News - The Timberjay

County joins national monarch protection agreement

REGIONAL- In a win-win Tuesday for monarch butterflies and St. Louis County, the board of commissioners approved an agreement that will provide more butterfly habitat along the county’s … more

David Colburn | 10/4/23

Duluth man dies in BWCAW accident

REGIONAL- A 62-year-old Duluth man was found dead on Friday on Lake Agnes, the victim of an apparent drowning. Mark Ham was described by family members as a clinical psychologist and an avid … more

David Colburn | 5/15/24

Another group of ‘heroes’ to get state bonus

REGIONAL- Applications for “Hero Pay” for frontline COVID pandemic workers continue to exceed expectations with still a month to go before applications close. But another group of … more

David Colburn | 7/6/22

Lawmakers seek extended UI for N’Shore mine workers

REGIONAL- Prolonged layoffs and the end of unemployment benefits for idled Northshore Mining workers in Babbitt and Silver Bay signal an uncertain future as two area legislators vow to press forward … more

David Colburn | 12/1/22

County Sheriff remains concerned over SRO law change

REGIONAL—St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay indicated he remains concerned about a change in state law that limits the types of physical force that school officials, including student … more

Marshall Helmberger | 10/4/23

Obituaries: March 1, 2024

Christina Premo Christina Premo, 56, lost her strong fight on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. She took her last breaths in her sleep while surrounded by the ones she loved most. She was blessed to be able … more

2/28/24

Greenwood still wrangling over treasurer reports

GREENWOOD TWP- “We are going to zip right through here tonight,” said Greenwood Chair Lois Roskoski optimistically at the beginning of the May 14 town board meeting. And while the meeting … more

Jodi Summit | 5/15/24

What steps should the government take to rein in Wall Street abuses?

9/17/09

Tower Ambulance Commission to look at ways to move forward

TOWER- The Tower Area Ambulance Commission intends to move forward, albeit slowly, and look at a different business models to oversee the area’s ambulance service.Rural ambulance services … more

Jodi Summit | 7/6/22

Timberjay’s new Ely editor now on the job

ELY— The Timberjay’s new Ely editor will be on the job starting Friday, beginning her full-time coverage of news and events in the Ely area. Catherine “Catie” Helm-Clark and … more

12/1/22

Tower’s harbor could soon be the site for major development after years of false starts and delay.

Major players seek to join harbor development

TOWER— After decades of public investment, false starts, and dashed hopes, major development at Tower’s harbor and adjacent riverfront may finally be coming soon. At a special July 20 … more

Jodi Summit | 7/26/23

Ely City Council purr-fects its pet ordinances

ELY- Cat owners in Ely are off the hook. The Ely City Council voted to drop the licensing requirements for pets other than dogs. Mayor Heidi Omerza noted that the rewrite of the city’s pet … more

Catie Clark | 10/4/23

Township to enact short-term rental moratorium

EAGLES NEST TWP- Short-term vacation rentals are coming under new scrutiny and are likely to face at least a temporary moratorium based on town board action here on Tuesday. The town board will vote … more

Jodi Summit | 9/21/22

Student Kai Contreras-Pieratos shows off the last remaining bite or two of his piece of pie.

Eats to be thankful for

TOWER- Thanksgiving came a few days early at Vermilion Country School. The meal was traditional: turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, cheesy potatoes, green beans, rolls, cranberries, and plenty … more

Jodi Summit | 12/1/22

Town board meeting public comment changes denied

GREENWOOD TWP- The Greenwood Town Board, Tuesday, denied a request from resident Lee Peterson to move public comments at the meeting to the top of the agenda.“The public can’t comment on … more

Jodi Summit | 2/15/23

ngrid Lyons (left) and Becky Rom presented an overview of the Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness strategy for protecting the Boundary Waters at the July 25 Tuesday Group meeting at the Grand Ely Lodge.

NMW lays out strategy for BWCAW protection

ELY- While the U.S. Department of the Interior has banned mineral leases for 20 years on 225,000 acres within the Rainy River watershed on the Superior National Forest, Ely-based Northeastern … more

Catie Clark | 7/26/23

High court hears arguments in PolyMet case

REGIONAL— Minnesota’s highest court heard arguments Wednesday that may or may not send a key permit for the proposed PolyMet mine back to square one. While the state’s nine top … more

Marshall Helmberger | 12/1/22

Obituaries: February 17, 2023

Mark LeustekMark Leustek, 53, of Ely, died on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Ely. Arrangements are with … more

2/15/23

Greenwood rep on the hot seat at ambulance meeting

TOWER- Greenwood Township Board Chair John Bassing spent time on the hot seat during a Tower Ambulance Commission meeting that started late and ended early as a result of ambulance calls requiring … more

Jodi Summit | 7/26/23

Operation Santa toy drive almost ready

TOWER- Donations are still needed for this year’s Operation Santa toy drive. We already have over 180 children on our list, so it is looking like the need will be higher than in the past few … more

12/13/23

Left: Last year’s canoe portage marathon winner was looking good as he came across the finish line in Whiteside Park amidst a large crowd of cheering fans. It all kicks off again on Saturday with the seventh running of the Ely Marathon.

A little sweat, a lot of fun

ELY – This weekend nearly 600 athletes will arrive in Ely to run… and run. Roughly 400 of them will take part in the 13.1 mile-long Boundary Waters Bank half-marathon, while close to 200 … more

Rachel Brophy | 9/21/22

Soudan home destroyed in early morning fire

BREITUNG TWP- Nine fire departments battled a large house fire in Breitung Township on Friday, April 28. The blaze was reported by a passerby around 6:05 a.m. in the 5300 block of the Junction Road. … more

5/3/23

Gary Smith cuts one of 600 Kiwanis Club pies.

Pie and much more at Blueberry/Art festival

ELY— The annual celebration of the North Country’s most popular wild berry gets underway Friday morning at Whiteside Park and runs through Sunday. This year’s Blueberry Art/Festival … more

7/26/23

River Street Vendor Boutique owners Kaycee Danielson and Deanna Washek take a moment to pose in their new Cook shop last Saturday.

Dynamic duo provides creative outlet for local vendors

COOK- When mother and daughter crafters get together, anything can happen and the sky’s the limit for creativity, but Deanna Washek and Kaycee Danielson may have set a new bar with their latest … more

David Colburn | 12/13/23

Rep. Dave Lislegard in his “Freezin in Embarrass” sweatshirt slaps meteorologist Dave Anderson on the shoulder during the Sisu Heritage annual meeting held Feb. 25.

Speaking of the weather...

EMBARRASS- The ever-affable meteorologist and local historian Dave Anderson turned his talk on weather and his family’s area history into an impromptu news session during the Sisu Heritage … more

Jodi Summit | 3/6/24