News

If you happened to be in downtown Ely on Saturday, May 22 chances are you ran into one or more of the 307 Red Hat Ladies that were in town for the 1st Red Hattitude Tea & Chat. <BR><BR>Country Simple Pleasures organized the event which included a Tea with motivational speaker, Nancy Henning. Henning’s topic was, “Forgetfulness, a Woman’s Best Beauty Secret to Being Fabulous at 50, 60 and 70 plus!” <BR><BR>A total of 26 Red Hat Society Chapters were represented from across the Iron Range (Ely to Grand Rapids, Duluth to International Falls, Virginia to Hoyt Lakes and everywhere in between). <BR><BR>Event sponsors donated over $560 worth of door prizes for the event and several stores provided specials for the women after the tea. <BR><BR>The next tea is scheduled for Saturday, September 18. You can contact Country Simple Pleasures (218-365-3696) for registration materials.

The race for Minnesota House seat 6A now includes a candidate from Ely.<BR><BR>Marty Breaker, a teacher, retired Army Reserve Colonel and former owner of two area resorts, is seeking the seat now held by State Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) and will run as a Republican.<BR><BR>Tuesday, the 53-year-old Breaker was endorsed by 6A Republicans and he’s been prepped for the run by the House Republican caucus, including Speaker Steve Sviggum (R-Kenyon).<BR><BR>Breaker is hoping to crack the traditional DFL stronghold on northeastern Minnesota legislative seats and give the region at the table with the party that now controls the State House.<BR><BR>“We need a voice down in the legislature,” said Breaker. “Currently, the House has 81 Republicans to 53 Democrats.

Rudy Blaskiewicz was a regular visitor at the Ely Bloomenson Nursing Home when his beloved wife Sophie became a resident there in 1999. Rudy would help care for her twice a day, every day, every day of the week, helping to feed her. He also handed out water and napkins or bibs to the other residents. <BR><BR>When Sophie died in January of 2002, Rudy waited a couple weeks, and then returned to visiting the nursing home, serving just as he had when Sophie was alive, to keep her memory lingering on, feeding others instead. <BR><BR>He still misses his wife Sophie and tears well up thinking of her. They would have been married 60 years the month she died. Rudy is thankful to all the people for the help they gave him when his wife was sick. After she died they still helped him out. <BR><BR>Rudy served at the nursing home two more years after his wife died and became a resident himself last January 2004. Now he must adjust to being the one served.

What appeared to be a killer agenda was managed in just under two hours by the Ely city council last Tuesday.<BR><BR>There were eight requests to appear and slew of other items to consider as six men took their seats. Mike Hillman was absent. <BR><BR>The first request came from Robin Mathews, the chair of the Planning Commission, who was going to ask to have Hillman replaced as a council representative due to missing so many meetings. <BR><BR>But before Mathews could begin, Mayor Frank Salerno cut him off at the pass, asking if the commission had officially acted on the request.<BR><BR>Mathews said that a motion had not been approved by the board. <BR><BR>“The recommendation needs to go from P&Z and be forwarded to us for consideration,” said Salerno.<BR><BR>“We can do that,” said Mathews. “So if P&Z were to vote and be in favor of removing Mr.

With hopes of cutting down on clutter, the Ely city council passed a motion Tuesday night to allow above ground headstones in the newest section of the cemetery.<BR><BR>Appearing before the council were Dorene Steklasa and Paul DeWeese from the Cemetery Committee.<BR><BR>“We are here to request a major change, to allow above ground headstones in the new section,” said Steklasa. “Even though some get toppled over in the old section you only see a few plastic containers or flower holders.<BR><BR>“In the newer section we have one site where there are three cans and a beer bottle,” said Steklasa. “People are erecting their own monuments.”<BR><BR>She said the different rules for each area provides for a lack of unification and is aesthetically unpleasing.<BR><BR>“Some have two to three hanging baskets and a plastic statute.

