Breaking News

Notice is hereby given that a General Election will be held at 911 S. Central Avenue (the Morse Town Hall) on TUESDAY, November 3, 2020, at which time the polls will be open from the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. for the purpose of electing candidates for Federal, State, County, City, Judicial and School District Offices.

Anyone who wishes to vote by ABSENTEE BALLOT can obtain an Absentee Ballot Application by:
• Contacting the St. Louis County Auditor’s Office by calling 1-800-450-9777
• Online - www.sos.state.mn.us - Elections and Voting – Other Ways to Vote

Nick Wognum, Clerk
Town of Morse

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC

The City of Ely is calling for interested applicants to fill the following vacancies on the

Library Board
1- Mid-term expiring 1/31/2023
*resident or non-resident

Park and Recreation Board
1- Mid-term expiring 1/31/2021
*resident or non-resident

Telecommunications Advisory Board
1- three year term
*subscriber/resident

Tree Board
1- three year term
*resident/non resident

Sealed Bids for the construction of the Veterans on the Lake Site Improvements will be received for a single prime contract, by Veterans on the Lake (The Owner), at the office of the Site Manager, until 1:00 p.m. local time on October 1, 2020, at which time the Bids received will be publicly opened and read. The Project consists of removing 8,500 square yards of bituminous surface, constructing approximately 2,800 cubic yards common excavation, 1,850 cubic yards Aggregate Base, Class 5, 2,100 tons bituminous paving and all related appurtenances.
Prospective Bidders may examine the Bidding Documents at the Issuing Office and may obtain copies of the Bidding Documents from the Issuing Office (Office of the Engineer): JPJ Engineering, Inc., P.O. Box 656, 425 Grant Street, Hibbing, MN 55746, Phone: 218- 262-5528, www.jpjeng.com
Bidding Documents also may be examined at the office of the Owner and the Minnesota Builders Exchange.

by Tom Coombe
Echo editor
Pull into the parking lot. Punch the code. Open the door and walk through the dining area. Take a left down the hallway to my grandma Dolly’s door.
For about four months last year, it became a regular and familiar drill.
And it was my first and lasting experience with Ely’s Carefee Living.
Often armed with a strawberry shake for 95-year-old Dolly and sometimes bringing a sundae for her sister-in-law and my great aunt Marcella, stops at the southern-most building in the community’s assisted living complex were part of my routine.
Hollee and the kids would make weekend visits, but during the week I had the responsibility - and now I remember it as a privilege - to spend some quality time as my grandma reached the end of her time with us.

by Tom Coombe
The Ely School District is moving to a hybrid model of education for students in grades 6-12, starting next week.
The decision by school administrators came Thursday, amid rising COVID-19 case numbers in Greater St. Louis County and the Ely area.
It means middle and high school students will attend classes in-person two days per week and receive distance learning for three, but children in grades K-5 will continue daily in-person learning.
Ely will shift gears after just two weeks of classes in the wake of data that put the district above the threshold to consider a move to hybrid learning, but in conflict with a recommendation from St. Louis County Public Health to continue in-person learning for at least another week.
“I think the administration as a whole is supportive of going to a hybrid model,” superintendent Erik Erie said Thursday, during a meeting of the Ely Safe Learning Plan Advisory Council.

by Tom Coombe
An Ely business has a major expansion in the works - one that will add new jobs and change the landscape of the western edge of the community’s business district.
Piragis Northwoods Company is moving its outlet store across the street to a brand-new structure that will be located next to Northern Grounds. on three city lots.
But before a project estimated at $400,000 to $500,000 moves forward, the building that most recently was home to Looney’s Northwoods Emporium will have to be demolished.
Ely city officials cleared the way for that step Tuesday, authorizing an application for demolition funds from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board.
Owner Steve Piragis briefed city projects committee members about the plans Monday and his daughter Elli addressed the city council Tuesday, when the grant request was approved unanimously.
Job growth is part of the plan, according to Steve Piragis.

by Nick Wognum
A new scoreboard at Ely School Stadium, set to be installed this week, may get some use yet this fall.
What seemed improbable only a week ago now looks possible, with the Minnesota State High School League poised to vote Monday on proposals to reverse an earlier decision to move both football and volleyball to the spring.
If approved, an abbreviated football season could begin as soon as Oct. 2, while volleyball games would start later in the month, according to plans addressed earlier this week during a nearly four-hour MSHSL board workshop.
The sudden turn of events has put Ely in a state of limbo, with school officials waiting for Monday’s MSHSL vote before making further determinations related to the two sports.
It was the board workshop where the “Let Them Play” movement generated more steam, with several board members voicing support for what started as a grassroots effort to get the MSHSL to reverse course.

by Tom Coombe
Mesabi East piled up points early and cruised to a 97-69 victory over visiting Northeast Range/Ely, in a Sept. 10 high school girls swimming meet at Aurora.
The Giants won most of the individual and relay events, with one-two finishes in three of the first four events to take control of the dual meet.
Lily Tedrick had NRE’s only contested individual win, dominating the 200 yard freestyle in 2:20.03 and winning with almost six seconds to spare.
Later, Tedrick teamed with Morgan McClelland Cedar Ohlhauser and Kelly Thompson on a 400 freestyle relay unit that finished first in 4:26.76.
McClelland bagged a pair of runner-up showings, taking second in both the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke, with times of 1:05.98 and 1:18.54, respectively.
The Nighthawks also scored points as follows:
• 200 medley relay - 3. Esther Anderson, McKenna Coughlin, McClelland, Alice Wolter, 2:28.71;
• 50 freestyle -3. Thompson, 30.47;

Lois Struna, 92, of Ely, MN., passed away in Ely on Wednesday, September 16, 2020.
God posted a job opening today. It read: Looking for a mature woman who was an incredible mother, was a faithful wife, an outstanding cook and someone that can balance a checkbook to the penny over a lifetime. Must also be able to make a quilt from scratch or paint a beautiful watercolor painting from her imagination.
Our mom, being a perfect example of the greatest generation, decided it was the right job for her. So on this Wednesday evening, after a long and brief struggle from a stroke several years ago, and a recent positive test So on this Wednesday evening, after a long and brief struggle from a stroke several years ago, and a recent positive test for Covid-19, she decided to pack her things and head straight to heaven to apply for the job.

Ronald Douglas MacMillan, 79 08/01/1936 - 07/11/2015
Elizabeth Kay MacMillan, 76, 07/11/1944 - 09/16/2020