Elybuzz

2021 Mayoral Candidates Questionaire – We all have questions?????

We appreciate the efforts of the Ely Branch of the AAUW and the Ely Rotary in putting on Ely’s mayoral candidate forum Thursday, Feb. 18. In such a format we get to see personalities and potential debating skills. But, as in past political debate forums in Ely there just isn’t enough time to get to some important questions that will be facing Ely now and in the future.

The recent Ely mayoral election could be interpreted as a resounding vote for change in Ely’s politics as usual. Maybe we should take this opportunity to make this January’s runoff election count for something more than politics as usual. The only way that we can do that is to have sufficient information to choose the right candidate. If you have a question about a pertinent topic we will get those questions to all the candidates in written form and publish the replies on www.elymn.us where you may respond and ask further questions.

In order to gain sufficient and appropriate information for Ely residents to make informed choices we need to hear from all candidates. Since we do not have the option of the usual face to face question and answer sessions, position statements and rebuttals at a local venue, we will have to try something different. There are plenty of internet and virtual tools we could use such as Zoom of course.

But first we need to think of what information each of use would want and ask the questions necessary to get that information. What questions would you ask? What do you want to know about the running of Ely that would help you choose the Mayoral candidate you would want in office? If you’d like to know, how that works, why it’s done that way, who is in charge, how we can improve, or the typical “They did what?”, now is the time to ask those and any other questions about Ely governance.

We will begin to ask the questions on www.elymn.us/elybuzz You will find this post there and you are invited to make your comments and ask what ever questions you have about Ely governance. Of course, we ask that your questions be asked in a factual and non-threatening way, please be polite. We will then present these questions to all Ely mayoral candidates via this website and in writing via the Ely Echo and The Timberjay (If they will print them) for the questions to be answered before the coming run-off election. If there is sufficient interest, we will organize a Zoom meeting where we can discuss issues. We will then publish the replies and answers from candidates.

Let your thoughts and questions be known. Also, if you have any questions about the process or suggestions as to how we could make this process better please contact rwatsr@elymn.us or call 218-235-1698

2021-02-25

The following questions have been submitted for your response prior to the coming elections. They will appear in this week’s Ely Echo and the Timberjay and are available online at www.elymn.us/elybuzz The questions are also being submitted to you by email.

Please reply at your earliest convenience, directly online or in writing. If in writing, please send to rwatsr@elymn.us We will publish your answers in both newspapers and on the website.

The purpose of the questions and what was submitted to the newspapers are below:

Last week we asked for questions for our mayoral candidates. We will be asking those questions that might be the most revealing. If not answered, that will also be quite revealing. One of this group of candidates will be our next mayor. It would be great to know how they stand on these matters when we go to the polls, matters that matter to you.

We will ask the questions here, in the local newspapers, and we will send the candidates a copy by email. We will then post their replies in The Echo, in The Timberjay and online at www.elymn.us/elybuzz. We apologize that we are unable to ask all of the thoughtful questions presented. We thank you for the comments you made and the tee-ups to the questions. We have condensed the comments and questions into the following questions. Thanks again, and well done.

Why do you want to be mayor?
What would you like to accomplish for Ely as mayor?
What do you feel are the most pressing issues confronting Ely?
What is your vision for Ely’s future, say in 10 to 20 years? Your “ideal” scenario?
What are your plans for Ely as more people move into our area in the next 20 years?
What are your thoughts and proposed actions on the following subjects?
- Climate change.
- Ely’s energy supply and future needs as more people move to Ely.
- Environmental issues such as clean air and water.
- Transparency (or lack of) in Ely finances and governance.
- Ely’s policing policies.
Would you lead the council to publicly denounce QAnon and disinformation?
For efficiency, why doesn’t Ely, Fall Lake Township and Morris Township combine?
What would you say is your greatest accomplishment to date for Ely?
Would you implement a policy of publicly reporting the cost and benefits to Ely residents from all trips outside of Ely made by yourself or council members on behalf of the city?
Would you ban all open burning, or burning in barrels, in the city of Ely?

