EVELETH

Prosecutors drop all charges in Iron Range Hells Angels case

Tom Olsen — Thu, 29 May 2025 20:47:48 GMT

VIRGINIA — Prosecutors have dismissed the cases against four members of the Iron Range Hells Angels motorcycle club accused of serious crimes including rape, kidnapping and assault.

Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Chris Florey said the alleged victims “are either unwilling or unable to testify at trial and the state cannot prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt” without their cooperation.

The notices of dismissal were filed late Wednesday, less than two weeks before the first defendant, Paul Anthony Debelak, 39, of Eveleth, was set to face a Virginia jury.

Also charged in the case were Jerand Paul French, 40, of Eveleth; Jake Douglas Novaczyk, 47, of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota; and Eric Anthony Newman, 50, of Gilman, Wisconsin.

Defense attorneys had aggressively challenged the allegations, arguing that witness accounts and physical evidence did not support the claims. They contended investigators were eager to bring charges against the club and also accused agents of intimidating witnesses and eavesdropping on privileged communications between jailed defendants and their attorneys.

The cases stemmed from allegations that a woman was sexually assaulted and a man was abducted and beaten at the Hells Angels' downtown Eveleth clubhouse.

Authorities previously reported that the man escaped from the group on crutches Nov. 28, 2023, and ran to the safety of police, expressing fear that members could find him.

Investigators said they went on to learn that both victims were visiting an Eveleth residence Nov. 27 when club members arrived. It was reported that the woman was raped there by Debelak and Newman.

The man, meanwhile, was allegedly taken to the clubhouse in a van driven by Novaczyk. He said he continued to be beaten by French, the chapter’s president, as other members recorded video.

Authorities released few details about the alleged motive or relationships between parties, other than to say that French was allegedly upset about the man's association with the woman.

Defense attorneys, however, alleged that investigators were looking to implicate the club in serious crimes to justify a Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigation that had been ongoing since at least June 2023.

The attorneys asserted that the alleged victims had been using drugs, a practice that is not tolerated by the Hells Angels, and that they concocted the narrative. They said other witnesses in the house told agents the rape and kidnapping did not occur, and that there was no DNA evidence to support it.

Judge Robert Friday last month upheld charges against Debelak and Newman, ruling there was no attorney-client breach when Debelak subjected his communications to law enforcement monitoring after failing to use the proper channels to contact his lawyer from jail.

The judge also said interview recordings failed to substantiate claims from three defense witnesses that they were threatened with prosecution if they did not comply with orders of BCA agents.

A similar challenge was still pending from French and Novaczyk before Judge Andrew Peterson.

Testimony at a November hearing centered on authorities learning that Novaczyk planned to surprise the state by demanding a speedy trial — a fact Florey promptly disclosed to defense counsel after learning it from a BCA agent who was privy to the jail communication.

Also highlighted by the defense was a statement from Gilbert Police Chief Ty Techar that he believed BCA Special Agent Cory Skorczewski was “going off the deep end.” Techar later clarified he was advised Skorczewski was "stressed and overworked from this case.” Skorczewski testified that he was on medical leave but denied it had to do with the Hells Angels case.

Three of the defendants had been free on bond while awaiting trial. Newman is still in custody as he faces a probation violation stemming from an earlier offense.

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Tori Bess left a Minnesota home 12 years ago, leaving the front door open. She's never returned

Brielle Bredsten — Wed, 28 May 2025 12:15:00 GMT

EVELETH, Minn. — It’s been over 12 years since Tori Jean Grace Bess was last seen.

The circumstances surrounding her disappearance are unclear, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said.

The Duluth News Tribune reported in October 2013 that the Eveleth Police Department claimed Bess arrived in the Iron Range in late October or early November 2012 to attend a funeral in Aurora or Hoyt Lakes. She stayed with a person in Eveleth until she disappeared Feb. 21, 2013.

According to The Charley Project, Bess left abruptly without notifying anyone or taking her belongings, which disappeared two days later. The person she was staying with said the front door was found open.

Eveleth police and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension believe that Bess had contact with or was given assistance by someone in the area during the days surrounding her departure, the Mesabi Tribune reported.

Bess was 36 at the time of her disappearance. She is described as Caucasian with blond hair and green eyes, 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing 155 pounds. According to NamUs, Bess has tattoos on her right leg, neck and back.

The Pioneer Press reported Bess had unspecified medical issues.

Bess has a history of a transient lifestyle with previous addresses in California, Oregon and Arizona. Before her disappearance, Bess expressed a desire to return to a warmer climate.

The Red Bluff (Calif.) Daily News reported that Bess was arrested May 26, 2011, in Tehama County, California, for fleeing from police in a vehicle. The article said that Bess, then 34, of Grants Pass, Oregon, was involved in a robbery and charged with accessory after the fact, conspiracy to commit a crime and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Contact the Eveleth Police Department at 218-744-7560 with any information.

