News

The Vermilion Community College Foundation held its annual Scholarship Awards Banquet honoring scholarship recipients and donors on April 25 at the Grand Ely Lodge. 186 people attended the event to celebrate the generosity of the Foundation’s donors and to recognize the achievements of the scholarship recipients.

In 2004, the VCC Foundation Board of Directors established the Lifetime Achievement Award to annually honor a graduate of Ely Junior College or Vermilion Community College who has made a significant local, regional statewide or national contribution. According to VCC Foundation Executive Director Patti Zupancich, “The award demonstrates the important role Vermilion plays in the academic, career, and civic development of our graduates.”
The VCC Foundation Board selected Lori Scmidt as the recipient of the 2019 award for his outstanding accomplishments and exceptional commitment to the natural resource field. The Lifetime Achievement Award was announced at the VCC Foundation’s annual scholarship awards banquet on April 25 at the Grand Ely Lodge. Lori was in attendance at the banquet to accept the award.

ELY’S PROM had 40 couples and a single attending Grand March in Washington Auditorium and posing for a photo on the steps of the Memorial Building.

Lots more photos from prom in this week’s Ely Echo. Are YOU a subscriber to Ely’s only HOMETOWN newspaper. The Echo is locally owned an has its offices at 15 East Chapman Street! St. Louis County subscriptions just $40 a year, $35 a year by email. Call 218-365-3141

U.S. REP. Pete Stauber (right) and his field representative, Spencer Igo, listen to concerns in Ely on April 26. Photo by Tom Coombe.

Ely was greeted with a fresh snowfall on April 29, but it didn’t matter for the status of Shagawa Lake.
The ice out date officially was declared Monday, April 29 at 6:28 a.m. by Grand Ely Lodge employees Tyler Muhl and Mike Haney.
It was six days earlier than 2018.
Pat Lassi of Babbitt was closest to the mark with her 7:10 a.m. guess and gets the top $100 GEL Gift Certificate prize.
Second prize went to Vicki Nelson of Iowa City, Iowa with her 9:19 a.m. guess. She gets the $50 Ely Echo credit to use on a subscription, printing or photographs.
Third prize ($25 GEL Gift Certificate) goes to Broch Myers of Ely with his 10:30 a.m. entry.
The Echo thanks everyone for entering.

This week the annual Echo Progress Edition is released with more to come next week! Some news items were overlooked due to an unforeseen computer problem mid-week which caused the glitch. Nonetheless, there’s plenty of reading in this week’s issue along with lots of photos!

The Echo staff takes pride in reporting the news of the area and does so in a professional manner. We live here and raise our families here. Like the folks profiled in this week’s Echo, we’re invested here and recognize the importance of jobs and future.

Africa Yoon Byonchan Yoon

by Tom Coombe -

NEW CT SCANNER - Radiology department employees at Ely Bloomenson Community Hospital: Susan McCormick, Brianna Crawford, Angela Olson and Victor Aime

Docks on Wheels owner Bob Koschak stand with dock material at his business located west of Ely on Highway 169. His is just one of many area businesses profiled in this week’s Ely Echo.

CONGRATULATIONS to Bob Champa for reaching 40 years of volunteering to teach gun safety to Ely youngsters. Shaking his had is DNR law enforcement officer Sean Williams. Photo by Megan Wognum.