News - The Timberjay

Cliffs announces layoff of 600 mine workers

REGIONAL— Cleveland Cliffs plans to lay off approximately 600 mine workers on the Iron Range due to slower than expected sales. That’s according to a press statement issued Thursday by … more

Marshall Helmberger | 3/20/25

Breitung residents vote to raise 2026 levy to $773,000

SOUDAN- At the Breitung annual meeting, residents approved a 2026 levy of $773,000, a $33,000, or 4.46 percent, increase over last year. The town board recommended the levy increase to pay for higher … more

Stephanie Ukkola | 3/20/25

Ely City council fills gaps in its zoning map

ELY—The Ely City Council approved the first reading of a new ordinance that assigns zoning to 14 unzoned parcels within city limits and scheduled a public hearing on the new zoning assignments … more

Catie Clark | 3/20/25

Rock Ridge High dean arrested in child exploitation case

EVELETH- Rock Ridge High School dean of students Christopher Chad has been arrested in connection with a child exploitation investigation spanning multiple states, according to the St. Louis County … more

David Colburn | 3/20/25

Small business initiative targeted by Trump budget cutting

ELY- President Trump issued an executive order last Friday that put several smaller federal programs on the chopping block. The loss of one of them, the Community Development Financial Institutions … more

Catie Clark | 3/20/25

Board likely violates Open Meeting Law in supervisor appointment

FALL LAKE- The supervisors of Fall Lake Township appointed Adam Masloski as its third supervisor on Tuesday night in a closed session that was likely in violation of the state’s Open Meeting … more

Catie Clark | 3/20/25

Obituaries: March 21, 2025

Charles Richards Charles “Chuck” Richards, 86, of Cook, and previously of Edina, died peacefully on Sunday, March 2, 2025, surrounded by family. A service will be held at 11 a.m. on … more

3/20/25

Parents and North Woods staff discussed the impact of a four-day school week at a meeting held this week.

Four-day week draws mostly positive reviews

REGIONAL- Parents, staff, and community members had the chance to express their opinions and ask questions at public meetings at North Woods School and Tower-Soudan Elementary School on Monday about … more

David Colburn and Jodi Summit | 3/20/25

The commercial/apartment building now planned for Tower’s harbor will entail a design similar to Cove Point Lodge on Lake Superior, which was designed by the same architect. The color may be different.

Deal inked for harbor

TOWER— For more than 20 years, city officials here have worked toward the day when major development would come to Tower’s harbor. It appears that day may finally arrive starting this … more

Jodi Summit | 3/20/25

Pulsar Helium's operation could be a boon for northeastern Minnesota through a tax relief district funded by taxes on helium production.

Hauschild provision would create helium tax relief district

REGIONAL— The state of Minnesota would create a “helium tax relief area” under legislation advancing in St. Paul under the guidance of state Sen. Grant Hauschild. An amendment to … more

Marshall Helmberger | 3/20/25

Range lawmaker arrested for seeking sex with a minor resigns

REGIONAL- Republican State Senator Justin Eichorn, of Grand Rapids, was arrested Monday in Bloomington after allegedly attempting to solicit sex from someone he believed was a teenage girl. Eichorn, … more

David Colburn | 3/20/25

The State Theater marquee welcomed everyone to the festival. Attendance at the festival continues to grow, with lots of sold out showings.

Award-winning “Boundary Waters” caps the Ely Film Festival

ELY- Tessa Blake, the director of the indie film “Boundary Waters” has won the Ely Film Festival’s award for Best Director. Her film, which was shot in Ely almost two years ago, … more

Catie Clark | 3/20/25

Funding snafu for Tower-Breitung drinking water plant

TOWER— City officials here rejected a proposal by the state’s Public Facilities Authority, or PFA, that would substantially increase the cost to local ratepayers for the new drinking … more

Marshall Helmberger | 3/13/25

Bill would sweeten incentives for large data centers

REGIONAL— A bipartisan group of lawmakers is once again proposing to sweeten and extend tax incentives for the construction of large data centers in Minnesota, and that comes at a time when … more

Marshall Helmberger | 3/13/25

State faces projected $6 billion budget deficit

REGIONAL- Minnesota’s state budget outlook could be described as moving from feast to famine, as a historic $18 billion surplus at the outset of the 2023 legislative session has drastically … more

David Colburn | 3/13/25

Breitung Police Chief Dan Reing teaches a CPR class to students at Vermilion Country School.

Annual meeting highlights recent school successes

TOWER- This year’s annual meeting of the Vermilion Country School in Tower, held Feb. 17, gave school director Sam O’Brien and the board a chance to review the school’s remarkable … more

Marshall Helmberger | 3/13/25

Group hosts workshop on buying/selling a small business

ELY- Looking to buy a small business? According to Steve Dunnom of Sunbelt Business Advisors, now is a great time thanks to the ongoing retirements of the baby boom generation. Dunnom, along with … more

Catie Clark | 3/13/25

Obituaries: March 14, 2025

Anthony J. Brandenburg Anthony “Tony” James Brandenburg, 54, of Minneapolis, passed away unexpectedly at home on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. A celebration of life will be held in the spring. … more

3/13/25

An above- ground portion of the Ely water line from Burntside Lake, which was built in 1932.

U.S. House vote nixes critical area projects

REGIONAL- The last hope that the North Country would see any of the nearly $40 million in federal funding requests submitted by the state’s congressional delegation went up in flames Tuesday … more

David Colburn | 3/13/25

Paul Thompson, a strong advocate of Option B, reacts positively to Tuesday night’s vote in Greenwood. Thompson also won the race for town treasurer but will not have to serve due to the passage of Option B.

Greenwood approves Option B

GREENWOOD TWP— Years of turmoil between the town board and it’s various elected clerks and treasurers, appeared to be more than enough drama for voters here as they overwhelmingly … more

Jodi Summit | 3/13/25

District again considering a four-day week

VIRGINIA- In a stark about-face from November, the ISD 2142 School Board appeared ready to adopt a four-day school week for next year at a working session on Tuesday, and scheduled a vote on the … more

David Colburn | 3/13/25

Babbitt man remains at large after felony assault

BABBITT- A local man here was charged with felony threats of violence but remained at large as the Timberjay went to press. Michael Shaun Jarvis, age 37, was cited on March 4 for an alleged domestic … more

Catie Clark | 3/13/25

Quilting guild members display some of the chemotherapy bags they make for Essentia in Virginia.

Local quilters donate time and creativity

TOWER- Quilting is a hobby that takes time, skill, and patience, but for members of Vermilion Dream Quilters, it comes with something even more rare these days— a desire to care for others. The … more

Jodi Summit | 3/13/25

Board agrees to pay Maus his paid-on-call

GREENWOOD TWP- At a special meeting on March 4, the Greenwood Town Board agreed to pay Jeff Maus for 14 hours of paid-on-call time at $25 per hour, plus a penalty of $80.70 for late payment. State … more

Jodi Summit | 3/8/25

Fortune Bay recovers all of scammed cash

FORTUNE BAY- All of the $110,000 taken from Fortune Bay Resort Casino in an attempted November scam has been recovered, according to an announcement last week by the Bois Forte Tribal Council. On … more

David Colburn | 3/8/25