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Minnesota school administrator arrested for child solicitation

Tom Olsen — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 19:27:00 GMT

VIRGINIA — The dean of students at Rock Ridge High �� in Minnesota allegedly sent sexually explicit images and messages to a minor in the Atlanta area.

Christopher John Chad, 51, of Eveleth, also received child sexual abuse material online and described “grooming” the juvenile, according to court filings. Chad is the dean of students for the Virginia, Minnesota, secondary school.

Chad was arrested Tuesday night by the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant issued by Fulton County, Georgia. He is expected to make a court appearance locally to face extradition proceedings.

Sgt. Eric Sathers said the sheriff’s office is also continuing a local investigation for his alleged receipt of the abuse material. Authorities said there is no evidence of any local victims.

At least some of the communications occurred while Chad was at work, authorities wrote in search warrants, and other identifying details were traced to his Eveleth home.

“We understand that this news is deeply concerning," Superintendent Noel Schmidt wrote in a letter to staff and families Wednesday. “Please know that the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remain our highest priority, and we will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement officials in their investigation. Anyone with information pertaining to this case is encouraged to contact the police.”

Multiple tips were referred to local law enforcement by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on March 5.

Warrants were executed the following day at Rock Ridge and Chad’s home and car by the sheriff’s office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Lake Superior Forensic Technology and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

According to the warrant applications:

The messaging app Kik reported that a user with the name “mr.cheese2024,” later identified as Chad, had been receiving abuse material from another user via private chat in recent months.

The other user stated he had a “boy lover” of age 10-13 and went on to describe graphic sexual details, with Chad posing multiple questions, stating that he was “super jealous” and inquiring about how he could find his own child to abuse.

The other user went on to describe multiple additional children he had assaulted, including one as young as 3. Chad wrote that he’d “lean towards the 13 side, personally” but agreed to receive several images of younger children.

“You can share anything with me,” he wrote, going on to make sexual comments about multiple images of prepubescent children.

Investigators described the chats as “extensive” and said Chad continued to receive abuse material from the other man, expressing an interest in “boy with boy” or “boy with man.”

He also went on to describe how he was grooming a boy online by sharing images of his genitals.

A separate tip, being investigated by Georgia authorities, showed Chad communicating with an apparently underage child — discussing matters including school and homework before becoming sexual in nature.

Chad reportedly sent multiple selfies and nude photographs to the child, as well as discussing sexual activities and purchasing Christmas gifts for the boy.

Kik provided an email address used by the “mr.cheese2024” account, and a subpoena sent to Yahoo revealed his name and phone number. At least some of the images also depicted his yard and a neighboring garage, and others were apparently taken in Rock Ridge’s auditorium and bathroom.

Investigators received permission from Judge Michelle Anderson to photograph the interior of his residence and Rock Ridge, as well as his chest and arms for identifying tattoos seen in the images.

Numerous electronic devices were also seized from his home and the school, along with multiple articles of clothing and a stuffed animal, as depicted in the Kik photos.

Schmidt said Chad was placed on administrative leave when his office was searched March 6, and he “will not be permitted on school property as the legal process unfolds.”

The superintendent said school officials only learned from media reports Wednesday that some of his actions reportedly occurred while on school grounds.

While reiterating that there is no belief that any Rock Ridge students were involved, Schmidt said the school has counselors available to support pupils struggling with the news.

Chad was promoted to dean of students last fall at an annual salary of $90,420, according to public records. He stated in an August letter of interest that he taught mathematics for 20 years, the last 13 with Eveleth-Gilbert and Rock Ridge. He was also a leader in extracurricular activities, including plays and speech.

Extradition paperwork had yet to be filed as of Wednesday afternoon.

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Fourth man charged in Iron Range Hells Angels kidnapping, rape

Tom Olsen — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 14:54:05 GMT

VIRGINIA, Minn. — A fourth man has been arrested and charged in connection with a kidnapping and rape allegedly perpetrated by Hells Angels members in Eveleth.

Eric Anthony Newman, 48, of Gilman, Wisconsin, was arraigned Monday on charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, false imprisonment and fifth-degree assault.

Newman, who has a long history of violent crime, is one of two defendants accused of sexually assaulting a woman at an Eveleth residence in late November. A man also was beaten and taken to the local Hells Angels clubhouse, where the chapter president reportedly planned to hold him for a "few months," according to court documents.

The charges against Newman were filed in mid-December, but the case remained under seal at the request of St. Louis County prosecutor Chris Florey, who expressed concern that Newman would flee if the case's existence were publicly disclosed prior to his arrest. He was taken into custody in Taylor County, Wisconsin, last week and then extradited to Minnesota.

Others already arrested and charged in the case are: Jerand Paul French, 38, of Eveleth; Paul Anthony Debelak, 38, of Eveleth; and Jake Douglas Novaczyk, 45, of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota.

According to court documents, the male victim was found limping and shaking in apparent fear near the Eveleth Police Department by Chief Jesse Linde on the evening of Nov. 28. He declined medical attention and was dropped off with another person.

