News

Girl Scout Bridging Ceremony was held on May 6 at the VCC auditorium. This is the First Grade Daisy Troop #1321 after they bridged over to become Brownies. Pictured with leader Tiffany Zemke were: (l-r) back row: Kayla Larsen, Aubrielle Poppler, Siiri Nelson, Annika Eastham, Ivy Ohlhauser. Front row: Amelia Strom, Anika Boerst, Mikala Shusta, Lindi Zemke, Miriam Messerschmidt. Not pictured: Mady Henry.

Midwest Starz Dance Competition held at Duluth Marshall High School, April 20-22 with Studio North competitors taking the following awards: Senior Jazz - High Gold, 2nd in category; Senior Lyrical - High Gold, 3rd place in category; Junior Jazz - Gold, 2nd in category; Junior Hip Hop - High Gold, 3rd in category; Minis Jazz - High Gold, 2nd place in category; Minis Musical Theater - High Gold, 1st in category; Emma Larson Lyrical Solo - High Gold, 4th in category; Lauren Olson Lyrical Solo - High Gold, 4th in category; Madelyne Roderick Contemporary Solo - High Gold, 5th in category; Jaicee Krings & Dakota Hanninen Jazz Duet - High Gold, 3rd in category; Charlie Carlson & Izzy Schiltz Hop Hop Duet - High Gold, 2nd in category. Pictured are the Studio North Senior Competition Team: Emma Larson, Jaicee Krings, Dakota Hanninen, Madelyne Roderick, Lauren Olson, Hailey Schaller, Gabby Motes, Cora Olson.

Ely Memorial High School’s National Honor Society held its annual spring induction ceremony on Sunday, May 6. Inductees (left-right) Sarah Isbell, Hannah Jankovec, Ana Bercher, Kalyssa Eilrich, and James Schwinghamer. Also inducted but not shown were: Jenna Merhar, Erika Mattson, Raif Olson, Brooke Pasmick, Nate Nettiffee, and Apolonia Homer. Photos courtesy of Ben Gustafson.

MiningMinnesota released results from a statewide survey that reinforce public support in Minnesota for copper-nickel mining and strong support for allowing projects to be proposed and follow a rigorous environmental review process.
Statewide voters favor building new copper-nickel mines in Northeast Minnesota (44 percent), compared to 38 percent opposed. While in the 8th Congressional District, a majority of voters (57 percent) support copper-nickel mining, whereas only 28 percent oppose this type of mining.

Soprano and alto singers rehearse the Star Spangled Banner under the direction of Sarah Mason for the 2018 Patriotic Choir. Photo by Jessica Kellogg.

A quiet sound from distant hill, as dawn awakes the earth is still.
From every soul breathes amity, we sing a song of harmony.
From sea to shining sea, from every shore, a drifting tone we’ve heard before.
From God, one true tonality, a common cause of unity, our common cause is unity.
Lest we forget our common bond, deep in our hearts, it’s never gone.
For living in our memory, we sing a song of harmony.
(Lyrics adapted from an Abraham Lincoln speech by John Jacobson)

by Jessica Kellogg -

by Tom Coombe -

by Tom Coombe
The school year comes to an end this week - with its usual fanfare - at Vermilion Community College.
Commencement ceremonies for VCC’s Class of 2018 are slated for Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the school’s gymnasium.
About half of the 170-member graduating class, will take part in the graduation event.
Following recent tradition, Vermilion will turn to a recent graduate to deliver the commencement address.
Anna (Keenan) Wiebelhaus, a 2015 graduate of the school’s fisheries and wildlife biology program, is set to return to campus and speak to this year’s graduating class.
Since taking part in Vermilion’s commencement as a graduate just three years ago, Wiebelhaus graduated from Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a degree in wildlife ecology and research management.

On Thursday, May 10 at 6 p.m. at Ely’s Senrior Center, Seraphine Rolando will speak on Ely’s Mining History.

Recently, the following letter to the Editor in regard to Rolando was received:

The Ely school year is ending: Prom is over and Graduations at Ely Memorial and Vermilion Community College are next! Summer is on its way and soon the lakes will open soon. Minnesota Fishing Opener is May 12.

If you're not a subscriber now, we guarantee you'll enoy the Echo’s professional reporting and photography.

by Tom Coombe -