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Council awards bid for RV park infrastructure

TOWER—Infrastructure work for the new Vermilion RV Park should get underway soon following city council action here on Monday. The council voted unanimously to award the work to Jola and Sopp … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/13/22

Thinking on the power of words

When does it make sense to speak up and when is it better to refrain from speaking? Is it ethical to lie sometimes? Should you always reveal information you believe to be true even if it hurts … more

Betty Firth | 7/13/22 | 1 comment

ISD 696 looking for another superintendent

ELY – Just weeks after the top administrator at ISD 696 agreed to a contract extension, John Klarich announced Monday night that he is leaving his superintendent post after his contract expires … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/13/22

Umpires no more

“I will decide every case based on the record, according to the rule of law, without fear or favor, to the best of my ability, and I will remember that it’s my job to call balls and … more

7/13/22 | 2 comments

Chris Verhel is the new owner of the Subway in Cook, completing the purchase last week just in time to roll out the chain's new menu.

Patience brings a match made in Subway

COOK- It’s been 20 years since Lisa Ojanen opened up the now familiar Subway restaurant in Cook, these days if you see her in there, it’s as a consultant or a satisfied … more

David Colburn | 7/13/22

Numerous political signs were posted along Highway 169 outside of Ely last weekend.

Political signs not permitted on state highway rights of way

REGIONAL – Political season in the North Country means another season of visual distractions on roadways as candidates and their supporters look to gain the best possible advantage for exposure … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/13/22 | 1 comment

Obituaries: July 15, 2022

Timothy WarpulaTimothy A. Warpula passed away on July 9, 2022. Tim was born in Aitkin in 1961 and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Babbitt in 1980. In Tim’s honor, a Celebration of … more

7/13/22

Troy Zupancich, at just seven weeks old, mostly napped through the Tower Fourth of July parade on Monday

Patriotism on display

Images of Independence Day celebrations in Ely, Tower, and Orr. See more pictures in the North Country section photo story "A Red, White, and Blue Celebration." more

Timberjay staff | 7/6/22

ISD 696 board adopts budget

ELY – School board members here last week unanimously approved a balanced budget for 2022-23 that calls for $8.2 million in revenues and expenditures.Despite a noticeable drop in enrollment and … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/6/22

Rise of B.5 creates more uncertainty

REGIONAL- Don’t look now, but community transmission of COVID-19 has reached a high level once again in St. Louis County, and the rate of spread is forecasted to remain high through much of the … more

David Colburn | 7/6/22 | 3 comments

Eagles Nest town supervisors voted to oppose any ATV trail development in the township at a special meeting held last week.

Township votes to oppose ATV trail

EAGLES NEST TWP— A simmering clash between township residents and advocates of increased ATV traffic came to a head at a special town board meeting here last week, as town supervisors voted 3-2 … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/6/22 | 3 comments

Members of the Northeast Range marching band honored Troy Swanson during the Tower parade. Swanson, who died June 30, was the longtime school board representative for the Tower-Soudan area.

A red, white, and blue celebration

Timberjay photographers were out and about to capture images from Independence Day celebrations on Sunday and Monday. more

Timberjay photographers | 7/6/22

Ely follows the yellow brick road to the Land of Oz

ELY – The Yellow Brick Road led to Ely last weekend as the Prairie Fire Children’s Theater, with the help of the Northern Lakes Arts Association and Lake Country Power, presented … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/6/22

Scattered red pine, rock formations, and views of Lake Vermilion are among the highlights of the new Pine Ridges Trail, which is now marked on the hill on the city’s north side.

Newest Tower trail now marked

TOWER—The spectacular pine-covered ridges on the north side of Tower have long been known to many local residents even though navigating the area has long been challenging. That’s a … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/6/22

A very large male bear rests after a meal at the Vince Shute sanctuary. The organization that operates the sanctuary is asking for donations to help fund the bear-feeding. Visitor fees normally help pay for a large portion of the cost, but staff shortages have forced the sanctuary to sharply limit its hours of operation

Shute sanctuary may close to public in August due to staff shortage

ORR- Limited public weekend viewing of the black bears at the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary will continue through July, but August sessions may disappear completely if volunteers aren’t found … more

David Colburn | 7/6/22

A pair of wolf pups wrestle outside their den located near Voyageurs National Park. The pups were filmed as part of the new natural history series, “America the Beautiful,” now available on Disney+.

Voyageurs wolf pups to debut in new Disney series

VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK— A media-savvy research project here is about to garner even more coverage of their ongoing wolf research thanks to an upcoming appearance on the Disney+ channel.Disney, … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/6/22

Four travel lessons worth every penny

In the latest edition of National Geographic, the story of Jessica Nabongo, the first black woman to visit all of the world’s 195 countries and 10 territories triggered memories of the handful … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 7/6/22

A customer shows the products she bought from Nothing But Hemp in St. Paul. Some of the products contain THC, which became legal under 5 milligrams per serving in Minnesota on Friday.

THC edibles and beverages now legal in state

REGIONAL- You can’t smoke it, but you don’t need to in order to get a marijuana-like buzz from edibles and beverages laced with hemp-derived Delta-9 THC, which became legal to sell in … more

David Colburn | 7/6/22

The right to quietude

Do Minnesotans have a right to quietude?It’s a question that is at the heart of the current conflict between residents of Eagles Nest Township and the Prospector’s Trail ATV Club, which … more

7/6/22 | 4 comments

A car that plowed into the Island Lake Inn last week left a lot of debris and damage, but the Duluth-area restaurant and bar reopened in time for the holiday weekend.

Tower man plows car into Island Lake eatery

REGIONAL- A popular Island Lake restaurant and bar celebrated Independence Day and a bit more on Monday, reopening for the holiday weekend after a vehicle driven by a Tower man crashed into the … more

David Colburn | 7/6/22

Council commits to ambulance service improvements

ELY – City council members here unanimously agreed to commit taxpayer dollars and work with other area governments and the Ely Area Ambulance Joint Powers Board to purchase a vacant building in … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/6/22

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

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

Obituaries: July 8, 2022

Marguerite Eyre Marguerite Eyre, 95, of Cook, passed away on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, at the Cook Care Center. A private interment will be held at a later date. Memorials can be directed to the Cook … more

7/6/22

COVID shots for youngest kids rolling out slowly

REGIONAL- Parents of children under five years of age who have been trying to shield their kids from the effects of a coronavirus infection got the news they’ve long been waiting for recently … more

David Colburn | 7/6/22