Police went on to view city cameras in the area, finding that the victim apparently left the Hells Angels clubhouse, 413 Grant Ave., on crutches. Two men gave chase before he was able to make it to the area of the police station, about two blocks away.

The man and a female victim went on to meet with investigators on Dec. 1. Documents say the man, who still had bruising on his leg, expressed fear that the motorcycle club members could find them and disclosed that French, the president, had been upset about his association with the female victim.

Investigators said both victims were visiting a residence on Summit Street in Eveleth on Nov. 27 when the defendants arrived. French allegedly dragged the man downstairs, repeatedly punching and kicking him, while Newman grabbed the woman by the throat and dragged her to the base of the stairs. She told investigators that she was then forced into a bathroom, where both Debelak and Newman raped her.

Criminal complaints say the male victim was then brought to the clubhouse, where French continued to assault him as other members recorded video. He reportedly informed the victim he would remain there "for the next few months and could not leave."

The man, however, escaped to the police department the next day when a prospect escorted him to a gas station. He told police he "decided to make a run for it," ditching the crutches as he hurried toward the safety of the police chief.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension executed a search warrant at the Summit Street address on Dec. 8, finding the home "extremely filthy" with the exception of the "spotless" bathroom, which had a bleach jug sitting near the sink.

Two men at the house acknowledged that the Hells Angels president and others had showed up on Nov. 27, assaulting the male victim and taking him out to a van, according to the complaint. Asked about the rape, one reportedly started crying and denied that it had occurred.

Police said street cameras near the Grant Avenue clubhouse also confirmed the group arriving with the kidnap victim around 12:55 p.m. that day. Both victims, in separate interviews, went on to identify Novaczyk as the driver of the van.

Newman has been described in prior court documents as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from military service.

He was sentenced in 1996 to 12 ½ years in federal prison after pleading guilty to robbing a Wisconsin bank and using a sawed-off shotgun in the commission of a violent crime. He was granted supervised release in 2007, but was soon sent back to prison after leading officers on a high-speed chase in the Eau Claire area.

He was subsequently convicted of a number of other crimes in Wisconsin, including forgery, aggravated battery, resisting or obstructing an officer, disorderly conduct, fleeing police in a vehicle, theft and damage to property. He was also convicted of fifth-degree assault in Carlton County in 2017.

Newman is currently on probation for a March 2022 incident in which he fled from a St. Louis County sheriff's deputy before engaging in a physical struggle and grabbing at the officer's firearm holster in the Embarrass area.

He pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, fourth-degree assault of a police officer and impaired driving, but received a favorable sentence under a 2021 law that gives military veterans a second chance. Under the agreement, the charges would be dismissed if he successfully completes five years of supervised probation, including participation in the Veterans Treatment Court program.

Judge Bhupesh Pattni on Monday set bail at $750,000, though a probation violation hold currently precludes any opportunity for release. Debelak and Novaczyk also remain in jail, while French has posted bond.

All four are slated to make court appearances Jan. 16.

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Third man charged in Iron Range Hells Angels kidnapping, assault

Tom Olsen — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 20:23:40 GMT

VIRGINIA — A third man was arrested last week for his alleged role in a kidnapping and rape reportedly involving several Iron Range Hells Angels members.

Jake Douglas Novaczyk, 45, of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, is charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment and fifth-degree assault in connection with the late November incident.

A criminal complaint alleges that Novaczyk drove a van that transported a kidnapping victim to the motorcycle club's Eveleth headquarters, where the group's president reportedly beat him and planned to hold him for a "few months."

The charges were filed Dec. 15, but the arrest warrant initially remained under seal at the request of St. Louis County prosecutor Chris Florey, who expressed concern that "any publication of this complaint (would) cause (Novaczyk) to take active steps to avoid apprehension in this matter."

Two other men had already been apprehended. The president, 38-year-old Jerand Paul French, of Eveleth, faces identical charges as Novaczyk. A prospective member, Paul Anthony Debelak, 38, of Eveleth, also faces the same counts, in addition to first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The male victim was found limping and shaking in apparent fear near the Eveleth Police Department by Chief Jesse Linde on the evening of Nov. 28. The complaint says he broke down crying but denied medical attention. He indicated he lived out of town and Linde dropped him off with another person.

Police went on to view city cameras in the area, finding that the victim apparently left the Hells Angels clubhouse, 413 Grant Ave., on crutches around 6 p.m. Two men gave chase before he was able to make it to the area of the police station, about two blocks away.

The man and a female victim went on to meet with investigators on Dec. 1. The complaint says the man, who still had bruising on his leg, expressed fear that the Hells Angels could find them and disclosed that the president had been upset about his association with the woman.

Investigators said both victims were visiting a residence on Summit Street in Eveleth on Nov. 27 when several men, including French, Debelak and Novaczyk, arrived. The president allegedly dragged the man downstairs, repeatedly punching and kicking him, while Debelak forced the woman into a bathroom. She told investigators that both Debelak and another man raped her.

