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Ely quarterback Gunnar Hart looks for his man downfield.

Ely Football practices amidst ongoing construction

ELY - The ongoing construction has also made it difficult for the football team, under the direction of second-year head coach Louie Gerzin.Part of the Wolves’ practice field is not usable … more

Keith Vandervort | 9/1/22

David Elg, of Eveleth, cozies up with Eldy, a horse owned by Shyla Martin, that David has been riding in horse shows this year.

Summer's Last Blast

The annual Embarrass Region Fair this past weekend had almost everything one could want in a traditional rural small-town fair, all done up in uniquely Embarrass style. Timbejay photographer Jodi … more

Jodi Summit | 8/31/22

“I Like That Academy” has fall openings

REGIONAL— Are you someone with what you think just might be the next big idea? Would you like to start your own business or nonprofit, but don’t really know where to start? Do you have a … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/31/22

Timberjay’s Ely editor dies unexpectedly

ELY— The Timberjay’s longtime Ely editor, Keith Vandervort, died suddenly at his home this past Friday, Aug. 26. The cause of death is unknown but was ruled due to natural causes. … more

8/31/22 | 1 comment

Cook broadband on track for fall completion

REGIONAL- Deployment of the city of Cook’s new fiber optic high-speed broadband network is on track to be operational before winter sets in, and new projects proposed for multiple North Country … more

David Colburn | 8/31/22

Ely junior Hannah Penke goes up high for a kill attempt Tuesday night in Babbitt.

Ely tops ‘Hawks in three

BABBITT— There were few surprises in Tuesday night’s volleyball season opener here. The Timberwolves, who finished as the top-seed in the section last year, dominated play in a straight … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/31/22

The Grizzlies’ Skyler Yernatich pounds a hard hit from the wing.

Grizzlies romp in season debut

FIELD TWP- The North Woods volleyball team opened the season with a convincing 3-0 shellacking of Mt. Iron-Buhl at home on Monday. It was a performance that has Head Coach Kandi Olson excited about … more

David Colburn | 8/31/22

Pam Frazee works on rounding up the calves.

Embarrass Team Penning and Ranch Sorting results

EMBARRASS- Team Penning and Ranch Sorting was held at the Embarrass Horse Arena on Aug. 19-21. The weather cooperated even though the calves were a bit ornery (lots of runs with no calves recorded). … more

8/31/22

Fall baseball events set for Ely this year

ELY— The recent military veterans salute by the Ely Baseball Association would normally have marked the end of the baseball season in Ely. The salute was presented late last month during the … more

Keith Vandervort | 8/31/22

Elli Borovsky displays the 50-inch muskie, caught on Lake Vermilion, that vaulted her and teammate Carter Graff to the high school state tourney championship.

High school anglers show how its done

LAKE VERMILION- A pair of Twin Cities high school anglers won the 2022 Minnesota High School Muskie State Championship held Aug. 12 on Lake Vermilion.Runners-up in last year’s tourney, Elli … more

David Colburn | 8/31/22

The undersides of a nice haul of golden chanterelles.

A fungi fantasy

Here in the North Country, a wet summer typically means two things: happy frogs and happy fungi. Since I don’t eat frogs, it’s the fungi that have been getting most of my attention. And … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/31/22

Wild rice crop running behind schedule

REGIONAL— The wild rice season has officially been open for nearly three weeks, but the rice harvest has been slowed by the later-than-usual ripening of the wild grain. While the season opens … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/31/22

Where John Muir and Dorothy Molter meet

As many of my closest confidants know, recently I have been living a lifestyle that I affectionately refer to as “My Dorothy Molter Moment”. Three years ago, I assumed the task of … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 8/31/22

Trumpeter swans have become a common sight in Minnesota thanks to a very successful reintroduction program beginning in the 1980s.

It appears drought impacted most waterfowl populations

REGIONAL— Last year’s extreme drought across much of northern Minnesota appears to have impacted waterfowl populations heading into this summer’s breeding season. Based on spring … more

8/31/22 | 2 comments

Tower Ambulance Director Dena Suihkonen with the ambulance purchased in 2020.

Tower Ambulance asking for increased subsidy payment for 2023 to help pay for new ambulance

TOWER- The Tower Area Ambulance Service is asking the city of Tower and surrounding townships to make a double subsidy contribution for 2023 to cover the expected costs of purchasing a new ambulance. … more

Jodi Summit | 8/31/22

Board backs extra contribution for new ambulance

SOUDAN – The Breitung Town Board voted to go on record in support of the Tower Area Ambulance request for a bump in ambulance subsidy funding for 2023 to help pay for the purchase of a third … more

Rachel Brophy | 8/31/22

Over half of people may not know they have COVID

REGIONAL- Ever since the growth of at-home testing for COVID-19, Minnesota health officials have known that official case counts, which are based on clinical testing only, significantly underestimate … more

David Colburn | 8/31/22

Empty tank cars have been sitting idle in Cook since a derailment earlier this summer.

CN: derailed tank car work posed no danger to public

COOK- When 14 cars of a 123-car Canadian Northern freight train derailed about seven miles north of Cook on Saturday, July 30, the outcome was as good as could be expected. No one was injured, and … more

David Colburn | 8/31/22

The 2022 Heart of Gold Award winners for Ely’s Northwoods Partners are Linda Fink and Sally Moose.

Volunteers honored by Ely Northwoods Partners

ELY – “Ely is a better place because of the hard work and time our volunteers dedicate to the older adults in our community.”Those words were spoken by Lisa Porthan, executive … more

Keith Vandervort | 8/31/22

Obituaries: September 2, 2022

Keith Vandervort Keith Vandervort, 60, of Ely, passed away at home of natural causes on Friday, Aug. 26, 2022. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 16 at First Presbyterian … more

8/31/22

Broadband funding windfall may be headed our way

Minnesota could be in line for an unprecedented windfall of money to help build high-speed internet in rural areas.Every state was promised a minimum of $100 million for broadband development from … more

Walker Orenstein, MinnPost | 8/25/22

Debbie Olson Shields (left) and her big sister Lynn Olson donned the aprons worn years back by their father and grandfather.

Olson sisters address a packed house

TOWER- Sisters Lynn Olson and Debbie Olson Shields drew a big crowd to Pike River Products, which once housed the Olson Grocery and Hardware Store, with people eager to hear the story of their … more

Rachel Brophy | 8/24/22

Ely school district looks for return to a normal school year

ELY – What a difference a year makes. In the late summer of 2021, as ISD 696 administrators took required steps to adjust COVID-19 public health protocols to keep students and staff safe, some … more

Keith Vandervort | 8/24/22

Disabled military veteran Lonn Cunningham gets ready to board a pontoon boat for a Fall Lake fishing outing at Veterans on the Lake Resort.

‘This is a magical place’

WINTON – Lonn Cunningham, who is from Iowa and now lives in Texas, served his country in the first Gulf War, and after he came home from his military service he got hit by a drunk driver. He … more

Keith Vandervort | 8/24/22

Ecklund says ‘overzealous’ law enforcement could impact VNP tourism

REGIONAL- Complaints from surrounding communities and business owners about what they see as overzealous law enforcement by Voyageurs National Park rangers have reached the ears of a local state … more

David Colburn | 8/24/22 | 1 comment