Charli Kossow, age 9, of Waterville won the Le Sueur County Sheriff’s 2021 Distracted Driving Poster Contest. She is the daughter of Amber Atherton and Richard Kossow. Her winning poster reads “Don’t drive distracted. Save lives!” and features a person focusing on their cellphone while driving and an innocent little animal dangerously close to the front of the vehicle. The Faribault Lutheran School third grader received a pizza party for her family, including pizza, cheesy breadsticks, and orange pop, and a $75 Visa gift card for her work—all delivered by Sheriff Brett Mason.

Kelsey Kuball, 19, of Waterville is one of 10 young ladies from across the state to be named a finalist in the 68th Princess Kay of the Milky Way contest.
Each contestant submitted an application, participated in a personal interview, prepared and delivered a speech, and participated in a mock media interview. The top 10 contestants were named finalists and will go on to compete for the title of Minnesota’s 68th Princess Kay of the Milky Way, who will be crowned in August.
Each finalist will have their likeness carved in butter at the State Fair.

The 36th Annual Morristown Dam Days started Wednesday, June 2 with the crowning of Miss Morristown.
Grand Marshals of this year’s Dam Days Parade are Morristown Morries baseball teams.
Friday, June 4 The rest of the festivities begin on Friday with Family Fun Shows of Mankato at 5 p.m. and the numerous food stands and beer garden also at 5 p.m.
There will be a Euchre Tournament at 1:30 p.m. in the Morristown Community Center. Don’t forget the Twilight Parade at 7 p.m.
At 8:30 p.m. music by Old Country Boys will be under the Big Top Tent.

This issue of The New Prague Times is the last one Dennis Lambrecht will have a hand in producing.
After more than half a century in the newspaper and printing business, Lambrecht, of Montgomery, is retiring. His last day with Suel Printing Co. is June 4.

Father George Grafsky will celebrate his golden jubilee, marking 50 years in the priesthood, this weekend at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery.
Grafsky retired from active ministry in 2015, but continues to help with Masses at area churches when needed. He also serves as chaplain for many of the fire departments and emergency medical services in the area.
Grafsky will celebrate Most Holy Redeemer’s 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday evening, May 29 and the 8:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday morning, May 30.

The Le Sueur County Board held a very short meeting Tuesday, May 25.
Among the items on the agenda was the recognition of three long-time employees, who are retiring at the end of the month.
Public Health Director Cindy Shaughnessy (40 + years), Chief Deputy Auditor-Treasurer Connie Kopet (39 years), and County Auditor-Treasurer Pam Simonette (36 years) received retirement plaques.
In other business:

Elysian
Elysian American Legion Post 311, Auxiliary, and SAL Squadron will be performing Memorial Day services with military honors on Monday, May 31, at the following times and locations: 7 a.m. Greenland Cemetery, 7:20 a.m. German Lake Cemetery, 7:55 a.m. St. Peter (Bell) Cemetery, 8:10 a.m. Cannonville Cemetery, 9 a.m. Waterville Memorial, and 10:15 a.m. Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Kilkenny

The 36th Annual Morristown Dam Days Celebration will begin with the coronation of Miss Morristown 2021 on Wednesday, June 2, at 7 p.m. in the Morristown Community Center. Admission is two dollars and a Dam Days button. Dam Days buttons will be sold at the door.
Miss Morristown Royalty 2020 Carly Reinke and Sadie Oorlog will crown Miss Morristown 2021 and share their memories of the past year.
Candidates will be judged on poise, personality, appearance, educational accomplishments, activities, community involvement and talent.

She’s had enough ranch dressing to last her a decade.
2011 Waterville-Elysian- Morristown High School graduate Tabitha Nusbaum, daughter of Carrie Schmidtke and Dan Nusbaum, was dropped into a big vat of cold ranch dressing as part of NBC’s television gameshow, Ellen’s Game of Games.
The episode featuring Nusbaum aired Sunday night, May 16.
On the show, Nusbaum played “You Bet Your Wife,” a game where one contestant wagers what their partner will know. If the partner does not know the answer in time, he or she is dropped into a big vat of ranch dressing.

NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has set up a wide variety of free online mental health classes for May and June. They include such classes as Hope for Recovery, Transitions, Ending the Silence, Understanding Early Episode Psychosis for Families, In Our Own Voice, Family to Family, Positive Psychology, Creating Caring Communities, a suicide prevention class called QPR – Question, Persuade and Refer, a special QPR class for Agricultural Communities and many more.

Bernadine (O’Leary) Hildebrant’s a little lady. Her knees don’t always cooperate so she uses a walker to get around her home, but even at almost 100 years old, she’s quick witted and enjoys visiting with family and friends.
She’ll turn 100 years young on Monday, May 17.
The long-time newspaper reporter has interviewed multiple centenarians during her career, but this time, the tables are turned. The story is about her.

An extensive search for a new Le Sueur County Administrator is coming to a close.
After final interviews with four candidates Monday, May 3, the Le Sueur County Board of Commissioners extended the job offer to Joseph Martin during the Tuesday, May 4 board meeting.
Martin, lives in rural Waterville with his wife, Staci (Bohlen), and their two children. He is the son-in-law of Curtis and Joyce Bohlen of rural Kilkenny.

Motorists on Highway 21 in Rice County at Shieldsville are encountering lane closures that began April 19 as crews start resurfacing, making intersection improvements and repairing culverts, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Work includes resurfacing approximately eight miles of Hwy. 21 from about one mile west of Interstate 35 to Highway 99. New turn lanes/bypass lanes will be installed at Shields Court, Mazaska Lake Trail, Lake Mazaska Boat Launch and French Lake Trail.

After missing out on last year, buyers and sellers were ready to wheel and deal at what has become the seasonal kick-off location to the swap meet season in the Midwest.
From Friday to Sunday, approximately 700 vendors gathered to sell their wares at the 44th Annual Le Sueur Pioneer Power Swap Meet.
“Everybody was happy to be out and among...
To see more on this article, pick up the April 29, 2021 print edition of the Montgomery Messenger, The New Prague Times or the LifeEnterprise papers.

Dozens of white pelicans have made their way into the bay in Waterville, adjacent to the campground. They have been seen for the past couple of weeks in this same area.

Tonn farm is a Century Farm
The David and Tina Tonn Family Farm that lies across the gentle, fertile hills between Waterville and Elysian along Ridge Road, has been recognized as a 2021 Century Farm.
114 years ago, David’s great-grandparents, Max and Emma Lorenz, who immigrated the United States from Germany, purchased a small farmstead and...
 
To see more on this article, pick up the April 29, 2021 print edition of the LifeEnterprise.