The complaint says the man was then brought to the clubhouse, where French continued to assault him as other members recorded video. He reportedly informed the victim he would remain there "for the next few months and could not leave."

Records indicate Novaczyk has an extensive criminal history, with at least five felony convictions in Minnesota. His rap sheet includes several instances of domestic assault and theft-related crimes, along with offenses involving drugs, impaired driving and fleeing police.

Judge Michelle Anderson set bail at $500,000. He remained at the St. Louis County Jail on Friday, as did Debelak, whose bail is set at $500,000 with conditions or $750,000 without.

French was released Dec. 14 after posting an unconditional $500,000 bond.

Novaczyk is set to appear in court again on Tuesday, while his two co-defendants are due back on Jan. 16.

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Eveleth Hells Angels president charged with kidnapping, assault

Tom Olsen — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 01:30:56 GMT

VIRGINIA, Minn. — The president of the Iron Range Hells Angels motorcycle club has now been charged with kidnapping and beating a man, whom he reportedly planned to hold at the group's clubhouse for a "few months."

Jerand Paul French, 38, of Eveleth, was arraigned Wednesday, Dec. 13, in State District Court on charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment and fifth-degree assault in the late November incident that also allegedly involved the rape of a woman by other members.

Court documents allege that French initiated the attack after the male victim refused his command to stop associating with the female victim.

A prospective member of the group, Paul Anthony Debelak, 37, of Eveleth, was charged Tuesday with the rape and other related crimes. A third man was released from jail without immediate charges, but the investigation remains ongoing.

The male victim was found limping and shaking in apparent fear near the Eveleth Police Department by Chief Jesse Linde on the evening of Nov. 28. A criminal complaint says he broke down crying but denied medical attention. He indicated he lived out of town and Linde dropped him off with another person.

Both victims went on to meet with investigators on Dec. 1. The complaint says the man, who still had bruising on his leg, expressed fear that the Hells Angels could find them and disclosed that the president had been upset about his association with the woman.

Investigators said both victims were visiting a residence on Summit Street in Eveleth on Nov. 27 when French, Debelak and two other men arrived. The president allegedly dragged the man downstairs, repeatedly punching and kicking him, while Debelak forced the woman into a bathroom. She told investigators that both Debelak and another man raped her.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension executed a search warrant at the Summit Street residence last Friday, finding the home "extremely filthy" with the exception of the "spotless" bathroom, which had a bleach jug sitting near the sink.

Police said street cameras near the Grant Avenue clubhouse also confirmed the group arriving with the kidnap victim around 12:55 p.m. that day.

French has prior convictions, including first-degree burglary, third-degree assault and several disorderly conduct offenses in Minnesota, along with misdemeanor battery in Florida. His leadership of the local Hells Angels chapter was openly discussed as he unsuccessfully sought the restoration of his firearm rights last year.

His attorney argued the group has been involved in charitable causes such as holiday toy drives, maintaining a working relationship with police without "one criminal incident or act of violence." But prosecutors warned of the notorious club's "history and reputation for violence."

"Disagreements and confrontations with members of other local motorcycle clubs, law enforcement and even the general public often lead to heated and emotionally charged situations," Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Bonnie Norlander wrote at the time.

Debelak, meanwhile, is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, false imprisonment and fifth-degree assault. He also has prior convictions, including domestic assault, reckless handling of a dangerous weapon, theft, and several alcohol-related driving offenses.

Judge Robert Friday set bail at $500,000 with conditions or $750,000 without for Debelak, and $300,000 conditional or $500,000 unconditional for French.

Both could face significant prison time if convicted, with St. Louis County prosecutor Chris Florey indicating he will seek aggravated sentences.

The BCA said the investigation is "active and ongoing," and additional charges could still be filed.

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'Hockeyland': Players and filmmakers talk about inside look at a northern Minnesota high school season

Jay Gabler — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 12:00:00 GMT

DULUTH — "Look at the flow, boys!" exclaimed Tommy Haines, popping into a Zoom meeting last week. "I love the flow happening there."

The filmmaker was reuniting virtually with Indio Dowd and Will Troutwine, two of the players featured in his new documentary "Hockeyland."

"You should have seen me a week back," said Dowd, a backward ball cap hardly hiding his magnificent head of hair. "I cut 4 inches off, almost."

Haines and his colleagues, including his brother and co-producer J.T. Haines, got to know the young men well during the 2019-20 filming of "Hockeyland," when the players were seniors in high school.

"We really were grateful for the trust that folks put in us," said J.T. Haines, noting that the filmmakers were present with players "in their homes, with their families at dinner, before and after practice. Lots of really important personal moments, so it's something that we did not take lightly."

"You got to know the guys," said Dowd about the filmmakers. "It made it feel like they wanted the best of you. They didn't want to just take the bad parts and make a movie of you; they wanted to make a movie with you."

