Thursday, December 03, 2009

Ely mayor charged with entering BWCA illegally

Ely Mayor Roger Skraba faces three federal counts of wilderness violations in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Skraba, 48, was charged Nov. 9 with three misdemeanors in U.S. District Court in Duluth. One is for entering the northeastern Minnesota wilderness without a permit, another is for possessing or using a motor vehicle in it, and the third is for removing property. The alleged violations occurred on Crooked Lake on March 22, 2007, before Skraba began a two-year term as mayor of Ely, gateway city to the popular federal wilderness area. He also served an earlier term. Skraba is owner and guide for YaTaHey Outdoors, a wilderness guide and snowmobile rental company. In a telephone interview, Skraba said he isn't able to address the charges because he doesn't know the specifics and a public defender appointed a week ago to defend him has told him not to say anything. "A Forest Service agent apparently has information I was in the Boundary Waters with the snowmobile,'' he said. "I don't know. I can't say...read more

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