The Ely Echo

Starting Aug. 13, the U.S. Forest Service will have opened over 1,500 of the 2,000 plus campsites within the one-million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). The Forest Service will reopen entry points around Big Moose and Big Lake.

When wildfires began popping up across the Ely area this summer, the response included firefighters from across the nation. Firefighters from various backgrounds came together to help put out these fires. Among all of them was a familiar face, Eric Martinson, a Minnesota North College Vermilion Campus alumnus. Martinson, a 2022 graduate of the Natural Resources program, is a member of the Gallatin Rappel Crew, one of 13 specialized helicopter rappel crews in the United States.

This week’s Minnesota DNR Conservation Officer reports District 6 - Two Harbors CO Sean Williams (Ely #1) reports fire crews have made progress on containment around many of the wildfires inside the BWCA. Burning restrictions are still in place and residents and visitors are encouraged to check them before open burning. Violations included angling without a license, failure to display watercraft registration, and angling without a license in possession.

Local fire departments will receive a solid payout for structural protection efforts on the July Lightning Event wildfires through United States Forest Service (USFS) wildland firefighting contracts. Babbitt billed out around $129,000 for their contributions, while Ely Fire Department has earned $52,000. Morse-Fall Lake Fire Department has submitted $278,053 in reimbursements to the DNR, as of a town board meeting last Tuesday. “All in all, it’s a huge win,” said Babbitt Fire Chief Tony Chamberlin.

Ely’s Junior Legion team wasn’t about to be left out. Just one day after the Senior Legion team returned home from the state tournament, the Junior squad punched its own ticket to state - defeating Aitkin 5-0 in Sunday’s Division II Northeast Substate final. Owen Marolt fired the complete-game shutout, just as he did a week earlier when the Senior Legion team blanked Proctor to advance to state, and a five-run sixth inning outburst secured Post 248’s 15th win in 16 games this summer.

The main event comes in November with the general election, but this week’s primary serves as a very interesting preliminary of sorts. Voters in the Ely area and across the state will go to the polls Tuesday for the primary election. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at all the usual locations in the Ely area as voters can weigh in on several state and federal races. Voters will need to vote only for candidates in one political party.

It was long township meeting, with 16 Fall Lake residents present. First up, was a zoom meeting with Lake County Emergency Management Director Warren LaPlante. He gave an overview of the evacuation zones and the county’s emergency alerts. LaPlante said Lake County worked closely with the Incident Command Team. He said one of the tools they use that the county also followed was the matrix for the weather. “It provides a lot of information,” said LaPlante. “It gives us some forward planning.

Winton residents will have one contested election on their ballot when it comes to local government. Filings have closed and a race for one council position has two candidates - incumbent Michele Richards and former mayor Kathy Brandau. Mayor Marlene Zorman is running unopposed and Megan Rudesill is the only candidate for city clerk. Longtime clerk Ann Jackson did not file. The election is slated for Nov. 3 and coincides with the election for county, state and federal offices.

Dressed in holiday attire, the Eagles Nest Fire and EMS Auxiliary along with the Fire Department and community volunteers hosted a festive ‘Christmas in July’ ice cream social to raise money for the Eagles Nest Township Fire Department on July 23. Guests enjoyed delicious ice cream with many tasty toppings, coffee and cold drinks. Children received special Christmas gift bags filled with candy canes, popcorn, gift certificates and hot chocolate.

Well after a couple of weeks of no fishing report, we are back. Our hot weather has, for the most part, stuck with us all through July. Finally though, the temps have cooled slightly; when I woke up on Wednesday morning it was only 45 degrees! They have not been feeling nearly the fishing pressure they normally would during a typical July in Ely, so they are hungry. The last few days, the fishermen have really been coming back and talking with them, the walleye bite has been great.