News

by Tom Coombe -

by Tom Coombe -

by Anne Swenson
Answering phone calls at the Echo is generally a special treat. A chance to welcome home summer residents, connect staff members to inquirers. And sometimes the unexpected happens.
A fellow called recently to ask if we could suggest some area youth group who might benefit from his handmade lures. He said he had tried giving some away last year to a group elsewhere but they didn’t seem very appreciative. Were there any youth in the Ely area who could benefit, he asked.
While there are a number of youth camps in the area, one seemed to fit his request, and it had been a favorite of a former Echo editor - Sommers Canoe Boy Scout Base. He agreed.
In due time, a box arrived with neatly packaged lures of several varieties along with this letter:

by Tom Coombe
Joe Baltich, a former Ely mayor and city council member, is running for county commissioner in Lake County.
The local business owner and Fall Lake Township resident announced this week that he’ll challenge incumbent Pete Walsh for his seat on the county board.
Baltich hopes to represent a district that includes Fall Lake and the northern part of the county.
It’s an area that, according to Baltich, hasn’t received sufficient attention from county officials.
“I just feel that we don’t have northern representation,” Baltich said Thursday. “I’ve been watching it for years and waiting for somebody from this area to pull the trigger and become a representative for the northern part of the county. That hasn’t happened so I said ‘it’s time for me.’”
Baltich pointed to the county’s involvement in a broadband initiative that failed to result in high-speed internet service in the area.

This website is free for your use, but we hope you'll consider the time and equipment costs it takes to produce a newspaper.

Stores can't stay in business by giving their products away, nor can newspapers. It takes advertisers and subscribers to make this business succeed and thrive.

It’s our pleasure to bring the community news of Ely to you. Please consider subscribing. $52 a year on the newsstand. $40 delivered to your Ely mailbox.
$35 a year for an email subscription as pdfs. 218-365-3141.

SENATOR Tom Bakk, who grew up on Lake Vermilion, spoke at the ribbon cutting Thursday for the new campground at the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park. Bakk said over $50 million has been spent on the park with another $50 million needed “to make it be this park the jewel it’s going to be.” Photo by Renee Passal.

APPARENT PROGRESS is being made on the County 88 bridge as the bridge receives its final concrete capping. Macadam on the approaches is yet to be done. Photo by Anne Swenson

SHOP CLASSES’ COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION - Students in Ely’s high school industrial education department made wooden benches for community use as well as Adirondack chairs for Incredible Ely’s annual chair fundraiser. Pictured with their work are students (l-r): Austin Meskill, Tyler Housey, Nick Mattila, Gage Merhar, Shane Spangler, Kalley Fischer, Evan Rabe, Blake Hines, Tyler Moravitz, Nick Walter and Emma Kari. Photo by Tom Coombe

MINE GROUPS MEET - the board and guests of Ely Arts & Heritage Center was invited to tour the Soudan Underground Mine this week. Taking part were, l-r: Jean Peshel, French student Leo Georges, John and Gloria Seliga, Seraphine Rolando, Sue and Lowell Syverson and Sandy Brandley.

DNR officials to announce next phase of construction at Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park

WHAT:
Officials will celebrate the completion of the new campground with a ribbon-cutting event, provide an update on other recently completed construction projects and announce plans for the next phase of construction at the park.

WHO:
Tom Landwehr, commissioner, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Erika Rivers, director, Minnesota State Parks and Trails
Sen. Tom Bakk

WHEN: 11 a.m., Thursday, June 7

WHERE: Vermilion Ridge Campground, Ojiig Group Camp,
Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, Soudan, Minnesota