New biz reporter at Minnesota paper

Than Tibbetts has joined the staff of the Grand Rapids Herald-Review as the city government and business reporter, according to a short story in the Minnesota paper.

Tibbetts spent four years at the University of Minnesota and graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

During that time, he was a staff reporter at the Minnesota Daily — one of the nation’s largest college newspapers — covering athletics administration, science and technology, and the University’s governing body, the Board of Regents.

Tibbetts also gained experience during internships at the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Minnesota Monthly.

Aside from his love of writing, Tibbetts has a passion for music. He has been playing guitar and singing in area bands for more than three years. Local residents may recognize him from his former band’s performances at the Rendezvous II or The Firehouse Bar and Grill in Coleraine.

Tibbetts said growing up in Cook, Minn., gave him an appreciation for small-town life, while his educational experiences gave him the ability to navigate large bureaucracies.

“I’m most proud of my reporting on the Gophers on-campus stadium bill,” he said. “I think I held my own against the bigger papers in town — the Star Tribune and the Pioneer Press — and picked up a few scoops along the way.”

Read more here.