Top Stories - The Timberjay

Ely woman arrested after alleged theft of ATV

ELY- A woman from Ely is facing two felony charges after she allegedly took an ATV that didn’t clearly belong to her. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office received a report last Thursday … more

Catie Clark | 9/20/23

Mining issues to be aired in contested case

REGIONAL—Ely-based Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness, or NMW, is challenging a May 31 determination by the Department of Natural Resources that existing mining rules in Minnesota are … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/6/23

The piers supporting Ely’s water intake line as they cross the open water of Burntside Lake. The structure seen here was built 1931-32. The water line updated in the 1970s is in the wooden box sitting on the top of the piers. This photo was taken during a city inspection of the intake structure during the summer of 2022.

Why Ely gets its water from Burntside Lake

ELY— Aging drinking water infrastructure has become a hot topic for the city council here in recent months as city officials are beginning the outreach for funding to help finance what is … more

Catie Clark | 7/6/23

Town board’s oversight of fire department questioned

GREENWOOD TWP- The town board’s 2022 decision to remove fire department officers Dave Fazio and Mike Indihar, was again questioned during Tuesday’s meeting of the Greenwood Town Board. … more

Jodi Summit | 2/14/24

If all goes as planned, the former Ely Community Center will become a hotel within three years.

Coming soon: Hotel planned at Community Center in Ely

ELY – The historic Community Center building here is destined to become a 28-room boutique hotel following a vote by the city council this week to accept a purchase agreement and business plan … more

Keith Vandervort | 6/22/22

With 1,100 feet of shoreline along the East Two River, just downstream of the Tower harbor, this 18-acre parcel is now slated for development.

Major development slated for Marjo site

TOWER— Luke Kujawa couldn’t resist the potential. The Twin Cities businessman, along with his business partner Michael Jellish, closed just last week on the 18-acre parcel of mostly … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/6/23

a hoop house was torn to shreds at the Watering Can Greenhouse in Cook

Storm packs a punch

REGIONAL- Thunderstorms packing damaging winds of around 60 mph barreled through the North Country on Monday night, leaving snapped off trees, property damage and thousands of homes and businesses … more

David Colburn | 6/22/22

Housing needs at the top of Cook council agenda

COOK— The need for more housing and the challenges involved in fostering residential growth were hot topics on the city council agenda here last Thursday. It’s a chronic issue that city … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/6/23

Bois Forte Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Jaylen Strong spoke during anniversary festivities last Saturday.

Cultural Center marks 20th anniversary

VERMILION RES-ERVATION- It was not so much a crowd as it was a simple gathering of people who came to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Bois Forte Heritage Center and Cultural Museum on Saturday. … more

David Colburn | 6/22/22

Carey accepts Ely school 6-12 principal position

ELY – The grandson of two Ely residents accepted an offer last Thursday to become the next 6-12 principal at Ely Memorial High School.Jeffrey M. Carey, of Eveleth, and two other candidates, … more

Keith Vandervort | 6/22/22

Ely chamber event director Ellen Cashman hands the baton (or in this case measuring sticks) to Jess Stott who will take Cashman’s place as Ely Chamber of Commerce Event Director following this year’s event.

Marking the park and passing the baton

ELY—It was a bittersweet morning early on Tuesday as Ely Chamber of Commerce Event Director Ellen Cashman was the first to arrive to “mark the park” for this weekend’s Harvest … more

Rachel Brophy | 9/7/22

Ozzie Reif has turned his Ely MItten Project into a full-time mitten-making operation.

Ely mitten maker has things in hand

ELY- Ely’s fabled outdoors has spawned yet another entrepreneur and his cold weather apparel has already found a home at McMurdo Station in Antarctica and will be worn in the upcoming Iditarod … more

Catie Clark | 2/21/24

Council hikes 2023 levy by 7.06 percent

ELY— Taxpayers here may need to dig a little deeper next year after the city council, minus the absent Paul Kess, unanimously approved a preliminary 2023 levy of $2.117 million, a 7.06 percent … more

Marshall Helmberger | 9/7/22

A typical cabin produced by Tinde Hytter, which currently operates only in Scandinavia. The company has been in talks for months about entering the U.S. market with a plant in Tower. Tinde homes will be part of the new development.

