News - The Timberjay

Tuesday is township annual meeting day

REGIONAL- Minnesota’s 1,777 townships will hold their annual meetings on Tuesday, March 14. Known as Township Day, these annual meetings are held every year on the second Tuesday in March and … more

3/8/23

COVID on the rise in area but threat remains low

REGIONAL- COVID-19 is making the news again as measures of the virus’s activity have been ticking upwards in recent weeks, somewhat mirroring late summer increases in COVID levels in 2020, … more

David Colburn | 8/16/23

Hauschild launches “Northland Strong” initiative

State Sen. Grant Hauschild has recently launched his “Northland Strong” Initiative, an effort to focus his outreach and policy priorities to keep Northland communities strong and safe. … more

10/25/23

City starting to look for funding for water main replacement

ELY— A report by Ely Clerk-Treasurer Harold Langowski on possible funding to replace the city’s drinking water supply line was the most substantial item of business in an hour-long city … more

Catie Clark | 3/8/23

Free, paid certified nursing assistant training offered

ELY- Are you interested in pursuing a rewarding career as a certified nursing assistant, or CNA? The Boundary Waters Care Center is now offering free on-site training and other compensation for those … more

10/25/23

School board tackles teacher staffing cuts

VIRGINIA- The ISD 2142 School Board saved it’s most challenging tasks for last on Tuesday, those related to the release of teaching staff. Based on a projected budget shortfall for the 2024-25 … more

David Colburn | 3/27/24

Solar project still moving forward

TOWER— A plan to build an approximately five-megawatt solar array near the Tower-Breitung water tower remains in the works even as agreement on the details have taken longer to finalize than … more

Marshall Helmberger | 1/17/24

Newly-elected supervisors Lois Roskoski and Craig Gilbert.

Newcomer Roskoski elected as board chair

GREENWOOD TWP- Newly-elected supervisor Lois Roskoski was unanimously elected chair at the Greenwood’s reorganization meeting on March 21. Paul Skubic was elected to serve as vice-chair. … more

Jodi Summit | 3/27/24

United Way of NE MN partners with Essentia to promote volunteering

REGIONAL - United Way of Northeastern Minnesota (UWNEMN) has announced a partnership with Essentia Health to promote volunteering across the Iron Range. Thanks in part to a grant from Essentia … more

5/24/23

Superior National Forest looking for help

REGIONAL—The Superior National Forest wants you to apply for a job. The largest national forest in the eastern half of the United States is seeking to hire 25 entry-level technicians and … more

Marshall Helmberger | 10/27/23

The planned state OHV camp is set to be built just south of Hwy. 169, just off the Murray Forest Road in the area shown in yellow.

OHV camp construction set for 2024

REGIONAL— A new state campground designed specifically for off-road vehicle users should be under construction later this year just east of Soudan. The campground was part of the original … more

Marshall Helmberger | 1/17/24

Area projects get $1.6 million from IRRR

REGIONAL- The Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation will be sending out $1.6 million to support four North Country projects related to broadband, infrastructure, and housing after … more

David Colburn | 3/27/24

A wall of tarps and sandbags protects outbuildings and gas pumps at Voyagaire Lodge from Crane Lake’s rising waters on Saturday.

Flooding hits record levels

REGIONAL- The mounting crisis for regional lakeshore property owners and resorts entered a record-breaking phase late last week when water levels at Crane Lake and Lake Kabetogama blew past the … more

David Colburn | 5/18/22

Jeffrey Hanson, of Clearwater BioLogics, spoke earlier this month to the Ely Climate Group about major changes on the horizon for the steel industry.

Could “greening” of the steel sector bring a new boom to the Range?

REGIONAL— The greening of the steel industry will bring big changes to Minnesota’s Iron Range, and those changes could be beneficial or devastating to the region’s economy, … more

Marshall Helmberger | 10/12/22

Ely freshman Chezne Nickolson (left) and Ely sophomore Molly Lindsay (center) play the troll couple Bulda and Pabbie, looking upon Ely sixth grader Beck Sponholtz, who plays a younger Princess Anna who had just been cured of her magical injury at the hands of her sister, Princess Elsa.

FROZEN debuts Friday

ELY- After more than a year of buildup, the weekend of “Frozen in Ely” is finally here. Ely Memorial High School was the only high school in Minnesota to win the rights to perform … more

Catie Clark | 1/17/24

Does WELY-FM radio station have a future?

ELY – According to Brett Ross, longtime program director and general manager at WELY, the “End of the Road” radio station, this community’s on-air presence still has a future. … more

Keith Vandervort | 5/18/22

Ely artist Leah Reusch is drawn to the natural world for her artistic inspiration.

Ely artist uses light and space in her oversized works

ELY – A local artist visited the North Country for the first time when she was a 15-year-old camper at YMCA’s Camp Widjiwagen, and she never really left. Leah Reusch worked at Widji off … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/27/22

Jack Ranua and Bentley Crego were focused on math earlier this week.

Enrollment is booming

TOWER— What a difference 12 months can make. Last year at this time the Vermilion Country School was facing a budget challenge as two years of the COVID pandemic had left recruitment of … more

Marshall Helmberger | 10/12/22

Three generations of the Lamppa family pose with the recertification letter the company received March 1. Pictured are Garrett Lamppa, Daryl Lamppa, and Garrett’s three-year-old son Leif Herbert Lamppa.

Investigation raps EPA’s wood burner testing

REGIONAL— The Environmental Protection Agency’s testing program for wood stoves and other wood-burning devices is ineffective and is putting the public’s health at risk. … more

Marshall Helmberger | 3/16/23

Obituaries: August 18, 2023

Isaiah L. Deegan Isaiah Lamar Deegan, 25, of Mt. Iron, passed away on Sunday, July 30, 2023, in Hibbing. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19 at Range Funeral Home in … more

8/17/23

County falls in high-speed broadband rankings

REGIONAL- St. Louis County is falling behind in the deployment of high-speed broadband, tumbling down the rankings of Minnesota counties based on recent data from the Minnesota Office of Broadband … more

David Colburn | 1/17/24

Flood debris creates hazards for boaters

REGIONAL— Some of the worst flooding to hit the North Country in generations has left an extraordinary amount of debris floating in area lakes— and that is posing a considerable public … more

Marshall Helmberger | 5/18/22

District 3 Senate candidates answer questions

DFLer Grant Hauschild • Hermantown Minnesota has an estimated $9 billion budget surplus. What do you propose to do with the money?One of the reasons I’m running for the Legislature is … more

10/19/22

Harmony reigns at Greenwood?

GREENWOOD TWP- About two dozen Greenwood residents attended a rather quiet and business-like annual meeting on Tuesday. In a move back to a less contentious time, all the votes on motions were by a … more

Jodi Summit | 3/16/23

Walz’s $982 million spending plans lack specifics

REGIONAL- Gov. Tim Walz unveiled a proposed $982 million capital budget for the 2024 legislative session on Tuesday, and local governments, including Tower, were left hanging on whether or not their … more

David Colburn | 1/17/24