Thank you for being a candidate and for informing Ely citizens of your position on these issues.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture “Proposed” Aerial Spraying of Ely for Gypsy Moths

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture, MDA, is proposing to spray for gypsy moths over most of downtown Ely and parts of wooded areas south of Ely. The proposed spray zone of 565 acres is shown below. The application rate for the agent Foray 48b, manufactured by Valent BioSciences, is 1/2 gallon per acre. That will mean that 5 plus 55-gallon barrels of this agent will be evenly distributed over Ely (twice, 10 days apart).

Sign our Petition – Say No to Aerial Spraying of Ely!

Sign our Petition – Say No to Aerial Spraying of Ely! Sign our Petition – Say No to Aerial Spraying of Ely!

Ely G.M. Spray Zone

Let’s start with the most important information first, what you really should know to make an informed decision about the aerial spraying of Ely:

To learn more about Foray 48b and Btk: http://nosprayzone.number6.org

In-depth report on health and environmental risks associated with Foray 48b and Btk:

http://www.lbamspray.com/Reports/BacillusthuringiensisSafetyReview031208.pdf

The upside of getting rid of a few Gypsy Moths found in 2015 is, it is a plus for the timber industry outside Ely.

The downside of blanketing the town with a pesticide designed to kill one very specific critter, but in actuallity kills hundreds of other species of moths and butterflies, is:

Research indicates aerial spraying is NOT necessary with the small numbers of moths present; ground-based treatments will work.
Other Lepidoptera will also be killed. Minnesota moth and butterfly experts estimate hundreds of species of important pollinators will be killed.
The documented and significant health side effects have been systematically downplayed!
The known side effects appear to primarily come from the 87.9 % “OTHER INGREDIENTS” and BTk production impurities–NONE of which we are permitted to know anything about.
The timing couldn’t be worse, as the busiest time of year for Ely businesses approaches with a high presenceof tourists. Are these costs reimbursable to the city, to its residents?
The actual cost to the city and its residents is unknown, and hasn’t been considered so far.
Who should alert residents, businesses, doctors, hospital, at-risk individuals?
What should those warnings say about safety, preventing exposure, what to do if exposed? How will this be coordinated with a variable spray date, how much warning?
Who will pay for medical expenses related to medical services required by the residents of Ely if needed?
What will the costs be to the city to clean public areas and equipment?

The result has been that ever-growing number of people are deciding the aerial spraying of Ely is unnecessary and will do more harm than good. They want a more targeted approach to solving the small gypsy moth presence in Ely.

The MDA-recommended reference book on gypsy moth research is “The Gypsy Moth: Research Toward Integrated Pest Management, USDA, Forest Service Technical Bulletin 1584 from 1981″

You can read this book for free online at Google Books with a Google Account (you will hve to login after clicking on the link to this research book). This makes this reference material searchable by topic so that you can find the pages that interest you the most. Direct links from this page only worked part of the time, so please copy this address into your browser to see the book
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=hc9DAQAAMAAJ&rdid=book-hc9DAQAAMAAJ&rdot=1
I also have a hard copy from the MDA that you may borrow if you prefer; contact rwatson@elyminnesota.com

Other links the Minnesota Department of Agriculture would like you to view are listed at the bottom of this page.

Images of male and female gypsy moths and their easily distinguished caterpillar:

GM-Caterpillar-Female-Male

MDA map of Arrowhead Region of norhteastern Minnesota showing the distribution of gypsy moths in 2010. When asked, the MDA representative stated it would look about the same today.

G.M. Distribution Eastern Arrowhead 2010

Concerns Raised in the Ely Community:

One of the first to raise concerns was April Roy. She has alergies, and is concerned for her son and herself. She eloquently explains the research she has done, with references, and concludes that aerial spraying is the least optimum solution at this time. See her article first published in the Ely Echo a week ago.

