Opinion - The Timberjay

How can we make our communities more welcoming?

What do you think of when you hear the words, “Welcoming Community”? Maybe you recall the time you were new to town and a stranger knocked on your door with an unexpected invitation to … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 5/24/23

Police overreach leads to tragic end for dear friend

My Kansas hometown and my own personal world have been rocked this week by the news of a police raid on my former Kansas newspaper, the Marion County Record last Friday. Five police officers and two … more

David Colburn | 8/16/23

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

Holiday humor, aggravation, and all that glitter

I was curled up on my sofa a couple weeks ago, listening to some instrumental Christmas music and appreciating my tree lights and my cats, thinking ahead to having a relaxing Christmas holiday to be … more

Scarlet Stone | 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

AI is getting too smart for our own good

You’re all probably channeling Ronald Regan’s classic debate line “There you go again” as you realize I’m writing once again about artificial intelligence, but I just … more

David Colburn | 3/27/24

The effects of climate change on post-corporeal humans

REGIONAL- Climate change has been impacting many different people across the globe. Given the small but non-trivial population of post-corporeal humans in the Ely area, the Timberjay reached out to … more

Catie Clark | 10/25/23

Are we in need of new role models?

I love libraries because I can wander the aisles and just browse, inviting that unexpected book title to jump out at me. I’ve certainly browsed online retailers and the Arrowhead Library … more

Betty Firth | 10/25/23

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

The long slow fall into obsolescence

It’s been one of the hallmarks of the most dire dystopian science fiction that human productivity in its many forms will gradually be replaced by sentient machines, robots and computers that … more

David Colburn | 10/12/22

GOP claims are historically wrong and needlessly divisive

While I knew that the minority caucus in each legislative chamber disapproved of the new official state flag because of shared concerns about process, the claims in a recent press release from … more

Aaron Wittnebel | 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

Making the U.S. work takes all of us

The northern Minnesota political drama in recent weeks has been compelling. The Ely City Council presented yet another resolution (their 8th or 9th?) in favor of copper sulfide mining. A town hall … more

Betty Firth | 3/16/23

Building community in spite of ourselves

This week Brett Ross gave an excellent presentation on the history and present circumstances of WELY radio with which he has been affiliated since 1998, rarely taking some time out for other work and … more

Betty Firth | 5/18/22

Saying goodbye and championing freedom of the press

Longtime Marion County Record editor and co-publisher Joan Meyer was laid to rest last Saturday, a week after a police raid on her home that contributed to her death at age 98, an unprecedented … more

David Colburn | 8/23/23

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

Immigration policy should serve America’s interests

All eyes have been on the U.S.-Mexico border in recent weeks as politicians and pundits assess the impact of changing rules for who can enter the United States. But the fixation on the border can … more

Lee Hamilton | 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

Facing the fear and finding the hope

When I wrote an article months back about my intention to overcome my excessive anxiety over spiders, I had no idea the reactions I would get from readers! One email thanked me for publicly … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 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