Echo Press Minute

Here are the top stories in Friday's paper:

• AAHS student celebrates one year of YouTube show

• The Alexandria City Council approves bid for sidewalk extension

• Locals talk about hunger at the state capital

• The Alexandria girls basketball team advances to the Class AAA state semifinal after beating the the Hill-Murray Pioneers 57-39.

To read more from these stories and others, look for them in our print edition and online at echopress.com

Support local journalism by subscribing and becoming a member at echopress.com. Your support will allow us to keep you informed.

Special episode!

Celeste Edenloff tells how she got introduced to journalism, why she loves it and some of her most memorable stories.

Celeste is the special projects editor and a reporter for the Alexandria Echo Press. She has lived in the Alexandria Lakes Area since 1997. She first worked for the Echo Press as a reporter from 1999 to 2011, and returned in 2016 to once again report on the community she calls home.

She works on special projects such as the Veterans Salute magazine, Impact magazine, along with other numerous special projects produced by the Echo Press. She also covers the Douglas County Board and Alexandria School Board, as well as reports on many other area happenings and topics.

Celeste and her husband, Al, enjoy running. The two of them have participated in hundreds of races covering the 5K, 10K, 10-mile and half-marathon distances.

Here are the top stories in Wednesday's paper:

• Local board shop holds 20th snowboard competition.

• Area school administrators talk about teacher shortages.

• The Douglas County Library organized a "Beat the Cold Beach Party." Bad weather cut into attendance, but the event was a success, said organizers.

• Alexandria girls' beat Sauk Rapids-Rice in the Section 8AAA championship game

To read more from these stories and others, look for them in our print edition and online at echopress.com

Support local journalism by subscribing and becoming a member at echopress.com. Your support will allow us to keep you informed.

Here are the top stories in Friday's paper:

• A Cool School Plunge raises money for Special Olympics.

• Douglas County permit to carry data

• Local ambulance service receives award

• Cardinals boy's hockey loses to Mahtomedi Zephyrs 6-3

To read more from these stories and others, look for them in our print edition and online at echopress.com

Support local journalism by subscribing and becoming a member at echopress.com. Your support will allow us to keep you informed.

Here are the top stories in Wednesday's paper:

• Doug Loon, president of the MN Chamber of Commerce visited the Echo Press office to talk about new legislation that would expand paid leave benefits.

• An update about the Sarah Hartsfield case.

• The Evansville Photo Club will show their work over the next two months at the Evansville Art Center, alongside photos from 38 4th-grade students at B-E. 4

• Alexandria boys' hockey heads to state after second-straight section title win.

To read more from these stories and others, look for them in our print edition and online at echopress.com

Support local journalism by subscribing and becoming a member at echopress.com. Your support will allow us to keep you informed.

Special episode!

We here at the Echo Press are releasing a series of special episodes that introduce each of us here at the Echo Press newspaper.

For this episode, Advertising Director Amy Skarka, tells how she got involved with the Echo Press, what she does and why she does it.

Here are the top stories in Friday's paper:

• New law enforcement training buildings replace the old.

• Alexandria City Council approved TIF for Massman Companies' $17 million manufacturing, office and warehouse.

• Andria Theatre presents "Matilda."

• The Alexandria boys' basketball team beat the Sartell-St. Stephen Sabres 82-50.

To read more from these stories and others, look for them in our print edition and online at echopress.com

Support local journalism by subscribing and becoming a member at echopress.com. Your support will allow us to keep you informed.

Here are the top stories in Wednesday's paper:

• About 200 jumpers raised more than $67,000 for Special Olympics MN during this year's Polar Plunge.

• A new bill, if passed, could require all new school buses to have a 6-foot stop arm.

• Former Douglas County resident accused of putting out a hit on wife of ex-husband

• Cardinals boys' swim and dive win section title for the second straight year.

To read more from these stories and others, look for them in our print edition and online at echopress.com

Support local journalism by subscribing and becoming a member at echopress.com. Your support will allow us to keep you informed.

Special episode!

We here at the Echo Press are releasing a series of special episodes that introduce each of us here at the Echo Press newspaper.

For this first episode, Al Edenloff tells how he got into journalism and why he continues to do it.

Al is the editor of the twice-weekly Echo Press. He started his journalism career when he was in 10th grade, writing football and basketball stories for the Parkers Prairie Independent.

He started working for the Echo Press in the summer of 1983 as an intern. He returned to Moorhead State University and graduated with honors in 1984 with a degree in mass communications, print journalism. He was hired back at the Echo Press shortly after he graduated. He worked in both sports and news, and in 1990, he was promoted to editor.

Al thoroughly enjoys the challenges that come with leading a community newspaper in a growing, vibrant community and is fortunate to have a great staff, publisher and production team that make the newspaper a success.

His field of coverage includes Alexandria City Council and writing Echo Press editorials.

Here are the top stories in Friday's paper:

• A single mom from Brandon was involved in a serious snowmobile crash.

• Alexandria Industries' Fishing For the Cure reels in $125,000.

• Winners of the Cutest Couple photo contest.

• Alexandria College readies up for its inaugural baseball season.

To read more from these stories and others, look for them in our print edition and online at echopress.com

Support local journalism by subscribing and becoming a member at echopress.com. Your support will allow us to keep you informed.