North Dakota

Three schoolboys left ‘completely speechless’ after discovering T rex skeleton

Published

2 years ago

June 4, 2024

Three schoolboys left ‘completely speechless’ after discovering T rex skeleton

Three North Dakota schoolboys made a larger-than-life discovery when they stumbled across a T rex skeleton during a hike.

Two young brothers and their cousin were wandering through a fossil-rich stretch of the North Dakota Badlands in 2022 when they made the stunning discovery, which left them “completely speechless,” they said.

According to experts, the rare skeleton is that of an adolescent Tyrannosaurus rex, which the boys have dubbed a “teenrex.”

The partial skeleton, one of only a handful of juvenile T rex specimens ever discovered, will be displayed at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science later this month.

The brothers, Liam and Jessin Fisher, then seven and ten, and their cousin Kaiden Madsen, who was nine, and their father Sam, first discovered a large leg bone which they sent a picture of to Dr Tyler Lyson, a family friend who is the associate curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

Lyson then organized an excavation that began 11 months later, suspecting it was a relatively common duckbill dinosaur. But it didn’t take long to determine they had found something more special. Lyson recalled that he started digging with Jessin where he thought he might find a neck bone.

“Instead of finding a cervical vertebrae, we found the lower jaw with several teeth sticking out of it,” Lyson said. “And it doesn’t get any more diagnostic than that, seeing these giant tyrannosaurus teeth staring back at you.”

Vertebrate paleontologist Tyler Lyson, left, poses with young fossil finders Liam Fisher, Jessin Fisher and Kaiden Madsen (David Clark/Giant Screen Films via AP)

Based on the size of the tibia, experts estimate the dinosaur was 13 to 15 years old when it died and likely weighed around 3,500 pounds — about two-thirds of the size of a fully-grown adult T rex.

A Black Hawk helicopter airlifted the plaster-clad mass to a waiting truck to drive it to the Denver museum.

A documentary crew with Giant Screen Films was there to capture the discovery.

“It was electric. You got goosebumps,” recalled Dave Clark, who was part of the crew filming the documentary that later was narrated by Jurassic Park actor Sir Sam Neill.

At a press conference on Sunday, Liam said that his friends at school had not believed him when he had first described the find.

All three boys added that the T rex was their favorite dinosaur.

Meanwhile, Jessin, a fan of the Jurassic Park movies and an aspiring paleontologist, also shared that he has continued looking for fossils, finding a turtle shell just a couple of days ago.

For other kids, he had this advice: “Just put down their electronics and go out hiking.”

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North Dakota

North Dakota prepares to welcome 14th state park

Published

1 hour ago

May 24, 2026

Press Room

North Dakota prepares to welcome 14th state park

WALHALLA, N.D. (KFYR) – A new state park is nearing completion right here in North Dakota.

Pembina Gorge State Park, just 6 miles west of Walhalla, is set to open for the season this summer on June 9.

It spans 12,500 acres and features more than 16 miles of trails.

The park will include an Off-Highway Vehicle campground, along with access to rugged terrain, forested hills, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.

It’s North Dakota’s 14th state park.

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North Dakota

North Dakota Highway Patrol identifies 4 injured in south Fargo crash

Published

13 hours ago

May 23, 2026

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North Dakota Highway Patrol identifies 4 injured in south Fargo crash

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – The North Dakota Highway Patrol has released the names of four people involved in a three-vehicle crash Thursday night in south Fargo.

Randon Kleppe, 21, of Fargo, was driving a 2009 Chevrolet Impala and suffered serious injuries, according to the Highway Patrol. His passenger, Carter York, 19, of Grand Forks, also suffered serious injuries.

Tracy Myhra, 41, of Fargo, was driving a Chevrolet Equinox and suffered serious injuries, the Highway Patrol said. Rhonda Gatheridge, 53, of West Fargo, was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee and suffered minor injuries.

The crash happened around 11:45 p.m. Thursday, May 21 at the intersection of 42nd Street South and 52nd Avenue South.

The Highway Patrol said the Impala was headed south on 42nd Street when it ran a red light and hit the Equinox that had just entered the intersection. The Impala hit the driver’s side of the Equinox, causing the Equinox to leave the road and overturn. After the initial impact, the Impala began rotating and was then rear-ended by the Jeep.

