Opinion - The Timberjay

Our smoky future

Here we go again? That’s the very real concern as the area experienced several days with unhealthy levels of wildfire smoke this past week. Already this year, the North Country has experienced … more

6/5/25

It’s time to unmask ourselves and get real

You know that kid who was always looking out the window at school, daydreaming, startled by the teacher’s suggestion that perhaps they should be paying attention, as if it was an unexpected … more

Betty Firth | 6/5/25

Our health care

Should the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed by the U.S. House last week and supported by Eighth District congressman Pete Stauber ultimately become law, the quality health care … more

5/29/25

Celebrating a graduation against all odds

Aside from actually teaching, there’s nothing I love more from my years in education than graduations. The pomp and circumstance of that consequential right of passage never fails to inspire, … more

David Colburn | 5/29/25

In Trump’s America, there is a get-out-of-jail free card

If only I wasn’t in the news business. A recent poll found that those who aren’t following the news these days remain the most content with the current state of America. It’s those … more

Marshall Helmberger | 5/29/25

My latest adventures, or how about a wild goose chase

Lately, I’ve been sidetracked by furniture replacement adventures. In the process, I have ended up on a couple of wild goose chases. I like to shop on Facebook’s Marketplace to find good, … more

Scarlet Stone | 5/22/25

Climate change

The heavy smoke that made breathing a chore for many in northern St. Louis County this past week is just the latest reminder that our future is clouded by the changing climate. We know that our … more

5/22/25

Hauschild needs to protect the Boundary Waters

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is under attack by foreign mining companies and special interests. It is time for office holders like Sen. Grant Hauschild to stand up for what is … more

5/15/25

Trump’s infractions are endless

Occasionally, a Congressional member, Republican or Democrat, will admit publicly that they are afraid to speak up because of fear of retaliation threats from the Trump administration. Their … more

5/15/25

Making life harder

Through all the noise and chaos of the first 100 days of the Trump administration, a single, relatively small bit of news caught our eye last week. The administration’s widely reported plan to … more

5/15/25

The fight for justice and inclusion starts close to home

Throughout history, our society has wrestled with attitudes that exclude many people from its promises and privileges. In the 1860s, we fought a Civil War to confront one of our most egregious … more

Kathleen McQuillan | 5/15/25

Holding face to face conversations across the Northland

Over the last few weeks, I wrapped up my Northland Strong Town Hall tour, holding open conversations in every corner of Northeast Minnesota — from Hermantown, International Falls, and Grand … more

Sen. Grant Hauschild | 5/15/25

Finding that special spot where steam melts into light

We start the fire before the sun rises, when the sky is white. There are flurries on the wind. It’s cold enough for mittens. The fire crackles, and the clear maple sap begins to steam. If I … more

Jean Gendreau | 5/15/25

Fishing, drunk driving, and divorce in Minnesota: Is it related?

The first English book on fishing is Prioress Julianna Berners’ volume “A Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle.” Published posthumously in 1496, the book is a manual on fishing with … more

Catie Clark | 5/8/25

Sulfate regulations

There is justified public skepticism over the specifics and the timing of a proposal by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to create what is known as a multi-discharger variance, or MDV, in order … more

5/8/25

We need someone who represents us

Last week I attended a town hall in Grand Marais. The town hall was not in support of any particular candidate or political party, but instead was an opportunity for people to come together to speak … more

5/1/25

Keep the shovels moving – pass a bonding bill in 2025

Capital Investment, or bonding bills, have always been some of the most important bipartisan agreements in the Minnesota Legislature. It’s how the state partners with local governments to fund … more

5/1/25

What we do to the BWCAW, we do to ourselves

Contextual learning cycles engage whole brain thinking with concepts, beyond memorizing facts, to see the “Big Picture.” A Harvard study concluded that the mining ban in the protected … more

5/1/25

Time for a little soul-searching

Catie Clark’s article in the April 25 Timberjay mentioned Braver Angels and civility in American political discourse. It’s difficult to engage in civil discourse about a President … more

5/1/25

Who is next on Trump’s hit list?

It is imperative that university educational systems should be able to act with academic freedom, free from government restrictions. “No government, regardless of which party is in … more

5/1/25

The plastic within us

Humanity may soon face an existential crisis, and we are deluded if we believe a free market will save us. Here’s the problem: Our brains are increasingly being filled with plastic. According … more

5/1/25

This isn’t a budget cut. It’s a betrayal

I spent a big chunk of my life in the Head Start family, as a consultant, trainer, education coordinator, and program director across eight states. I even helped write the national standards for kids … more

5/1/25

How much do you know about International Workers Day, May 1?

May Day is known by multiple names with multi-faceted origins. The maypoles and young maidens dancing with baskets of flowers version stemmed from the pagan celebration called Beltane, celebrating … more

Betty Firth | 5/1/25

Let’s do something about noxious tansy

It’s spring and time to talk about tansy, that dreadful invasive species that has exploded across our beautiful land. The seeds from those little yellow button flowers become imbedded in the … more

4/24/25

We must stand together against Trump’s lawlessness

The Trump/Musk administration has been running roughshod through the government for more than three months now. They claim the goal is to cut waste and fraud. So far, these claims have proved … more

4/24/25