New Season, New Exhibits
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Inside: Wild rice report...See /3 Mining issues... See /9 Snowmible Map...See /5B the T VOL.IMBERJAY 30, ISSUE 2 January 18, 2019 $100 CITY OF TOWER City Council postpones reorganization by MARSHALL HELMBERGER come to the meeting,” he said. Managing Editor Closed meetings to be held to address employee complaints Kringstad twice asked whether the subject of the complaint was The council, after some session on the agenda, but new by the city clerk regarding a city employee and whether TOWER—The newly-seat- discussion, voted 3-2 against mayor Orlyn Kringstad asked if the issue, despite requests for ed city council here left several the individual had been notified holding a closed session to con- Keith had the approval of at least information. “For the council- of the complaint. “Asked and contentious topics on the table sider an unspecified complaint two members of the council to ors to do the job, they need to Monday night, but managed answered,” said Keith, who against an unidentified employ- add the item. be well informed. I want to be indicated it was an employee but to make it through a shortened ee. City Clerk-Treasurer Linda Kringstad said he had not sure that all of the councilors agenda in a meeting that alternat- Keith had included the closed been given any information are well informed before they ed between temperate and testy. See...TOWER pg. 8 NORTH AMERICAN BEAR CENTER SULFIDE MINING Did top EPA New season, officials suppress comments on new exhibits PolyMet permits? Renovated Cub Room, Rep. Betty McCollum Dr. Lynn Rogers exhibit, to pursue question Lily Pad Picnic anniversary by MARSHALL HELMBERGER featured at Ely Bear Center Managing Editor REGIONAL— Fourth District Congresswoman Betty McCollum by KEITH VANDERVORT said she’s requesting that the federal Ely Editor Environmental Protection Agency release prepared comments from the agency’s ELY – As the ambas- professional staff that may have expressed sador bears at the North concerns about air and water quality permits American Bear Center are issued to PolyMet Mining by the Minnesota enjoying their long winter Pollution Control Agency. naps, staff members are A recent public data request to the putting the finishing touches MPCA, by Duluth-based Water Legacy, on new exhibits and making revealed evidence that someone within the plans for the 2019 season. agency or elsewhere may have blocked the NABC senior director submission of those comments, prepared by of operations Scott Edgett career EPA regulators, to the MPCA. Water recently outlined the varied Legacy legal counsel Paula Maccabee improvements and additions provided the documents to McCollum and that will be ready at the facil- others in Washington and has asked for an ity this spring. investigation. A new biologist, Spencer The EPA is considered a cooperating Peter, joined the NABC agency in the PolyMet environmental staff last year after attend- review and permitting process, and the ing school at Vermilion agency has routinely provided highly Community College and detailed and authoritative comments as Bemidji State University the project has advanced. It was highly to earn a degree in wildlife unusual when the MPCA processed final biology. “He is in charge air and water quality permits for PolyMet of our growing education without receiving written comments from programming,” Edgett said. Dr. Lynn Rogers, top, is featured in a new exhibit at the North American Bear the agency. “We now utilize our new Center in Ely marking his 50 years of black bear research. A new children’s Maccabee said the EPA had rebuffed fully-functioning Hope Cub Room, above, is also ready to go when the facility opens for the season her effort to obtain the comments this spring. photos by K. Vandervort See...BEARS pg. 9 See...POLYMET pg. 10 COOK PUBLIC LIBRARY Supernatural researcher separates fact from fiction by MARCUS WHITE it could have been just the wind Chad Lewis, a Wisconsin-based paranormal Cook/Orr Editor playing tricks on your senses. researcher visited Range-area libraries to talk about Chad Lewis wants to help you Lake Superior legends. photo by M. White COOK - There might be figure out what the answer is. more to that ‘bump in the night’ For the past several weeks, ing people on the paranormal things are happening to people. you heard in the woods last Lewis, a Wisconsin-based legends of Lake Superior and Most people are logical, ratio- summer. You may have had paranormal researcher, has the surrounding area. nal people. They’ve just seen a chance encounter with Big been traveling to every branch “Somedays I have a theory, something weird happen.” Foot, or even the legendary