Breaking News

Warning - the state legislature is in session so keep an eye on what’s going on in St. Paul. Here’s a nugget that popped up this past week.
The DNR would like to require that you have blaze orange on your ground blinds.
Here’s the proposed language:
“… during the open season where deer may be taken by​ firearms under applicable laws and ordinances, a person in a fabric or synthetic ground​ blind on public land must have:​
(1) a blaze orange or blaze pink safety covering on the top of the blind visible for 360​ degrees around the blind; or​
(2) at least 144 square inches of blaze orange or blaze pink material on each side of the​ blind.​”
Companies that sell pop-up blinds were selling the blaze orange tops last year, so apparently this rule is already in place in other states.
Safety must be the reason and we will go along with it.

Letter to the Editor:
My heartfelt thank you to my family, friends, and neighbors for the calls, visits, and help during our Winton frozen water main problems. Our City Council and Destin did a wonderful job of coordinating the repair issues and keeping us informed.
Much gratitude to the Low Impact crew who worked long, hard hours in freezing temperatures. Thank You to Northland and Zup’s for providing us with hundreds of gallons of drinking water. Much appreciation to the friends, family and services from Ely and the surrounding townships and areas who pitched in to help in whatever way they could. If I’ve neglected to mention anyone/anything, my apologies.
What a blessing to live here.
Marvel Prahl
Winton, MN

by Tom Coombe
Thursday was a milestone day, of sorts, at Ely Memorial High School.
For the first time in more than a year, the entire high school student body gathered together.
The occasion was the school’s first pep rally since February, 2020, held as part of Winter Frolic Week.
Julia Schwinghamer was crowned queen and Riley Bishop reigned as king over the festivities, which also included a performance by the school’s dance team and a game of “Big Ball Soccer.”
The pep rally marked another step in a return back to normal at the school, where the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a series of event cancellations, sport shutdowns, schedule adjustments and even long periods of time where school was not in session for in-person learning.
Students in Ely have been back in-person since early-February and the pep rally was put together at the request of the student council.

by Tom Coombe
Ely School Board members got a glimpse of the future on Monday.
Both with a brief video presentation and formal drawings (see in this edition), architects presented a look at the anticipated finished product, once a nearly $20 million school improvement project comes to fruition next year.
At the monthly board study session, the board got both an update and the most detailed look yet at drawings for the centerpiece of the project - a new building that will link the Washington and Memorial buildings.
The new structure will do much more than connect the existing schools, it will serve as the sparkling new entrance to the campus and house a new gymnasium, cafeteria, media center, common spaces, offices and classrooms.
The presentation included drawings (see page 11) that showed the interior of the building from multiple angles, with the gyymnasium at the right of the structure, on the side closest to the Washington building.

by Tom Coombe
Ely’s high school girls basketball team created turnover after turnover Feb. 18 at Babbitt.
The result was the Timberwolves’ third win of the winter.
Full-court pressure resulted in numerous steals and led to errant passes and traveling by Northeast Range, which was held to just two first-half baskets in the Arrowhead Conference affair.
Ely built a massive 35-6 lead by halftime and was on its way to a 62-12 romp.
The Timberwolves have won two of their last three games and are now 3-6 for the season.
Northeast Range was never able to get on track offensively, and Ely’s defensive pressure was the difference.
Madeline Kallberg scored 13 of her game-high 19 points in the opening half, and wreaked havoc at the top of the press while gaining a series of layups.

It didn’t end with a victory, but high school boys hockey made a triumphant return of sorts to Babbitt.
Ron Castellano Arena was alive again Feb. 19, when the Ely Timberwolves hosted Bagley in what was only the second boys contest there in 27 years.
The visiting Flyers downed the Timberwolves 5-1, but nearly 200 fans came out to the fabled arena for the game.
The Timberwolves celebrated senior night and moved the contest to Babbitt to honor their only senior - Jimmy Zupancich.
Zupancich attends Northeast Range, but the two schools are combined in hockey and the Timberwolves opted to hold a home game in Babbitt this winter to recognize the senior.
His parents were introduced prior to the game, and family members as well as Northeast Range schoolmates were part of the gathering.
Zupancich also had a hand in the Wolves’ only goal - a second period tally by freshman Chase Anderson.

It’s the time of year when hunters and anglers need to buy new fishing and hunting licenses.
Minnesota fishing, hunting and trapping licenses for 2020 expire Sunday, Feb. 28.
Licenses for 2021 are now available wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold, online at mndnr.gov/buyalicense and by telephone at 888-665-4236.
All 2021 fishing licenses become effective Monday, March 1.
New licenses are required for 2021 hunting and fishing seasons that continue past Feb. 28.
Current ice shelter licenses, though, are valid through Friday, April 30.
Anyone who wants to start fishing or hunting can visit the DNR’s learn to fish and learn to hunt pages.

Anglers and others interested in management of fisheries resources in the Finland area are invited to comment on fisheries management plans for selected lakes in Lake County through Wednesday, March 31.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources uses fisheries management plans to identify specific management activities planned for designated lakes over the next five to 20 years. The plans include background information such as water chemistry characteristics, water temperature information, species presence, and historic catch rates from previous fisheries surveys.
Comments and suggestions from the public are important for planning and evaluating the success of activities laid out in management plans. The list of plans currently being reviewed includes Dragon, Greenwood, Johnson and Wilson lakes. Area staff are also seeking comments for the first formal fisheries management plan drafted for Highland Lake.

Marion Bubash, 83, passed away at her Ely home on February 18, 2021. She was born in Ely in March 18,1937. She graduated from Memorial Senior High in 1956 and then attended Vermilion Community College for 2 years. She then moved to Los Angeles California for 2 years before moving to St. Paul, Minnesota where she lived for about 20 years. Marion returned home to Ely in 1988 where she retired and lived for the rest of her life.
Marion was a talented free-lance computer circuit board designer for most of her working career in the Twin City area before she retired in 1985. Marion was never afraid of taking on challenges or finding new adventures. She obtained her private pilot’s license in 1978.
Marion lived a quiet life and owned dogs for most of her life. Marion and her sheltie collie, Mickey, were avid walkers who could be seen walking on the streets of Ely and the Trezona Trail. Mickey has been successfully re-homed in Ely with a wonderful couple.

On Thursday, Feb. 18, a dog out for a run with its owner had an encounter with a wolf after the dog ran into the woods. The dog sustained injuries that required surgery. A report was made to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources by the dog’s owner, detailing her encounter with the wolf near Burntside Lake. A second encounter occurred on Friday, Feb. 19, around noon on Little Long Lake with what was believed to be the same pack of wolves. Russ and Cathy Vanderboom own the dog that had the second encounter on Little Long Lake.