Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota
Top stories
Moccasin Point landing now open for public use
LAKE VERMILION— After more than ten months of construction, and more than four months of closure, the Moccasin Point public access here has now reopened for public use. The reconstructed landing, …
Ely hospital, Tower ambulance near cooperative agreement
REGIONAL— Tower’s ambulance service and Ely Bloomenson Community Hospital are nearing final approval on an agreement that would give the hospital more medical and operational oversight of the …
John C. Larsen
John Christopher Larsen, 76, of Chisholm, died on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, at Heritage Manor in Chisholm. A celebration of life will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 25 at the Tower Civic …
Forrest E. Abramson
Forrest Emil Abramson, 92, of Orr, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. Funeral services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cook on Saturday, Oct. 24 with visitation at 10 a.m. …
Skraba, Kania differ over economic development paths
REGIONAL- As northeastern Minnesota faces rising costs, housing shortages and challenges in rural health care, state Republican Rep. Roger Skraba and Democrat challenger Aaron Kania are facing off …
Board candidates address district’s challenges
ELY— How to teach controversial subjects was among the first topics put to Ely School Board candidates at a pre-election forum at the Minnesota North-Vermilion Campus Theater. It came up again and …
Swanson, Stauber offer very different solutions
REGIONAL — Trina Swanson is looking to defeat incumbent Pete Stauber this November in Minnesota’s Eighth Congressional District race, but if recent history is any guide, she has her work cut out …
Read our E-edition
Creating the future forest
LAKE VERMILION STATE PARK— There’s a remarkable dividing line here between the old and new portions of what is now called the Lake Vermilion Soudan Underground Mine State Park. The original park, …
A follow-up on the Hunters 4 Hunters “documentary”
Last week’s column on the “documentary” Hunters 4 Hunters released earlier this month drew some thoughtful pushback, and a few points deserve a follow-up. A longtime friend who appears in the …
REGIONAL— Bear hunters have had a phenomenal season this year, despite relatively abundant natural foods in many locations. Through Oct. 12, hunters in the state have registered 4,079 bears, …
While the intial dazziling burst of fall color has already become more subdued, there was still plenty of color to be found in the North Country this past week.
Timberjay Editorial
An election that matters
Up here, we know the difference between a squall and a storm. A squall may kick up whitecaps on Big Bay, rattle the dock, but is replaced by sunshine 20 minutes later. A storm takes the roof. For two …
Stauber’s failure
Northeastern Minnesota has always sent people to Washington who worked for and answered to the people of the region. These were lawmakers who were willing to challenge a president of either party …
Columnists
What the woods know: What remains
There’s a certain kind of silence that comes when someone dies. Not the peaceful kind you find beside a lake at sunrise, or standing among the trees after a fresh snowfall. It’s a different …
I’m a few steps closer to a Heinz 57
I was at a loss for a column topic this week when, on a whim, I logged into Ancestry.com to see whether its latest DNA update had arrived. It had. Serendipity is always welcome on deadline. For those …
Thank you for going above and beyond
Every week, the Timberjay’s reporters set out to do something that has become surprisingly rare in rural America: report the news of our communities, thoroughly and independently. From local city …
Vote as if your country depends on it
As the days slip away, bringing the midterm elections closer, we continue to see our mentally unstable president flailing about in ever-increasing bizarre gyrations, mimicking the downward spiral of …
Letters to the Editor
Ely topples Rock Ridge in senior night romp
ELY- The Timberwolves sent their seniors out with a sweep on Tuesday, closing the regular season with a 25-9, 25-15, 25-15 win over Rock Ridge on Senior Night. Peyton Huntington, Audrey Kallberg, …
Broncos buck NER/Ely in latest home meet
BABBITT- Northeast Range/Ely won four varsity events, including both freestyle relays, but International Falls came away with a 59-34 win over the Nighthawks here on Tuesday. Evelyn Moran and Lucy …Wolves crush in ‘Babbitt Bowl’
BABBITT- High school football returned to Joe Boffa Field for the first time in six years on Wednesday, Oct. 14, and Ely marked the occasion with its first win of the season, rolling past East …
Grizzlies drop road match to Greenway
