Opinion - The Timberjay

Silver Rapids expansion plan is much too large

Silver Rapids Lodge has been a good neighbor in the past. Upgrading the facility is welcome, and having experienced resort management is a plus. But the idea of expanding the resort to 62 … more

7/25/24

Stauber shouldn’t throw stones

I am writing in response to Pete Stauber’s most recent email in which he asks “all political leaders to take accountability for their words” and to “stop fueling the hatred … more

7/25/24

Heat is also a climate change problem

We think of climate change as causing flooding, drought, physical destruction, wildfires, and hurricanes, blackouts and health issues for humans. Extreme heat, however, is the number one … more

7/24/24

I’m voting for whoever supports Israel

While sitting in our library and reading opinion letters in the Timberjay, I noticed a letter from an Ely resident, who formerly lived among Palestinians, but now wants a two-state, Mideast solution. … more

7/24/24

Skraba is wrong on the sale of school trust lands

Thank you for the excellent and informative news story about the sale to the federal government of Minnesota’s school trust lands located within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. State … more

7/24/24

I support a party that shares my values

A Republican friend asked, “How can you be 100% behind Biden last week and now be 100% behind Harris this week?” At first this question confused me, but I think the answer lies with … more

7/24/24

Cellphones in schools

Given the plague of guns and school shooters, parents and kids may want phones in the classrooms.We adults forget that kids these days are like a hive, and see that as a feature, not a bug. Even if … more

7/24/24

A call to action that is as relevant today as in the 1960s

“Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” The memory is of a young and vibrant newly elected president, John F. Kennedy, standing at a podium … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 7/24/24

Putting country first

Joe Biden didn’t come to his decision to abandon his bid for re-election as President of the United States easily. It took considerable soul-searching and a gentle shove from members of his own … more

7/24/24

Mr. Johnson needs a history lesson

In the July 5 issue of the Timberjay, Mr. Johnson expresses anger at the U.S. for many things, including the deaths of Palestinians in Gaza. However, Mr. Johnson is pointing his finger in the … more

7/18/24

Liberals are the primary purveyors of violence in the U.S.

In his Oval Office address to the nation, Biden said, “We can’t allow this violence to be normalized.” Vice President Harris was raising money to bail out and defend BLM terrorists … more

7/18/24

A false god is convincing many of his lies

Even as the former was just shot at, his first words were, ‘fight, fight, fight,’ with raised fist. One other dead and two wounded as a Republican 20-year-old shooter attempted to take … more

7/18/24

How Project 2025 could harm America

If you haven’t heard about Project 2025, here’s a short primer about the reactionary playbook for the next GOP administration. Global news agency Reuters, states: “At its heart, … more

7/18/24

Ely Braver Angels attempts to bridge the political divide

So how about that presidential debate?! Did that add to your peace of mind about the upcoming election? Did you think, “Well, no matter who wins, we’ll still have a functioning government … more

Johnna Hyde | 7/18/24

Could a photojournalist have changed the course of history?

Readers of the Timberjay and other weekly newspapers may not realize it, but every time they open our pages, via the print edition or online, they’re reaching back to the very beginning of … more

7/18/24

More information please

The Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital Board deserves credit for commissioning the analysis by SafeTech Solutions exploring alternative methods for administering area ambulance services. While the … more

7/18/24

Biden is past his prime, aiding a dangerous autocrat

According to a New York Times article that quoted prominent people’s opinion of whether President Biden should run for office again, one responsive theme was, “The President has … more

7/11/24

Time to end the either-or of polarized politics

Seeing reality as right or wrong, good or bad, all or nothing, is an example of binary or dichotomous thinking. Either-or propositions recognize only two opposing possibilities without anything in … more

7/11/24

Some questions have no good answers

One night in my backyard, I saw some unusual lights that seemed to be intensifying. I had not heard any forecast of Northern Lights, so I was puzzled. The lights were heading straight at me, morphing … more

Betty Firth | 7/11/24

The court decides

The Constitution of the United States clearly lays out the process for its amendment, and that process does not include an arbitrary decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. But that is what Americans … more

7/11/24

Time to stand up for the rights of Palestinians

America continues to kill Palestinians — 36,000 to date while making life unbearable for the people of Gaza and the West Bank against the wishes of the majority of the American people. And if … more

7/5/24

Trump is unintelligible as well as unethical

On a June 3, 2024, weekend Fox News program, convicted felon Donald Trump said the following: “Religion is such a great thing. It’s so it keep you know, there’s something to be good … more

7/4/24

The real dictator wannabe

In his rambling, semi-coherent letter “Biden dismisses prospect of armed takeover”, in last week’s Timberjay, the writer from Ely apparently insists on twisting Joe Biden’s … more

7/4/24

Trump would worsen the threat of climate change

What are the political issues that you are considering in voting for a Presidential candidate? No matter what those isues may be, they are trivial by comparison to the deadly issue of climate … more

7/4/24

What is fascism?

In last week’s Timberjay, a letter writer said President Joe Biden was acting like “a fascist dictator.” I thought it best just to lay out the 14 points of fascism. 1. Near … more

7/4/24