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Ely's first day of school has been moved back a week to Sept. 12 because of uncertainties with the completion of the building project.

Construction woes delay start for Ely schools

ELY—What had only been rumored up until now was confirmed this week when the Ely school board voted unanimously to postpone the first day of school here until Monday, Sept. 12. Ely schools had … more

Rachel Brophy | 8/10/22

The original concept drawings at the Tower Harbor, show a highly walkable mix of commercial fronts and upper- level residential. With the shelving of the town home proposal, a new plan could come closer to the original vision.

Sky high building costs kills town home plans

TOWER— The long-planned town home project slated for construction at the Tower Harbor appears dead, nearly six years after city officials pushed for the development project. The Tower Economic … more

Jodi Summit | 8/10/22 | 1 comment

Pickup Truck Opera performs at the Ely Library.

Opera from a pickup

REGIONAL- It isn’t every day that you can get a glimpse of opera along with purchasing fresh vegetables at your local farmers market, or at the local petting zoo, or at a neighbor’s farm. … more

Jodi Summit | 8/10/22

Longtime park tour guide Pete Pellinen is one of the experienced staffers leading above-ground mining tours this summer in Soudan. These tour guides are drawing on their years of research about how this iron mine operated, and what work life was like for the miners.

Lots more to explore at the Soudan Mine

SOUDAN- “When you take the regular underground tour,” said Soudan Underground Mine Park Manager Jim Essig, “we have about 25 minutes to talk to you. The rest of the time we are … more

Jodi Summit | 8/10/22

Couple’s newest novel set in Ukraine during World War II

REGIONAL- Writer Bill Durbin has become adept at bringing history to life for young adult readers. His earliest books were set in northeastern Minnesota, chronicling the fur trade, iron mining, and … more

Jodi Summit | 8/10/22

Why your voice and your feet and your vote count

Why Your voice and Your Feet and Your Vote CountI’m writing on Tuesday, Aug. 9, the day of the primary elections in Minnesota, and I’m feeling nostalgic about times in our democracy that … more

Betty Firth | 8/10/22

Fishing guide Matt Snyder with a 54-inch musky he caught on Vermilion nearly ten years ago. He’s concerned about changes he’s seen in the number and behavior of muskies on the lake.

Different perspectives on Vermilion’s musky outlook

LAKE VERMILION— It’s been good times for musky anglers here this summer, but could trouble be on the horizon? Matt Snyder, a longtime fishing guide who specializes in Lake Vermilion … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/10/22 | 1 comment

Zupancich, Skraba cruise to primary wins

REGIONAL- Babbitt Mayor Andrea Zupancich and Ely Mayor Roger Skraba scored big wins in Tuesday’s Republican primary election in their mutual quests to join the state Legislature, and experience … more

David Colburn | 8/10/22

Ruffed grouse numbers may be up this fall, even though the population is supposed to be in the declining phase of its ten-year cycle.

Outlook for fall grouse harvest appears promising

REGIONAL— The region’s ruffed grouse population is in the declining phase of its roughly ten-year cycle. But someone forgot to tell the grouse. For over 70 years, the cyclical ups and … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/10/22

Zebra mussels confirmed in the Embarrass Mine Pit

REGIONAL— The presence of zebra mussels has been confirmed in the Embarrass Mine Pit, near Aurora, by the Department of Natural Resources. A U.S. Forest Service employee contacted the DNR after … more

8/10/22

Summer of the arts

What a difference the arts can make here in the North Country. While our region has long attracted artists inspired by the region’s natural beauty, our area communities are benefitting from an … more

8/10/22

Lagging interest in COVID boosters could spark new virus wave this fall

REGIONAL—More than two-thirds of Minnesotans may have completed their initial vaccinations against COVID-19, but the state’s residents have lagged considerably when it comes to getting … more

David Colburn | 8/10/22

The Ne-zho-dain is the new tour boat at Voyageurs National Park.

