Lonsdale Community Days brings a day-plus of events for the family to enjoy, including a new laser light show at 10 p.m. on Saturday evening on North Main Street.
This year’s grand marshal, Joe Peroutka, is most excited for the kid’s pedal tractor pull at 10 a.m. and Grand Parade at 1 p.m, which he and his family will be a part of. The full schedule of events can be seen on the ad on the back page of this issue of the Messenger.
Library Assistant Karen Gustafson spent her last day at the Montgomery Public Library on Thursday, July 30, like it was any other day attending to the usual customers through closing time.
Gustafson, now age 61, started working at the library in February 2006. “The first week was tough because the librarian was still getting her feet wet and so the two of us kind of had to figure things out on our own. It was kind of like a rollercoaster,” said Gustafson.
Montgomery Farmer’s Market will celebrate National Farmer’s Market Week today, which is Aug. 2-8.
Montgomery’s Farmer’s Market started this year’s Power of Produce or “POP” Club on July 14 and it will run this week as well. It is a program sponsored by Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative (MVEC) and the Knights of Columbus #1573 that gives kids, who come to the market and register with their parents, $5.00 to use on participating stands for fresh produce.
The Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office 911 dispatch center received a call from retired farmer Richard Peterson, age 75, at 3:09 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2, saying that his attached garage was on fire at 23956 Dodd Road, a little over two miles south of Le Center on the southern edge of the Shanghai Lake Wildlife Management Area.
Two local 4-H youth are stepping into one of Minnesota 4-H’s most prestigious leadership roles. Le Sueur County is one of only five counties in the state to have more than one State Ambassador selected.
Elizabeth Holicky of Le Center and Audrey Keltgen of Le Sueur have been selected as members of the 2026–2027 Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador Team, joining 30 other outstanding young leaders from across the state.
A big thank you to all Summer Reading Program participants! Grand prize winners will be announced soon. Good luck to all!
Monday, Aug. 3 – BBQ chicken breast, scalloped potatoes, green peas, wheat bread with margarine, brownie, and milk.
Tuesday, Aug. 4 – Diced turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, whole kernel corn, diced peach cup, dinner roll with margarine, and milk.
Wednesday, Aug. 5 – Meatloaf, baked potato with sour cream and margarine, broccoli, applesauce cup, wheat bread, and milk.
Thursday, Aug. 6 – Turkey Tetrazzini, sliced carrots, peach crisp, dinner roll with margarine, and milk.
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) announced that 70 schools from 45 districts and charter schools, including Tri-City United, will partner with MDE this fall to pilot the Minnesota Kindergarten Fall Assessment (MnKFA), an observation-based approach designed to be embedded in everyday classroom experiences, such as communication, problem-solving, and play.
Montgomery’s 2024 Kolacky Days Queen Neysa Anderson was crowned as a 2027 Minneapolis Aquatennial Princess this past week. She is the second only from Kolacky Days royalty to enter into the candidacy for potential honor and first to be crowned. Anna Franek in 2019 was the only other Kolacky Royalty to try.
Anderson joins 2025 Anoka Ambassador Sydney DeRung, who is the other princess, and the prize title 2027 Minneapolis Aquatennial Queen of the Lakes, which was won by 2024-2025 Miss Sibley County Maryn Halverson.
Voters in the southern three-fourths of Le Sueur County have options when deciding who will get their vote in the Aug. 11 primary election for county board seats representing the second fourth and fifth commissioner districts.
The ballot will also include U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, and attorney general seats open for election.
Le Center’s downtown bustled with jubilation in honor of the United States of America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) will be offering free nitrate testing onsite at Farmfest at the Historic Gilfillan Estate near Redwood Falls Aug. 4-6.
Nitrate levels above 1 mg/L are considered elevated, and those above 10 mg/L are known to be harmful, especially for infants and pregnant women. Recent studies also suggest that exposure to nitrate in drinking water over long periods even below 10 mg/L may increase the risk of prematurity, birth defects, thyroid problems, and colorectal cancer.
The Miss Czech Slovak Minnesota Pageant is looking for queen and junior ambassador candidates for its 37th annual event.
If you are of Czech or Slovak decent and live within Minnesota, and are between the ages of 12-15 for junior ambassadors or between ages 16-23 for queen by Aug.1, you can apply through their website at missczechslovakminnesotapageant.com.
The applications are due by Aug. 1 and a contestant meeting will be held on Aug. 9. The pageant will be held at the Park Ballroom in New Prague after the Dožínky Days on Sept. 19.
The Kolacky Days royalty has been crowned for the 92nd annual festival.
Friday's pageant at Tri-City United High School's performing arts center gave way to the next set of representatives of the city of Montgomery. Allison Rynda was chosen as the 2026 Kolacky Days Queen, Aubrie Barnett as 1st Princess, Raena Wiess as 2nd Princess, and Aubrey Flicek as Miss Congeniality.
Kolacky Days in Montgomery being one of the longer running festivals has instituted two opportunities for youth to help continue the tradition.
This year’s six Kolacky Queen candidates brought six Little Sisters to the table: Ella Shimota, daughter of Kara Shimota; Hattie Birdsell, daughter of Jason and Hilary Birdsell; Mya Goettl, daughter of Steve and Melissa Goettl; Sylvie Prochaska, daughter of Tyler and Sarah Prochaska; Charlotte Norgren, daughter of Paul and Catherine Norgren; and Sawyer Stasney, daughter of Pete and Colleen Stasney.