REGIONAL- North Woods closed out its regular season with a four-set loss at Greenway on Tuesday, finishing with a 16-10 record heading into next week’s Section 7A volleyball tournament. The …
Grizzlies fall to Cook County
FIELD TWP- North Woods kept sixth-ranked Cook County within a touchdown through the opening quarter, but turnovers helped the Vikings pull away for a 43-6 win here on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The …
Northeast Range shows progress in home finale
BABBITT- Northeast Range closed out its home volleyball schedule with a three-set loss to Nashwauk-Keewatin on Monday, but Head Coach Misty Roseth saw plenty to appreciate as her young players …
TEAM Borealis wraps up season at state championship
CHISHOLM- Team Borealis wrapped up its mountain bike season this past weekend at the state championship races at Redhead Mountain Bike Park, with several riders posting strong finishes in the largest …
Jacqueline Solem
Jacqueline (born Geraldine) “Jackie” Solem, 86, passed away at Gracewood Advanced Assisted Living and Memory Care in Lino Lakes on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. A Funeral Mass will be said at 11 a.m. …
Cameron Nicholas and Shirley Nicholas
Shirley Ann Nicholas, 72, of Cook, passed away on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Cameron Charles Nicholas, 42, of Cook, passed away on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. Cameron’s and Shirley’s lives will be …
James L. Zupancich
James L. “Jim” Zupancich Sr., 88, of Ely, passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by his family on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. Funeral services were held on Thursday, Oct. 22 at St. Anthony’s …
Doris M. Sipola
Doris May Sipola, 88, of Roseville, originally of Embarrass, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, at United Hospital in St. Paul. A private ceremony will be held at Lake Washburn. Doris always …
Charlotte J. Wood
Charlotte Jean Wood, 89, of Ely, passed away at Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely. Funeral arrangements are pending with Kerntz Funeral Home of Ely.
Albert J. Reller
Albert “Al” John Reller, 83, of Soudan, died peacefully on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, with his loving wife MaryBeth Williams Reller at his side. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on …
Loretta F. Knutson
Loretta Fern Knutson, 89, of Shelby Township, Mich., passed away on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, at home, surrounded by loved ones. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12 at the …
Judith M. Ferguson
What do you say about this remarkable woman? Judith Mae Ferguson, lovingly known as Judy, was born on May 3, 1944, and passed away on Sept. 28, 2026, leaving behind a beautiful legacy of faith, love, …
The true scoop about the illustrious Ms. Vera Milion
TOWER-SOUDAN- At his funeral last Saturday, many old friends talked about Al Reller and his love of the theater. Longtime friend Jim Lah, who helped write Al’s obituary, noted that Al’s life was …
Tower bronc rider makes his mark
TOWER- Carter Peterson was the first rider out of the chute in the bareback bronc finals at Wojo’s Rodeo Circuit Finals in Thief River Falls. He was also the only one to stay on for the full eight …
Stories from the North Pole: an adventure hatched in Ely
ELY- Forty years after their dog sled expedition became the first unsupported trip to reach the North Pole, six of its eight members took the stage at the Ely State Theater. Some of their stories had …
New play space built at Vermilion Boys and Girls Club
VERMILION RESERVATION- Kaboom! It could be a loud explosion. But it might be something extraordinary. In this case, it was a group of volunteers coming together to build a new playground at the Boys …
Free feast, music, and more at solar commons event
TOWER- The Vermilion Country School and the Tower Economic Development Authority have reached an agreement to create the state’s first-ever Solar Commons, a method of converting financial savings …
Closets by Design reports that school mornings are stressful due to time constraints and disorganization.
Rula reports that good mental health involves coping skills, strong relationships, and a sense of purpose.
KURU Footwear reports that being on your feet for eight hours can cause various physical issues like muscle fatigue, pain, and cardiovascular risks, emphasizing the need for varied movement and better workplace design to mitigate discomfort.
Closets by Design reports on feng shui's potential to reduce stress by organizing spaces for energy flow, aligning with research on clutter and well-being.
Malwarebytes reports scammers are targeting mobile users with increasingly sophisticated scams.