"At first it was a little different," said Troutwine about having cameras present during his daily life. "As it went along, I got used to it. (The filmmakers) were all really nice. They made it really easy just to hang out and be yourself."

The 109-minute documentary, which follows the Hermantown Hawks and the Eveleth-Gilbert Golden Bears through a complete season, has been making the rounds of film festivals and is now receiving a release that begins on Friday at several dozen Minnesota theaters. Eventually, the release will expand to over 125 screens nationwide.

"This is by far a record for Northland Films," said J.T. Haines, referring to the Midwest-based production company he and his brother run with co-founder Andrew Sherburne. The filmmakers are calling "Hockeyland" the third film in a "hockey film trilogy" that previously included features on pond hockey and Olympic hockey.

Tommy Haines, who directed "Hockeyland," said he was hoping to portray "the true Minnesota hockey experience, through the eyes of the players that live it."

"The whole public school hockey program," added J.T. Haines, "is a really unique thing and people have very, very strong feelings about it. I think that's one of the things we especially wanted to capture."

As a high school sports story, "Hockeyland" has been compared to "Friday Night Lights" and "Hoosiers." As a documentary, though, the film finds its drama in its quieter moments — rather than the exaggerated histrionics familiar from fictional portrayals.

"It's not like 'Friday Night Lights,' where the coach is trying to get a kid who's injured on the ice, even if he blows his knee out," said Minnesota sportswriter Loren Nelson, an expert on prep hockey. "A lot of times, for drama purposes, you'll have the evil coach. ... I guess that makes for good entertainment, but I thought this movie was pretty accurate in that regard."

In "Hockeyland," both Hermantown coach Pat Andrews and Eveleth-Gilbert coach Jeff Torrel come across as supportive and empathetic. The film portrays both as closely connected to their communities, with Andrews returning to coach the same team he played on as an adolescent.

"These guys want to come back," said Nelson, who noted that in the 2022 Minnesota state hockey tournament, fully half of the 16 Class 1A and 2A head coaches were leading teams they once played for. "A lot of them have had good high school experiences, and they want to give back."

That loyalty starts early. It led Hermantown star Blake Biondi to stick with his school despite offers to leave and play for pro development teams.

"I would never change that in a million years," said Biondi, who now plays for the University of Minnesota Duluth and has been drafted by the Montreal Canadiens. He's also an athlete ambassador representing The Rink Live for Forum Communication Co. this upcoming season.

"I hope kids in Minnesota still know, if you're good enough, (pro teams) are going to find you. You can't get those years back, in your life."

Despite the similarities between the two programs featured in "Hockeyland," there are significant contrasts between them. For a long stretch in the 20th century, Eveleth was at the heart of Minnesota's — and America's — hockey country, reliably producing championship contenders. It's home to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

In recent decades, as the Iron Range has struggled to retain residents and resources, the tables have turned. By 2019, said Nelson, Eveleth-Gilbert weren't just underdogs: it was an outright "David versus Goliath setup" with Hermantown the near-unstoppable "juggernaut."

Turning out one of their strongest teams in years, the Golden Bears had to count it as a victory just to be competitive with the Hawks. At the end of the film, Eveleth-Gilbert's hockey program is shown merging with Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl to form the Rock Ridge Wolverines.

Some of the film's most evocative scenes feature ordinary life during a northern Minnesota winter. "You have kids shoveling rooftops," noted Tommy Haines. "You've got Indio and his brother riding four-wheelers in the middle of winter, or Will's (car is) getting pulled out of the snowbank (by) friends. They're figuring out how to do it on their own, as 16, 17 year olds."

The film has proved a window into the young players' lives even for their parents, Tommy Haines added. "We had some special screenings in Hermantown and in Hibbing earlier last year. Parents (were) coming up and saying that they're really glad to be able to see a little peek into the world of their kids," said Haines. "What that really looked like, to be in the locker room or to be on the ice."

"Hockeyland" also explores the players' relationships with their families. It's "dedicated to the spirit and memory of Lori Dowd," devoted mother of Indio and his brother Aydyn, both of whom played for Hermantown. In the film, Lori Dowd describes her treatment for cancer; she died in June 2022.

"Something that was always huge to her was promoting me and my brother's success," said Indio Dowd. "You can see in the movie how much effort she put into the two of us, and the team as well ... having that little piece of memory with her towards the end, something that will be there forever to remember her, is something that I can't thank enough about."

"You'll see that in both these towns," said Tommy Haines, "the parents are helping out with the concession stands or helping out doing parent nights and flooding the rinks at nights. So much community involvement by the parents and the people in those communities."

While mothers and fathers appear at length in "Hockeyland," the young women who are peers to the boys on ice appear only around the edges of the story, as cheerleaders and friends.

"Girls' hockey is huge in Minnesota," said J.T. Haines. "That would be an amazing story in itself. I think it's right to ask the question, should there be a story like this about girls' hockey? And I think the next question for us would be, could we have a role in supporting that?"

