Top Stories - The Timberjay

MPUC approves modified rate hike for Minnesota Power

REGIONAL— Area residents served by Minnesota Power will see their rates increase slightly by later this year, based on a decision last week by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, or … more

Marshall Helmberger | 2/1/23

Matt Hinrichs, of Lundgren Motors was on hand with a Mustang Mach-E for test drives.

EVs make a showing at Ely festival

ELY- The Ely Winter Festival had a new event on the schedule this year as the community offered the first-in-the-nation wintertime ride and drive event highlighting electric vehicles, or EVs, held … more

Catie Clark | 2/14/24

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

Latest plant bid offers little savings

TOWER-SOUDAN— Officials here were hopeful this week that a Tuesday bid opening for a long-planned drinking water treatment facility shared by both communities here would help bridge a funding … more

Marshall Helmberger | 2/14/24

Skraba wins House District 3A race by 15 votes

REGIONAL- Veteran DFL state legislator Rob Ecklund’s electoral fate likely hangs on the results of a probable recount, as Republican Roger Skraba of Ely edged the incumbent District 3A House … more

David Colburn | 11/9/22

95-year-old Cecilia Connor samples a healthy snack based on chia seeds.

Creating healthier lives

VERMILION RESERVATION- Cecilia Connor was probably the oldest attendee at the Bois Forte Caregiver and Elder Expo on Feb. 6 at Fortune Bay. The 95-year-old elder had taken the Big Woods bus from Nett … more

Jodi Summit | 2/14/24

DNR objects to park’s frozen roads proposal

REGIONAL- Voyageurs National Park officials are getting strong pushback on their Frozen Lake Surface Access and Use Plan from a somewhat unlikely source— the Minnesota Department of Natural … more

David Colburn | 6/29/23

The FBI executed a search warrant at this home along Hwy. 23, east of Orr last Wednesday, April 12. So far no charges or allegations have been made against the homeowner.

FBI raids house east of Orr

ORR- Forty-two-year-old Josh Armbrust works in the cloud, the vast network of computer servers that provides internet-accessed storage, databases, software, analytics and intelligence to companies … more

David Colburn | 4/19/23

Dark money group assails Hauschild

REGIONAL— An expensive pressure campaign launched by a new and shadowy organization is publishing ads and occupying billboards across the state in hopes of derailing an effort by DFLers in the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 4/19/23

Rep. Roger Skraba and Ely Mayor Heidi Omerza wield the scissors to cut the ribbon on Midco’s new fiber optic network in Ely. Also pictured are (l-r) David Sebesta, John Eloranta, Angela Campbell, and Paul Kess.

Ribbon cut on Midco’s new Ely fiber network

ELY- Midco, the newest fiber internet provider operating in Ely cut a ribbon on Tuesday, June 27, to celebrate the completion of their fiber-based broadband network in the city of Ely. A traditional … more

Catie Clark | 6/30/23

Aubriana Olson and Serah Ross are impressed with Sophie the Llama.

Close encounters of the llama kind

TOWER- Tower-Soudan second-grade teacher Charissa Dahl had been teaching her students about llamas, when she saw that Cook’s Country Connection, a petting zoo in Cook, had a … more

Jodi Summit | 4/19/23

An aerial view of the former LTV taconite processing plant now owned by PolyMet, a subsidiary of Glencore.

ALJ deals another blow to PolyMet

ST. PAUL— In yet another major blow for the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine near Hoyt Lakes, an administrative law judge is recommending that the Department of Natural Resources deny the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 11/29/23

Garrett Lamppa (r) and Todd Petersen stand along a version of the new wood gasification sauna stove Lamppa Manufacturing is preparing to launch soon.

Lamppa Manufacturing expands product lines

TOWER— Lamppa Manufacturing is poised to substantially expand its product line here, with new introductions planned in the next few months for both furnaces and sauna stoves— and … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/30/23

Suspect in Ely knife attack seeks guilty plea

ELY- Tate Jordan Cly, is seeking to plead guilty in the Sept. 23 knife attack against Richard Joshua Petrizilka in Ely. Cly, age 20, petitioned the district court on Nov. 21 to accept a guilty plea … more

Catie Clark | 11/29/23

Stauber bill could relaunch battle over Ely mine

REGIONAL— The U.S. House, this week, gave a narrow vote of approval for legislation that would rescind the mineral withdrawal affecting a portion of the Superior National Forest and require the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 5/1/24

Carving up the fresh- roasted turkeys just ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Serving up community

TOWER- It has become an annual tradition at Vermilion Country School, and the all-school Thanksgiving meal once again did not disappoint. Students in Chef Chris Glazer’s culinary class prepared … more

Jodi Summit | 11/29/23

Whiteside Park may host wifi

ELY- The Ely Telecommunications Advisory Board (TAB) is proposing to install fiber-based wifi into Whiteside Park. The hard-wired connection is expected to improve internet access for the … more

Catie Clark | 5/1/24

The smoldering remains of a trailer home that burned Nov. 21 in Morcom Township.

Fires destroy residences in Morcom and Britt

REGIONAL- Area fire departments were called out to battle structure fires in Morcom Township and Britt this past week, both with devastating outcomes. On Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m., firefighters from … more

David Colburn | 11/29/23

Elders at higher risk as targets of fraud and scams

REGIONAL- In a brand new report, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) says there was a significant uptick in elder fraud complaints in 2023. The Elder Fraud Report, released on … more

David Colburn | 5/1/24

Hundreds of runners will descend on Ely this weekend.

Ely marathon brings runners, road closures

ELY- The Ely Marathon weekend gets underway on Friday, with hundreds of racers on tap for the both the full and half marathons as well as the canoe portaging event. The race brings plenty of people … more

Catie Clark | 9/20/23

An overlook on the Pine Ridges Trail on Tower’s northside hill.

Trail designation ruffles feathers

TOWER- A self-titled “rant” on the “What’s Up Tower” Facebook page this week asked a question that volunteers in the Wagoner Trails Club have expected was coming for … more

Jodi Summit | 5/1/24

Ely’s Gillson facing multiple charges

ELY- A domestic incident here that sparked a house fire and a high-speed chase with law enforcement that ended in the woods in Waasa Township last week, has left an Ely man charged with arson, … more

Catie Clark | 9/20/23

Pontoon rams island, sends two to hospital

LAKE VERMILION- Nighttime darkness, speed, and alcohol are believed to have contributed to a pontoon boat accident on Lake Vermilion the evening on Sept. 16, according to a news release from the St. … more

Jodi Summit | 9/20/23

These are the six designs from which the new state flag will be chosen.

Finalists selected for new Minnesota state flag

REGIONAL- The Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission (SERC) unveiled their top design picks for a new state flag and state seal last week, and a large swath of Minnesotans appear to be less than … more

David Colburn | 11/29/23

First place winners Emily Roose and Erik Nelson.

“Dancing with the Ely Stars” doubles last year’s donations

ELY- Emily Roose and Erik Nelson took the top prize during Northern Lakes Arts Association’s “Dancing with the Ely Stars” event held last Friday at Ely’s Historic State … more

Catie Clark | 5/1/24