The future of the city of Ely dispatch service may become clearer after another meeting on the hot topic was held last Thursday.<BR><BR>With four council members in attendance, the Budget Committee reviewed numbers provided by Butch Pecha and Paul Kess on the costs of keeping the service.<BR><BR>After an hour of discussion, what became apparent was that the city can save money by not having the service.

The Ely Surf Shop has a ’50s flare with many treats in store for Ely’s teens, young adults or anyone young at heart when it opens on Friday at 213 East Sheridan Street. <BR><BR>One side of the shop is a ’50s style soda fountain with chrome and red leather stools and a menu of snacks. Customer can slurp ice cream sodas, old fashioned type of malts, shakes, Cokes, chocolate Cokes, root beer floats, gourmet coffee, including espresso, latté, cappucino, and even regular coffee. Variations on ice cream include: Wolf Tracks (caramel), Birch Bark, Snow Ball (vanilla), Black Bear (chocolate), No Udder (sorbet), and Angel (fat free vanilla yogurt). <BR><BR>The gourmet Chicago-style hot dogs lineup ranges from ‘Chilly Dogs’, ‘The Lead Dog’, ‘The Deer Hound’ (venison bratwurst), ‘The Bad Dog’ (chili, jalepeno and onions), ‘The Wurst Dog’ (bratwurst with sauerkraut) and ‘Neutered Dog’ (a no meat soy weiner).

The Ely Surf Shop has a ’50s flare with many treats in store for Ely’s teens, young adults or anyone young at heart when it opens on Friday at 213 East Sheridan Street. <BR><BR>One side of the shop is a ’50s style soda fountain with chrome and red leather stools and a menu of snacks. Customer can slurp ice cream sodas, old fashioned type of malts, shakes, Cokes, chocolate Cokes, root beer floats, gourmet coffee, including espresso, latté, cappucino, and even regular coffee. Variations on ice cream include: Wolf Tracks (caramel), Birch Bark, Snow Ball (vanilla), Black Bear (chocolate), No Udder (sorbet), and Angel (fat free vanilla yogurt). <BR><BR>The gourmet Chicago-style hot dogs lineup ranges from ‘Chilly Dogs’, ‘The Lead Dog’, ‘The Deer Hound’ (venison bratwurst), ‘The Bad Dog’ (chili, jalepeno and onions), ‘The Wurst Dog’ (bratwurst with sauerkraut) and ‘Neutered Dog’ (a no meat soy weiner).

Art Camp will take on a slightly new focus this year when the event takes place June 16-18. Sponsored by Ely Greenstone Public Art, the popular camp, now in its third year, will be held at Semers Park.<BR><BR>Fliers will be sent home with Ely students in grades 2-6, ages 8-12 exclusive, with information about the event. Classes will be held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 12:30 -4 p.m.<BR><BR>Volunteers have been meeting to plan the classes to be offered. Additional helpers are welcomed to assist. Call Anne Swenson at 365-5917 or 365-3141 or Judy Fredrickson at 365-4020 if you are interested in helping one or more days.<BR><BR>There is a tuition fee of $20 per child, but scholarships are also available.<BR><BR>Class space will be limited so that student receive lots of personal attention. Early enrollment is encouraged. Camp participants will be limited to a total of 40 students, with 10 students in each class.

Morse Township will pursue a written agreement with Fall Lake for the operation of their joint fire department.<BR><BR>But in the meantime, Morse will continue to cover all expenses associated with operating the department, much to the chagrin of at least one township supervisor.<BR><BR>At Tuesday’s town board meeting, supervisor Jack Willis was on the losing end of several 2-1 votes - all dealing with fire department expenses or operations.<BR><BR>Willis, who was outvoted by supervisors Len Cersine and Terry Soderberg, contends that Morse should hold back on any further fire department spending until Fall Lake comes on board.<BR><BR>“We’re still going down that road where the town of Morse is paying the whole bill,” said Willis.