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