Kleppe faces charges of driving under the influence, criminal vehicular injury, open container and no insurance, according to the Highway Patrol. York is facing charges of minor in consumption and open container.

All occupants were taken to Essentia Health. The crash remains under investigation.

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North Dakota

Calendar for May 23-25, 2026

Published

1 day ago

May 23, 2026

Press Room

The Community Calendar publishes events, meetings and fundraisers in The Jamestown Sun at no charge. To submit an activity, email it to news@jamestownsun.

Saturday, May 23

Buffalo City Group Alcoholics Anonymous, 9 a.m. (open), AA Clubhouse, 518 10th Ave. SE.

James River Alcoholics Anonymous, noon (open) and 8 p.m. (open), AA Clubhouse, 518 10th Ave. SE.

James River Alcoholics Anonymous, 1:30 p.m., women (closed), AA Clubhouse, 518 10th Ave. SE.

James Valley Street Machines Shop Tour 2026. Schedule: 9-9:30 a.m.: Dakota Engine Builders, 2809 U.S. Highway 281; 9:40-10:20 a.m.: Adam Auto Express, 3735 U.S. 281; 10:30-10:55 a.m.: Tom Ravely, 1205 15th St. SW; 11:05-11:35 a.m.: Klein’s Body Shop, 414 17th St. SW; 1-1:30 p.m.: Preferred Transmission, 825 5th Ave. NE; 1:40-2:15 p.m.: Kainz Klassics, 2614 4th St. NE (take 3rd Street Southeast, turn left on 85th Avenue North); 2:30-3:15 p.m., Jon Greeinstein, 1424 Hwy 281 (across from the North Dakota National Guard); 3:25-4 p.m.: Neil Baker, 1142 41st St. NW; 4:10-5 p.m.: Steve Jaskoviak, 500 block 1st Street East (east of Orphan Grain Train, north side of street).

Sunday, May 24

James River Alcoholics Anonymous, 1 p.m. and 8 p.m., AA Clubhouse, 518 10th Ave. SE.

James River Alanon Family, 4 p.m., AA Clubhouse, 518 10th Ave. SE.

Adult Children of Alcoholics, 7 p.m., AA Clubhouse, 518 10th Ave. SE.

Narcotics Anonymous, 4:30 p.m., New Hope Free Lutheran Church, 1545 4th Ave. NW.

Monday, May 25
James River Alcoholics Anonymous, 4:30 (open) and 8 p.m. (closed), 518 10th Ave. SE, (topic).

Celebrate Recovery, 6 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. meeting, Church of the Nazarene, 1306 6th Ave. SE.

Narcotics Anonymous, noon, Clubhouse. 518 10th Ave. SE.

Memorial Day observances in the area:
Jamestown: 9 a.m., Gladstone Inn and Suites, followed by naval ceremony is planned at Nickeus Park, visits to city cemeteries, 11 a.m. Veterans Memorial Wall ceremony. Freewill lunch, 11:30 a.m., All Vets Club.
Gackle: 10 a.m., Gackle Legion Hall Mayer-Morlock Post #250, followed by ceremonies at the Gackle Cemetery, Alfred Cemetery. Potluck lunch after at Gackle Legion Hall.
Kensal: 10:30 a.m., Kensal Public School, followed by ceremonies at Kensal Cemetery and St. John’s Cemetery. Lunch at St John’s Catholic Church.
Medina: 10:30 a.m., Medina High School, followed by visits to Medina Community Cemetery and the Catholic Cemetery. Dinner follows at American Legion.
Pettibone/Woodworth: 9 a.m. at Pettibone Cemetery; 10:30 a.m., at Woodworth Gem Cemetery. Potluck dinner follows at Woodworth Fire Hall.
Pingree: 10:30 a.m., Pingree Community Center. After, meet at the depot and march to the cemetery to decorate military veterans’ graves. Noon meal follows at community center.
Sanborn: 9:30 a.m., rifle volley, Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery; 9:45 a.m., at Fairview Cemetery; 10 a.m., donuts and coffee at the Sanborn Community Center.