Some of her students and colleagues spent their spring break at the beach while others traveled with their families to various other vacation destinations. New Prague High School instructor Allison Olson spent a portion of her time away from the classroom learning how thousands of sailors work together aboard a US Navy aircraft carrier at sea.
Saturday evening, April 11, at the 138th annual New Prague Firemen’s Dance & Drill, drillmaster Drew Koloc (left) handed over the whistle to new drillmaster Sam Peterson. Koloc is retiring with 14 years on the fire department, 11 as the drill team’s drillmaster. Peterson is a three-year member of the fire department and the department’s lone military veteran. Tradition calls for the drillmaster to be a military veteran. Peterson served in the U.S. Navy Seabees from 2009-2012. The 16-member drill team went through its paces before the dance at Park Ballroom.
The New Prague City Council moved forward with its ambulance service contract with North Memorial Ambulance. City Administrator Josh Tetzlaff said he would make the changes discussed at the Monday, April 6, meeting and then present the new contract to North Memorial.
Le Sueur County Emergency Management Director Tammy Stewig said that dispatchers accidentally sounded off the county's sirens today, Thursday, April 9, at 1:45 p.m. thinking it was Severe Weather Awareness Week (SWAW), which is actually April 13-17, 2026.
On Thursday, April 16, of SWAW, almost every corner of the state will have two rounds of sirens sounding, one at 1:45 p.m. and one at 6:45 p.m., for businesses and residents to practice tornado safety procedures.
Montgomery Streets
Most of the streets in the area between the railroad tracks and Le Sueur County 3/5th Street, and north of Le Sueur County 56/Oak Avenue and south of Boulevard Avenue will receive partial surface milling and a full overlay of pavement this summer.
The Le Sueur County Officials meeting at the American Bar & Grill in Montgomery on Wednesday, March 25, was host to two state nonprofit representatives that assist smaller governments — Cap O’Rourke and Maddie Cash.
Cap O’Rourke is the executive director for the Minnesota Association of Small Cities (MAOSC), which is a nonprofit that exclusively serves cities of a population of 5,000 or less, and is also the owner of O’Rourke Strategic Consulting.
Elko New Market held its annual Egg Hunt Saturday, March 28, at the Eagle View Elementary School. It was estimated that approximately 300 children participated in the Egg Hunt. Children, from toddlers up to fifth-grade could hunt for plastic eggs on the school’s playground and then turn them in for a bag of candy and small prizes. There were also golden eggs each child could take and turn in for a toy or book. There were also treats such as cookies and popcorn.
A law that was on the books in Minnesota since 1942 was repealed by the Minnesota State Legislature for 2026.
Minnesota Statute 97B.318, which stated “During the regular firearms season in the shotgun use area, only legal shotguns loaded with single-slug shotgun shells, legal muzzle-loading long guns, and legal handguns may be used for taking deer. Legal shotguns include those with rifled barrels,” was effectively repealed as of Jan. 1, 2026.
A law that was on the books in Minnesota since 1942 was repealed by the Minnesota State Legislature for 2026.
Minnesota Statute 97B.318, which stated “During the regular firearms season in the shotgun use area, only legal shotguns loaded with single-slug shotgun shells, legal muzzle-loading long guns, and legal handguns may be used for taking deer. Legal shotguns include those with rifled barrels,” was effectively repealed as of Jan. 1, 2026.
Tupy thrilled for chance to student teach in New Prague
There are plenty of places Hallie Tupy could earn a living after she graduates from college this spring. Her first choice is a classroom, preferably in her hometown.
Members of New Prague city staff, the city council and Greystone Construction held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday afternoon, March 12, for the city’s newest energy generation facility. Gathering at 507 Sixth Ave. NW, the group broke ground in a brief ceremony.
In last year’s legislative session, the Minnesota Legislature passed a law ending the shotgun-only zone for deer hunting in the southern and west-central counties of the state.
The action leaves each county currently in the shotgun-only zone with the decision of whether to pass an ordinance to maintain the ban on rifle hunting.
Le Sueur County can either do nothing and allow the rifle hunting ban to lift, or it can pass an ordinance to uphold the current law.
About 30 years after the first slapshot was fired at the new New Prague Community Center, ice hockey enthusiasts and community supporters have begun a campaign to expand the existing arena to bring more opportunities for on-ice participation in the sport.
The New Prague City Council came to a consensus to have city staff and City Attorney Scott Riggs of the law firm Kennedy & Graven discuss the city’s next steps on the Tikalsky Acres development agreement, a 20-year old agreement for a housing development.
The city council held a special meeting to discuss the 2005 agreement with Randy Kubes for a housing subdivision on the southeast side of New Prague. The housing development covers 40 acres, which is for 92 housing units, of which 89 units have been built.
Saturday, March 14, 5 p.m. Update
The National Weather Services (NWS) in Chanhassen, Minn., has issued a Blizzard Warning for our greater area from 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, through 4 a.m. on Monday, March 16. They are calling this a "historic March winter storm on track to bring extreme snow accumulations and strong winds."
The warning calls for a broad swath of 12 to 18 inches of snow over the region, with some area approaching two feet, with winds between 35 and 45 mph, with gusts to 55 mph, even after the snow starts to taper off.
Nearly 30 students from Eagle View Elementary arrived at school in four-alarm style Wednesday, Feb. 26, and Wednesday, March 4, courtesy of the Elko New Market Fire and Police departments. The rides were prizes in the school’s February Read-aThon fundraiser.
“They loved it. They had fun,” said Eagle View Elementary Principal Adam Dittberner about the students’ rides. The trips from the fire and police departments to the school were among a number of incentives the school offered to students during the read-a-thon, Dittberner said.