Thursday Night on the Platz lights up downtown Vermillion

Downtown Vermillion transforms every Thursday for music, food and fun for the Vermillion Chamber and Development Company’s (VCDC) Thursday Night on the Platz. Thursday Night on the Platz began after downtown Vermillion reopened in the late spring. Since then community members have come to Main Street looking to have a fun night out downtown — […]

3 mins read

University Housing offers alternative on-campus living options

While the hallways of North Complex are usually full of students socializing, this semester, on-campus housing looks a little different. From campus-wide mask-wearing to isolation housing, there are many new rules and regulations in place to keep students in on-campus housing safe this semester. Unlike previous years, move-in weekend was spread over three days with […]

4 mins read

Downtown businesses take Covid-19 precautions

When word of the pandemic hit Vermillion in April, downtown businesses were forced to adapt to developing COVID-19 safety policies. Café Brule and Dakota Brickhouse, which are co-owned by Jim Waters and Monica Iverson, immediately switched from in-house dining to delivery and curbside pick-up. Once the city allowed businesses to reopen, they resumed in-house dining. […]

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FA Series: Choir adjusts to face to face and virtual classes

With classes being delivered in hybrid and online format in addition to some face-to-face classes, the music department is adjusting to the changes in place this semester, specifically those in the realm of vocal music. Bruce Kelley, Interim Dean of the College Fine Arts, said because singing is an efficient way to spread the virus, […]

3 mins read

Wynie Mae’s bounces back from COVID

Wynie Mae’s AVEDA Salon & Spa has been open in downtown Vermillion for over a decade, but for nine weeks this spring, their doors were closed. Before the city of Vermillion officially mandated businesses closing during COVID-19 in March, Wynie Mae’s decided to close temporarily.  Bekki Engquist-Schroeder, owner and hairstylist at Wynnie Mae’s, said while […]

4 mins read

Vermillion food programs adapt to continue serving citizens

In the wake of COVID-19, meal providers such as the Vermillion Food Pantry and the Vermillion Welcome Table have been forced to close their physical doors. Despite the drawback, these food services are continuing to provide meals to people in need. The Vermillion Food Pantry ceased walk-in services after the Community Connection Center of Vermillion […]

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SGA President and Vice President reflect on semester, plan for future

With classes moved online and campus buildings closed, Student Government Association President Abuk Jiel and Vice President Carter Larson haven’t had a traditional beginning to their administration. Although SGA currently convenes over Zoom conferencing and all their legislation is done remotely, Jiel and Larson continue to make big plans for USD. The pandemic began affecting […]

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Letter from the editor: The Volante is here to be your voice

2020 has turned the entire world upside down. Our perfect schedules were cleared. Our travel plans were postponed. Classes were redesigned. Everything we knew is gone.  While things we once took for granted are changing to luxuries, it is important to learn from what we are going through.  Through this pandemic, I have learned how […]

3 mins read

Summer Issue: National Music Museum construction is on track to finish amid COVID-19

While COVID-19 has canceled a wide variety of events throughout 2020, it hasn’t stopped construction of the National Music Museum (NMM). The project began in September of last year and is expected to finalize in July. Matt Collinsworth, the Director of the NMM, said the team will adjust accordingly as the construction progresses. “We recognize […]

3 mins read