News - The Timberjay

Harvey Street bid comes in under county estimate

ELY—St. Louis County has awarded a $4.214 million contract for the Harvey Street reconstruction to Casper Construction of Grand Rapids. The bid was 11.37 percent lower than the county … more

Catie Clark | 5/3/25

Ely school board reviews early release program

ELY- A state-of-the-art professional development model for teachers got high marks at the Ely School Board meeting on Monday, as Superintendent Anne Oelke reviewed the first two years of the program … more

Catie Clark | 5/3/25

Learning to navigate Ely’s city government

ELY- Navigating Ely’s local government isn’t anyone’s idea of a sexy topic, but Clerk-Treasurer Harold Langowski packed the city council chambers here last month when he spoke on … more

5/3/25

Senate approves extended UI benefits for Iron Range miners

REGIONAL- More than 600 laid-off Steelworkers from the Hibtac and Minorca mines could soon receive 26 weeks of extended unemployment benefits, following an amendment added Tuesday to the Senate Jobs … more

David Colburn | 5/1/25

Ely man remains in custody for repeated harassment of local woman

ELY- The consequences are beginning to pile up for an Ely man whose apparent obsession with a local woman has now led to multiple charges. Peter Kimball Allen, age 60, is in the St. Louis County Jail … more

Catie Clark | 5/1/25

Summer job safety net for school staff on track to expire

REGIONAL- Minnesota’s summer unemployment benefit for hourly school workers, once hailed as a national first, looks headed for the chopping block. The program, passed in 2023 to help … more

David Colburn | 5/1/25

Hearing held in longstanding towboat lawsuit

REGIONAL- The Wilderness Watch lawsuit seeking to curtail towboats in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness was finally back in court again after two years of motions and countermotions in U.S. … more

Catie Clark | 5/1/25

Eichorn pleads not guilty to federal charge in soliciting case

REGIONAL- Former State Sen. Justin Eichorn pleaded not guilty on Monday to a federal charge of attempting to entice a minor for sex in a brief arraignment hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shannon … more

David Colburn | 5/1/25

Obituaries: May 2, 2025

Warren B. Kregness Warren Ben Kregness, 95, of Superior, Wis., died on Sunday, April 27, 2025, at Aspirus Hospital in Duluth. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 3 in … more

5/1/25

Cutting the ribbon at the official opening of the employee daycare at Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital. From left-to-right: EBCH CEO Patti Banks, Ely Mayor Heidi Omerza, Rochelle Sjoberg, Machelle Stepac, and EBCH board member Stephen Peterson.

Ely-Bloomenson opens employee day care

ELY- A two-year-long effort to help solve a child care crisis for Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital workers came to fruition last Thursday with the ribbon cutting at the hospital’s employee day … more

Catie Clark | 5/1/25

The public entrance to the St. Louis County Jail in Duluth.

Mental illness swamps St. Louis County jail

REGIONAL- On any given day, the St. Louis County Jail in Duluth, along with its satellite detention facilities in Virginia and Hibbing, houses dozens of people struggling with mental illness. Many … more

David Colburn | 5/1/25

Former Orr man pleads guilty in crypto case

ORR- A man whose rural Orr property was raided by the FBI in the spring of 2023 has now pleaded guilty in federal court to a felony computer fraud charge tied to a cryptocurrency mining scheme … more

David Colburn | 5/1/25

New Trump mine rules beggar belief

REGIONAL— The Trump administration has issued new guidance that could all but scuttle any significant environmental review of potentially hundreds of energy and minerals projects on federal … more

Marshall Helmberger | 5/1/25

EEDA voices support for Ely Head Start

ELY- Hearing news on Tuesday that Ely’s Head StaArt program may be eliminated, the Ely Economic Development Authority voted to send a letter of support for the program, noting that any loss of … more

David Colburn | 5/1/25

Giizhik Market with new food options opens at Fortune Bay

REGIONAL- General Manager Elizabeth Deegan didn’t wait long to fulfill her promise to raise the profile of Fortune Bay Resort Casino as a Native American-owned property. On Tuesday, April 8, … more

4/25/25

ISD 2142 approves application for four-day school week

VIRGINIA- The St. Louis County School Board took further steps Monday night toward implementing a four-day school week starting in fall 2025, but not without hearing a chorus of concerns from staff … more

David Colburn | 4/25/25

Canoeists make their way on a BWCAW lake near Ely.

Kawishiwi, Gunflint district offices won't issue BWCAW permits any longer

REGIONAL— With most lakes in the Boundary Waters now clearing of ice, the official paddling season is just getting underway. Yet, as canoeists begin to arrive in the North Country, the … more

Marshall Helmberger | 4/24/25

Areas marked in orange are scheduled for a major upgrade in broadband capacity.

Paul Bunyan bringing high-speed broadband to Angora, Pike-Sandy

REGIONAL- Paul Bunyan Communications (PBC) confirmed Monday that construction will begin this summer to extend its all-fiber optic GigaZone broadband network to more than 1,600 additional locations … more

David Colburn | 4/24/25

Gardner Humanities Trust awards $9,750 in grants

ELY- The board of the Donald G. Gardner Humanities Trust voted to award $9,750 to both individuals and arts organizations at its April 9 board meeting. The trust received 12 grant applications … more

4/24/25

Drug take-back set for April 26 in Ely and Virginia

REGIONAL- North Country residents will have a safe and simple way to clean out their medicine cabinets later this month during National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. The St. Louis County … more

4/24/25

State urges parents to catch up on their kids’ vaccines

REGIONAL- In a move to help boost declining vaccination rates in recent years among the state’s youngest residents, the Minnesota Department of Health, or MDH, brought greater visibility to the … more

David Colburn | 4/24/25

Pictured from left to right: Jack Grams, award director, Fred Godec, Lt. Colonel Steve Hall, Deputy Commander of the Camp Ripley military facility, and Chad Sackett ESGR state chair.

Frederick Godec honored for volunteer work with Guard and Reserve

CAMP RIPLEY- Frederick J. Godec has served as an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve ESGR volunteer since May 15, 2001, working with veterans from Hill City to International Falls, as well as … more

4/24/25

Obituaries: April 25, 2025

David W. Maki David Wayne Maki, 68, of Orr, passed away on Sunday, April 13, 2025, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth. The family would like to invite all friends, family, and individuals … more

4/24/25

Members of the Cook City Council and the Cook Library Board met in joint session Monday to discuss the future of the library, which was damaged by flooding last June.

Cook commits to library repairs with or without FEMA

COOK- Cook’s library isn’t just a place to check out books – it’s long been described as the “heart of the city.” It’s where toddlers giggle during … more

David Colburn | 4/24/25

WELY-AM now back on the air

ELY— The AM side of WELY radio returned to the airwaves this week, providing the first tangible evidence of the progress being made by staff from Wisconsin-based Civic Media, as they work to … more

Catie Clark | 4/24/25