News - The Timberjay

Ida Rukavina named next IRRR commissioner

REGIONAL— Ida Rukavina, a Pike Township native, will be the next commissioner of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation. Gov. Tim Walz made that announcement on Dec. 21, as current … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/22/22 | 2 comments

Houseboat operator facing charges in VNP incident

REGIONAL- Nearly six months after an Ash River houseboat operator was allegedly tased during a June 25 encounter with Voyageurs National Park enforcement officers, five charges stemming from the … more

David Colburn | 12/21/22 | 1 comment

K-2 students at T-S Elementary sang songs of thanks for the season.

Sounds of the season

Holidays are merrier with music, and North Country communities have been merry indeed with the songs of the season performed by young and old alike. Timberjay photographers captured a few images of … more

Timberjay staff | 12/21/22

A Lake Country Power line crew works to reconnect a broken line, one of hundreds of individual outages from last week’s snowstorm. This week’s storm is expected to bring widespread outages as well, just days after power was finally restored across the area.

Latest storm forecast has line crews on high alert

REGIONAL— Here we go again?That was the question as the Timberjay went to press this week with the latest winter storm forecast to hit the region beginning late Wednesday and lingering into the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/21/22 | 2 comments

Flat state aids push county levy higher

REGIONAL— St. Louis County spending will have increased 14.6 percent over the past five years, based on the 2023 budget approved earlier this month by the county board. At the same time, the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/21/22

Outgoing Mayor Roger Skraba receives the key to the city as Mayor-elect Heidi Omerza looks on.

Ely Ambulance Service may receive $1.3 million in federal funding

ELY- The highlight of the Dec. 20 Ely City Council meeting wasn’t even on the agenda. Rather, Ely’s mayor and clerk-treasurer shared some intelligence on federal funding that may be … more

Catie Clark | 12/21/22

Cook native is repeat finalist for Grammy educator award

COOK- It was a special moment for Cook native Trevor Nicholas last year when he was named as one of only ten national finalists for the 2022 Music Educator Award presented by The Recording Academy, … more

David Colburn | 12/21/22

Ice candles bring community together in Embarrass

EMBARRASS- It took a little while to explain the tradition of ice candles to my 87-year-old mother-in-law, who recently moved to the area. But as soon as we pulled up the narrow lane to the Embarrass … more

Jodi Summit | 12/21/22

Dafne Caruso (left) and Sara Skelton (right) at the Northern Lakes Arts Association reception at the State Theater in Ely.

Dafne Caruso art show at State Theater

ELY- Dafne Caruso is a local Ely artist whose career shows that it’s never too late to start pursuing the arts. The Northern Lakes Arts Association in collaboration with Ely’s State … more

Catie Clark | 12/21/22

Triple disease threat fills hospitals

REGIONAL- As Minnesota was experiencing a post-Thanksgiving rise in coronavirus cases, state Health Commissioner Jan Malcom and state Epidemiologist Ruth Lynfield appeared together last week for the … more

David Colburn | 12/21/22 | 2 comments

Obituaries: December 23, 2022

Ronald R. Hujanen Ronald R. Hujanen, 80, of Cook, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022. A celebration of life will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 30 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tower. … more

12/21/22

A map of one the three areas to be served by the new broadband funding awarded recently to Paul Bunyan Communications. Residences in the area should soon see internet access speeds of up to 10 gigabytes per second.

Paul Bunyan awarded grant for expanded broadband

REGIONAL- Only one North Country broadband proposal was funded by the Minnesota Dept. of Employment and Economic Development in the latest round of Border-to-Border grant awards released last … more

David Colburn | 12/15/22

Council OKs three-percent levy hike for next year

TOWER— For the first time in three years, the city council here has voted to increase the city’s tax levy, by three percent over the 2022 levy of $394,761. That will push the city’s … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/15/22

North Woods, NER to swap principals

REGIONAL- A new year will bring new leadership to two area schools, as North Woods Principal John Vukmanich and Northeast Range Principal Kelly Engman will swap roles beginning Jan. 1.North Woods … more

David Colburn | 12/15/22

A MnDOT snowplow was out working Hwy. 169 in heavy snow on Wednesday.

Winter wallop

REGIONAL— The area’s first major winter storm of the season struck with a vengeance on Wednesday with heavy, dense snow and considerable wind as a Colorado low moved across the Plains and … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/15/22

Fire department again on the agenda in Greenwood

GREENWOOD TWP- The state of the Greenwood Fire Department was again the focus of the township’s regular monthly meeting.Long-time fire department members Mike Indihar and Tom Mortaloni spoke … more

Jodi Summit | 12/15/22

Hopes aired for new legislative session at board meeting

ELY- The prospects for the upcoming legislative session highlighted Monday night’s meeting of the ISD 696 school board here. The meeting proceeded with a quorum of four as members Chad Davis … more

Catie Clark | 12/15/22

Judge rejects Twin Metals plea to hear lease case

REGIONAL— A Twin Metals legal gambit proved a dry hole this past week with the ruling by a federal judge rejecting the company’s plea that he hear their case challenging the Biden … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/15/22

New area lawmakers get hefty to-do list

ELY— Two northeastern Minnesota legislators-elect were offered a lengthy to-do list at the Community Economic Development Joint Powers Board’s annual meeting held here on Monday. … more

Catie Clark | 12/15/22

County levy to increase 4.39 percent for next year

REGIONAL— St. Louis County will levy $163.4 million next year, a 4.39-percent increase over 2022. How that will impact taxpayer’s property assessments will vary depending on changes on … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/15/22

Obituaries: December 16, 2022

Norman K. Corey Norman Keith Corey, 93, of Lake Vermilion-Tower, died on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, at Essentia Health-Virginia. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Family services are … more

12/15/22

The city of Tower's sidewalk snowblower was struggling to clear the sidewalks Thursday after a combined two-day snowfall total in excess of a foot blanketed the area. The storm also caused widespread power outages.

Winter storm brings widespread power outages

REGIONAL— The first major winter storm of the season proved to be an over-performer in northern St. Louis County, where snow totals substantially exceeded predictions, leaving many areas with … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/15/22

An artist’s depiction of the conversion of the former LTV mine site into a green energy hub.

Group offers new vision for former LTV site

REGIONAL— An environmental group that has fought the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine near Hoyt Lakes for years, is proposing to convert the former LTV site, including the processing plant … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/9/22

Breitung works through busy agenda at Dec. 1 meeting

SOUDAN – Recreation and winter weather were a focus of the Breitung Township meeting held on Dec. 1.With the return of winter cold, Maintenance Supervisor Tom Gorsma reported that preparations … more

Rachel Brophy | 12/9/22

Medical cannabis approved for two new conditions

REGIONAL- Minnesotans with irritable bowel syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder will soon be able to use medical cannabis to ease their conditions after the Minnesota Department of Health … more

David Colburn | 12/9/22