News

The Morse town board is hoping the state will come through with funding for a broadband project.
Extending broadband to areas in Morse that have dial-up type service was discussed at a meeting Tuesday night.
State Rep. Rob Ecklund is the chief author of a bill that would provide $15 million in 2019, $35 million in 2020 and $35 million in 2021 for broadband projects across the state.
A senate bill has no funding for 2019 and $30 million in 2020.
Ecklund said Thursday his bill has been moving ahead in the House.
“It’s been added to the jobs bill as an article in it. We’ll be voting on it the first Tuesday after Easter recess.
“To speak to Morse Township and Fall Lake Township, I’ve talked to Dana McKenzie at the Office of Broadband and she figures both those areas should qualify if there’s a provider that comes up with a proposal request.

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You can't miss with the Ely Echo. Interesting columnists and a special treat this week - Photos from {Just about everybody reads the Ely Echo!”
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RETIREMENT after 50 years of a school bus driver, Morris Janssen was with his wife Naomi and teacher Frank Ivancich at a retirement party Thursday. Photo by Tom Coombe

ACCEPTING an award from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for maintaining outstanding permit compliance were Ann and Terry Jackson for the City of Winton. Other area plants receiving awards included Crane Lake, Babbitt and Cleveland Cliffs-Dunka Pit.

IMPOSING structure greeted Ely students Grace Erickson and Karissa VanVickle who earned an award for the weekend.

On Friday, April 5, 100+ Ely Women Who Care awarded $6870 from 130 donors to the Ely Community Health Center. This was our fifth event. To date we have donated over $37,000 to five different Ely charities. For information on future events, see 100ElyWomenWhoCare.org.

With line crews and equipment positioned and ready to respond, Minnesota Power is prepared for heavy, wet snow and high winds predicted for Thursday and Friday in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Such strong early spring storms can cause power outages, and travel during this storm is expected to be hazardous and difficult. An early forecast from the National Weather Service allowed timely preparations to ensure power will be restored as quickly and safely as possible if outages occur.
A potential danger in this storm will be high winds and heavy snow causing trees and limbs to fall on power lines. Customers are urged to stay away from any such trees that appear to threaten power lines to their homes, and instead contact Minnesota Power at (800) 228-4966—or download and use one of our new mobile apps—to report any problems.
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Randy Greiner took this photo of his neighbor, the fox who “comes by occasionally to thin out my squirrel population.”

Ely Community Resource’s annual fund raiser supports activities by this important group which reaches out to students and families in the area. Artists and artisans support their work by donating items design and crafted in the area. Stop by and find a special items you are sure to love while helping the ECR activities.

Ely Memorial Middle School’s Geo APES team competes at the National Geographic Geochallenge Regionals in St. Paul, MN. From left to right: Lily Tedrick, Luna Klingsporn, Charlie Carlson, and Kole Macho.