of the Arrowhead Library somedays I get set back to square Wendigo of the Great Lakes, or system doing just that, educat- one,” Lewis said. “I think these See... GHOSTS pg. 10 New Fall & Winter Clothing Styles in Stock Contact The Timberjay 218-753-2950 [email protected] New Book Titles Daily Upstairs 365-6745 Mon-Fri 9-5 pm, Sat 9-6, Sun 10-4 105 N Central 2 January 18, 2019 TIMBERJAY Newspapers SWCD annual tree sale begins now; TOWER order early for best selection! REGIONAL- Small trees are available to order for your spring planting needs. Take your choice of over 20 varieties of shrubs, deciduous trees, and conifers in bundles of 15 or 25 from the North St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual tree sale. All are reasonably priced between $30 and $45 per bundle. New this year are river birch, black chokeberry, serviceberry, and peachleaf willow. Plantskydd and Repellex brands of organic animal repellent products are also available to help keep the critters away. Order early for best selec- tion. Quantities are limited. All proceeds are used for conservation efforts in the northern part of St. Louis County. Deadline to order is May 6. Pickup will be in Eveleth on May 9 and 10. For questions about what types of trees to plant on your property, contact our forester, Beth Kleinke at 218-730-8002. Order forms and more information are available at www.nslswcd.org, via email to info@nslswcd. org or by call or text to 218-749-2000. Auditions open on Jan. 21 for CABARET musical in Ely ELY- Northern Lakes Arts Association and Vermilion Community College announce audi- Finnlander Bocce Ball Tournament tions for the 2019 Ely Community Spring Musical, CABARET. Auditions will be held on Monday, Jan. 21 and Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the set for Saturday, Jan. 26 Vermilion College Theater. There are roles for per- formers ages 16 to 60+, with many character roles for every type of person. Interested performers should come ready to dance, sing, and read from the script on either TOWER- The second annual two women). All players must be 18 and cold drinks. Monday or Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. There is Finnlander Bocce Ball Tournament or older. Cash payout (100 percent of To sign up, see the registration no need to prepare an audition monologue or song will be held on Saturday, Jan. 26 entry fees) goes to the top four teams. forms at Good Ol’ Days, D’Erick’s, selection ahead of time. Everyone will have an starting at 9 a.m. in the Iron Ore Bar Enjoy a winter day sliding on the or Benchwarmers in Tower, or sign opportunity to learn a short dance sequence and a parking lot. The games have been ice. The event is being sponsored by up on the Facebook page (Tower- short song, and then read from the script. moved off the harbor due to ongoing the Tower-Soudan Lake Vermilion Soudan Lake Vermilion Events The version of CABARET that the Ely construction this year. Events Board. Board). For questions, contact Julie Community Spring Musical will perform is the orig- Cost to enter is $40 per team of Good Ol' Days will have their Johnson at 218-750-7242. inal Broadway version produced by Harold Prince four players (must be two men and food truck on site, offering hot food in 1966. The familiar 1972 film version starring Liza Minelli and Joel Grey was altered quite signifi- cantly from the stage version, and our stage version features characters of a variety of ages who were not ELY WINTER FESTIVAL included in the film version. There are many back-stage and off-stage oppor- tunities as well, for carpenters, costume helpers, Ely Medallion Hunt begins Feb. 7 light and sound operators, ticket takers, and lobby helpers. Anyone interested in participating on or off ELY- As part of the The first one to find coin – one coin per person stage should come to the theater to find out more 2019 Ely Winter Festival, the medallion will win at each store per day. There about the production or call Artistic Director Sara the Ely Chamber of $250 in Chamber Bucks! is no limit to the number of Skelton at 218-235-2142. Performance dates for the Commerce Event and There are more chances to days you visit each store, Ely Community Spring Musical are March 28, 29, Promotion Committee will win. Each participating Ely so you can collect wooden 30,31, and April 2, 4, 5, 6. host the third annual Ely merchant will also have nickels galore to turn in Northwoods Medallion Northwoods Medallion for an entry form for the Ruby’s Pantry on Jan. 26 in Babbitt Hunt. This is an annual Hunt commemorative drawings (just remember BABBITT- Ruby’s Pantry will be distributing event with a different wooden nickels. For it takes ten wooden nickels food on Saturday, Jan.