Wisconsin Cooperative Gypsy Moth Program – http://gypsymoth.wi.gov wrote: “Due to rare cases of mild, short-lasting allergic reactions to humans, you may wish to stay indoors with the windows closed or leave the area during a spray if you have severe food allergies or chemical sensitivities.”

Even a reference supplied by MDA, Bacillus Thuringiensis General Fact Sheet stated that “evidence suggests that toxicity to these non-targets may be related to impurities from the production of Bt.”

One of the main concerns is the 87.35% “Other Ingredients”; here is the product label:

Other Ingredients 87.35%

The product ingredients are proprietary and will not be divulged. The manufacturer was kind enough to send this label and the product SDS, Safety Data Sheet, and had a Bt expert call to answer my questions. He was very pleasant to talk with and filled in some of the blanks in my research, but he also left much unanswered or unanswerable.

He admitted that most of the Other Ingredients were water but would not admit to any other ingredients or even if there were any other ingredients. He said that many companies out there would love to make a product like they do. He also said it is just fermentation. So, either there are proprietary “other ingredients” or there is a very special “other process” they will not even hint at. And, that in my opinion is the rub. If I don’t know what it is, regardless of the assurances of the EPA, MDA, DNR or the Ely City Council, I wouldn’t recommend ingesting, inhaling or touching it.

When asked a direct question about the significance of small numbers of moths and direct ground spraying vs. aerial spraying here is what he said: For small numbers, 18 or so, (and then he remembered I had mentioned the number 14 so he threw in, maybe 14) direct ground application with BTk and then follow-up with Disparlure might do the job.

Those most vulnerable in our community: The young, the old, those with compromised immune systems, those with a preexisting condition, and those with allergies and chemical sensitivities-which in Ely is a large percent of the population. The Ely Bloomenson Hospital has recorded 143 adults and 63 children under the age of 17 with asthma. And, they were quick to add those are just the documented cases. The hospital currently does not have the ability to extract the data for those with other compromising aliments. How about the most vulnerable age groups? Below is a chart for population by age in the latest draft of the Ely Comprehensive Plan document:

Ely Population by age group 2010

Health-Vulnerable Citizens in Ely (nearly half the population)

Under 15 years of age: 450

Over 65 years of age: 775

With asthma: 206, Ely Bloominson Hospital reported asthma cases in 143 adults and 63 children younger than 17

Take a guess of the numbers of other vulnerable citizens
Pregnant mothers
Anaphylactics
Respiratory problems
Allergics
Cancer patients
Sleep disorders
Chemical sensitives
Those with pre-existing medical conditions

A rough estimate, but a very conservative one, is there are over 1431 residents in Ely with health concerns that should not be overlooked when assessing the risk of introducing ANY further stress to their systems.

Information from other communities that have had health problems after their communities were aerially sprayed for gypsy moths with Foray 48B and research found that was not listed by the MDA as something Ely should review or consider (research by April Roy). This is a must read to get a balanced view of the very real effects communities and individuals have experienced after aerial spraying with Bt. Click Here

Another major concern is the killing of non-targeted species of moths and butterflies:

Pollinators are extremely valuable to all of us. We can no longer treat our pollinators as expendable or we will be pollinating our crops by hand with small paint brushes the way the Chinese have to in many parts of China.

One butterfly/moth expert retired from Minnesota state employment as a scientist said there would be hundreds of other moth and butterfly species that would be killed with the spraying of Btk. He also said some, like the cabbage moth would be found active very shortly after the spraying and that some species would never return. In addition it would take five to 10 years for the “re-assembly” of the remaining species in our area.

Robert Dana, PhD with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul, MN prepared a list of the specific species of concern during other spraying events along the North Shore. CLICK HERE TO SEE HIS REPORT AND LIST OF BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS EFFECTED:

And, this study was done prior to spraying in Grand Portage Monument.

