Top Stories - The Timberjay

A sunset in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

REGIONAL— Legislation that would significantly expand the mining protection zone around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was referred to the full U.S. House by a party linecommittee … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/14/22 | 1 comment

An artist’s drawing of the planned trailhead building, set for construction on Ely’s west end thanks to additional federal funding announced this week.

Federal funds rescue Ely trailhead building

ELY – A $1.5 million federal grant has cleared the way for the city of Ely to build a new regional trailhead facility on the city’s west end. The U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/13/22 | 1 comment

Three people vying for county sheriff position

REGIONAL— Among the candidates who will appear on the Aug. 9 primary ballot are the three men vying to replace longtime St. Louis County Sheriff Ross Litman. While it’s officially a … more

Marshall Helmberger | 7/13/22

Morgan Sauls with the puppet featured in the “Quiltmaker’s Gift” at Ely’s Historic State Theater this weekend.

‘Quiltmaker’s Gift’ returns to Ely

ELY –The “Quiltmaker’s Gift” opens Friday, July 15, with a 7 p.m. performance at Ely’s Historic State Theater. The show continues Saturday, July 16 at 7p.m. and closes … more

Keith Vandervort | 7/13/22

Regional EMS service study moves forward

GREENWOOD TWP- Greenwood Township is putting itself in the driver’s seat as it approved spending approximately $55,000 for a study on options for the feasibility of developing a region-wide … more

Jodi Summit | 7/13/22

Electric rate hike subject to public scrutiny

REGIONAL- Minnesota Power’s quest for a proposed 18 percent overall electricity rate hike will be subjected to public scrutiny next week as customers will have the chance to voice their … more

David Colburn | 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

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

Cast concrete storm sewer pipes sit outside the new front entrance this week at the Ely school renovation project.

Ely school project up against hard rock as completion deadline looms

ELY – The scheduled completion of the $21.5 million school building and renovation project at ISD 696 is just weeks away and workers are literally up against hard rock as they struggle to meet … more

Keith Vandervort | 6/29/22

Rose Zoellick tries to keep out the noise of Tower's Fourth of July parade.

Celebrate the Fourth up North!

Ely ’Rocks the Park’ELY - Ely’s Fourth of July celebration looks to be a weekend affair this year with the addition of a new music event to go along with all the traditional … more

Timberjay staff | 6/29/22

Passing of Swanson draws tributes from school board

VIRGINIA- While the ISD 2142 school board had a full agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, they took some time at the beginning and end of the session to remember one of their own, board member Troy … more

David Colburn | 6/29/22

Protestors gathered outside of Ely’s Historic State Theater Saturday morning as the city’s mayor, Roger Skraba, candidate for the Minnesota House 3A seat, made his way inside to view the controversial political film, “2000 Mules.”

A clash of viewpoints

ELY— Two very different views of the 2020 election clashed at times on the sidewalks of downtown Ely this past Saturday morning, as about 150 area residents turned out for showings of the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/29/22 | 4 comments

Carey accepts Ely school 6-12 principal position

ELY – The grandson of two Ely residents accepted an offer last Thursday to become the next 6-12 principal at Ely Memorial High School.Jeffrey M. Carey, of Eveleth, and two other candidates, … more

Keith Vandervort | 6/22/22

Bois Forte Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Jaylen Strong spoke during anniversary festivities last Saturday.

Cultural Center marks 20th anniversary

VERMILION RES-ERVATION- It was not so much a crowd as it was a simple gathering of people who came to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Bois Forte Heritage Center and Cultural Museum on Saturday. … more

David Colburn | 6/22/22

If all goes as planned, the former Ely Community Center will become a hotel within three years.

Coming soon: Hotel planned at Community Center in Ely

ELY – The historic Community Center building here is destined to become a 28-room boutique hotel following a vote by the city council this week to accept a purchase agreement and business plan … more

Keith Vandervort | 6/22/22

a hoop house was torn to shreds at the Watering Can Greenhouse in Cook

Storm packs a punch

REGIONAL- Thunderstorms packing damaging winds of around 60 mph barreled through the North Country on Monday night, leaving snapped off trees, property damage and thousands of homes and businesses … more

David Colburn | 6/22/22

Eagles Nest residents turned out to oppose a proposed ATV that would run through the heart of the township's residential area.

Residents say no to ATV trail

EAGLES NEST— Residents here had a clear message for the town board on Tuesday: A high traffic ATV corridor through their township will permanently impact a way of life focused on peace, … more

Marshall Helmberger | 6/22/22 | 1 comment

This drawing of the northeast corner of the Ely school campus, at the corner of Harvey Street and Seventh Avenue, shows a proposed parking and traffic plan for the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

Get ready for traffic, parking changes this fall at Ely school

ELY – School board members here were set this week to discuss and possibly finalize a formal plan that would drastically change the school bus and vehicle traffic flow and increase parking … more

Keith Vandervort | 6/15/22

Dennis and Theresa Oberloh, of Redwood Falls, sit in their 1958 MG convertible at the InterMarque Car Club’s annual rendevous last weekend at Fortune Bay Resort Casino.

Foreign invasion

VERMILION RESERVATION - “It is kind of like a disease,” said Dennis Oberloh, who traveled up to the Tower area from Redwood Falls for the InterMarque Car Club’s annual rendezvous. … more

Jodi Summit | 6/15/22

Orr and Cook look to bolster ambulance services

REGIONAL - Rural ambulances are an essential service operating under increasingly difficult staff shortages and financial conditions, but officials in both Orr and Cook are taking step to increase … more

David Colburn | 6/15/22

Geshick wins race for Bois Forte secretary/treasurer

NETT LAKE - Members of the Bois Forte Band went to the ballot box on Tuesday for tribal council elections, re-electing one incumbent and placing two new faces on the council.Unofficial results posted … more

David Colburn | 6/15/22

Waters at Kabetogama Lake were still on the rise when this picture was taken at the end of May, but are now slowly but surely headed downward.

Rainy River Basin flooding slowly retreating

REGIONAL - A major turning point in the record flooding across the Rainy River Basin occurred this past weekend when Rainy Lake officially crested, signaling the start of a painstakingly slow retreat … more

David Colburn | 6/15/22