Chris Snider, the former meteorologist for Duluth FOX affiliate KQDS who was fighting an aggressive form of bone cancer, died Friday morning.

Snider’s sister Tabatha posted the news to the Support Chris Snider facebook page, “We lost Chris very early this morning. He fought a long battle with grace, humor, compassion and absolute dignity. I was and forever will be proud to say he is my brother. On behalf of my family we would like to personally thank everyone of you who donated or took the time to send a message or video of support.”

Snider worked for KQDS from 2008 until 2011 when he left to perform missionary work in the South.  He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma while living in Biloxi, MS. After learning the cancer was terminal, Snider returned home to Minnesota in January to live with his sister Tabatha. Read more

Duluth Fox-affililate KQDS debuted an expanded 9 p.m. newscast on Monday, adding a half-hour to its weekday local news programming.

“We have been working for months to prepare for this day,” KQDS news director Jason Vincent said on Monday, “and are so excited to bring a new, exciting newscast to the Northland.”

According to the station, it is the first primetime hour-long local newscast in northern Minnesota, northwest Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.

KQDS’s 9 p.m. team includes (above, right) anchors Dan Hanger and Diane Alexander, meteorologist Jason Sydejko, and Greg Chandler on sports.

KQDS, the Fox affiliate in Duluth, has hired Diane Alexander to be the 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. co-anchor. Her first broadcasts are tonight.

Alexander, who will anchor the evening broadcasts alongside Dan Hanger, started her television career as a reporter at KVRR in Fargo before leaving the station to take a break from television. She said she was “thrilled to be back in the news industry.”

“Diane is a fantastic addition to the FOX 21 News, and I’m fully confident the Northland will warm up to her instantly,” news director Jason Vincent said.

Alexander replaces Nick LaFave, who left the station last month for an anchor position at KTAL in Shreveport.