Species potentially vulnerable to the use of Btk to slow the spread of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar

The primary objective of this investigation was to evaluate which species of macrolepidoptera present at GRPO would be adversely affected if Btk were used to control the gypsy moth. Species whose larval feeding stage coincided with the timing of aerial applications of Btk to control gypsy moth larvae were considered to be the most susceptible. As June is the primary month for Btk application, species of butterflies and moths whose larvae were actively feeding in June were judged to be the most susceptible. However, the residual effect of Btk in July could also place species whose larvae feed in July at risk. Susceptibility of butterflies and moths collected at GRPO to Btk was evaluated by a search of life history data in various references and literature. The primary sources of life history data for butterflies were Holmes et al. (1991) and Scott (1986). The recent field guide on the caterpillars of Eastern North America (Wagner 2005), Wagner et al. (2001), and data from the Canadian Forest Insect Survey (Prentice 1962) provided much of the life history data.

Seventeen species of butterflies observed or collected at GRPO in 2008 were judged to be potentially susceptible to the application of Btk (Table 3), including E. phaeton, a rare and local butterfly known to occur at only one other site in Cook County (MacLean 2006). All other “at risk” species, although important members of the butterfly fauna at GRPO, are widespread, common most years and apparently secure (Holmes et. al 1991). Additional butterflies and skippers recorded from Cook County that would be potentially harmed by Btk application include Carterocephalus palaemon (Pallas), Colias interior Scudder, Colias philodice Godart, Enodia anthedon A. H. Clark, Euphyes vestris (Boisduval), Nymphalis milberti (Godart), Vanessa virginiensis (Drury), and Wallengrenia egeremet (Scudder) (Holmes et al. 1991; MacLean 2006). These species were not collected or observed in 2008 but likely inhabit GRPO.

Summary of an Email from SumOfUs.org reports on a New U.N. study of the health of World Wide Pollinators: (If we aren’t careful, we’ll be pollinating our crops by hand with small paint brushes like the Chinese) See article: Decline of bees forces China’s apple farmers to pollinate by hand

The new study finds that bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are in even greater danger than we previously thought — and may even be at risk of extinction.

Conducted by a top team of 70 U.N. scientists, the report is the first-ever global study on the health of bees and other pollinators. And the results are much, much worse than many expected.

Without bees and other pollinators, the world will face a global food crisis.

Almost 90 percent of all flowering plants rely on pollinators — including 75 percent of the world’s food crops.

Of course, we’ve known for a long time that bee populations are in decline. But this study shows that the threat of global extinction has risen to a whole new level.

Sites with information the Minnesota Department of Agriculture would like for people to read:

www.mda.state.mn.us/gypsymoth

http://www.gmsts.org/

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/pesticide/bt.html

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/detail.cfm?id=5251

They would like for us to look at the above 1995 Environmental Impact Statement “Gypsy Moth Management in the United States: A cooperative approach” and the Record of Decision by the USDA, FS. I’ve requested a copy of the current and specific EIS for Ely and may have a copy by the end of this week, Friday March 11, 2016 with a deadline for comments being Tuesday March 15, 2016 to review and comment on the EIS. So we will have one weekend and 2 days, something feels, as does the rest of this project, very fishy about the MDA tactics.

Other Sites with information you wil find informative (much of which was never mentioned by MDA and is contrary to their sales pitch):

The History, Biology, Damage, and Control of the Gypsy Moth, Porthetria

To learn more about Foray 48b and Btk: http://nosprayzone.number6.org

The U.S. EPA inerts list is available at http://www.epa.gov/opprd001/inerts/

In-depth report on health & environmental risks associated with Foray 48b and Btk: http://www.lbamspray.com/Reports/BacillusthuringiensisSafetyReview031208.pdf

Alternatives to Aerial Spraying for Gypsy Moths:

Squelching gypsy moths: what’s hot and what’s not in the arsenal against leaf eaters.

