30 p.m. No. 5 seeded Detroit Lakes native Jason Justesen was upset by No. 12 seeded Coon Rapids, Minnesota native Brice Conner. The competitors went back and forth needing all 18 holes to decide a victor. After Justesen won holes No. 6 and 7 to bring the match back to even, Conner won the final two holes to move on to the winners' bracket. Conner will take on No. 4 seeded Joe Schornack with a Friday tee time of 12:30 p.m. The Pine to Palm defending champ Joshuaa Robards had a scare as No. 64 seed Scott Boehning took Robards down to the wire. After 18 holes of golf, extra holes were needed to determine the winner. Robards went 2-up after taking holes No. 6 and 7 after the pair remained even for the first five. Boehning cut Robards’ lead to 1-up after winning the ninth hole. Robards returned to 2-up after taking hole No. 12. Boehning did the near impossible by winning the final two holes to extend the matchup. After tying the first hole, both golfers found themselves in the rough on the right side of the fairway on hole No. 2. Boehning’s second shot went into the bunker to the right of the green and Robards laid his ball about 10 feet from the cup. After a successful out by Boehning, Robards’ putt sat right next to the hole putting pressure on his opponent. Boehning just missed his putt and Robards lived to see another day. Robards will put his talents against the No. 33 seeded in Andover native Jack Reinardy and tee off at 2:09 p.m. on Friday. The Senior Division had upsets galore on Day 1 of match play. No 24 seeded and Fargo native Kent Spriggs took down Bemidji native and No, 9 seeded Jeff Hendrickson 7 and 6. No. 22 seeded Paul Lykken, a Pelican Rapids native, moved on after defeating No. 11 seeded and Mayville native Neil Braaten 3-and-2. St. Paul’s No. 21 seeded Matthew Ericksen upset the 12th seeded Fargo, North Dakota native Hank Prien 1-up. Defending champion Bill Schommer continued his repeat run with a victory over No. 32 seeded and Naples, Florida native Ken Gaspar 6 and 5. Co-medalist and the No. 2 seeded Dave Haselrud moved on after defeating No. 31 seeded and Mayville, North Dakota native John Woxland 21 holes later. No. 3 seeded and Lake Park, Minnesota native Jay Peterson edged out No. 30 seeded Brad Ericksen of Eden Prairie, Minnesota 3-and-2. The Super Senior Division went almost as planned. Defending champion Bert Olson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, narrowly escaped the No. 16 seeded and Fargo, North Dakota native Rick Samson after a full round of golf. Olson was 1-up on Samson entering the final hole. The two carded the same score and Olson walked away as the victor. The lower seeds won as they should before Detroit Lakes’ Michael Seelye ruined the party. The No. 11 seeded Seelye upset No. 6 seeded Pelican Rapids, Minnesota native Chad Niles by one hole. Thursday: First round of match play begins for Championship, Mid-Am, Senior and Super Senior divisions. Friday: Match play continues for Champions, Mid-Am, Senior and Super Senior divisions Saturday: Second round of match play begins for Championship, Mid-Am, Senior and Super Senior divisions. Sunday: Semifinals of Championship Division in the morning. Finals for Championship, Mid-Am, Senior and Super Senior divisions later in the day. Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account After the COVID-19 lockdown last year shuttered the doors to long-term care homes the family of Jim O’Friel were only able to visit virtually and in some instances through a window Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience But it was a far cry from visiting face to face father and grandfather aged 83 who had a series of strokes and suffered from cognitive issues We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentJim’s wife April was eventually granted essential-visitor status at Eagle Ridge Manor in Port Moody but the rest of Jim’s family were unable to visit with him in person a result of relaxed restrictions as seniors in long-term care homes and the staff have been vaccinated Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? 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Elma Melhus was able to visit her dad for the first time in 14 months on April 1 Elma remembers the day very clearly because it was also her mom April’s birthday — and the first day of the eased restrictions The revised visitation rules allow up to two visitors at a time Eagle Ridge Manor is one of 151 care homes in the Fraser Health region The easing of restrictions is directly related to the vaccination of care home residents and staff Resident and staff vaccination rates have been at 90 per cent or more — greater than the 83 per cent vaccination of the entire population over 70 years of age The revised visitation rules still require wearing a medical-grade mask and proper hand hygiene “Our teams have worked hard to find ways to connect families virtually during the pandemic but we know in-person connections are so important,” says Dr Elma said you could tell the enforced isolation from the pandemic had been hard on her father who in his working life had been a horticulturist and then taught at what would later become the B.C He didn’t have many words he could use because of the strokes but he would say “coronavirus” and “trapped” when trying to communicate his feelings who used to dive into his home garden after work Her sister Sarah O’Friel also saw the change noted by Elma with Sarah saying it’s the first time you can see hope in his eyes It has made up for heartbreaking moments during the pandemic including the first time Elma’s mom April got to visit her dad after the full lockdown It was through a glass window — and they were both crying And there hasn’t been a full return to normal when you could rub shoulders with other residents bring the family dog and participate in a Christmas singing night who plans to bring a picture collage when she visits her grandfather And as family members have reunited after more than a year apart “I think they were so happy for everyone too,” said Elma ghoekstra@postmedia.com CLICK HERE to report a typo transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account You can read this article in 1 minuteGregor Gowans Figures from Norway's statistics office show that the costs of road transport operators increased 17% in Q3 2022 compared to the year before According to Norwegian road transport website tungt.no higher diesel prices accounted for just over 45% of this increase financing etc) were responsible for the rest Another interesting comparison that was made in tungt.no’s analysis is the disparity in the increase between Norway’s consumer price index which have risen by the aforementioned 17% The least affected businesses are those involved in relocation and waste disposal the largest increase (19.5%) has been faced by Norway’s timber transport industry Photo: Ole Husby from Melhus, Norway, CC BY-SA 2.0 Pölös Zsófia Journalist Trans.info | 5.05.2025 Agnieszka Kulikowska - Wielgus Journalist Trans.info | 5.05.2025 Sabina Koll Journalist Trans.info | 5.05.2025 GXO to manage Northern Italy transport operations for PRG retail groupPölös Zsófia Journalist Trans.info | 5.05.2025 Sign In Register