Opinion - The Timberjay

Reaping what we’ve sown

There are consequences to punishing and bad-mouthing your neighbor, and Minnesota is going to be feeling the effects. The bad-mouthing, of course, isn’t coming from those of us who live in … more

4/17/25

My first Social Security check family vacation...

Years ago, when living in Alaska, if someone left to visit relatives in Minnesota or elsewhere, they would say “I’m going outside for a couple of weeks” or “gotta head to the … more

Scarlet Stone | 4/17/25

When the light comes...reflections for Easter

Forty-one years ago on Easter weekend, I was holding a baby. I was trying again. I had a new life after crawling out of the shame of my divorce and the griefs of my first baby’s death and my … more

Jean Gendreau | 4/10/25

Where is Waldo, and more importantly where is Pete Stauber?

As the token conservative at the Timberjay — yes, this is an equal-opportunity newsroom — I tend to take a more charitable view of Pete Stauber’s absenteeism that those of my … more

Catie Clark | 4/10/25

A purpose to the chaos

For most humans, chaos is unsettling, even disturbing, but for those with unpopular agendas, it provides opportunity — and that is why President Trump and his South African sidekick are so … more

4/10/25

We are increasingly separated from truth

Separation of our true selves as special and above nature is a Western belief. Dominion over nature to exploit for our own ends, without giving back, is delusional. From the air we breathe, water we … more

4/3/25

Stauber should listen to We the People

Congressman Pete Stauber has his wealthy donors and has become so arrogant that he apparently believes he represents his own interests and no one else’s. He can’t even use his own words … more

4/3/25

When will they come for you?

I see our current President has already answered my question from last week about whether we were going to be able to vote for our congress critters next year: Maybe not. And now they’re … more

4/3/25

Customers should weigh in on proposed ALLETE sale

I was happy to see the Timberjay’s excellent overview of the proposed sale of ALLETE (including Minnesota Power) to the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board and Global Infrastructure … more

4/3/25

Trump should learn a little history

Question: who was the first President to use an auto-pen? This question is raised because President Biden allegedly used an auto-pen on documents to authorize the release of prisoners from … more

4/3/25

DOGE: Overwhelming our system of checks and balances

It’s not even 100 days since the inauguration of the 47th president. Yet, with his Project 2025 playbook in hand, Trump has turned over the tables of our government and sent our system … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 4/3/25

Empowering grift

It’s going to take time to assess the full impact of President Trump’s March 20 executive order titled: “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production,” but one … more

4/3/25

What are GOP members of Congress afraid of?

All over the country, elected Republicans are refusing to face up to the people who voted for them. Time and again, our Republican congresscritters are no-shows. The only place they show up is when … more

3/27/25

Trump tariffs puts America’s energy sources at risk

Trump unilaterally decided to levy a 25-percent tariff on our long-term ally, Canada, which exports a variety of products to many states in the U.S., including electricity and crude oil. The key … more

3/27/25

I challenge Stauber to show up on March 29

I find it rich that while Trump claims federal employees are absent from their jobs and don’t show up, the Republican Party instructs its Congressmen and Senators not to hold public town halls … more

3/27/25

On Trump Derangement Syndrome

Marshall, your editorial hit the nail on the head. I say “Aye.” Besides that, you run a great news service for us here in northern Minnesota and I just want to thank you. Doug … more

3/27/25

Trump mismanagement rises to new heights

The use of insecure communications to discuss and plan a highly sensitive military operation, like the recent raid on Houthi rebels, is gross mismanagement of national security at the highest … more

3/27/25

Why National Vietnam War Veterans Day matters

This Saturday, March 29 is National Vietnam War Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor the millions of Americans who served during the Vietnam War. It’s more than a line on the calendar. … more

David Colburn | 3/27/25

In Trump’s America, Justin Eichorn was just looking for his piece of the action

The recent arrest and charging of now-former state Sen. Justin Eichorn should hopefully serve as a much-needed reminder to the public that hiring underaged women for sex is still illegal in this … more

Marshall Helmberger | 3/27/25

Life...and the important lessons taught in my high school English class

It’s how these things so often happen. Early on a Monday morning in about 1979, after I had finished meditating, something came to me. It was Mrs. Stanley’s face or maybe her voice. It … more

Jean Gendreau | 3/27/25

Tower harbor

For the first time in a long while, there is cautious optimism that major development will finally come to Tower’s harbor, including a variety of residential options as well as about 7,500 feet … more

3/27/25

County schools

The St. Louis County School District, or ISD 2142, is facing a major financial challenge and teacher reductions may not be the answer to what ails the district. In an era of open enrollment and the … more

3/20/25

Strengthen democracy one action at a time

“May you live in interesting times,” states an oft-repeated curse, and we certainly do. Bizarre, confusing, incendiary times, which leave many of us perplexed and angry about why the … more

Betty Firth | 3/20/25

“Trump Derangement Syndrome” may not be what these Republicans think it is

As reported this past week, five Republican state senators in Minnesota, have introduced a bill in the Legislature this year that would classify “Trump Derangement Syndrome” as a newly … more

Marshall Helmberger | 3/20/25

Keep the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth

Hockey is more than just a game in Minnesota — it’s a way of life, a tradition passed down through generations, and a cornerstone of our state’s culture. Nowhere is that truer than … more

3/14/25