Gypsy Moth Fungus

Encounter with Black Bear in Ely, MN

See Video at end of Story

This is a story about a common Minnesota American Black Bear and a person originally from Indiana, me, who used to believe if you got this close to a Black Bear you were a goner. Obviously not true. Since I did get very close and I’m still here, my beliefs must have been incorrect. Mid September, 2015 I was dutifully taking out the compost to the base of the hill behind our home as I do on occasion. The occasion being when my wife, Betsy, tells me it’s time. She determined that 5:15 PM was about right this evening. Looking up the hill at the back, I saw a Black Bear eating green plants on the hill side not the least concerned about my approach or with my being within 30 feet. The bear just kept slowly moving forward and eating not even looking up. As I walked to the back, not knowing he was there, I wasn’t trying to be quite upon approach and was surprised when I saw him. He (I’ll explain later why I believe it to be a male.) on the other hand couldn’t have cared less about my presence. I took out my ubiquitous smart phone and started taking video. The video at the bottom of this page starts with a short segment of this cell phone video. The video below is a 9:00 minute video condensed from about 1.5 hours of video shot on this first and then a second encounter two days later. Ravens, Crows, a Bluejay along with local dogs barking can be heard in the background. If you listen carefully you can hear Honey Bees buzzing around the camera and can see the little blurs fly by during filming of the video.

Two days after the encounter on the hill behind the house, the bear came in about 11:00 AM to feed on bird seed. I heard a crash outside and went out to see the bear munching on a pile of bird seed he had dumped out of one feeder. I’d filled the large bird feeder cylinder the evening before, so it was full, and that is the one he took down. No damage to the feeder. He is a very gentle bear. After hearing the crash I went outside and slowly approached the bear talking softly to him as I approached. I sat down about 10’ away and began filming. About an hour later I changed positions and sat down for filming about 6’ from the bear at a different angle. After more leisurely feeding he stood up looked around and slowly walked to the other side of the backyard for a drink out of our water fountain. The fountain isn’t very sturdy, the top is loosely sitting on it’s pedestal and certainly wouldn’t hold his weight. But, he didn’t knock it over, just stood up lightly balancing with paws on the fountains edge and had a drink. He then looked up smelling another nearby bird feeder. He started to reach for it and politely got down when I told him rather firmly…NO!

He then briefly and nicely posed for some photos and went back to the original feeder to partake of what he had left. Maybe the pickens weren’t good enough now. He stood up and slowly moved toward a number of other seed feeders in that same area, stood up on his hind legs and started to take down another feeder. My response was again NO and then a louder No!, and then….well, you can see the finale in the video, it’s not what I expected!

A few days later he returned late at night, in the dark, and knocked over one of my neighbors bee hives. That caused a much louder crash than a bird feeder crash. When I rushed outside to see what could have made such a commotion he was gone. Even though he continued to come into the yard late at night, he didn’t touch the other bee hive. He continued to come into the yard well into November even after frosts and freezes that I thought would mean time for hibernation. I’ve been told that male bears may not den up until early December long after the females are in their dens. For that reason I’ve called this young polite beautiful Black Bear a he. Another thing I learned, the hard way, was that Black Bears WILL feed on thistle in thistle feeders. I thought taking down all the other feeders would be sufficient, but not so. We have bear teeth prints in what was a new mesh thistle feeder. And, the bear polished off about 2 lbs. of thistle. From now on ALL bird feeders will be put up early Fall on Boundary St. in Ely.

Posted this with question about the bear’s wound to Ely Field Naturalist on Google Groups Dec. 12, 2015 The question, 2nd paragraph below, in bold.

As all Field Naturalists know when you get close to nature the experience will change you. This encounter with a Black Bear was a peak experience for me and is now ingrained in memory. The bear was the blackest bear I’ve ever seen. Its fur was clean and luxurious; the young bear looked robustly healthy. And, he was polite and hungry. But, no matter how hungry his hunger didn’t overtake his politeness. He could have cared less that I was within 6 feet of him, but not much. He looked beyond me not at me when surveying the area while looking up from his feeding. He was feeding on the bounty of bird seed from a large freshly filled cylindrical bird feeder. He took it off the hanger without damaging it, thus part of his politeness. I filmed him for about an hour and a half and condensed that video to a 9 min. segment that can be seen at https://www.elyminnesota.com/elybuzz The remainder of his adjudged politeness was exhibited by his not destroying other bird feeders when I told him NO!