TEDA OKs land sale for development on Marjo site

TOWER— The Tower Economic Development Authority has approved a development agreement that calls for the creation of the largest single residential development in the city’s history. The … more

Jodi Summit | 2/21/24

The Tower City Council approved a union contract Monday for Tower Area Ambulance Director Dena Suihkonen.

Council inks union deal with ambulance director

TOWER— Nearly a year and a half since filing for union representation, Tower Area Ambulance Director Dena Suihkonen has a contract with the city. The city council here, on Monday, gave its … more

Marshall Helmberger | 11/16/22

Ebel breaks silence on tasing

REGIONAL- The details of a controversial incident last summer during which an Ash River business owner was tased twice by law enforcement officials at Voyageurs National Park have come into clearer … more

David Colburn | 2/8/23

Embarrass Fire Chief Tom Martin and firefighter Eric Garman display photos of the creation of their new fire truck at the recent winter festival at Timber Hall.

DIY fire and rescue

EMBARRASS- Most North Country residents are used to doing things themselves, and that attitude and experience proved essential for the Embarrass Fire Department, which recently built its own fire … more

Jodi Summit | 2/21/24

Ivy Russell, Zaija Schroeder, and Cecilia Majerle hold hands on the first day of school.

Old friends, new friends, school friends

Area students returned to their classrooms on Tuesday. Timberjay photographers were out and about to capture a few of the happy, excited faces. more

Timberjay staff | 9/7/22

Township won’t fund ambulance purchase

GREENWOOD TWP- Greenwood Township won’t make its annual contribution to the Tower Area Ambulance Service’s ambulance replacement fund for 2022. The town board voted unanimously last … more

Jodi Summit | 11/16/22

Council talks signs and signs of the times

ELY—Signage and signs of the times occupied considerable discussion at the city council meeting here on Tuesday. Ely residents Frederica Musgrave and Lynn Evenson addressed the council about … more

Catie Clark | 7/12/23

Who’s who in the presidential primary zoo?

REGIONAL- With little fanfare, absentee early voting for Minnesota’s March 5 Super Tuesday presidential primary opened on Friday, Jan. 19, with a total of 19 candidates vying for delegates for … more

David Colburn | 2/21/24

Uncle Fester, played by Ruby Milton, dances with a chorus line of ghosts during a dress rehearsel of the Addams Family last Sunday. Ely High School performers will present a school version of the Broadway production this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Washington Auditorium.

They’re all together ooky

ELY- Snap those fingers! “They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re altogether ooky, the Addams family.” It’s one of the most recognizable … more

Jodi Summit | 11/16/22

A city council letter of protest to the Biden administration packed the city council chambers in Ely on Tuesday.

Council condemns mineral withdrawal

ELY- It was standing room only at the city council meeting here on Tuesday as residents on both sides of the long-simmering copper-nickel mining debate weighed in on the council’s expected … more

Catie Clark | 2/8/23

Roger Skraba (in jersey) talks to a voter during the 2022 showing of “2000 Mules,” which falsely claimed to show evidence of systematic voter fraud in the 2020 election. Skraba used the film as a campaign kickoff event in 2022.

“2000 Mules” group admits it has no evidence

REGIONAL— The group behind a 2022 film viewed by hundreds of North Country residents and used as a campaign kick-off by GOP Rep. Roger Skraba, has admitted to a Georgia judge that it has no … more

Marshall Helmberger | 2/21/24

A portion of the stretch of the Vermilion River between the Gold Mine Resort landing and Vermilion Falls where Keith Roy died in a boating accident on Sept. 10

Keith Roy death ruled accidental drowning

REGIONAL- The Sept. 10 death of Keith Roy, 43, of Orr, has been ruled an accidental drowning, according to information provided to the Timberjay by St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office Supervising … more

David Colburn | 11/16/22