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Section 2Eff ECHO/ PageSATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2024 Loggers contending with anotherrough season due to lack of winterLee BloomquistMesabi TribuneMild weather has made itone of the toughest loggingseasons ever.“I would say this is atotally unprecedented win-ter,” Ben Lobb, a Makinenlogger and president of theAssociated Contract Loggersand Truckers of Minnesota(ACLT) board said. “We’veonly had one week of coldweather. If you would haveasked me if this would behappening in Minnesota, Iwould say ‘no.’Without enough frig-id weather to firm up theground, loggers can’t gettheir equipment into theforest in some areas to har—vest wood Where they holdpermits on state or coun—ty-owned timber.“Nobody’s ever seen itthis bad,” Mike Forsman,ACLT executive directorsaid. “It’s been ridiculouslywarm. I think the numberof actual cold days has beenvery slim. It’s been hit andmiss. It comes down to wherethey are at. The guys who areon high ground and close toa road are okay, but otherguys are cutting at like fiftypercent. A lot of them whocan’t cut their winter woodare into their summer sales.”It’s the second straightyear loggers have had to dealwith weather issues.Last year, heavy snowfallimpacted logging operations,Lobb said.“The snow was deep lastyear which created prob-lems,” Lobb said.However, an action an-nounced by the MinnesotaDepartment of Natural Re-sources (DNR)»will help.Timber permits held byloggers on state land will beextended under an emergen-cy declaration for adversesurface conditions, the DNRsaid.The one-year, interest—freeextension will be for win—ter-accessible permits withan expiration date betweenApril 1,2024 and December31, 2024, according to theDNR.Loggers, logging groupsand northeastern Minnesotalegislators pushed for the ex—tension in letters to the DN R.St. Louis County is alsooffering extensions to loggersfor timber permits on countyland, Jason Meyer, St. LouisCounty Land and Mineralsdeputy director said.The action is in line withexisting St. Louis Countypolicy, Meyer said.“For obvious reasons, thishas been an unprecedentedseason,” Meyer said. “Weare going to be doing exten—sions,”In Itasca County, the landdepartment plans to go to thecounty board on March 19 orMarch 26, asking the boardto approve a blanket reprieveon any permits that were dueto expire March 1, MichaelGibbons, Itasca County LandDepartment deputy commis—sioner said.“A lot of loggers have sentus letters asking for exten-sions,” Gibbons said. “It’sbeen a bad winter.”Other area counties likeKoochiching County, havealso provided extensions fortimber harvesting on countylands, Forsman said.Mild weather has onlyadded to a list of problemsloggers are continuing toface, Forsman said.The cost of repair parts,tires, fuel, lubricants, andequipment, has loggers in anongoing pinch, he said.“With inflation and pricesgoing up, it’s been hard oneverybody,” Forsman said.“And with the warm weather,you compound it.”Tougher days for the for—est could yet be ahead thisspring, he said.“If this keeps goinginto March, it’s going to berough,” Forsman said. “Itcould be a real rough forestfire season. It’s like a tinderbox out there.” LATE CLASSIFIEDFOR SALE: New rustic hand built outdoor two personelectric sauna $3500 firm call 218-323—7642.ELY FIRST that’s the Echo’snews difference EVERY WEEK!ELY POOL LEAGUESamz Wolf 414 130 vs. Kwazy Wabbit Billiards 125Santle 127 vs. Boathouse IH 124Samz III 131 vs. Dees Nuts 130Samz I 123 vs Dees/VFW 119 CLERK'SOFFICEBOARDS AND COMMITTEE OPENINGSThe City of Ely is calling for interested applicants to fill thefollowmg vacancies on theGardner Trust1 3 year term*At Large ResidentPlanning Zoning Commission1-Mid Term* resident or non-residentTree Board1 - 3 year terms*resident or non-residentFor more information on the committees go to https://www.ely.mn.us/boards If you are interested in serving on a committeeplease remit a letter of interest orfill out the “Application to serveon city commission” and remit to the Ely City Clerk’s Office, 209E. Chapman Street, Ely, MN or email deputyclerk@ely.mn.us byMarch 27, 2024 at 4:30pm. Questions, please contact the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office at 218—365-3224.Landowners ready togo “full Texas” on wolves State Sen. Nathaniel Wesenburg(R-Little Falls) at the Timber HallEvent Center.by Parker LoewLandowners and hunters airedtheir frustrations about restrictionsover shooting wolves to senators andrepresentatives at the Hunters4huntersmeeting Saturday in Embarrass.At least one person said if somethingisn’t done soon, they will begin disre—garding the law and taking matters intotheir own hands.State Rep. Roger Skraba (R-Ely),State Sen. Nathaniel Wesenburg (R—Lit-tle Falls), John Eloranta, the district di—rector for US. Rep. Pete Stauber, RachelLoeffler—Kemp, the regional outreachdirector with US. Senator Amy Klo-buchar, and state Sen. Rob Farnsworth(R—Hibbing) were in attendance at themeeting to answer questions and givetheir thoughts on the issue.Tensions have reached a boilingpoint recently in northern Minnesotaregarding wolf laws due to a historicallypoor deer harvest this year and farmersnot getting reimbursed for wolf kills,which are increasing.Currently you can only shoot a wolfif it’s attacking a person according tothe Endangered Species Act.If a wolf attacks a pet or livestock,you are out of luck.At the meeting, Hunters4hunterspushed hard for having a wolf huntingseason, but also the delisting of the wolffrom the endangered species list.If the wolf was delisted, landownerscould protect their pets and livestockfrom wolves by shooting them.“The Minnesota DNR is hiding be—hind the Endangered Species Act,” saidboard member of Hunters4hunters andevent organizer Steve Porter. “We haverepeatedly asked them to give us an of—ficial position statement stating that theDN R wants wolves to be delisted. TheDNR will not give us that statement.”Porter asked the audience if theyknew a friend who had shot a wolf toprotect pets or cattle.Over half of the audience membersraised their hands.“Our federal government has paint-ed landowners and God-fearing patriotsinto a corner and said, ‘You’re going tolive with them until you break the lawand become a federal felon and we getlocked up in prison,”’ said Porter.According to Porter, in the last 20years, Minnesota has lost around 200cattle farmers because of the wolfproblem.“They either quit having cattle andquit farming, or they moved out of thestate to continue farming,” he said.The money set aside by legislationfor farmer reimbursem*nt from wolf Rachel Loeffler-Kemp, the regionaloutreach director with US. SenatorAmy Klobuchar, spoke at themeeting on wolves and deer inEmbarrass on Saturday.predation in Minnesota is only around$100,000 for the entire year.To put that into perspective, Cali-fornia sets aside $3 million per yearto give farmers who lose cattle due towolf predation, and they have around45 wolves in their entire state.According to the Minnesota DNR,Minnesota has 2,700 wolves.This number hasn’t moved in overtwo decades, and group members ofHunters4hunters said this number islow-balled.“We’re still at the same number thatwe were at in 1998. According to theDN R, the number is supposed to doubleevery 15 years. At some point, therewas research that was probably doneby someone who doesn’t know how todo research, or they’re lying, or they’regetting paid,” said Porter.Attendees at the meeting said howthe DNR and their representatives havefailed them, and said they weren’t beingrepresented.“I’ve invited Bob Meyer of the DN Rto attend all our meetings. Not oncehave I had a DNR representative showup at a meeting,” said Porter. “They(the DNR) say it’s harsh winters andpoor habitat that have led to the demiseof your deer. How about the guy’s calfand the guy’s dog that got killed? Wasthat habitat loss as well? Was that aharsh winter that killed the dog in thefront yard?”Many landowners and hunters havehad enough.