Toward the end of the video as the bear starts moving to the water fountain, you can see a patch on his left mid-side that is completely bare, maybe 4-6″ wide with a deep partially healed wound. What ever encounter caused that type of wound must have been intense. Would like to know if anyone might have seen similar wounds on Black Bears and what might be the likely cause.

The last time we saw a Black Bear in our backyard was about 12 or so years ago. Neighbors has seen signs of this bear’s presence a few weeks prior to this event. And, this bear continued to visit until about December 3rd. Haven’t seen him or signs of since.

Minnesota and mining: Our children, our waters and wild rice are political pawns

Photo by CC/Flickr/Brett Whaley

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) announcement came just two weeks before public comments were due for PolyMet’s Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement. PolyMet’s proposed NorthMet Mine is the first in a long line of sulfide mining projects aimed at turning Minnesota’s Superior National Forest, the lake country of the Arrowhead, into a sulfide-mining district — a district that would impact both the Lake Superior and Rainy River watersheds, arguably in perpetuity.

The announcement? The MPCA had decided overnight not to release its recommendation to maintain or to change the 10mg/L sulfate standard for wild rice waters. Results from the MPCA wild rice study, released earlier, looked promising that the sulfate standard would be upheld. The timing of the agency’s postponement was too coincidental, too sudden, and it just plain reeked. Now we know the stench was real. Investigative digging by the Star Tribune’s Josephine Marcotty uncovered its source: “Iron Range rebellion halted wild rice initiative.”

In 2010, when the MPCA finally decided to start enforcing the sulfate standard, the howls of protest from Iron Range legislators, sulfide mining lobbyists, and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce could be heard echoing throughout the state Capitol. The Chamber of Commerce sued and lost. Unfortunately Gov. Mark Dayton and the Legislature initiated an unnecessary $1.5 million (taxpayer funded) wild-rice study; and now when the study did indeed indicate the current sulfate standard is reasonable and defensible, Dayton and MPCA Commissioner John Stine are again running for cover. Whatever happened to backing up your scientists instead of caving to political and corporate interests?

Whatever happened to putting the health of the public front and center? The people of northeastern Minnesota have been corporate victims for far too long. And saying so is not denigrating the Iron Range heritage, much as certain Range politicians ratchet up inflammatory rhetoric.

What’s preventing a hard look at the industry?
It is long past time to take a hard look at the mining industry in Minnesota, an industry that still does not meet state water- and/or air-quality standards at any of its currently operating taconite mines. Why not?

Take your pick: lack of enforcement by agency heads; political blackmail by entrenched Iron Range legislators under the guise of jobs; familiar threats by mining corporations to close their doors and leave; or the machinations by the Chamber of Commerce, paying for its own crazed wild-rice report stating that sulfate standards are unnecessary or could be set at 1600 mg/L., with PolyMet Mining, US Steel Corp., Xcel Energy, and the Koch Brothers (Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC.) represented on its board of directors.

Minnesotans continue to be told we should welcome foreign mining corporations with reprehensible records who will magically be able to do a perfect job with sulfide mining, an even more toxic mining process for our waters than taconite. We are told to believe that the decisionmakers at state agencies will suddenly start demanding adherence, insist on writing and enforcing strong water quality standards, never bowing to political pressure. We might as well believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.

Remember the mesothelioma-study cover-up? In 2007 Sen. John Marty wrote, “MN Health Department Cover-up – Mistake or Malfeasance?” about MDH’s withholding of information on mining deaths — information that was critical to Minnesota taconite miners’ health.

