Breaking News

Geraldine (Syrjanen, Hendrickson) Koski, age 92, of Ely, MN went to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday May 24, 2022 at Ely Bloomenson Hospital in Ely, MN.
She was born on December 16, 1929 to Matt and Ailie (Nevala) Syrjanen in Virginia, MN.
Geraldine is survived by three children, Marty Hendrickson of Aurora, MN, Tami (Craig) Lassi of Babbitt, MN, and Jean (Kevin) Nelson of Babbitt, MN. Eight grandchildren, Amy, Allison, Joe, Isaac, Nickolas, Katie, Curtis and Jordan(Teila). Seven great-grandchildren and brother Raymond Syrjanen.
She is preceded in death by her parents, two husbands Alden Hendrickson and Howard Koski, two sisters Lorraine Bukal and Helia Waisanen, three brothers Walter, Wilbert and Harold Syrjanen, two grandchildren John and Alyssa, one great-grandchild Tracker.
Memorial Service Friday June 3, 2022, with visitation starting at 10 am until the 11 am service at the Ely Gospel Church, 3 E Allaire Street, Ely, MN.

I was born in 1947 and spent my childhood and school years living less that a small-town block from the banks of the St. Joseph River in Michigan. The river, the town, my family, and the people were and are an integral part of who I am today. Next month I will return to Michigan to connect as one of the older community members of my family, the town, the river, and the people.
Next month, the river will provide my paddle connection from its headwaters to my hometown and on to my brother’s family before reaching Lake Michigan. I have lived in many watersheds and explored the rivers there during my life before living the past 45 years of my life in Ely. Exploring St. Joseph River is connecting to over 200 plus miles of its natural history and cultural history.

Letter to the editor:
It’s good to see the city council recognize those who have contributed to Ely through years of work.
I hope the council will consider honoring the hundreds of miners who descended into Ely’s mines over decades to build this community and provide for their families.
A fitting tribute would be the renaming of Central Avenue, a name which is neither Ely-specific nor geographically accurate, to “Miners Avenue.” This is the route most of the miners took daily to their perilous jobs.
Without those workers and their toil there would be no Ely.
Doug Luthanen
Ely, MN

by Tom Coombe
Ely’s high school principal is returning to the classroom.
Megan Anderson, who has served as principal for just over six years, notified school officials this month that she will resign from her position, effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year.
Anderson, an Ely native, will remain with the district and is set to take a middle-school teaching position this fall.
Those moves were authorized Monday by the Ely School Board, and the district has posted the principal position.
Anderson said Wednesday “that I’m really proud of what we have done for our kids over the last five-and-a-half years,” and that “I really enjoyed working with everybody in this leadership capacity. It was exciting and challenging.”
School board members accepted the resignation and thanked Anderson for her service during a brief Monday meeting, but there was no discussion about the position or the district’s administrative configuration.

by Tom Coombe
For Heidi Omerza, it’s “up or out” when it comes to Ely politics.
The longtime city council member won’t seek re-election this fall and will instead attempt to become mayor.
As of Wednesday, Omerza was the only candidate in the contest for Ely’s highest elected position.
Incumbent Roger Skraba is running for a seat in the state legislature, and Omerza, who lost to Skraba by only 13 votes in a special election last year, is taking another crack at the mayoral seat.
Candidate filings in Ely, both for mayor and for three council positions up for grabs, close at 5 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.
To date, incumbent Angela Campbell is the only candidate in the council election.
Omerza, a mainstay on the city council since winning election in 2006, said this week that it’s time she pursue the mayoral position rather than pursue another four-year term on the council.

by Tom Coombe
Down to their last three outs, the Ely Timberwolves rose to the occasion on Tuesday.
A triple by Charly Flom started the rally while Rachel Coughlin’s key blow finished it off.
Coughlin’s bases-clearing double in the bottom of the seventh gave the host Wolves a 5-4 victory over Cromwell in a Section 7A high school softball playoff encounter.
The seventh-seeded Wolves, who improved to 11-5, needed three runs in the final frame to down the 10th-seeded Cardinals and move into the double-elimination phase of the tournament, which started Thursday at Grand Rapids.
It looked like Cromwell (5-10) might eke out a victory, especially after the Wolves stranded two runners in the fifth.
But Ely Head Coach Cory Lassi held out hope, particularly given a seventh-inning that started with Flom, his lead-off hitter, at the plate.

POSITION OPENING
Ely Public Schools
Grade 6-12 Principal
1.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE)

Ely Public Schools is accepting applications for a Grade 6-12 Principal beginning the 2022-2023 school year; 1.0 FTE; competitive salary and fringes as per the master agreement. Background check required.

Qualifications include:
• Current Minnesota Administration license
• Administration experience is preferred
• Excellent communication skills including
verbal and written
• Strong leadership skills with implementing
new initiatives and programs

Application available at: www.ely.k12.mn.us

A complete application must include the following:
• Cover letter
• District Licensed Application
• Resume
• Copy of official transcripts
• Current Minnesota Administration license
• 3 letters of recommendation

ORDINANCE NO. 356, 2nd Series

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ELY, MINNESOTA, ADDING TO THE ELY CITY CODE, CHAPTER 20, SECTION 20.1.27, ENTITLED ZONING MAP AMENDMENT

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ELY DOES HEREBY ORDAIN:

SECTION 1. A new Section shall be added to Chapter 20 as Section 20.1.27, of the Ely City Code to read as follows:

Section 20.1.27 Zoning Map Amendment. The zoning classification of parcels of land located in the City of Ely, County of St. Louis, State of Minnesota, which have the following legal descriptions:

Lots 7 through 12, Block 16, ELY

are hereby changed from the current zoned classification of Residential 2 (R2) to Residential Transitional (RT).

SECTION 2. Effective Date: Pursuant to Section 3.08 of the Charter of the City of Ely, Minnesota, the adoption of this Ordinance is effective immediately after final adoption and publication.

First Reading: May 17, 2022

The Ely City Council will be holding a public hearing on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at 5:15pm in the Council Chambers at Ely City Hall to hear public comment regarding the consideration to rezone for the following addresses: 233 East Chapman St., 243 East Chapman St. & 247 East Chapman St – Ordinance 356.

These properties are currently located in a Residential 2 (R2) zone and will be rezoned to Residential Transitional (RT).

All interested parties may submit communication to the Clerk’s Office, 209 E Chapman St, Ely, MN, 55731, 218-365-3224 Ext 1, deputyclerk@ely.mn.us, or in person at the public hearing.

Ely Echo
May 28, 2022
June 4, 2022

John R. Juranitch, 93, of Ely, a U.S. Army veteran,. passed away on Thursday, May 26, 2022 at home. Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home.