Inside: Skraba new Ely Mayor... See /3 Breakfast with the bears... See /1B All about spittlebugs...See /2B Tractor pull, junior style...See /9B the Serving the communitiesIMBERJAY of northern St. Louis County since 1989 VOL. 32, ISSUE 32 August 13, 2021 00 T $1 BOOK BANNING ISD 696 affirms critical thinking in education After review and appeal, book stays on English class reading list by KEITH VANDERVORT Prijatel, joined the effort to Ely Editor Critical thinking is very important to me. I think when have the book removed. Following a months- ELY – The teaching standardized testing came into existence, we lost a lot long review and appeal and support of critical process, ISD 696 thinking will continue in of that in our schools. Ray Marsnik, Ely School Board Chair Superintendent Erik Erie the Ely school district. On a “ recommended that the title 4-1 vote Monday night ISD “continue to be used by 696 school board members for Whiteness,” on the controversy came to light the school board to have Ely Public Schools English voted to keep the bestseller, required reading list for the in April when the parent the book removed from Department to support “I’m Still Here, Black junior level English class. of an eleventh grader, Chad the curriculum. At least Dignity in a World Made The Ely education Davis, made a request to one other Ely parent, Holly See...BOOK pg. 9 GARDNER HUMANITIES TRUST COUNTY SCHOOLS Board vents Garden over flaws in school buildings Party Face masks to be Ely arts trust celebrates encouraged but benefit of painting sale not mandated Garden” was donated by DAVID COLBURN by KEITH VANDERVORT Cook-Orr Editor Ely Editor to the city of Ely by Donald Gardner in 1945. REGIONAL- As ISD 2142 In 1989, the painting was St. Louis County school board ELY – A 1916 paint- sold for $510,000 and the ing by artist Frederick members reviewed a lengthy list of city of Ely established current and future facilities projects Frieseke, titled,“Break- the Donald G. Gardner fast in the Garden,” con- during Tuesday’s working session, Humanities Trust for the long-held frustrations about pre- tinues to reap benefits for enhancement, growth and the support and nurturing sumed design and construction improvement of the arts shortcomings bubbled quickly to of the arts in this com- in the city of Ely. Since munity. the surface. “Breakfast in the See...ART pg. 12 The list, compiled by director of facilities and grounds Derek Wudinich and reviewed at the meeting by finance director Kim Johnson, included new projects such as an office for a school resource officer at North Woods nearing completion and a new 10-booth welding shop at Northeast Range that could draw students from Ely and other district schools. But ongoing maintenance con- cerns with buildings and athletic Budding Ely artist Phoebe Bisbee, 7, above, proudly shows her facilities barely a decade old were bird art at the “Breakfast in the Garden” celebration in Whiteside the main generators of comments Park last Saturday, hosted by the Gardner Humanities Trust. The from the board. sale of the painting, left, has resulted in the distribution of more “We’ve got our football fields than $800,000 in grants since 1989. photos by K. Vandervort See...FLAWS pg. 12 CITY OF TOWER Council hears East Two River development concerns by MARSHALL HELMBERGER Seeded grass was resprouting and erosion control battens were Managing Editor in place along the East Two River this week, part of the work associated with the development of an RV park on the site. TOWER— Ongoing work along submitted photo the East Two River dominated discussion here at the city council the Rose RV park, located just off property, owned by Geoff Griffin. meeting on Monday. Under public Lake Avenue. While city officials did not address her input, Mill Point resident Joan Broten Broten was upset about Rose’s concerns directly, a July 29 letter from again addressed the council, asking decision to remove old river pilings the Department of Natural Resources for action to address her concerns along a portion of the river in front about the ongoing construction of of his property and a neighboring See...RIVER pg. 10 Spring Clothing, New Book Titles, New Gifts Contact The Timberjay plus excellent Canoe Camping Gear. 218-753-2950 Come in today for a New Canoe or Kayak [email protected] Open Every Day 6 am - 9 pm piragis.com 218 - 365 - 6745 boundarywaterscatalog.com 2 August 13, 2021 THE TIMBERJAY Community notices EMBARRASS REGION FAIR Festival of Skalds held Aug. 14-15 Exhibit your livestock at the Embarrass Fair ANGORA- The Festival of Skalds will be held Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 14-15 at 8182 Carpenter EMBARRASS- Rd. in Angora. Gates