A detour will be going into effect at the intersection of New Prague’s Main Street (Highway 19) and Union Pacific Railroad’s crossings beginning next week. While the sign says it will be Monday, Oct. 1, a press release from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) says the detour begins Wednesday, Oct. 3, as crews will be working to replace two railroad crossings for the Union Pacific Railroad located between Highway 21 and Third Avenue Northwest.

The Tri-City United Titans fell to the Fairmont Cardinals 41-25 in week four of the football season. The Titans are now 2-2 and take on the Jordan Hubmen on Friday, Sept. 28.

As officials continue to assess the damages throughout Rice County, they are encountering a significant amount traffic congestion due to high volumes of on lookers in the damaged areas. In a press release to area news outlets, they would like people to stay away from the areas.
 

At a Pep Fest on Friday, Sept. 21, Tri-City United High School announced this year’s candidates for Homecoming Week.

The case against Le Sueur County Historical Society (LCHS) will get a green light or a red light in October after a Le Sueur County judge clarified matters on Monday, Sept. 17.
 
In court were Ray Konz, attorney for LCHS, and Kevin Wetherille, attorney for the 16 plaintiffs. The attorneys discussed the proceedings thus far and made several requests of Judge Mark Vandelist.
 

Evangeline “Vangie” Ann Burns,  88, of Tyrone Township died September 16, 2018. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Thursday, September 20, 2018, at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Catholic Church in St. Thomas. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018 at Kolden Funeral Home in Le Sueur and on Thursday until 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home.   A lunch will follow the services at St. Anne’s School in Le Sueur.  
 

Don’t let her looks or her gender fool you. Dressed in football pads with a fierce determination, Anastasia “Ana” Stasney is out to win on the gridiron. 
 
According to veteran coaches, Stasney is the first female to play football for Tri-City United School and the previous Montgomery-Lonsdale School District.
 
Ana’s introduction to football started when her brothers Tadd, 23, and Jayden, 20 played the sport. Even then, she thought it was rather boring - until she started to play it. 
 

The students and staff of Tri-City United Elementary and Middle School remembered the horrific events of September 11, 2001 at the event's 17th anniversary on Tuesday. The students and staff held a memorial ceremony by gathering around the school’s flag pole outside where Principal Deb Dwyer read a short poem written by a seventh grade student after the event. Everyone finished by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. (Photo provided by TCU Schools)

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A Le Center woman reached an incredible milestone on Saturday.
 
Surrounded by family, friends, and local well-wishers, Crystal Krenik celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday, Sept. 8.
 
The lifelong Le Center native was born a hundred years ago in a little house west of Le Center to Ben and Amelia Sautter. At a young age, her family moved to a farm east of Le Center where her family lived with her grandfather. Today, part of the farm site is now the Traxler Hunting Preserve. 
 

The popularity of a car show, craft booths, good food and weather with a good cause led to another successful Community Day at Heidelberg on Sunday.
 

Thomas James Thornton, age 92, of Montgomery, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and loved ones in the early morning of Thursday, September 6, 2018 at Mayo Systems Hospital in New Prague. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 14, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 12 p.m. Father Victor Valencia will be officiating. Interment will be held at St. Thomas Cemetery in St. Thomas. Military Honors provided by the Montgomery area Veteran’s Honor Guard.

Whether it was the luck of the Irish or event coordinator Janice Sneller's prayers for good weather, Mother Nature smiles on the Irish in Kilkenny on Saturday, September 8 during the city's Halfway to St. Patty's Celebration. A large crowd flocked to the community to enjoy a day full of music, good food, a parade, a car show, and shamrock-filled fun.
Pick up a copy of the September 13, 2018, print edition for more information and photos.

Three Dakota-Rice-Scott League teams qualified for the final weekend of the Class C Minnesota Amateur Baseball Tournament, with New Prague and Faribault losing in the third round on Saturday, and New Market advancing to the quarterfinals before losing in 14 innings on Sunday.
Two DRS players, Matt Lane of Faribault and Nate Rost of New Market, were named to the All-Tournament team.

Approximately 40 people gathered outside the Joe G. Hruby Blacksmithing, Horseshoe, Woodwork and Truck Bodies Museum in Montgomery on Thursday, Aug. 30, to learn about Hruby and the historical role he and his business played in the community. 
 
The museum event was part of Montgomery Historical Society’s Show and Tell series. 
 
Many in attendance Thursday evening were relatives of Joe Hruby and had memories to share, including Joe’s daughter, Joanne.
 

If you are a longtime resident of Montgomery and subscriber to the Montgomery Messenger, the name Marlene Kolars will be familiar to you. Marlene worked at the Montgomery Messenger for more than 15 years before passing away on October 1, 2007. 
 
Her columns were called “Easy Reading” and were very popular with our readers. She wrote about a variety of things from root canals to her beautiful peonies or television commercials. 
I didn’t know she could predict the future. 
 

A bluebird house may be just a few pieces of wood nailed together and mounted on a post, but it’s become much more than that to one man, his family and the thousands who have been touched by their story.
Ron Rudolph’s story began the day he met his future wife, Pat, at a party more than 35 years ago. They met on a blind date, were introduced to each other by friends and “the rest is history,” he said.