New park tour boat damaged when striking rock

REGIONAL- The debut of Voyageur National Park’s new tour boat, the 42-foot long catamaran “Ne-zho-dain,” has faced a number of challenges this summer, including record flooding that … more

David Colburn | 8/10/22

Eric Simula, in the stern, and other paddlers hit the water at Semer’s Park Sunday afternoon for the maiden voyage of the Burntside, a 20-foot Ojibwe-style birch bark canoe made at the Ely Folk School.

Ojibwe birch bark canoe hits the water

ELY – The “Burntside,” a 20-foot traditional Ojibwe –style canoe, hit the water for the first time off Semer’s Park last Sunday, the culmination of three summers of … more

Keith Vandervort | 8/10/22

District looks at class configurations for new year

REGIONAL- With the new school year fast approaching, ISD 2142 School Board members reviewed projected class sizes at the district’s five schools on Tuesday. They also filled vacant teaching … more

David Colburn | 8/10/22

Obituaries: August 12, 2022

Phyllis C. Nevala Phyllis Cresten Nevala, 84, formerly of Embarrass, died peacefully on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, at Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth. Thanks go out to Essentia … more

8/10/22

American Motel Tour stops at the MarJo

Kelly Kidd and Mike Kindel performed a wide selection of both well-known and original country songs during an outdoor concert at the MarJo Motel in Tower on Aug. 4. The two are touring the country as … more

8/10/22

The Wolf Center’s newest residents, Caz and Blackstone, were allowed to joined the rest of the Exhibit Pack late last week and were getting acquainted with Rieka, Axel and Grayson over the week.

Wolf Center’s new pups join exhibit pack

ELY – The newest residents at the International Wolf Center, Blackstone and Caz, are now part of the Exhibit Pack.After several months of getting acclimated to their new home and roommates, the … more

Keith Vandervort | 8/4/22

Board setting sights on reducing blight in Soudan

SOUDAN – The Breitung Town Board continued discussion on what can be done to remedy blight problems that continue to plague some area properties at their meeting on July 28.“We’ve … more

Rachel Brophy | 8/4/22

Three candidates vie for Ely mayor seat

ELY – Three candidates are participating in the Aug. 9 primary for Ely mayor. The top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 8 general election.Two incumbent Ely city council members, Paul … more

Keith Vandervort | 8/3/22

Standing on the deck of their home overlooking the fields and trees below, Craig and Valarie Flank display the Century Farm sign from the Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Farm Bureau.

Flank Farm receives Century Farm award

BEAR RIVER- In 1906, Peter Flank, a 40-year-old Swedish immigrant, his wife, Anna, and their two young children, six-year-old Arthur and one-year-old Edith moved from their western Minnesota home of … more

David Colburn | 8/3/22

Five-year-old Allison Bajan, of Ely, licks a blueberry cheescake ice cream cone Sunday morning at the 41st Ely Blueberry/Art Festival.

Back to normal

ELY – Following the festival-canceling coronavirus pandemic of 2020 and an epic storm in 2021 that left Whiteside Park in shambles, the 41st annual Blueberry/Art Festival here last weekend … more

Keith Vandervort | 8/3/22 | 1 comment

Ecklund bill would extend jobless benefits for 26 months

REGIONAL— Rep. Rob Ecklund has drafted legislation to extend unemployment benefits for laid off Northshore Mining workers for an additional 26 weeks. Cleveland Cliffs CEO Laurenco Goncalves … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/3/22 | 1 comment

Primary features several non-partisan races

REGIONAL— The general election won’t be held until Nov. 8 this year, but voters will help determine their eventual choices during the primary election set for this Tuesday, Aug. 9. The … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/3/22 | 1 comment

Even cowboys behind the fence look apprehensive as a huge and angry bull explodes out of the gate leaving its rider quickly off balance. Score one for the bull.

Ride 'em Cowboy

The 67th annual edition of the North Star Stampede in Effie, the country's oldest family-run rodeo continuously operating in the same arena, got back to nearly pure rodeo and fun this year, with … more

David Colburn | 8/3/22