Those who served and who gave all for their country will be remembered Memorial Day, Monday morning, May 26, with services at New Prague area cemeteries and other events.
Included will be guest speaker Mike Maxa, adjutant for the American Legion, Department of Minnesota, during a ceremony at the New Prague Veterans Memorial, east of the New Prague Library on E Main Street, beginning between noon and 12:30 p.m.
In case of inclement weather, the program will be moved indoors to Park Ballroom, 300 Lexington Ave. S.
New Prague High School held its Honors Night, Wednesday, May 7, with students being recognized for the arts, sports and academics. There were also several thousands of dollars awarded through scholarships. A highlight of the evening was the first ever co-winners of the Outstanding Senior Female Athlete award.
Activities Director Brad Skogerboe presented plaques to Ava Bruegger, who has been involved in girls’ swimming and diving, gymnastics and girls’ track and field, and Katie Boulanger, who has been active in girls’ volleyball, girls basketball and softball.
The New Prague City Council approved, 4-0, a recommendation at its Monday, May 5, meeting a trial basis for summer hours at city hall.
City Administrator Josh Tetzlaff recommended from Memorial Day (Monday, May 26) to Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 1) city hall hours be Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Goodbyes are never easy, especially when a person, has invested much into a community and watched it grow. Holy Trinity Lutheran Church’s pastors, Alicia and Ben Hilding, are preparing to bid the congregation and New Prague a fond farewell.
Pastors Alicia and Ben Hilding have accepted a call to serve in a joint role at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. They will serve as dean of Christ Chapel and chaplain of the College beginning June 1. They’ll lead their final worship service at the New Prague church Wednesday, May 21.
The New Prague Chamber of Commerce’s Ladies Night Out, Thursday, May 8, was a colorful evening. Shoppers dressed in floral patterns, following the evening’s theme of Petals & Purchases. Among those who dressed up are, left to right, Sue Wobbe, Angie Musil, Mary Lou Fradenburgh, Marge Fradenburgh, Sandy Sindelar and Emily Fradenburgh. There were 14 New Prague businesses and organizations that participated. Shoppers could get deals and prizes between 5-8:30 p.m. For more see an upcoming print edition of The New Prague Times. (Photo used with permission from Angie Musil.)
Although she grew up in New Prague, Eagle View Elementary School in Elko New Market has a special place in Kim Hoppert’s heart. It’s where her mom worked and today she is a fourth-grade teacher.
It’s also a place where Hoppert has earned the respect and admiration of her students and colleagues alike.
Hoppert attended New Prague Elementary School (known today as Falcon Ridge). She learned about the unique characteristics of Eagle View from her mom, who worked as the school principal’s executive assistant when it opened in 2006.
Like others that have been honored at the Roman Barten Memorial Breakfast, the Will family of rural New Prague found the experience almost indescribable. This year’s annual breakfast was held Sunday, May 4, at the Knights of Columbus Hall.
“It’s been absolutely mind blowing,” said Eric Will of the event. “It’s been incredible how there’s family, friends and people I don’t even know, who are here to support us.”
“I almost can’t put into words about it,” said Amanda Will. “It’s been overwhelming the amount support we’ve seen.”
Amanda Will never dreamed of spending the amount of time in a doctor’s office and the hospital as she has the past few years. The journey her son, Colton, and family have been on has already seemed to have taken a lifetime.
Colton Will of New Prague was diagnosed with mixed phenotype lineage leukemia when he was 4. He is being treated at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis. Recently, he entered the maintenance phase of his threeyear treatment journey to becoming cancer free. He will have monthly visits to the clinic and receive chemo at home.
A Cedar Lake Township woman was killed in a crash at the intersection of Highway 13 and East 247th Street in the area of St. Patrick Monday, April 28, which was reported at 5:10 p.m.
The Minnesota State Patrol reported Fedora Isabelle Formuzal, 70, of Cedar Lake Township, was killed in the crash.
The Minnesota State Patrol crash report states a 2012 Ford Escape driven by Darren Wendell Iverson of Cedar Lake Township and a 2021 Ford Explorer driven by Jordin Isabelle Gummert of Cedar Lake Township were traveling southbound on Highway 13.
The Elko New Market City Council authorized a study by Bolton & Menk, the city’s engineering firm, to evaluate three sites and to recommend a final site for a proposed new water tower, which will help increase the city’s elevated water storage capacity. The work will also include an update to the city’s digital water system model.
City Administrator Tom Terry said this was part of a program to update the city’s infrastructure, which includes work to update the city’s power and water plants.
R.T. Rybak was club’s featured speaker
New Prague’s Rotary Club marked its 80th anniversary Thursday, April 17, with a dinner and guests and featured speaker R.T. Rybak, former mayor of Minneapolis and whose family has roots in New Prague.
More than 30 people attended the event at the New Prague Golf Club. Among those attending were current and former members of the local Rotary Club, plus guests Rotary District Governor Ed Boeve and Mankato Rotary President Duane Olenius, whose club sponsored and mentored the New Prague club 80 years ago.
Le Sueur County Historical Society will host its annual meeting Tuesday, April 22, 6 p.m., in the 4-H Building at the Le Sueur County Fairgrounds in Le Center.
The community seems to have a sense that the intersection of Le Sueur County Roads 3 and 28 has more frequent accidents than it used to anyway.
Friday afternoon was the latest crash to happen there, involving a crossover SUV and an extended-cab full-sized pickup truck. The truck ended up in the southeast ditch on its roof. Airbags were deployed on both vehicles and traffic was shut down for a period of time with law enforcement turning vehicles around that approached the wreck.
A federal grand jury recently returned a nine-count indictment against five alleged members of a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) affiliated with the Sureños, U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick announced last week.
The Elko New Market City Council approved two resolutions concerning city zoning authority at its Thursday, March 27, meeting.
Drill team gets high marks for precision
If he were a teacher and the members of the New Prague Fire Department’s drill team the students, Drew Koloc would have been handling out high marks Saturday at the Park Ballroom.