Montgomery Chamber of Commerce hosted a free event for local small businesses at Inspire Services on Wednesday, Sept. 16 to help them better understand how artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the ways in which their business is being discovered or not discovered in the online world by customers.
    Hannah Bretz, acting director at the South Central Minnesota Small Business Development Center (MSBC), led the session. Previously to being the director, Bretz was a consultant at the center for 11 years.

    The Tri-City United High School’s fishing team had a good season, finishing in the top five in the conference and sending two to the 2026 Minnesota Junior B.A.S.S. High School State Championship Tournament Sept. 12-13 on Leech Lake at Leech Lake, Minn.
    TCU duo Ryan Barta and Michael Gregor, along with their adult boat captain Timm Moravec, headed up north to finish placing 19th out of 80 teams at the state tournament. Their total bag weight was 19.55 pounds, with the first day’s bag weighing 10.84 pounds and the second day’s bag weighing 8.71 pounds.

Titans boys soccer finish half of season 7-0-1

    With two more wins, the Tri-City United (TCU) boys soccer team finishes the first half of their 2026 season with seven wins, no losses, and one tie.
    The Titans moved up to 8th in the Class A State Soccer Poll after wins against Waseca, 4-1, on Tuesday, Sept. 15 and Fairmont, 4-0, Thursday, Sept. 17.

    The Titans will “(Re)Discover” the ’90s for homecoming next week. Rebecca Wiseman, homecoming advisor and high school teacher, put together a fun set of days for students to celebrate, which were announced Monday, Sept. 21 to students during the unveiling in the high school performing arts center during advisory time.

    Montgomery National Golf Club was extremely busy Thursday, Sept. 10. Not with golfers, but with high school cross country runners.
    Close to 350 varsity runners from more than 25 boys and girls teams ran the 5,000-meter course looking to claim the titles at the Gerry Smith Tri-City United (TCU) Invitational.
    The local school had their share of runners compete. The boys team placed 18th among the 27 total teams with 499 points. Three TCU girls ran in the women’s race which had 21 complete teams compete.

    The Blandin Foundation out of Grand Rapids, Minn., has awarded $4,560,600 in grants for its second quarter of 2026, of which nearly $500,000 was invested in entities that service our area.

    Area 4-H clubs sent many participants to compete at this year’s Minnesota State Fair. Le Sueur County 4-H had 39 livestock participants in this year’s fair by itself. 
    Overall, there were 4-H participants from all 87 counties with over 2,778 animals and 1,900 general exhibits on display. Le Sueur County4-H programs itself had 29 general exhibit participants with 31 projects at The Great Minnesota Get Together.

    Matthew Paul Traxler, age 36 of Belle Plaine, was arrested and charged on multiple felonies after a traffic stop in Montgomery on Aug. 24, according to the statement of probable cause.
    A Montgomery Police officer noticed Traxler’s vehicle with no front license plate driving southbound on Highway 13 in Montgomery at about 4:45 p.m. and initiated a traffic stop. According to the statement, Traxler verbally identified himself and said he didn’t have a driver’s license, wasn’t able to provide proof of insurance, and that he wasn’t the owner of the vehicle. 

    This year’s Halfway to St. Paddy’s Day celebration in Kilkenny brought in nice weather with abundant sunshine with pleasant temperatures. One of the largest marching bands in the area, perhaps the state, also made an appearance during Saturday’s 35-unit parade at the request of Andrew McGuinness, mayor of the Kilkenny Municipal District in Ireland, the Lakeville South High School Marching Cougars.

The incident
    Steven Goettl, 41, of Le Center, was driving his motorcycle on his way home from work at Le Sueur, Inc. on Thursday, Aug. 27, at about 4:45 p.m. when he drove over some rocks or gravel on a curve where 356th Street turns south and changes into 305th Avenue, which is a paved road approximately two miles southeast of Le Sueur, Minn.
    Goettl lost control of the motorcycle, passed over the opposing side of the road, took out a road sign and landed next to his motorcycle in the ditch. 

Monday, Aug. 31

•     Traffic stop (TS) and issued a warning for failure to maintain lane.
•     Assisted (Asst.) with a medical at Traditions.
•     TS and arrested an individual for cannabis open package, obstruct legal process, driving after revocation and no insurance.
•     Asst. with a medical on Deer Trail.

Tuesday, Sept. 1

    At first, it appeared as if Le Sueur County would need to set a considerable increase in levy rates going into next year. However, after months of work sessions, the county board of commissioners is now in good position to approve one of its lowest annual increases.
    The county had anticipated a large increase in property taxes because of changes to how the human services department is funded. The Federal government shifted the financial burden of funding the department to the state, as the state shifted much of the burden to the county level.

    Many around the area noticed the out-of-place Ferris wheel on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at Next Chapter Winery between New Prague and Montgomery, especially after the lights came on at night.
    The Ferris wheel was rented by husband Jeff Nelson of the late Shonna Nelson, who passed away on Sept. 3, 2025 after a battle with cancer. It was part of “Shonna’s Yahrzeit.” A Yahrzeit, sometimes spelled jahrzeit, is a Yiddish word meaning “year time” and is a Jewish tradition that celebrates the anniversary of a loved one’s death, specifically a parent or near relative.

To the editor,

I’m supporting Marisa Ulmen for Minnesota State Senate District 22 because she understands what it takes to build and sustain a strong rural community.

Marisa knows rural Minnesota because she has lived it. She is a fifth-generation farmer from Madelia, and she understands both the challenges and opportunities facing our farm families and rural communities.

Her campaign is focused on four priorities: affordable, accessible healthcare; support for rural families and communities; a strong future for our farm families; and stronger rural towns.

Titans start boys soccer season 3-0

    The Tri-City United boys soccer team started its 2026 season by allowing only two goals while posting three straight wins.
    The defending Section Champions defeated Mankato West, 1-0, Wings United (St. James/Windom/Madelia), 10-1, and Worthington, 2-1, in a rematch of the Big South Conference Championship.
    Junior Angel Ruiz Gomez scored the lone goal in the shutout of Mankato West August 29, in the 22nd minute.