News - The Timberjay

Obituaries: January 13, 2023

Gladys D. Tuuri Gladys D. “Gladie” Tuuri, 97, of Cook, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at the Cook Hospital. Her whole family wants to extend their grateful thank you to the staff … more

1/11/23

Ambulance study offers little hope for regionalization

GREENWOOD TWP- An updated, and substantially modified, version of the McGrath Consulting Group study commissioned by Greenwood Township was released to the town board last week. While the revised … more

Jodi Summit | 3/29/23

Primary for Ely mayor set for Aug. 10

ELY – City of Ely residents will go to the polls on Tuesday, Aug. 10 to vote in a primary election for the mayoral seat. A two-week filing period for the city of Ely mayor and three city … more

Keith Vandervort | 6/1/22

John and Heather Chaulklin say demand is high for the THC products they’re selling from their Cook store.

Local entrepreneurs tap THC market

COOK- John and Heather Chaulklin, of Cook, already had a thriving e-commerce business selling natural health supplements and other items when they purchased the former propane gas building at the … more

David Colburn | 10/26/22

Ely school district reduces deficit

ELY- An improving financial outlook was the upshot of Ely school district’s annual audit, which headlined the school board meeting here on Monday. According to auditor Devin Ceglar, from … more

Catie Clark | 1/11/23

Old friends embrace next to a photo of the late Carol Alstrom, a much loved and respected former teacher at Tower-Soudan.

Celebrating a life well spent

TOWER- Carol Alstrom was a force of nature. She was a large person and had a voice to match. She was strong and a competitive athlete. She was a teacher, a coach, and a leader. She knew how to get … more

Jodi Summit | 3/29/23

Winter park access to remain the same this year

VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK- Winter users of frozen lake surfaces here won’t have to cope with a new set of rules this season, as implementation of a new Frozen Lake Surface Access and Use Plan … more

David Colburn | 11/9/23

County debuts online fire evacuation map

REGIONAL- St. Louis County has launched a new online mapping tool designed to expedite safe evacuations in the event of a wildfire, and the system was introduced in a press conference last week that … more

David Colburn | 4/11/24

An artist's rendering of the proposed townhome project in Tower.

THS intends to proceed with townhome project

TOWER— Barring something unexpected, it appears ground could be broken on the long-delayed townhome project at the Tower harbor as early as next month. That’s the word in a letter of … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/1/22

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

Ely board OKs more sharing with NE Range

ELY – In a unanimous vote on Monday night the ISD 696 school board approved pursuing a cooperative agreement with Northeast Range for girls’ basketball for the upcoming season.The … more

Rachel Brophy | 10/26/22

Contractors work to excavate mucky soils near the East Two River last fall. The soft soils led to an enormous cost overrun on the city’s trailhead and kayak launch project.

Overrun a holdover of a troubled time

TOWER— The recent revelation of a nearly quarter million dollar cost overrun on the city of Tower’s so-called trailhead project adjacent to the East Two River is, once again, highlighting … more

1/18/23

Cook Ambulance service directed to seek help from Tower, Orr

COOK- In a Cook City Council meeting with a relatively light agenda last Thursday, the most weighty item could be found in the monthly ambulance report submitted by director Roland Shoen. The … more

David Colburn | 8/30/23

Ely RV park battle continues

ELY- The battle continues next week over the proposed reopening and expansion of the former Miners Lake RV Park and Campground. The new owners of the property, Dean and Lee Ann Peterson of AOK … more

Catie Clark | 11/9/23

Oliver Weidemann, 5, of Ely, helps place 1,120 American flags at the Ely Cemetery for Memorial Day.

The North Country marks Memorial Day

Many North Country communities paused on Monday to honor the sacrifices of area military personnel who died in the line of service with Memorial Day observances. more

Timberjay staff | 6/1/22

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

This rock arch dam in Pine County that replaced a failed dam is similar in concept to what Bois Forte official have decided to use on the Nett River.

New Nett River dam planned

NETT LAKE- An aging, ailing concrete dam controlling the waters of Nett Lake is about to be demolished and replaced with a new design that will have ecological benefit for the lake and the Nett … more

David Colburn | 10/26/22

Former governor seeks moratorium on new mining

REGIONAL— Former Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson is calling for a temporary moratorium on all mining projects in the state that threaten human health. Carlson, a Republican who has been an … more

Marshall Helmberger | 3/30/23

VCS graduates ready for their next steps towards adulthood

TOWER- “I know I haven’t been at this school very long,” said senior Ashton Cook, “but I feel like every one of you is family. Before I came to this school, I didn’t … more

Jodi Summit | 6/7/23

The hospital's fitness center has a wide array of cardiovascular, strength and flexibility equiment.

Hospital's rehab program is a life-changer

COOK- The Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program is alive and well, and the program’s director, registered nurse Lori Brett, is excited to be writing a new chapter in her 16-year career … more

David Colburn | 8/30/23

High EMS payroll costs are contributing to the financial troubles of many area ambulance services, like Ely’s.

Higher ambulance payrolls contribute to financial woes

REGIONAL— As ambulance services across rural Minnesota struggle financially, there’s one factor that has contributed more than any to the flow of red ink for most services: the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 2/1/24

USFS pauses all prescribed burns for the summer

REGIONAL - The Superior National Forest did not go forward with the Kangas 6 and 7 Prescribed Fire units, located south of Ely, last week as scheduled, and will not start fires anytime this spring … more

Keith Vandervort | 6/1/22

Jeffrey Hanson of Babbitt, holds up a small glass of the water he’s treating in his basement laboratory to eliminate sulfate. He’s already patented one of two steps in the process and has a patent pending on the final steps in the process.

Babbitt engineer patenting a low cost solution to sulfate pollution

BABBITT— In a makeshift basement laboratory here, Jeffrey Hanson is fine-tuning a process that could turn a cost-effective fix for one of the Iron Range’s biggest environmental problems … more

Marshall Helmberger | 10/26/22

Broadband, ambulance top priorities in 2023 for Greenwood

GREENWOOD TWP- The Greenwood Town Board welcomed one new member, albeit one with actual supervisor experience, at its reorganizational meeting on March 23. John Bassing took a seat at the table, … more

Jodi Summit | 3/29/23

Sah-Gii-Bah-Gah Powwow at Nett Lake

Timberjay photographer David Colburn captured images of the color and pagentry of Native regalia at the annual Sah-Gii-Bah-Gah powwow this past weekend at Nett Lake. Unseasonably warm temperatures … more

6/7/23