News - The Timberjay

Obituaries: September 29, 2023

Judy B. Stapleton Judy B. Stapleton, 82, of Mt. Iron, formerly of Tower, passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, at Essentia Health - St. Mary’s Medical Center Hospice Unit in Duluth. The … more

9/27/23

A Marsh Masater tracked vehicle used in the search for Glenn Stevenson last Sunday is loaded after another fruitless day of searching by St. Louis County Rescue Squuad members.

Latest search for missing Gheen man comes up empty

GHEEN- The St. Louis County Rescue Squad fanned out again around Gheen on Sunday looking for any sign of missing Willow Valley Township resident Glenn Stevenson, but once again came up empty. St. … more

David Colburn | 9/21/23

Dogs who run in the Ely Marathon allowed in Whiteside Park

ELY- The Ely City Council , on Tuesday, voted to allow half-marathon runners to cross the finish line in Whiteside Park with their dogs, which are not normally permitted at the park. Wendy Lindsay, … more

Catie Clark | 9/21/23

Residents along Trygg Rd. in Eagles Nest Township have experienced dozens of flat tires as a result of sharp gravel recently added there.

Sharp gravel leaves Eagles Nest drivers flat

EAGLES NEST— Township officials are raising the alarm over an issue that St. Louis County public works officials say they’ve never encountered before. Residents along both Trygg and Mud … more

David Colburn | 9/20/23 | 1 comment

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

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

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

North Country National Scenic Trail comes to Ely

ELY- The North Country National Scenic Trail is coming to Ely and you can help make it happen. Area hiking enthusiasts have formed a new local chapter of the North Country Trail Association and their … more

Catie Clark | 9/20/23

Climate-smart seedling growers receive $15K grant

REGIONAL- A northeast Minnesota famers cooperative dedicated to growing climate-adaptive seedlings for reforestation and forest preservation has received a $15,000 grant from the Minnesota Farmers … more

David Colburn | 9/20/23

The demise of the curb and paving of Ely’s worst right turn into the Zup’s parking lot: the material constrcting the turn has been dug out and now will be paved over.

What’s up at Zup’s?

ELY- Other than those eating roots and berries in the woods, everyone in Ely has noticed all the construction at the Zup’s parking lot over the last two weeks. What’s it all about? The … more

Catie Clark | 9/20/23

Lauren Rehbein (background) and Sylvia Shock (foreground) trapping crayfish on the Burnstside River.

ECR water project

ELY- Editor’s note: Ely Community Resource has hosted a water project in Ely since 2016. Every year, they submit an article written by one of their high school employees for publication in the … more

Catie Clark | 9/20/23

Frozen vocal director Eliot Mokole warms up the students at Sunday’s auditions for the musical.

Frozen casting call

ELY- Over 30 students showed up on Sunday evening for auditions for Ely Memorial High School’s production of Disney’s Frozen—The Broadway Musical. Ely is the only high school in … more

9/20/23

Obituaries: September 22, 2023

Glenn W. Myers Glenn “Mike” Wayne Myers, 86, of Babbitt, passed away on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. A celebration of life is planned for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23 at his home, Myers Manor, … more

9/20/23

State Sen. Sandy Pappas (second from left) visited with local officials including Tim Tomsich, Matt Tuchel, and Michael Schultz.

State Reps hear about need for new water filtration system

SOUDAN- Senate Capital Investment Committee Chair Sen. Sandy Pappas (DFL-St. Paul) and members of the Capital Investment Committee visited Soudan on Sept. 6, as part of a tour of more than 20 … more

Jodi Summit | 9/15/23

Japanese knotweed is a shrub-like, semi-woody perennial with bamboo-like stems, and broad, oval-shaped leaves.

Patch of invasive Japanese Knotweed found on Everett Bay Rd.

GREENWOOD TWP- There is a new “neighbor” living near the Everett Point public boat landing, and it is an unwelcome guest. A large patch of Japanese Knotweed, an invasive species, was … more

Jodi Summit | 9/14/23

Planning and Zoning denies variance request for tiny home

TOWER- A request from Daniel Eveleth to build a home smaller than allowed by the city’s current zoning ordinance was denied for failing to meet the standards set in statute for the granting of … more

Jodi Summit | 9/14/23 | 1 comment

Boise State University researcher and drone pilot Thomas Van Der Weide with his drone-mounted LIDAR equipment.

Study to gauge carbon losses losses

REGIONAL- “Nobody has done this before,” Randy Kolka told the Timberjay. Kolka is a soil scientist with the U.S. Forest Service and he was talking about a unique study to calculate how … more

Catie Clark | 9/13/23

The Gillson residence located at 45 E. Boundary St. in Ely.

Domestic rift leads to fire, high- speed chase

ELY- An alleged domestic altercation in Ely led to a fire and a police pursuit involving a significant law enforcement response around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, as the Timberjay prepared to go to … more

Catie Clark | 9/13/23

Judge dismisses Twin Metals lawsuit seeking lease reinstatement

REGIONAL— A federal district judge in Washington, D.C. has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Twin Metals and Franconia Minerals that had sought to reverse the cancellation of mineral leases critical … more

Marshall Helmberger | 9/13/23

Council approves rate increase at Hoodoo Point

TOWER— The city council here, on Monday, approved a ten-percent increase in the seasonal rate for RV campers at the Hoodoo Point Campground, but not before hearing from several of those … more

Marshall Helmberger | 9/13/23

New COVID boosters available; area seeing uptick in cases

REGIONAL- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave its approval to newly formulated COVID booster shots on Monday, clearing the way for distribution at a time when COVID rates around the country … more

David Colburn | 9/13/23

Search continuing for missing Gheen man

GHEEN— The search for Glenn Stevenson, a Willow Valley Township man with Parkinson’s disease who went missing Sept. 2 near Gheen, has been fruitless as of Tuesday, but authorities … more

David Colburn | 9/13/23

A concept plan given a preliminary okay by the TEDA board calls for a hotel and additional mixed commercial/residential space at the harbor, with most residential development slated to take place on the north side of Hwy. 169 on the former Mesojedec property.

TEDA green lights harbor concept plan that includes hotel

TOWER— The Tower Economic Development Authority has given a unanimous green light to a concept plan that would bring a hotel, an adjacent commercial space, and a handful of second-floor … more

Jodi Summit | 9/13/23

Ely high school gym floor should be back in action soon

ELY- The new gymnasium floor at Ely Memorial High School should be ready for use next month, reported Facilities Director Tim Leeson at the Sept. 11 meeting of the Ely School Board. The floor was … more

Catie Clark | 9/13/23