The film also doesn't address the fact that the hockey teams highlighted onscreen are overwhelmingly white. Tommy Haines said that in framing the story, he was conscious of his role as a filmmaker and the stories he was equipped to tell.

"In this case, J.T. and I felt like, we're from the Iron Range originally. This is a story that we know really well, and this is a story we feel like we can tell. The communities can trust us, not being outsiders coming in and just exploiting these towns or these stories."

Minnesota prep hockey, said Nelson, does not tend toward self-reflection regarding such topics. "I don't hear a lot of conversations about gender or race, and I don't know if that's an indictment or if it's just that it isn't really an issue that people around high school hockey are thinking about," Nelson said. "It's not something that I hear brought up in hockey circles very often. It's usually about the hockey, and really not a lot else."

"The thread that was always keeping us in line," said Tommy Haines, "was, what is (these players') experience? What are they dealing with? What are their challenges? What are their successes? What are their aspirations for the future?"

Tommy Haines said the future of "Hockeyland," as a film, will depend in large part on how well it does in Minnesota theaters. "Our distributor, Greenwich Entertainment, and we discussed, hey, let's not show it on the coasts first. Let's show it in Minnesota first. This is what this film is about, it's who it's for."

If the film does well in Minnesota, explained Tommy Haines, that could inspire more theaters nationally to book the movie. "For a small documentary outlet like Northland Films, this is a dream, for sure," he said. "We're competing against big Marvel films and massive budget films. We're up against those big guys now, so we'll see how it goes."

Whatever audience "Hockeyland" reaches, viewers who know Minnesota hockey agree that it stands as a true depiction of the teams and families onscreen. Those viewers include the players themselves.

Biondi, of Hermantown, said it was eye-opening to watch the finished film and learn more about the experiences of the players from Eveleth-Gilbert. "You definitely forget about stuff like that. You just don't even think about it, because you're in your own world and you're just trying to beat those guys," he said. "There's so much history between (Hermantown and Eveleth). It was cool to have them both featured."

Troutwine, of Eveleth-Gilbert, said people in his community have been pleased with the film. "I thought (the filmmakers) did a good job showing all the effort that everyone puts in," said Troutwine. "I thought it was portrayed well onscreen."

"We were all pleasantly surprised," said Dowd, of Hermantown. "We're all so tight-knit with our hockey group, and we all just care so much about that strong sense of community that we have." The film, said Dowd, "really showed why we're successful, why we're so close."

"In Minnesota, if you play high school hockey, you're playing, generally speaking, with the kid next door," said Nelson. "These guys all grew up together playing, and they're playing for their town. They're not just playing for two random team names. They're playing for their community."

For information on "Hockeyland" screenings, and appearances by people involved with the film, see hockeylandmovie.com.

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Made in Minnesota, 'Hockeyland' documentary hits theaters Sept. 9

Jay Gabler — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 20:48:37 GMT

DULUTH — "Hockeyland," a documentary feature that follows two Northland high school hockey teams through the 2019-20 season, will open in Minnesota movie theaters Sept. 9.

The film follows boys hockey players from Hermantown and Eveleth-Gilbert. It previously had premiere screenings in Minnesota theaters in February, and it's also been featured in several national documentary film festivals. A dozen Minnesota theaters, including the Hibbing Cinema 8 and Virginia's Cinema 6, have confirmed bookings starting Sept. 9. Later in September, the release will expand to other cities in the Midwest and ultimately elsewhere in the U.S. and Canada.

"Hockeyland" was directed by Tommy Haines, who co-produced the film with JT Haines (his brother) and Andrew Sherburne. Their company, Northland Films, is billing "Hockeyland" as the third feature in a trilogy of hockey movies including a 2008 pond hockey feature and a 2010 film about the U.S. hockey team that won gold in the 1960 Winter Olympics. Tommy and JT Haines grew up playing hockey in Mountain Iron.

The film is being distributed by Greenwich Entertainment, the company that also brought the Oscar-winning documentary "Free Solo" to theaters. "Their proven track record with action-oriented documentaries and art house audiences is a perfect combination for an observational coming-of-age hockey story," said Tommy Haines in a statement.

Critics have compared "Hockeyland" to "Hoosiers" and "Friday Night Lights." Writing in The Guardian, Dave Caldwell observed that "the film hammers home the fact that it is mighty cold during hockey season in northern Minnesota, with plenty of overhead shots of remote woodland, with bare tree limbs black next to the fallen snow on the ground. Best to watch this film in front of a fire."

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50 years later, Eveleth hockey hall right where it belongs

Brady Slater — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 17:08:47 GMT

EVELETH, Minn. — A person could write a book about the history of hockey in this single town of 3,500 that greets arrivals to the Iron Range.

In miniature, the book would tell a good story of American hockey from start to where the game is now.

“We’ve had hockey here since the late 1800s,” said Doug Palazzari, Eveleth native and one of the townsfolk for whom hockey was a passport to the world outside the range.

