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Primary features several non-partisan races

REGIONAL— The general election won’t be held until Nov. 8 this year, but voters will help determine their eventual choices during the primary election set for this Tuesday, Aug. 9. The … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/3/22 | 1 comment

Even cowboys behind the fence look apprehensive as a huge and angry bull explodes out of the gate leaving its rider quickly off balance. Score one for the bull.

Ride 'em Cowboy

The 67th annual edition of the North Star Stampede in Effie, the country's oldest family-run rodeo continuously operating in the same arena, got back to nearly pure rodeo and fun this year, with … more

David Colburn | 8/3/22

Members of the St. Louis County Volunteer Rescue Squad prepare to rappel hundreds of feet into the former Soudan mine pit.

Rescue squad goes over the edge in former mine pit

SOUDAN MINE— Almost two dozen members of the St. Louis County Rescue Squad went down in the Soudan Mine the hard way last Saturday. It was all part of a training exercise that the volunteers … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/3/22

Dan and Greta Burandt outside the Good Ol’ Days Bar and Grill in Tower. The couple took over ownership of the popular establishment last month.

Re-imagining the Good Ol’ Days

TOWER – Anyone who’s ever stepped foot in Tower’s iconic bar on the east end of Main Street most likely left with a belly full of good food and fond memories of Marilyn on the wall, … more

Rachel Brophy | 8/3/22

Dancers Brooke Pasmick, Gracie Pointer, Cora Olson, and Charlotte Hegman rehearse their piece “Movement” for the upcoming show

Ely’s Reflections Dance Company presents Math in Motion

REGIONAL - Residents of Winton may have noticed some busy dancers rehearsing outside the Winton Community Center this summer as the Reflections Dance Company (RDC) prepares for their annual summer … more

8/3/22

Ely’s Historic State Theater plans film festival

ELY - Ely’s Historic State Theater (EHST), was recently awarded a Minnesota State Arts Board grant to host Ely’s first annual film festival. The event is set to be held during the second … more

Keith Vandervort | 8/3/22

Mark Haarman with a buckthorn sprout he dug out, roots and all.

Battling buckthorn

REGIONAL— Mark Haarman is a man with a mission. For years, Haarman, who lives near Ely, has been waging war against an invasive shrub that has the potential to fundamentally reshape the forests … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/3/22

A view of the Milky Way looking north on Namakan Lake.

Voyageurs to host three-day stargazing event

REGIONAL— The National Park Service and the Voyageurs Conservancy are celebrating the natural wonder of Voyageurs National Park’s night skies with the park’s second annual summer … more

Marshall Helmberger | 8/3/22

Ely teacher honored for special education work

ELY – The early childhood special education program at ISD 696 recently received a major boost because of the gratitude of a local parent with an autistic child who wrote a nomination letter … more

Keith Vandervort | 8/3/22

County board delays action on dispersed camping rules

REGIONAL- County commissioners recently delayed acting on proposed rules regulating dispersed camping in St. Louis County’s state tax-forfeited properties and county-owned lands, asking for … more

David Colburn | 8/3/22

Freight train derails Saturday north of Cook

COOK- Fourteen rail cars of a northbound Canadian National freight train derailed Saturday night about seven miles north of Cook.The 123-car CN train was traveling through a remote area at about 7:47 … more

David Colburn | 8/3/22

Costs keep growing for concession/restroom rehab at North Woods

VIRGiNIA- The $300,000 sports field concession stand and restroom rebuilding project at North Woods is going to cost even more, but how much more is yet to be determined. A portion of the extra cost … more

David Colburn | 8/3/22

VNP law enforcement

As we reported last week, Voyageurs National Park officials received an earful at Crane Lake from local residents and the owners of resorts and other businesses that serve the park over what appears … more

8/3/22 | 2 comments

An architect's rendering of the design of the Trailhead facility.

Trailhead facility soon to be a reality

ELY – With $3 million nearly in hand and after years of planning, city officials here are looking forward to beginning construction of the Ely Regional Trailhead facility at the west entrance … more

Keith Vandervort | 8/3/22 | 1 comment

Three people injured in fiery one-vehicle crash Sunday night

COOK- Three individuals were taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries on Sunday as a result of a truck crash about five miles east of Cook on Sunday evening.At approximately 8 p.m. … more

8/3/22

Obituaries: August 5, 2022

Susan FelixSusan Brown Felix, 66, of Lake Vermilion and formerly of Minneapolis, died on Monday, July 25, 2022, at Miller-Dwan Hospital in Duluth. A private celebration of life will be … more

8/3/22

An excavator hauls rock across the east parking lot on the Ely school campus Tuesday morning as work continues on $21.5 million building and renovation project.

Ely school construction project finish line looms

ELY – The $21.5 million building and renovation project on the ISD 696 campus here is quickly headed for the Labor Day completion finish line, and with about a month to go, just seven percent … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/28/22

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

A black bear was recently spotted foraging for berries and other treats in a ditch a little over a mile from the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary.

Bear visits raise concerns

NETT LAKE- After last summer’s severe drought, there are likely no creatures happier to see this year’s bumper crop of berries than the black bears who count them among their favorite … more

David Colburn | 7/27/22 | 2 comments

As Voyageurs National Park Facilities Supervisor Seth Nelson looks on, Park Superintendent Bob DeGross responds to a comment at a public forum in Crane Lake last week.

Communities on edge over policing at Voyageurs National Park

VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK- An alleged tasing incident involving an Ash River houseboat rental operator and reports of overzealous law enforcement here by the park’s protection rangers have area … more

David Colburn | 7/27/22

Employee faces assault allegations

ELY – A city of Ely employee was placed on paid leave last week while an investigation continues into an alleged physical assault at the Ely City Hall that put a local construction worker in … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/27/22

Midco crews in Ely installed high-speed internet lines in Ely this week.

High-speed internet finally reaching the North Country

REGIONAL— After years of frustration over the lack of high-speed internet at the end of the road, the evidence of a solution is everywhere these days. And it’s all coming to nearby Tower … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/27/22

Blueberry/Art Festival is back better than ever

ELY – With Mother Nature’s cooperation, more than 200 art, craft, and food vendors will fill Whiteside Park starting at 10 a.m. Friday, July 29 and stay until Sunday, July 31 at 4 p.m. … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/27/22

Postcard of Tower Main St. showing the Historic Fire Hall.

Charlemagne’s Attic Sale Friday & Saturday at the Historic Fire Hall on Main Street

TOWER- The Tower-Soudan Historical Society’s “Charlemagne’s Attic Sale” is being held on Friday, July 29, and Saturday, July 30 at the historic fire hall at 504 Main Street in … more

7/27/22

Ojibwe expert mesmerizes with history of timber on the Range

VIRGINIA- This summer’s Northern Lights Music Festival in Virginia featured a successful wrinkle from last year’s festival that’s surely not duplicated in any other similar music … more

David Colburn | 7/27/22