Again, as in 2007, no one involved in responding to the wild-rice study is thinking foremost about the health of the people, in this case especially the health of our children.

Whoa, someone will say. This is about wild rice, not about people.

Really? Those same sulfates that ultimately lead to damage of wild rice also ultimately lead to damage of our children through conversion of inorganic mercury to methyl mercury. [“Methyl mercury is particularly damaging to developing embryos, which are five to ten times more sensitive than adults.” (USGS)] In 2011, the MDH released its study, “Mercury in Newborns in the Lake Superior Basin.” In Minnesota, 10 percent of tested newborns were above “safe” levels for methyl mercury.

It is not just the fish we eat that we need to be concerned about either. Studies in California have shown that wild-rice plants apparently have the capability to uptake methyl mercury to the seeds. Yet the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce was adamant that methyl mercury could not be discussed during the wild-rice/sulfate standard study.

A message
To past and present Chamber of Commerce executives, attorneys, and board members; corporate lobbyists; power and mining industry executives; Iron Range legislators; Minnesota governors; Minnesota Department of Natural Resources commissioners, Land and Minerals Division directors; MDH commissioners; and the MPCA commissioners and directors who initiated the use of variances and consent decrees, who just a year ago abruptly walked away from a million dollar four-year project (TMDL) designed to identify sources of mercury pollution in the St. Louis River: Ask yourselves how many people have died or been physically or neurologically damaged by your actions or inactions.

How many have died from mesothelioma or from other mining-related health issues, deaths that may have been prevented? How many lives have been shortened? How many children have been brain damaged? It is time we talk about accountability and responsibility.

How many children have been neurologically damaged by toxic levels of manganese from the LTV/PolyMet site; or damaged by nickel (Dunka Mine), a carcinogen and a mutagen? What about autism; now linked to mercury, manganese, and nickel in air pollution? (2013 Harvard University Study). How many newborns have lost IQ points proportional to the amount of mercury above “safe” levels in their blood? How does this affect their success in school? When these children reach adulthood how many jobs are denied them as a result? What is the cost for the loss of possibilities in a life?

What is the cost of a life?

This is Minnesota’s watershed moment, literally and figuratively. For the St. Louis River Watershed and Lake Superior, for the Rainy River Watershed and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, for the Mississippi River Watershed, and for ourselves. Will we protect our water, and in so doing protect our health? Protect our children?

Will we speak? Or will we be silent? Silence is complicity.

C.A. Arneson lives on a lake in the Ely area. This article was originally published in MinnPost April 15, 2014

Thank you Carla for being one who has never been silent on these vital issues confronting us all. rw

Mining History 1888-1967 and a few local stories by Iron Mike Hillman

Iron Mike Hillman is active this cold winter, maybe a record cold winter for Ely, with writing, acting, reading his stories at local venues and recently giving a slide show at VCC talking about iron mining and logging between 1888 and 1967. The receptive crowds have asked for a repeat of his story telling and his history slide show. So, we present them here. The VCC slide show was made possible by the generous loan of historical photos from their growing and very impressive collection, we just converted them to slides for the larger audience at VCC.

Mining History 1888-1967

Earlier in the winter Iron Mike was, at the invitation of a local Arts group, on stage reading some of the historical stories he has written over the years. Again, the request was to place these recordings on line for others. And, here those are.

St. Anthony’s Bells

The Story of Ella Hall

Daisy Redfield

Misc. Stories by Iron Mike Hillman

In Ely there is a Schism! The tragic Circle!

In Ely there is a schism,

caused by filiopietism *,

but Elyites tell mining jobs are the sell

and NO to clean water environmentalism!

* “the tragic circle”

The Lesson of the Monkeys-The Tragic Circle

From: February 7, 2012 uncategorized cognitive science, culture, politics Jason Wells, http://jason.wells.me/3551

I was first told of this experiment* by a former work colleague, and later discovered this illustration of it. It’s both illuminating and disturbing.

