Editorials - The Timberjay

Republican hypocrisy

Breathtaking gall. That’s the best description of what House Republicans are attempting to pass off as prudent concern about the growing federal debt. We know, for a historical fact, that … more

5/24/23

Peace on earth

Peace on Earth, goodwill towards everyone.That’s long been the unofficial greeting of the Christmas season, and it’s worth considering at this time each year how well we actually live up … more

12/21/22

Creepy Crawlies

Just in time for Halloween, there’s a new poll out that shows that nearly one-in-three Americans are concerned about being bitten by blood-sucking pests. Of course, had they taken the poll in … more

10/25/23

Constitutional amendment

Lawmakers in St. Paul should resist a proposal for a combined government reform amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that would open the way to a full-time Legislature. The measure, as the … more

3/27/24

Iron Range future

Almost 70 years ago the state of Minnesota started investing in development of new technology that created decades of prosperity on the Iron Range. Today, a similar opportunity exists that could … more

10/12/22

Investigation needed

A newly-released report from the federal Fish and Wildlife Service (see related story page B4) , or FWS, suggests that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources misused millions of federal grant … more

1/17/24

Greenwood dysfunction

In St. Louis County, townships that lack a viable government are known as “unorganized.” That might be an apt description of Greenwood Township as well, these days, given that it has … more

5/18/22

Joe Heller's Favorite Cartoons of 2022

Enjoy a look at the year in review through the creations of syndicated cartoonist Joe Heller.Heller was the editorial cartoonist for the Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1985-2013, and before that … more

12/28/22

An accomplished session

Historic. That’s an apt description for the just-completed legislative session here in Minnesota that blew away previous guideposts for productivity. While Minnesotans will no doubt disagree on … more

5/31/23

Expensive audits

It’s the auditing season for small cities in our region and, if this year is like others we have covered over the past three-plus decades, taxpayers will learn very little from a time-consuming … more

4/3/24

Trouble ahead

Election denialism, a concept soundly rejected by sane individuals and courts of law across the country, is now the prevailing ethos of the Republican Party— and that makes it increasingly … more

11/2/23

Community gardens

What if our area communities could play a role in helping residents respond to sharply higher food costs? And what if we could improve the physical and mental health of our area residents while … more

5/25/22

Fighting the last war

It’s often said that generals are always ready to fight the last war, and it seems the same applies to the U.S. Federal Reserve when it comes to its ongoing battle with inflation. Central … more

3/22/23

Judicial power grab?

The conservative activists on the U.S. Supreme Court appear eager to take an axe to one of the most important and widely-cited legal precedents in American jurisprudence using a case involving … more

1/24/24

VNP incident

Back in August, the Timberjay filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the National Park Service, seeking information on an incident that led to the alleged tasing of a local … more

1/11/23

Spreading intolerance

This is a disturbing moment in American society as emerging forces seem intent on taking us down a dangerous path toward intolerance. It’s a destination we must avoid. We know that feelings of … more

6/7/23

Summer of the arts

What a difference the arts can make here in the North Country. While our region has long attracted artists inspired by the region’s natural beauty, our area communities are benefitting from an … more

8/10/22

Biden and Israel

The United States has long been a friend to Israel and that’s appropriate. But sometimes friends have to tell a friend when they’re in the wrong, and it is well past time for the Biden … more

4/10/24

Men and violence

America has a problem with violence committed by men. That’s indisputable, as the front and back pages of newspapers and the nightly news broadcasts across the country attest every single day. … more

11/9/23

Ambulance impasse

Representatives from Greenwood Township and the city of Tower should stop talking past one another and sit down to discuss what is really at issue in their ongoing impasse over financial support for … more

2/1/24

Questions raised

For the past few years, former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson and many others have been asking questions about the state of Minnesota’s apparent willingness to issue permits for copper-nickel … more

9/6/23

Voyageurs National Park

In a perfect world the National Park Service and the businesses that serve users of Voyageurs National Park would work as partners with the goal of making the experience of park users the best that … more

4/17/24

The immigration challenge

The United States is facing an unusual convergence of trends that threaten to upend our economy and the nation’s ability to fund its priorities, particularly payroll-funded programs like Social … more

11/15/23

Facts and law

There’s an old axiom in the legal world: If the facts are on your side, pound the facts. If the law is on your side, pound the law. And when neither the facts nor the law is on your side, pound … more

4/5/23

Figments of accounting

For years, conventional wisdom in Tower had it that the city’s ambulance service was highly profitable. For years, at least on paper, it appeared that the service was regularly generating … more

1/25/23