News

by Tom Coombe
A potential buyer has emerged for the city’s long-vacant Community Center building.
Council members voted Tuesday night to set up a subcommittee to review “a business plan and related information” submitted by the unidentified party.
According to minutes of the city’s historic preservation commission, which recommended the plan go to the council for review, as many as four potential developers have recently showed interest in the three-story, nearly 30,000 square foot structure.
One developer has made several visits to the building and has progressed to the point of advancing a still confidential business plan.
It will be reviewed by city clerk-treasurer Harold Langowski, attorney Kelly Klun and council members Heidi Omerza and Paul Kess.
City officials and area history buffs have wrestled with the fate and future of the Community Center, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, for nearly a decade.

by Nick Wognum
The Ely school district did a 180 on mask protocols just days before students returned to class.
Citing new guidance, including a letter signed by physicians and a nurse practitioner at Ely’s Essentia Clinic, superintendent Erik Erie announced Sept. 3 that masks would be required indoors for all students, staff and visitors on the Ely campus.
Three weeks earlier, Erie and school officials had said masks would be recommended rather than required to start the new school year, and Ely is one of only a few schools in the area to require masks.
Several neighboring schools, including the County District 2142 schools in Babbitt and Tower, have gone the “mask optional” route. Unlike the 2020-21 school year, there is no state mandate for masks and local districts have the option to decide on their own.

NEW AT THE ELY SCHOOL DISTRICT is kindergarten teacher Brittany Baier who recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Superior. She is originally from the Barnum area but her dad Dan is a 1991 Ely graduate. “My dad’s from here so I have family from here,” said Baier on why she wanted to work at the Ely school district. “I did student teaching and long term subbing in Cloquet last year but this is my first official year.” She’s also following in her mom’s footsteps, she has taught elementary in Barnum going on 28 years. Baier’s classroom has been remodeled with the windows removed as part of the district’s renovation project. Baier said she’s looking forward to the school year starting this week. “I will have 19 kids so I’m working on setting up desks right now.” Baier said she’s not a big outdoor person but “I might have to become one soon.” Baier said she’s also looking forward to her two dogs joining her in Ely. Photo by Nick Wognum.

AFTER VANDALS spray painted grafitti, city workers including Kurt Mattila gave Ely’s 130 year-old water tank a fresh coat of paint on Wednesday morning at the Pioneer Mine National Register Site. Volunteer Seraphine Rolando spotted the vandalism and alerted the city council Tuesday night. Photo by Nick Wognum.

The Forest Service s reopening some areas of the Forest, including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, given recent rains, cooling temperatures and progress made on active fire. However, certain closures will remain in place where active fires remain on the landscape.
The Forest Service is lifting the full closure of the BWCAW, the Crooked Lake closure near the fires in Canada. The Forest Service is slightly modifying closure maps for the Greenwood Fire, and the John Ek and Whelp Fires. The closure of Forest Service land at the Upper Gunflint Trail remains in place.
“We’re thrilled to reopen some of our public lands to visitors. The drought is not over but we’re starting to see more rain and lower temperatures. These conditions moderate fire activity and lessen the chance of new fires showing up,” said Connie Cummins, supervisor for the Superior National Forest.

Essentia Health announced it will be bringing pharmacy services to Ely later this year.
“At Essentia Health, we are always looking for ways to better serve our patients,” said Kenzie Hohman, senior director of ambulatory care pharmacy at Essentia. “That includes providing service closer to home. Bringing an Essentia Health pharmacy to Ely aligns with that objective, and we’re excited to open by the end of 2021.”
The Essentia Health-Ely Pharmacy will be located in the new Zup’s Food Market (1500 E. Sheridan St.), which will open in the former Shopko building.
“While we would have liked to have the hospital move their pharmacy in with us they said at this time it just wasn’t in their best interest,” said Jim Zupancich. “The hospital made their decision not to do it and Essentia contacted us about the possibility of bringing their pharmacy to our grocery store. We welcome Essentia to our facility and look forward to working with them.”

by Tom Coombe
After nearly a decade away from city politics, Roger Skraba has returned in improbable fashion.
The two-time Ely mayor earned a third stint in the city’s top political post Tuesday, when he edged council member Heidi Omerza by 13 votes in a special election for mayor.
Skraba collected 376 votes to Omerza’s 363, with current interim mayor Chuck Novak getting 36 write-in votes.
Skraba will fill the mayor’s seat Tuesday, for the first time since the end of 2012, following a strange set of circumstances that started with Novak’s surprise loss to Eric Urbas in last November’s mayoral race.
Urbas, who had withdrawn from consideration months earlier, subsequently turned down the job and Novak was appointed on an interim basis until the city, because of regulations outlined by the city charter, could hold a special election.

by Nick Wognum
The Ely school district will not mandate students to wear masks when the school year gets underway.
A decision was made Thursday and communicated to staff and students by school superintendent Erik Erie.
“Masks are recommended by MDE and MDH for all people in the school setting but are not required. This is subject to change and masks may be required in the future.
“Masks are recommended by MDE and MDH for extracurricular activities but are not required during active participation. This is subject to change and masks may be required in the future.
“Masks are required on all school vehicles per CDC and Minnesota Public Transportation Rules. All people riding school buses will be required to wear face coverings including all activities.”
The decision came two days after a school advisory committee meeting Tuesday, where sentiment leaned heavily against a campus-wide mask mandate when school resumes in Ely next month.

by Tom Coombe
The landscape and look of Ely’s downtown has been transformed by the Ott family, who have purchases, renovated and repurposed numerous buildings.
And more is yet to come.
Tanner Ott provided an update at this week’s Tuesday Group luncheon - recapping some of the projects completed by his family over the last several years and offering a glimpse of the future.
What’s in store?
Most notably and soon to come is Domino’s Pizza, which is set to move into the old Pizza Hut/Two Gringos building on East Sheridan Street.
Ott also said an announcement is looming about a tenant for the First Avenue East building most recently occupied by Crapola, which is moving to another downtown structure.
“We always let the organization make their own announcement when they’re ready,” Ott said during the event at Grand Ely Lodge. “There is somebody very interested in it.”