will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 Updates in the Embarrass p.m. each day. Admission is just $5 for ages 13 and Region Fair’s animal barn up, kids 12 and younger are free with donation of a are providing easier access nonperishable food item. into the barn’s pens this year. Festival of Skalds celebrates skalds, the histo- New corral panels have rians, poets, and storytellers of the Old Norse. Join gates, allowing animals to us for a fun-filled weekend of old Norse fantasy easily enter and exit the merriment. Patrons will enjoy artisan merchants of pens. Fair board organizer handcrafted wares, archery and axe throwing, enter- Amber Johnson is hoping tainment, and tasty food. this change will increase The festival is hosted by Iron Ranger Arts. More the number of livestock information can be found on the Iron Ranger Arts on exhibit during the fair website at www.ironrangerarts. weekend, Aug. 27-29. This year Tractor Supply has donated prizes Ancient Cedars Trail: An Artistic for the best decorated cage Exploration, Aug. 27 in Hibbing or corral by those age 12 and under, with first, HIBBING- The Borealis Art Guild will host second, and third prizes to Ancient Cedars Trail: An Artistic Exploration. be awarded. The exhibit will be up until Aug. 27 and is open There are four entry Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. – 2 classes in the animal barn A child shows his horse at the 2019 Embarrass Region Fair. file photo p.m. Borealis Art Guild is located at 214 E Howard with first, second, and third St. in Hibbing. prizes awarded for each lot and poultry. to do visual health checks Johnson at 218-600-8517 The traveling art exhibit is a collaboration of 11 division in each category: regional artists who support preserving and protect- The fair board is still on all animals as they are (call or text). livestock, rabbits, horses, looking for a veterinarian entered. Contact Amber ing critical habitat within the new Ancient Cedars Trail. Artwork was sourced from artist sojourns through the stand of 100-plus acres of white cedar dating back to about 1880. FIRE SAFETY Artists include Pamela Davis, Nancy Ensley, and Wendy Rouse of Ely; Jordan Gawboy of Tower; Jeff Argir and Louise Laakso Lundin of Hibbing; Jim Firewise demonstration set for Aug. 19 Devries of Britt; Linda Glisson, Margie Helstrom, Sue Rauschenfels and Nan Stubenvoll of Duluth. The ELY – The Dorothy E Sheridan St. in Ely. about things they can do to vided. exhibit will be shown in September at Northwoods Molter Museum will host This event is sponsored make their home and prop- For more information, Friends of the Arts in Cook. a free Firewise demonstra- by Firewise Minnesota in erty more wildfire resilient. contact Gloria Erickson at tion event on Thursday, cooperation with Dovetail The event will be held 218-365-0878 or email her Aug. 19, from 6-8 p.m. The Partners. The event will outdoors, rain or shine. at [email protected]. Northland Foundation awards 46 grants museum is located at 2002 help homeowners learn Refreshments will be pro- REGIONAL- Between April 1 and June 30, the Northland Foundation awarded 46 grants total- ing $571,635 to benefit the people and communi- ties within its service area. These numbers do not Eagles Nest to hold fire evacuation training on Aug. 14 include 13 already-announced Maada’ookiing grants awarded to Indigenous individuals through the foun- EAGLES NEST TWP- Fire and rescue squads “This part of the exer- a really bad day. And with dation’s newest initiative. Eagles Nest Township is from Eagles Nest, Ely, cise simulates and tests Minnesota in a warning Sixteen grants totaling $166,991 went toward holding an evacuation train- Tower, and Morse/Fall our ability to work with phase of drought response work specific to the wellbeing of children and youth ing exercise on Saturday, Lake will participate in the our Mutual Aid Partners and wildfires burning in in the region. “Supporting the healthy develop- Aug. 14 beginning at 10 training which will involve while at the same time Northern Minnesota as well ment of children and youth has been a Northland a.m. This training is part the evacuation of three of exercising and testing our as Canada, this is something Foundation priority for 35 years now,” stated Erik of an ongoing effort to the township’s “dead end” ability to move water and, that we need to be prepared Torch, Director of Grantmaking. “This spring’s increase safety and pre- roads in response to a simu- most importantly, move res- for.” funding adds to the more than $13.6 million to date paredness in case of a poten- lated quickly-moving wild- idents out of harm’s way,” The training will be in Children and Youth grantmaking, dedicated to nur- tial wildfire in the township, fire.