Opinion - The Timberjay

When pumping gas became a life-changing experience

When it comes to the world of work, for the most part I’ve been a very fortunate soul. From Dodge City to Chicago, from St. Louis to Los Angeles, and from hometown Marion to my newest home in … more

David Colburn | 9/14/22

Unemployment and workers

Just over a year ago, generous unemployment benefits were being blamed for creating a shortage of workers, as employees laid off during COVID were supposedly lounging at home living on the dole. … more

9/14/22

Some thoughts I have as we turn with the seasons

As I write on my small deck, surrounded by flowers, on this Labor Day morning, I enjoy the chill that requires a sweater. For as long as I can remember, this shift from summer to autumn has been a … more

Betty Firth | 9/7/22

A dystopian future?

The signs of catastrophic climate change are increasingly undeniable all across the globe. While it’s been a relatively cool and wet summer here in northern Minnesota, don’t think … more

9/7/22 | 2 comments

Where John Muir and Dorothy Molter meet

As many of my closest confidants know, recently I have been living a lifestyle that I affectionately refer to as “My Dorothy Molter Moment”. Three years ago, I assumed the task of … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 8/31/22

Debt relief a start

While President Biden’s recent decision to forgive up to $20,000 in individual student debt is popular with young people, it’s come under criticism from some quarters as unfair to those … more

8/31/22 | 1 comment

The January 6 Committee reminds us of what Congress can do

Watching the hearings held by the Jan. 6 committee as it delves into the events at the Capitol last year and what lay behind them, I’ve been struck by what you might think of as the … more

Lee Hamilton | 8/24/22

Stauber votes no again

It seems nearly every missive from the office of Pete Stauber in recent months has left us here at the newspaper shaking our heads, jaws agape. We think we’ve grown used to the … more

8/24/22 | 7 comments

The moon speaks different names to different people

Call me a spoil sport, a curmudgeon, a sour puss, a grump, call me whatever you’d like, but I really do get annoyed, and have for years, at the media’s seeming love affair with, of all … more

David Colburn | 8/17/22

Lock him up

The same violent anti-government rhetoric that led to the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah federal building in Oklahoma City has made a disturbing return to America in the wake of the FBI’s … more

8/17/22 | 1 comment

Why your voice and your feet and your vote count

Why Your voice and Your Feet and Your Vote CountI’m writing on Tuesday, Aug. 9, the day of the primary elections in Minnesota, and I’m feeling nostalgic about times in our democracy that … more

Betty Firth | 8/10/22

Summer of the arts

What a difference the arts can make here in the North Country. While our region has long attracted artists inspired by the region’s natural beauty, our area communities are benefitting from an … more

8/10/22

VNP law enforcement

As we reported last week, Voyageurs National Park officials received an earful at Crane Lake from local residents and the owners of resorts and other businesses that serve the park over what appears … more

8/3/22 | 2 comments

Remember what government can do

Here’s a question: When was the last time at least half of Americans said the government in Washington could be trusted to do the right thing all or most of the time? It was right after … more

Lee Hamilton | 7/27/22 | 2 comments

The future of news

Newspapers around Minnesota have been making a point in recent days, and we’re joining that chorus in a full-page advertisement that appears in this week’s edition. At a time when so much … more

7/27/22 | 2 comments

After a century, sports finally rights a wrong

You know you’re getting older when something happens to which your first reaction is, “Well, I never thought I’d live to see the day when ….”That was exactly my … more

David Colburn | 7/20/22

Fixing mental health

We can do something about America’s mental health crisis. The only question is whether there’s the political will to act. We know that resources matter, because resources can translate … more

7/20/22 | 1 comment

Thinking on the power of words

When does it make sense to speak up and when is it better to refrain from speaking? Is it ethical to lie sometimes? Should you always reveal information you believe to be true even if it hurts … more

Betty Firth | 7/13/22 | 1 comment

Umpires no more

“I will decide every case based on the record, according to the rule of law, without fear or favor, to the best of my ability, and I will remember that it’s my job to call balls and … more

7/13/22 | 2 comments

Four travel lessons worth every penny

In the latest edition of National Geographic, the story of Jessica Nabongo, the first black woman to visit all of the world’s 195 countries and 10 territories triggered memories of the handful … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 7/6/22

The right to quietude

Do Minnesotans have a right to quietude?It’s a question that is at the heart of the current conflict between residents of Eagles Nest Township and the Prospector’s Trail ATV Club, which … more

7/6/22 | 4 comments