“We’ve had an indoor rink since 1917,” Palazzari continued. “So many players came out of here it was incredible.”

Palazzari is the executive director of the Eveleth-based United States Hockey Hall of Fame Museum. Built by a local contractor in 1972, and draped in flags bearing images of some of the country’s best men and women, the museum is situated — like a point defender ready with a slap shot — at the top of the city along U.S. Highway 53.

It’s been 50 years since the opening of the hall in the middle of the summer in 1973. Not to be confused with the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, the U.S. hall draws 12,000 visitors annually. Open daily in the summer, the hall receives busloads of youth hockey teams during its weekends of operation every winter.

The teams crawl across three levels of exhibits, leave puck streaks on the interactive shooting displays, and, generally, fill the museum with sounds that harmonize with echoes of the past.

“In the winter, teams come all the time,” Palazzari said. “In the winter, it’s mostly hockey teams.”

Palazzari and hall of fame board members Bob Pazzeli and Cal Cossalter guided the News Tribune through the hall last month, two weeks after it had hosted 400 guests for an open house.

“That was really special,” Pazzeli said. “Eveleth is a proud hockey town. We’re so honored and proud to have the hall of fame here to honor the American men and women who played this game.”

Like Pazzeli, retiring Iron Range state Sen. David Tomassoni played at the University of Denver after his prep career. Tomassoni, living with ALS, was in attendance at the recent open house. He called the museum “a national shrine,” and said it’s been his duty as a former player and state legislator to support the hall and see it through tough times, including its closure for a year beginning in 2006.

“It means the world to me to be a part of that and the fact that Eveleth is the birthplace of American hockey makes it that much more appropriate,” said the Chisholm native whose jersey for the Italian national team is displayed in the hall.

“Hockey gets in the blood,” Tomassoni added. “The outdoor rinks and the tenacity of the sport makes all hockey players members of that small world of the hockey player fraternity.”

As he points out items like an antique push-cart ice resurfacer, early skate sharpener, and, sheepishly, his own plaque among the hall of fame’s wall of inductees, Palazzari, who played on national teams and once led USA Hockey as its top executive, demurred on selecting a single jewel in the hall’s collection.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t want to put one thing over anything else.”

Among the hall’s prizes on display:

The annual Gretzky Award, given to a foreign influencer — and American Herb Brooks — who makes an impact on American hockey. “When 'Herbie' died they pretended he was international,” Palazzari said of the legendary coach. “Other than that, they’re all foreign.” The 1980 Team U.S.A. upset of Russia at the Winter Olympics is televised on loop at the hall, allowing visitors to relive Al Michaels uttering “Do you believe in miracles?” with 3 seconds left in the game. Televised footage of the 1960 U.S. gold medalists playing in the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics in California. A majestic powder blue flag from the 1980’s Lake Placid Olympics hangs above the main gallery. Flags of the retired numbers of former Minnesota North Stars. “Those are from the old Met Center,” Palazzari said. One of the Vezina trophies won by Eveleth’s Mr. Zero, the late Frank Brimsek, for being the National Hockey League’s best goaltender.

During its financial struggles earlier this century, USA Hockey arranged with the museum to take over annual induction ceremonies, moving them around to places like Boston, Philadelphia, Denver, Dallas and Buffalo.

It’s been a boon to the museum.

"The beauty of it is we don't have to pick them," Cossalter said. "We just celebrate them."

USA Hockey, based in Colorado Springs, described it as an ideal partnership.

“The group up in Eveleth and beyond: kudos to them,” said USA Hockey’s chief spokesperson Dave Fischer. “They were well ahead of their time. It’s a wonderful celebration of our sport and a shrine to the heroes of American hockey and its history.”

USA hockey is working with the Minnesota Wild to bring the next induction ceremony back to the state in December. The latest classes of honorees will be announced in August.

“We wanted to share the inductions with the country and it’s been good — we’ve been all over east and west,” Fisher said. “But for the 50th we’re looking to come back to Minnesota.”

The thought tickles Palazzari, who, in 12 years of leading the museum, has never raised ticket prices beyond the current $8 general admission.

“If you go on our web site you can get a half-price coupon,” he said. “You can’t beat that.”

He’s helped shore up financing by also partnering with the NHL’s Wild and Minnesota Historical Society. An annual golf tournament in August is the museum's major fundraiser, along with men's and women's Face-Off Classic hockey games that rotate around the country and feature collegiate powerhouses squaring off.

“I only see good,” Palazzari said when asked about the future of the hall. “We have the right people involved who want to make it great long-term, and it is. We have a really good product, and we want to just keep making it better and better as time goes on.”

Palazzari noted an upcoming exhibit in the hall will honor sled hockey and wounded veterans.

Coincidentally, the city of Eveleth’s Hippodrome, where so many of the city’s hockey stars drew the region’s attention to the ice, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, too.