“When are we going to start actinglike Texas, quit folding our hands, andstart doing something?” asked onefarm owner.The senators and representativesthen came to the front to talk to theaudience on their stance on wolves andto answer any questions.They all vocalized how they areadamantly for delisting the gray wolffrom the endangered species list and areworking hard to do so with legislation.In the Minnesota House of Repre-sentatives, State Rep. Skraba supportedgiving money to the International WolfCenter for their leaky roof.One audience member called outSkraba for being supportive of delistingthe wolf, being for having a wolf hunt—ing season, but also supporting givingmoney to the International Wolf Centerto repair their roof.“That’s part of our problem, buddy,”said the audience member. “Peoplefrom the Twin Cities come up and say,‘these wolves wouldn’t hurt anybody tate Rep. RogerSkr‘ba R‘ ly) inEmbarrass on Saturday.when. they look at the wolves in theenclosures.”“I have to represent it all. I don’tlook at the Wolf Center as producingwolf lovers,” said Skraba. ”The founderof the International Wolf Center, Dr.David Meech, has said, ‘I want a wolfseason. We need a wolf season.’ TheWolf Center isn’t the problem.”Many in the audience said this is-sue hasn’t been acted on with enoughurgency, and the can just keeps gettingkicked down the road.“You guys up there, we’re done lis-tening. Me and my boys have run 350head of cattle. In the last 10 years, we’velost nine calves. I have put in a coupleof times early on to get paid. Not a centdid I get paid,” said a farmer/ landownerfrom Blackduck.He continued, “I’ll tell you what, youguys better start listening firs. We’redone listening to you guys. ’re goingto take it into our own hands, and it willbe a Wild West up here if we don’t getsomething happening.”The senators and representativesresponded by saying they understandthe frustrations landowners are facing,but legislation often takes a long time.Some at the meeting suggestedeveryone stop buying hunting licensesto “put the squeeze” on the DNR, butFarnsworth disagreed with this tactic.“So my response to ‘should we stopbuying deer licenses’ is no because thenthey’re going to say ‘see that’s Why thedeer harvest is down.”’ said Farnsworth.“We should encourage everybody toget a deer license and get out huntingbecause then you can say deer licensesare at a record high, while harvest isdropping significantly.”Before the meeting ended, Portersaid he was a little disappointed in theturnout, as the room was half full. Heexpected more people in Embarrassbecause it was at the epicenter of wolfproblems in Minnesota.“I was hoping for a bigger crowd,but I am not disappointed in the passionand knowledge in this room,” he said. Speaing in Embarras Saturdaywas state Sen. Rob Farnsworth.Harold R LangowskiClerk/Treasurer5001-264953Ely Echo Publication Date(s):March 16, 2024March 23, 2024STATE OF MINNESOTACOUNTY OF ST. LOUIS SIXTHJUDICIAL DISTRICTDISTRICT COURT PROBATEDIVISIONESTATE OF GERALD C.FUHRMANN, A/K/A GERALDFUHRMANN,Decedent.Court File N0. 69VI-PR-24-53NOTICE AND ORDERFOR HEARING ONPETITION FOR PROBATEOF WILL APPOINTMENTO F P E R S O N A LREPRESENTATIVE ANDNOTICE TOFCREDIT-QRSIt is Ordered and Notice is giventhat on April 22, 2024, at 9:30am. a hearing will be held in thisCourt at 300 5th Ave. S. Virginia,Minnesota, for the formal probateof an instrument purporting tobe the Will of Decedent, datedOctober 20, 1992, under Minn.Stat. 524.2-513 (“Will”), and forthe appointment of Theresa A.Fuhrmann whose address is 519Voyager Road, Ely, MN 55731,as personal representative ofthe Estate of the Decedent in anunsupervised administration. Anyobjections to the petition mustbe filed with the Court prior toor raised at the hearing. If properand if no objections are filed orraised, the personal representativewill be appointed with full power to administer the Estate, includingthe power to collect all assets, payall