The Journal welcomed a new reporter to its staff on Monday, May 17. Theodore Tollefson is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin- River Falls, having graduated from there in December 2020 with his bachelor of arts degree in journalism. Tollefson is originally from the suburbs south of the Minnesota River in the Twin Cities area, having graduated from Burnsville High School in 2017.

“Theo’s dedication to local journalism makes him stand out as a reporter,” said Editor Sarah Nigbor. “We are thrilled to welcome a UWRF graduate to our staff. His knowledge of the area is an asset and his connections throughout River Falls will help us with our goals to expand coverage there and across Pierce County.

Tollefson is also an avid fan of Major League Baseball, always rooting for the Minnesota Twins in the American League and Milwaukee Brewers in the National League. His all-time favorite player is the late and true home run king, Hank Aaron, but his active favorite is Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is also a part-time contributor for Puckett’s Pond, the FanSided affiliate site of the Minnesota Twins.

When Tollefson is not working or following baseball, he enjoys spending time reading, hiking and camping with his friends, as well as spending time with his dog, Dusty. He is also a self-proclaimed expert on Star Wars and could probably educate anyone better on Star Wars in-universe history than actual American History. His favorite Star Wars film is Return of the Jedi.

Tollefson spent his time in college covering every beat he possibly could from sports, to higher education, River Falls city government and anything else that can be named. He hopes to bring that persistence and passion for reporting to the Pierce County Journal for the year to come.