Margie Koivunen is an Eveleth native and longtime owner of the Roosevelt Bar downtown. Long ago, Hamm’s Brewery financed the wooden bar Koivunen stood behind. She’s selling sweatshirts for a Hippodrome fundraiser behind the bar, and her place is the site of many team and class reunions.

"Hockey is its own little community," she said. "And they're all intertwined."

She helped cater the open house for the hall of fame museum, which at one point decades ago was debated to be housed in Boston.

“It’s where it should be,” Koivunen said. “It’s definitely where it should be. The group that’s involved right now has done a fantastic job promoting it, and this is definitely a hockey community.”

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77 years after his death in WWII, a Minnesota soldier to be buried in Washington

Dan Kraker / MPR News — Thu, 05 May 2022 15:37:12 GMT

DULUTH -- On February 3, 1945, Nando Cavalieri took off on a perilous mission.

A 24-year-old bombardier in the U.S. Army, he was born in Eveleth, on Minnesota’s Iron Range. That night his commanding officer assigned him to lead a squadron of 1,000 B17 Flying Fortress bombers over Berlin. His plane was named “Yankee Gal.”

Just 10 seconds after he dropped the bomber’s payload, anti-aircraft fire cut his “Yankee Gal” in half.

"There were no parachutes seen coming out,” said his nephew, Art Cavalieri. “There were no survivors."

Ever since Cavalieri was declared missing in action, his family has searched for him: first his parents, then his uncle, then his nephew.

And now, improbably, more than 77 years after being killed in action, Cavalieri’s remains have been positively identified through advances in modern science and the determination of the military and his family. After years of effort, his nephew and a handful of other relatives will see Nando finally laid to rest in Washington's Arlington National Cemetery. The service is scheduled for Thursday, May 5.

“I think I'm probably going to cry a little,” said Art Cavalieri. “Because I thought to myself when he died, nobody shed a tear. Because nobody knew."

“Yankee Gal” was one of 21 bombers lost during the mission. German forces recovered Cavalieri's body and ID tags and buried him in Doberitz, Germany, a small town outside Berlin, about four days later.

After the war, the American Graves Registration Command recovered all the American remains buried after that mission. But they were unable to identify Cavalieri, or seven other soldiers. They were declared "non-recoverable" in 1951, and buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission cemetery in Belgium.

But Nando's parents — Art Cavalieri’s grandparents — never forgot about their son, Art said.

"When my grandmother was alive, she always wore his wings, his Bombardier wings. And she would always say, ‘I wonder where Nando is? I wonder about Nando.’"

She even had an inscription carved into her gravestone that reads “In memory of Captain Nando Cavalieri.”

For years, with the help of their son — Art's father — they badgered the Army for more information about Nando's death. When Art's father died in 1991, he took up the cause.

"I have a lot of respect for him for all those years what he was doing,” said Art’s wife Bozena Cavalieri. “Because he regularly called the Army and asked for those classified papers. He was fighting, saying… you have to un-classify it and send it to me. I have a right to know!"

There are roughly 81,600 missing service members, like Cavalieri, killed overseas during wars throughout U.S. history. Slightly fewer than half of them — about 38,000 — are considered "recoverable." The rest are considered "non-recoverable" for various reasons, primarily because they were lost in deep water in the ocean.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency is in charge of finding them, from more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, all the way back to World War II. The agency’s work has slowed some during the COVID-19 pandemic, but in 2019, the agency located more than 200 bodies.

"As service members, we make a promise to never leave a fallen comrade,” said Army Sergeant First Class Sean Everette, who acts as an agency representative. “And so we really have a moral imperative to fulfill that promise not just to the service member, but to the family and to the nation that we won't leave our people behind."

In 2018, some of the roughly 700 researchers, historians and others who work for the agency worldwide identified a set of remains in Belgium they thought could be Cavalieri's, after piecing together records from the military, European cemeteries and elsewhere.

The exhumed remains were shipped to an Air Force base in Nebraska for more examination.

Different lines of evidence are used to identify bodies, including skeletal analysis — what’s known as forensic anthropology— comparing teeth to old dental records, and physical evidence, such as objects that may be found with the body.

But in recent years DNA has played a larger role in identifying more and more remains. "Just because that helps us to reinforce and solidify the other lines of evidence that we use,” Everette said.

Art Cavalieri said it was his DNA — and DNA from another relative— that allowed his uncle to be positively identified. Bozena Cavalieri said that’s because the body didn't have a face, so researchers couldn't use his teeth to help identify him.

When Art Cavalieri heard the news for the first time, he said, "I thought to myself, I hope my grandmother, my grandfather and my father are looking down from heaven and saying thank you for pursuing this for so long. So after 27 years, I thought to myself, boy, I finally accomplished something good in my life."

Art Cavalieri is 80 now, and not in good health. He has Parkinson's disease and uses a wheelchair after a severe complication from an infection.

But there’s no way he's missing the funeral, he said. He'll crawl there if he has to.

”I'm going to be very proud. I'm very proud to be an American. I'm very proud that he served his country. And he died a hero.”

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