News - The Timberjay

Numerous political signs were posted along Highway 169 outside of Ely last weekend.

Political signs not permitted on state highway rights of way

REGIONAL – Political season in the North Country means another season of visual distractions on roadways as candidates and their supporters look to gain the best possible advantage for exposure … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/13/22 | 1 comment

Obituaries: July 15, 2022

Timothy WarpulaTimothy A. Warpula passed away on July 9, 2022. Tim was born in Aitkin in 1961 and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Babbitt in 1980. In Tim’s honor, a Celebration of … more

7/13/22

Troy Zupancich, at just seven weeks old, mostly napped through the Tower Fourth of July parade on Monday

Patriotism on display

Images of Independence Day celebrations in Ely, Tower, and Orr. See more pictures in the North Country section photo story "A Red, White, and Blue Celebration." more

Timberjay staff | 7/6/22

ISD 696 board adopts budget

ELY – School board members here last week unanimously approved a balanced budget for 2022-23 that calls for $8.2 million in revenues and expenditures.Despite a noticeable drop in enrollment and … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/6/22

Rise of B.5 creates more uncertainty

REGIONAL- Don’t look now, but community transmission of COVID-19 has reached a high level once again in St. Louis County, and the rate of spread is forecasted to remain high through much of the … more

David Colburn | 7/6/22 | 3 comments

Eagles Nest town supervisors voted to oppose any ATV trail development in the township at a special meeting held last week.

Township votes to oppose ATV trail

EAGLES NEST TWP— A simmering clash between township residents and advocates of increased ATV traffic came to a head at a special town board meeting here last week, as town supervisors voted 3-2 … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/6/22 | 3 comments

A customer shows the products she bought from Nothing But Hemp in St. Paul. Some of the products contain THC, which became legal under 5 milligrams per serving in Minnesota on Friday.

THC edibles and beverages now legal in state

REGIONAL- You can’t smoke it, but you don’t need to in order to get a marijuana-like buzz from edibles and beverages laced with hemp-derived Delta-9 THC, which became legal to sell in … more

David Colburn | 7/6/22

A car that plowed into the Island Lake Inn last week left a lot of debris and damage, but the Duluth-area restaurant and bar reopened in time for the holiday weekend.

Tower man plows car into Island Lake eatery

REGIONAL- A popular Island Lake restaurant and bar celebrated Independence Day and a bit more on Monday, reopening for the holiday weekend after a vehicle driven by a Tower man crashed into the … more

David Colburn | 7/6/22

Council commits to ambulance service improvements

ELY – City council members here unanimously agreed to commit taxpayer dollars and work with other area governments and the Ely Area Ambulance Joint Powers Board to purchase a vacant building in … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/6/22

Tower Ambulance Commission to look at ways to move forward

TOWER- The Tower Area Ambulance Commission intends to move forward, albeit slowly, and look at a different business models to oversee the area’s ambulance service.Rural ambulance services … more

Jodi Summit | 7/6/22

Another group of ‘heroes’ to get state bonus

REGIONAL- Applications for “Hero Pay” for frontline COVID pandemic workers continue to exceed expectations with still a month to go before applications close. But another group of … more

David Colburn | 7/6/22

Obituaries: July 8, 2022

Marguerite Eyre Marguerite Eyre, 95, of Cook, passed away on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, at the Cook Care Center. A private interment will be held at a later date. Memorials can be directed to the Cook … more

7/6/22

COVID shots for youngest kids rolling out slowly

REGIONAL- Parents of children under five years of age who have been trying to shield their kids from the effects of a coronavirus infection got the news they’ve long been waiting for recently … more

David Colburn | 7/6/22

Federal EA released on mineral withdrawal

REGIONAL—The U.S. Forest Service is now seeking public comment on an environmental analysis of its proposed 20-year withdrawal of approximately 225,000 acres within the Superior National Forest … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/2/22 | 2 comments

Jennifer Schultz looks to replace Stauber in Washington

ELY – “Our freedoms are under attack and those attacks have only grown over time.”Those words, surprisingly, are not from a MAGA Republican, but from Jennifer Schultz, a DFL … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/2/22 | 1 comment

The former Kondo’s building may become the new home of the Ely Ambulance Service.

A new home for the Ely ambulance?

ELY – City council members here last week agreed to support the Ely Ambulance Service in their efforts to find a new home through the purchase and renovation of an existing building in the … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/1/22

Ely runs the Trezona on the Fourth

ELY – The annual Ely 4 on the 4th run/walk will be held on Monday at Trezona Trail, beginning at 8 a.m.On-site registration will be available from 6:40-7:40 a.m. on race day. Early online … more

7/1/22

Cast concrete storm sewer pipes sit outside the new front entrance this week at the Ely school renovation project.

Ely school project up against hard rock as completion deadline looms

ELY – The scheduled completion of the $21.5 million school building and renovation project at ISD 696 is just weeks away and workers are literally up against hard rock as they struggle to meet … more

Keith Vandervort | 6/29/22

Rose Zoellick tries to keep out the noise of Tower's Fourth of July parade.

Celebrate the Fourth up North!

Ely ’Rocks the Park’ELY - Ely’s Fourth of July celebration looks to be a weekend affair this year with the addition of a new music event to go along with all the traditional … more

Timberjay staff | 6/29/22

Passing of Swanson draws tributes from school board

VIRGINIA- While the ISD 2142 school board had a full agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, they took some time at the beginning and end of the session to remember one of their own, board member Troy … more

David Colburn | 6/29/22

Protestors gathered outside of Ely’s Historic State Theater Saturday morning as the city’s mayor, Roger Skraba, candidate for the Minnesota House 3A seat, made his way inside to view the controversial political film, “2000 Mules.”

A clash of viewpoints

ELY— Two very different views of the 2020 election clashed at times on the sidewalks of downtown Ely this past Saturday morning, as about 150 area residents turned out for showings of the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/29/22 | 4 comments

Kabetogama and Crane Lake flooding could be gone by mid-July

REGIONAL- Monday’s Rainy River Basin flood update from the Duluth National Weather Service office was one residents in affected areas were likely to be less enthusiastic about than some, as the … more

David Colburn | 6/29/22

U.S. Steel to build new production facility on Iron Range

REGIONAL— The U.S. Steel Corporation announced this week that it plans to break ground this fall on a new $150 million direct reduced iron (DRI) production facility on Minnesota’s Iron … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/29/22

Greenwood residents keep levy at $150,000 for 2023

GREENWOOD TWP- Moving the Greenwood Township annual meeting from March to June did nothing to boost attendance. Fewer than 15 township residents showed up for the June 23 reconvened annual meeting, … more

Jodi Summit | 6/29/22 | 1 comment

Storm damage in Soudan being assessed; costs still being tallied

SOUDAN – Recent storm damage was the main topic of conversation at the Breitung Township regular board meeting held on Thursday, June 23. Maintenance Supervisor Tom Gorsma reported that in … more

Rachel Brophy | 6/29/22