There is a clunky word that describes this phenomenon: filiopietism, or the reverence of forebears or tradition carried to excess. But I prefer another term for it: the tragic circle. I believe many of these tragic circles exist, mostly unseen, in across all cultures and societites, causing untold harm. When discovered, they should be terminated.

The lesson is as obvious as it is important: question everything. Dare to be skeptical. Think of all the age-old idiocy and insanity waiting to be exposed.

* Stephenson, G. R. (1967). Cultural acquisition of a specific learned response among rhesus monkeys. In: Starek, D., Schneider, R., and Kuhn, H. J. (eds.), Progress in Primatology, Stuttgart: Fischer, pp. 279-288.

Paradise Lost? The Ocean as Harbinger by Chuck Dayton September 3, 2013

Chuck Dayton presented personal slides and his observations from a trip to numerous coral reefs in the South Pacific recently to the Ely Tuesday Group at the Grand Ely Lodge last Tuesday. Chuck described and showed evidence with his slides of the negative effects humans are having on the health of corals in this region. The same is reported by scientists to be happening to most coral reefs around the world. Chuck is an accomplished photographer and underwater is a new adventure for him that he has also now mastered. Take a look at the slides from his trip and we think you will agree. View the video of his presentation with slides Here.

Chuck pointed out that a very small change in the ocean water temperature causes the food source, special algae, to be expelled from the coral causing the coral’s death. He also talks about the ramifications of this process, occurring on many of the world’s coral reefs, to other marine life that depends of the coral for their existence. He also talked briefly about the vitally important plankton food chain in the ocean. A great source of information about the plankton food chain and another startling look at what we humans are doing to the ocean, and thus to ourselves, is a video called Planet Ocean by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Michael Pitiot with narration by Josh Duhmel. This would be a highly recommended view after watching Chuck’s presentation.

Needed Bee Pollinators both Honey Bees and Bumble Bees are disappearing-What can we do?

Elaine Evans a researcher at the University of Minnesota gave a talk in Ely August 21, 2013 sponsored by the Ely Field Naturalists. She also conducted a short field trip in the afternoon to help us identify local native Bumble Bees. The facts are Bumble Bees are disappearing, along with Honey Bees, and there are things we can all do to help prevent further declines in our bee populations. As native plants are replaced by non-native invasive species native pollinator populations, like our native Bumble Bees, also decline. One thing we can do is bring back native species to our gardens and local areas. Another important point made by Elaine was to check with your local nursery when purchasing native plants and make sure they do not contain long lasting persistent pesticides. Scientists now know that pesticides have played a significant role in the decline of bee populations around the world. Many species now extinct. You can see Elaine’s full talk here.

We’re going to do it right this time!

If you wake up next week with a serious illness will you be searching for a doctor with a 100% failure rate? Silly question eh? Well maybe not. Maybe it depends on the circumstances. Maybe you are more interested in wealth than your health and this doctor offers you the promise of a quick fix at a cheap price, to you, besides the promise of “I’m going to do it right this time.” What would you choose, health or wealth? Some say they would choose wealth because then they could pay for good health. Personally, I think I’ll choose a doctor with close to 100% success rate…just seems my odds are MUCH better that way.

St. Louis County Board rushes past Citizen involvement…if they can. Legal?

Fealty Demanded

Iron Range Politicians demand fealty from St. Louis County Board regarding a BWCA land swap to benefit Copper mining in Northeastern Minnesota, all their subterfuge aside.

In a meeting intended for business so urgent that it cannot be delayed till the next meeting on January 8th, St. Louis County Commissioners passed a resolution that weighs in on an issue that has been highly controversial to citizens in St. Louis County, Minnesota and indeed the entire nation for more than 30 years. The only urgency was to avoid the voices of the public weighing in on an issue that has daunted public policy makers for decades.

In reality less money would be made for Minnesota’s schools with the politicians plan than a plan proposed by citizens at this meeting. A proposal that was completely ignored by the board.