legal debts, claims, taxes andexpenses, to sell real and personalproperty, and do all necessary actsfor the Estate.This hearing will be held remotelyvia Zoom Technology.Notice is also given that (subject toMinn. Stat. 524.3-801) all creditorshaving claims against the Estateare required to present the claimsto the personal representative or tothe Court Administrator within fourmonths after the date of this Noticeor the claims will-be barred.. l '.111“ it Hi. :1 tDated: March' 13, 202‘4.Andrew R. PetersonJudge of District CourtJennifer MillerCourt AdministratorChelsea OpdahlDeputy Court AdministratorAttorney for PetitionerKelly M. Klun (#389369)Klun Law Firm, RA.1 E. Chapman St.PO. Box 240Ely, MN 55731Phone: 218-365—32215001-265026Ely Echo Publication Date(s):Mar. 16, 23, 2024 STATE OF MINNESOTACOUNTY OF ST. LOUIS SIXTHJUDICIAL DISTRICTDISTRICT COURT PROBATEDIVISIONESTATE OF TERRY ALLENANDERSON, A/K/A TERRY A.ANDERSON,Decedent.Court File N0. 69VI-PR-24-40NOTICE AND ORDERFOR HEARING ONPETITION FOR PROBATEOF WILL APPOINTMENTOF PERSONALREPRESENTATIVE ANDNOTICE TO CREDITORSIt is Ordered and Notice is giventhat on April 8, 2024, at 9:30am. a hearing will be held in thisCourt at 300 5th Ave. S. Virginia,Minnesota, for the formal probate ofan instrument purporting to be theWill of Decedent, dated January 24,2022, under Minn. Stat. 524.2—513(“Will”), and for the appointmentof Cheryl Groth whose addressis 96 220th Street, Baldwin, WI54002, as personal representativeof the Estate of the Decedent inan unsupervised administration.Any objections to the petition mustbe filed with the Court prior toor raised at the hearing. If properand if no objections are filed orraised, the personal representativewill be appointed with full powerto administer the Estate, includingthe power to collect all assets, payall legal debts, claims, taxes andexpenses, to sell real and personalproperty, and do all necessary actsfor the Estate.* This hearing will be held remotelyvia Zoom Technology.Notice is also given that (subject toMinn. Stat. 5243-801) all creditorshaving claims against the Estateare required to present the claimsto the personal representative or tothe Court Administrator within fourmonths after the date of this Noticeor the claims will be barred.February 29, 2024.Robert FridayJudge of District CourtSara McDonaldInterim Court AdministratorChelsea OpdahlDeputy Court AdministratorAttorney for PetitionerKelly M. Klun (#389369)Klun Law Firm, RA.1 E. Chapman St.PO. Box 240Ely, MN 55731Phone: 218-365—32215001-264011Ely Echo Publication Date(s):Mar. 16, 23, 2024 Lake County Board ofAdjustment MinutesTwo Harbors Law EnforcementCenterMarch 11, 2024The Lake County Board ofAdjustment sat in session at 1:00pm. on this date and conductedhearings and other business.V-24-004— Motion by Hoopssupported by Fogelberg to deny therequest for relief from a bluff andshoreline setback for an additionof a deck. Motion by Fogelbergsupported by Hoops to approvethe request, with conditions, for anaddition of a sunroom to a legallynonconforming cabin that is locatedon a bluff and within the shorelinesetback and to allow an existingdeck to remain (Lake County LandUse Ordinance #12, Article 7,Section 7.03—part A) at 426 BuckView Rd., Ely MN 55731. Theproperty is legally described as:0.16 acres out of Gov Lot 1 and’6.44 acres out of NW 1%: of NE 1Aas desc. in BK 138 of Deeds PG 49,Section 29, Township 63, Range1], 6.6 acres, zoned shoreland R—R/Residential-Recreational District,one—acre minimum, Fall LakeTownship. PID: 28-6311—29015.Motion carried Hoops, Fogelbergand Hippert voting in favor; noneopposed.Motion by Fogelberg supported byHippert to approve the February12, 2024 minutes as submitted.Motion carried, Hoops, Fogelbergand Hippert voting in favor; noneopposed.Motion by Fogelberg supportedby Hoops to adjourn the meeting.Motion carried, Hoops, Fogelbergand Hippert voting in favor; noneopposed. Meeting adjourned at3:37 pm.5001264933Ely Echo Publication Date(s):Mar. 16, 2024