For the past 30+ years, 1991 WEM graduate Cedric Hohnstadt has been a professional illustrator.

Little do people know, they probably have seen some of his work on a regular basis.

Over the year Hohnstadt has done a lot of work for the company Hasbro. Included in this work he has illustrated packaging for Mr. Potato Head, Pound Puppies, and Baby Alive. He has also illustrated playset stickers for My Little Pony and sketched multiple toy concepts for internal meetings about such brands as Play Doh, Sesame Street, Angry Birds, and Star Wars.

After a solid regular season, which ended Tuesday against JWP, the WEM volleyball team has been seeded fourth in the 17-team Section 2AA Tournament.

WEM, 18-8 overall, will host Maple River (6-15) at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20 in the Section first round. If they win, they would host either No. 5 seed St. Clair (16-4) or No. 12 seed JWP (10-12).

The Section 2AA semifinals are scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 28 at New Prague. If WEM advances, they would play at 6 p.m.

Sue Annette Holicky, age 70, passed peacefully on October 1, 2025, after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer.

Ardis Martha Ely, age 78, of Cleveland, Minnesota passed away on September 30, 2025, at her home. 
   

Ardis was born on September 15, 1947, in Elysian Township and is the daughter of Ortwin and Marie (Wendt) Roemhildt. As a child she attended Bell Church School and later Waterville school.  Following her education, she held various factory jobs before discovering her true calling as a caretaker for family and friends.  
 

Four of the top 11 runners in Class A competed in the Thursday, Sept. 25 WEM/JWP Grizzly Pie Run at Prairie Ridge Golf Course in Janesville.

The 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 11th rated Class A individual runners and the 4th rated team in Class A competed.

Fourth-rated Mankato Loyola/Cleveland won the girl’s race with 22 points. Blooming Prairie placed second (66), WEM/JWP third (76), Martin County West/Butterfield-Odin fourth (91), NRHEG fifth (133), and Medford sixth (157).

A public hearing has been scheduled to finalize the closing of the WEM Middle School School building in Morristown.

This hearing, which will be held Tuesday, October 14 in the WEM Auditorium in Waterville at 6:30 p.m., needs to be held according to State Statute Section 123B.51, subdivision 5.

Throughout the last few years, the WEM volleyball team always tries to bolster their regular season schedule with topnotch teams.

This year has been no different.

Last week the Bucs battled two state-rated teams and despite losing both matches, there were some very positive things which came from these matches.

I have been cooking in the kitchen for more than 50 years.

When I was a child my mother always was a big influence on me learning how to cook.

To this day I am so glad she instilled this in me as a youth.

When she passed away I took on more cooking responsibilities in our family and as you can see by my extended waistline, my cooking is quite good.

Now as a seasoned, veteran cooker, I thought I have seen everything in the kitchen. Until Thursday morning I got the shock of my life.

Alenka Jans and Kaden James were crowned WEM Homecoming Queen and King Friday afternoon during the WEM pepfest held in the WEM High School Gymnasium in Waterville on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. 

Mary Jane Gregor, age 66, of Elysian died on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

Deanna R. Hagger, age 73, of Le Sueur, died on Friday, September 26, 2025, at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.  Funeral service will be on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, 10:30 a.m. at First Lutheran Church in Le Sueur.  Visitation will be on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, 4:00 p.m.

Halfway through the eight game regular high school football season, the WEM Buccaneers are among only eight teams still undefeated in Class AA.

The Buccaneers rolled to a 51-14 win over Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Friday, Sept. 19 behind more than 500 yards rushing.

The Associated Press rated the Buccaneers the 10th best Class A team last week on Wednesday, Sept. 17. WEM should move up at least two places following week four games. The two teams just above the Bucs in the rankings, redwood Valley and Osakis, both lost Friday night.

WEM/JWP junior Wyatt Jans had the top performance for the Grizzly boys cross country team during the NRHEG Invitational which was held Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Riverview Golf Course in New Richland.

Jans covered the 5,000-meter course in 17:51, placing 6th overall among the 70_ runners.

Mankato Loyola/Cleveland senior Soren Kelly won the race in 16:29. He was followed by Austin Pacelli sophomore Isaac Johnson in 17:08 and Tri-City United (TCU) senior Grant Fitterer in 17:21.

Although conditions were dry for Kilkenny’s Halfway to St. Paddy’s Day celebration Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 13-14, it was a hot one out there. Temperatures both days were in the mid-80’s and dew points in the upper 60’s to low 70’s made it a little uncomfortable for physical activity, such as their self-proclaimed “World Famous Toilet Bowl Race” on Saturday afternoon.

The much anticipated 2025 WEM Homecoming Week begins Monday, September 29 and will run through October 4.

Four queen and four king candidates have been chosen and they will be crowned Friday, Oct. 3 during the afternoon coronation in Waterville.

Queen candidates include Addison Condon, daughter of Scott and Pam Condon, Morgan Flohaug, daughter of Trevor Flohaug, Alenka Jans, daughter of Andy and Anne Jans, and Clare Landrum, daughter of Ryan and Katie Landrum.