Breaking News

Janet F (Fritz) Kivisto, 82, passed away January 17 from complication s of Primary Progressive Aphasia.
She was born August 16, 1936 in Bessemer Twp, MI to Donald and Ruby Fritz. Janet grew up in Hurley, WI. She attended nursing school when she met the love of her life, Jack and married him on August 2, 1958 in Waukesha, WI. Janet and Jack eventually moved to Babbitt where she worked for the Babbitt Weekly News and Babbitt Library. Her greatest joy was her kids and grandkids. She loved reading, walking and gardening.

DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen named current Assistant Commissioner Barb Naramore as deputy DNR commissioner.

Since 2013, Naramore has overseen three divisions (Ecological and Water Resources, Forestry, and Lands and Minerals) and worked frequently with other divisions on interdisciplinary efforts. Prior to joining the DNR, Naramore was executive director of the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association, where she worked with five states, federal agencies, and stakeholder groups on river-related programs and policies, including a groundbreaking aquatic ecosystem restoration and monitoring program.

“Barb has a passion for the full breadth of DNR’s work and understands its importance in the lives of all Minnesotans,” said Strommen. “As deputy, Barb will work closely with me on DNR’s strategic direction, building partnerships with external stakeholders, and fostering our efforts to connect all Minnesotans to the outdoors.”

Plans submitted to explore on state nonferrous metallic minerals leases

Three exploration companies have proposed mineral exploration in northeastern Minnesota.

Twin Metals Minnesota (TMM) proposes to explore for metallic mineral deposits in Lake and Saint Louis Counties, Minnesota in areas about five miles east of Babbitt and eight miles southeast of Ely, Minnesota. TMM proposes to establish 6 new drill pads upon which monitoring wells will be installed, and to conduct down-hole geophysical and hydrogeological (HGP) tests at up to 9 existing temporarily sealed exploratory borings on State minerals leases.

AngloGold Ashanti Minnesota (AGAM) proposes to explore for metallic mineral deposits in Itasca County, Minnesota in an area South of State Highway 1 and east of the Bass Lake Road. AGAM plans to drill exploratory borings at 13 sites using the rotosonic drilling method.

Elizabeth “Betty” Povhe, 69, passed away on January 18, 2019. She was born on October 15, 1949 in Ely, Minnesota to Angela (Flake) and Rudy Scufsa. She graduated from Ely Memorial High School, attended Vermilion Community College, and then went on to beauty school in Duluth. She moved back to Ely and worked at Town and Country beauty shop and the Hairstyling Corner. After that, Betty and Carolyn Johnson owned and operated Guys n Gals beauty shop until she retired. Betty was known for her cooking, baking, sewing, and crocheting. Her favorite pasttime was driving around in the convertible with her beloved husband, Jim. Another favorite past time was bowling. In 1992 she bowled a perfect game and to the best of her knowledge, was still the only woman in Ely to have done so.

The Ely Shopko store survived another round of cuts as the company declared bankruptcy this past week and closed 38 more locations.
While the Ely store has remained open, there has been changes for pharmacy customers.
The company has stated it plans to auction off its pharmacy business, something other retailers including Target have done in the past.
However, certain customers in Ely have had to switch pharmacies when Shopko decided it would not cover the Platinum Blue program through Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
Many of those customers are now being served by the Ely Community Pharmacy located at Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital.
“I’ve been entering prescriptions since eight o’clock this morning,” said Ely Community Pharmacy Team Leader Beth Hartshorn.

As Goodwill says farewell to Ely, a local group hopes that a similar store will soon open in its place.
An internet fundraising account has been started for what has been billed the Ely Drop and Shop Thrift Store.
According to a news release sent to the Ely Echo, “a group of soon to be unemployed Goodwill employees is working on opening a thrift store in Ely.”
A gofundme account has been established and as of Thursday, $90 of a requested $10,000 has been raised.
Organizers said funds received will be used for initial business start-up costs

by Tom Coombe -

City of Ely Mayor, Council, City Clerk, City Attorney:

It has come to our attention that perhaps an error occurred in the decision for your choice in legal printing.

We believe the Timberjay does not qualify as a legal newspaper in the City of Ely because it does not have a “Known office of issue” as required by the law. This is likely why they did not bid for the last three years. Listing a house (see photo) as a “Known office of issue” does not meet the legal requirements. The specific language for this is as follows:

by Tom Coombe -

Dorothy (Jiacik) Stember of Red Wing, MN died peacefully at home on Jan. 4, 2019 at age 86.
Dorothy is survived by her husband, Daniel; three daughters: Ann Patrick of Tucson, AZ, Ellen Stember of Red Wing,, MN; granddaughter Kaitlin Niebeling and Dorothy’s sister Carol Janeksala and brother Richie Jiacik of Ely. Dorothy requested there be no funeral services.