This week LakeVoice releases its final edition of the semester, and will return to its regular publishing cycle in the fall. Check out this week’s stories about a WDIO reporter who shares his post-graduation experience, Animal Allies and its partnership with PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin, learn about Geocashing and how to participate, and how hunger impacts the Northland.

Kelsey Krautkremer is a UMD early-childhood education student suffering from chronic kidney disease. This spring Kelsey received news that her kidney function had dropped from 34 percent to 18 percent and was put on the national deceased donor list.  Kelsey is in need of a type-O kidney donor. If she doesn’t find one by the fall she will have to go through dialysis treatment. This will dramatically decrease the chances of her getting a new functioning kidney.

Read her story at lakevoicenews.org and donate to help her and her family cover medical costs.

This week, LakeVoice released its first all-photo issue. The LakeVoice reporting team teamed up with community members to go out into Duluth and chronicle the faces of our diverse community. Check out our photo stories of a day in the life of a florist, a West Duluth mechanic, Lakeside business owners and the faces of Canal Park and the Lakewalk along with many other photos, including many submitted by community members.

Humans of Duluth: This week’s special issue
Humans of Duluth: Faces of West Duluth
Humans of Duluth: A day in the life of a florist
Humans of Duluth: Dave’s Auto in West Duluth
Humans of Duluth: Faces of Lakeside business owners
Humans of Duluth: Faces of Canal Park
Humans of Duluth: Faces of the Lakewalk

On Thursday, LakeVoice will release its first ever photo issue. For this issue, LakeVoice staff will go out into the community to capture snapshots of people living their lives in Duluth. The project is inspired by Humans of New York. The goal is to share stories of people’s everyday lives through photos. LakeVoice would like to invite you to join in the project.
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This week, LakeVoice releases its fifth spring issue, featuring stories on Mentor Duluth and its search for volunteers, the Re-Leaf Duluth program and its plan to replenish the city’s landscape, the Duluth Transit Authority’s plans for a new station and the changes that are coming to next year’s Bentleyville season.
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LakeVoice News’ sixth issue of the spring features stories on Native American housing in Duluth, Renegade Improvisation at the Teatro Zuccone and Pak’s Green Corner’s innovative culinary creations. Also, listen to an audio piece about Meghan, who works for the Incline Bowling Station, and a take a look at a photo story of Lake Superior Zoo’s EGG-Stravaganza.
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The LakeVoice News Photo a Day Project started with the launch of the first spring issue. We’re calling on everyone to share their photos! It’s a fun way for the community to share their stories and engage with us through photography. See a collection of our photos here.
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This week, the editors and student journalists of LakeVoice News have produced more than 30 stories looking at next week’s election. This work includes news articles, interactive maps, videos, audio podcasts and interactive timelines.

You can read these stories by going to the Election 2012 category on the Lakevoicenews.org website.

The articles focus on the issues that are relevant and important to everyone but specifically to voters age 18 to 30.

Included are exclusive interviews with Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, congressional candidate Rick Nolan, and many of the key supporters and opponents of the two amendments on the ballot. The journalists have worked hard to present the perspectives of all sides on the key issues in the race.
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Student journalists at LakeVoice News have recently published their first collection of stories for the fall 2012 issue of LakeVoice News. The collection is called History on the Hill and it explores the untold stories about Duluth’s historic places.

The students went around the city, observing people, exploring neighborhoods and learning about the fascinating history of Duluth’s third places.

Historic memorabilia found at Northland Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial

Point of Rocks is Duluth’s ‘urban wilderness’

Stewart’s Bikes & Sports strolls down memory lane
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Every year, UMD journalism students in the Reporting and Writing II course head out into Duluth looking for story ideas that they will report and write for LakeVoice News. To start off the semester, reporters are asked to find third places in their beat areas that may lead them to stories. The students chronicled what they found on a website called TwinPorts Third Places.

LakeVoice wants you to share some of your third places. Where do you kick back and unwind in the city of Duluth? Have you been to any of the third places observed by students in this project? Feel free to contribute to the discussion below, or visit this link to find out how you can share your favorite third places with LakeVoice directly.

We tracked down the origins of the Homegrown Chicken and interviewed the original artists.

Check out our photo slideshow and audio story at LakeVoice to see the evolution of the Chicken.

Don’t get me wrong, the Chicken is cool, but I still don’t understand how it became the mascot. If anybody has any insight into this historical mystery, let me know.

What makes Duluth unique? What makes it special? We tried to answer this question through our stories. LakeVoice’s publication this week is about everything local. Here’s what we’ve been working on this week:

• Celiac is an autoimmune disorder believed to affect up to 1% of the US population. Sadly, there is no cure. The only known effective treatment is a gluten-free diet. Alicia Lebens put together a collection of gluten-free options for Duluthians on Pinterest.

• 2104 E. Superior St. has become the coolest house to see local musicians and artists. Recently, they’ve hosted journalist Adam Carr (creator of January in Duluth), music acts Dirty Horse and Big Wave Dave, and photographer Kip Praslowicz. Rebecca Mortensen interviewed the owners for this week’s LakeCast.

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Amber Ooley, a LakeVoice News editor, started a project about the signs found throughout Duluth. These signs can be anything from a billboard to an illuminated store sign or even a sign that may represent something else.

You can find examples on the LakeVoice News Tumblr page. We have already linked two posts from PDD: Duluth’s Old Street Signs and Illuminated Signs of Duluth.

You can keep this conversation alive by submitting your thoughts, photos, or videos about the signs of Duluth. Directions for submissions are located in the first post at the bottom of the Tumblr page. If you would prefer to share your sign on PDD, we can link your post to our page.

If you have questions or comments, please email: lakevoicenews @ gmail.com.

Some of you were in a discussion in February about what the UMD Journalists should name their online news organization.  Thank you for all of your suggestions!

We would like to announce our name and website!

We called it “Lake Voice” after an old French Newspaper in Duluth entitled “Voix du Lac.” We focus on community news.

Please check us out and feel free to give any feedback!

lakevoicenews.org

Check us out on Twitter! lakevoicenews

Become a fan on Facebook! Lake Voice News