It is kind of ironic that a benefit about the winter weather will be returning during the nicest winter weather in the past number of decades.
After four years without, the Waterville Chamber of Commerce Whine About Winter event will be held Saturday, Feb. 3 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Waterville Event Center.
The event will feature a Craft Beer and Wine Tasting, 50/50 Raffle and Meat Raffle.
There will be a short presentation by J & L Bottles, local restaurant owners, and food vendors at 5:30 p.m. Wine and Beer Tasting begins at 6 p.m.

Any way you divide it, four million miles is a huge number. That is 160 trips around the Earth, that is traveling to the moon and back eight times, and that is the number Jeff Geyer has driven his tractor-trailer without accident over the last three decades.
That monumental achievement was recognized on Jan. 23, when Geyer was named the Minnesota Trucking Association (MTA) Driver of the Year for 2023.

With 507 numbers expected to run out of numbers by early 2025, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved 924 as an additional area code for the current geographic region that covers the current 507 area code.
The new 924 area code is an overlay area code or an area code that covers the exact same region as another existing area code. This means that there will be no change to existing numbers within the 507 area code.
In preparation for the addition of the 924 area code, all customers located within the current 507 area code should prepare for 10-digit dialing.

Donations continue to come in to the City of Elysian to help pay for the Sunset Park LifeEnterprise Sports Courts Renovation.
The approximate cost for the project, which was close to completion late last fall, is $54,000. Thus far, a little more than $44,000 has been donated.
Two years ago the City of Elysian came to an agreement with the WEM School District to take over the tennis courts and baseball field located at the Elysian School.

More than 30 years after being decommissioned, a fire truck has returned to the New Ulm Fire Department thanks to Waterville resident and councilman Tim Smith. Smith acquired the 1969 Pirsch fire truck in 2006 from the defunct Minneapolis Fire Museum.

Elvin Leigh Wehking, age 57, of rural Janesville, died in a single vehicle crash on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
    The Le Sueur County Sheriff’s dispatch center received a 911 call at 5:33 p.m. of a vehicle crash near a residence on Tetonka Lake Road in Elysian Township. Le Sueur County Sheriff’s deputies and Elysian Fire and Rescue were initially dispatched to the scene. 
    Sheriff’s deputies noted that a 2003 Ford Taurus, driven by Wehking, had left the roadway, travelled through a ditch and collided with a large tree — which caused extensive front end damage to the vehicle. 

There was a motion on the floor to disband the Waterville Police Civil Service Commission, but it never received a second, so the Commission will remain.
Waterville City Council member Jennifer Grobe voiced her concerns about why the city has this Commission and she made the motion to end the Commission during the December 5 council meeting.
The motion died for lack of a second so the Police Civil Service Commission will not be abolished. It would have taken a unanimous vote of the council to end the commission.

Diana Turek, age 65 of Montgomery, was found deceased in her vehicle in front of Edel’s Meat Market at 116 1st Street North in Montgomery Thursday, Dec. 21.
A female customer arriving at the meat market noticed Turek in the vehicle and knocked on the window but got no response. She made a call to 911 at about 3:22 p.m.
Montgomery Police Officer Sladek was dispatched, arrived on scene and advised dispatch to send Montgomery Area EMS. Officer Sladek found Turek in her vehicle. He checked for vital signs and advised dispatch to cancel EMS as she was deceased.

The WEM Student Council sponsored a very successful clothes drive and giving tree for gift donation to Le Sueur County for the holiday season.
Tatum Richards, Student Council Vice President, and Trey Richards, 9th grade Vice President, donated a lighted Christmas Tree for the ornaments to be placed with various requested items needed for the holidays. Many games, toys, dolls, and warm winter gear were brought in from students, teachers, and community members who graciously took ornaments off the tree and bought those items.

With more than 1,800 individuals buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Elysian, keeping memorial flowers watered has now become easier.
A yard hydrant has been added to the property, located near the center of the cemetery behind the newer section of grave markers.
“They did this street (SW Maple Ave), and they cut the water at the stop sign,” said Jerry Kapaun, president of the Elysian Cemetery Committee. He noted...
To see more on this story pick up the December 21, 2023 print edition of the LifeEnterprise.

Charges have been officially filed in Le Sueur County Juvenile Court against three juveniles stemming from an incident which occurred in rural Madison Lake/Le Sueur County on October 9.
According to Le Sueur County Juvenile Court, the charges range from felony harassment based upon bias, gross misdemeanor 3rd Degree damage to property based upon race, and misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
Security cameras at the Chad Alladin residence in rural Le Sueur County showed a number of young people with toilet paper and some writing on Alladin’s son’s car Monday, Oct. 9.

Le Sueur County passed a levy and budget for 2024 at the County Board of Commissioners meeting on Dec. 12.
After breezing through monthly business, the levy and budget section of the meeting was convened after an hour recess.
County Administrator Joe Martin first gave a presentation breaking down user fees, highlighting the increases for the next year. No commentary was given by the public once the floor was opened. On a motion by David Preisler, second by David Gliszinski the user fee changes were unanimously approved.

The Waterville Lions Club held their annual Lions WriteOff Essay Contest for high school students. The topic of this year’s essay was “Changing the World.” The students were recommended to write a 500 word essay, with 10 percent of the judging going towards originality, 30 percent to content, 30 percent to organization, and 30 percent to style and mechanics. The local winners will have their essay judged again at the District Level. Pictured above are Lions representatives Phil Langerud (left) and Joe Christenson (right) with the top four placewinners.

Volunteer firefighters from four different departments came together Saturday, Dec. 9 not to fight a fire but to help raise funds and toys for the local Toys For Tots programs.
More than three dozen firefighters from Elysian, Kilkenny, Morristown, and Waterville donned their helmets, safety coats and pants and battled for supremacy on the floor hockey court.

Thirty-Four auxiliary members attended the 104th Birthday Celebration of the American Legion Auxiliary which was hosted by Unit 311 in Elysian.
President Sharon Brandt welcomed everyone and gave a brief history of the Auxiliary which was started on November 10, 1919. In the spirit of service, not self, the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary is to support the American Legion and to honor the sacrifice of those who serve our country.