Less than a month ago, the JWP boys basketball team handed the WEM squad an 81-55 loss.
Fast forward to Friday, Feb. 14 and the Buccaneers nearly knocked off the Gopher Conference West Division Champions, losing 50- 46.
WEM held the high-scoring Bulldogs to a season low in points, with their previous low of 59 earlier in the season. JWP has scored more than 70 points in half of their games.
The Bucs offense was led by Talen Taylor, who scored 17 points. He also had nine deflections, five rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and two steals.

Hundreds fo people braved the cold weather Sunday, Feb. 16 and took part in the Silver Lakers 37th Annual Ice Fishing Contest.
This annual event included many different raffles, merchandise prizes, and of course fishing.
Tim Mohrbacher of Shakopee won the top prize of $150 in the fishing contest for his 6.3 pound northern he caught.
There was a second place tie between Mohrbacher and Tanner Ernsting of Cleveland, who each caught .25 pound pumpkinseed and crappie, respectively.

The best season in the history of WEM/JWP Grizzly wrestling came to an end Saturday, Feb. 15 with a Section 2A Runner-Up finish.
The Grizzlies finished their dual meet season with a 17-8 record after advancing to the Section finals. They were defeated by Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial, 40-25, in their first-ever Section Championship since the two schools combined in 2008-2009.

Jaden Lang of Morristown has been dancing as long as she can remember…16 years to be exact.
Now she has become a National Champion after competing last month with the Championship Minnesota State University, Mankato Pom Team in Florida.
The Nationals were held January 17 through 19 in Orlando, Florida at the ESPN Wide World of LifeEnterprise Sports Complex.
The Mavericks were among more than 20 teams competing in the Open Division of the Division 2 and Division 3 schools.

Thomas “T.J.” Joseph Robb, age 78, of Waterville, died peacefully on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at the Foxdale Senior Living Community in Waseca.
A private burial service will take place at a later date in the Cambria Cemetery in rural Cambria, Minnesota.
T.J. is survived by his wife, Janice Robb of Waterville; his two sisters; and many nieces, nephew, cousins, and friends.
He was preceded by his parents, Earl and Ardella (Mathews) Robb; his son, Thomas Lundquist; and his brothers, Ronald and Myron “Waffle” Robb.

Irene J. Lamont, age 95, of Waseca, died on Saturday, February 8, 2025.
She is survived by her two daughters and their husbands.
A private graveside service will be held at Sakatah Cemetery in Waterville at a later date.

Le Sueur County is updating its comprehensive land use and zoning code, titled “Vision 2050,” and held a public meeting Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Le Center American Legion. According to a survey provided to a large crowd the update is to better serve and guide the county’s growth. The work over this year is to “create a plan that balances its rich historical past and resources,” said the beginning of the survey. The new comprehensive plan is to grow the county’s tax base and guide the county over the next 25 years.

Write-in votes will settle who takes at least two open seats on Rice County’s townships boards.
No affidavits for candidacy were filed in the 2025 race for Northfield Township treasurer, or to fill the term of the remaining year of the term for the Morristown Township clerk.
The treasurer’s seat, a two-year term, is up in all every township except Forest Township where the treasurer is appointed, rather than elected.

After a vehicle was driven into open water on Lake Washington this weekend, the Le Sueur County Sheriff's Office is warning visitors to the lake in Le Sueur County to use caution, advising a large area of open water has developed in the area referred to as the Narrows. Sunday, Feb. 9, Capt. Bruce Collins confirmed the people in the vehicle escaped without injury.
The vehicle is now submerged in about 6 feet of water. The open water starts at the north shoreline and goes almost all the way across, to the south shore.

Jason Eugene Miller of Waterville died unexpectedly of natural causes in his home Thursday, Jan. 30, at the age of 71 years.

Gordon “Grump” Greenwald, age 79, of Elysian, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on February 1, 2025, in Mankato, Minnesota with his beloved wife, Sharon, by his side. He was the son of Leroy and Grace (Rachel) Greenwald and a lifelong resident of the family home where he was born.

An award ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 2 honoring Waterville resident Dalton Grose.
Grose will be presented with the Carnegie Medal for Heroism at 1 p.m. at the Waterville Event Center.
There will be a short program, featuring the events which led him to saving the life of a man in September of 2023 and thus being selected to receive this highest of honors.

The City of Waterville and Waterville Police Civil Service Commission has received three complaints January 9 against a pair of city employees.
The complaints were directed at Waterville Chief of Police John Manning and Public Works employee Jordan Edwards. Manning received two complaints against him and Edwards one.

For nearly two thirds of their game against Gopher Conference leading JWP, the WEM girls basketball team played right with the Bulldogs.
The Bucs led 30-29 at halftime and five minutes into the second half trailed by only one against the Bulldogs, who are undefeated in the conference and 16-2 overall.
It was at the 13 minute mark of the second half JWP's defense took over the game and they limited the Bucs to only 14 second half points, and just nine the final 13 minutes of their 60-44 win.

Two wins in the Gopher Conference last week has moved the WEM/JWP wrestling team into second place.
The Grizzlies edged previously undefeated Maple River/United South Central, 32-31, Friday, Jan. 17 in Janesville. They traveled to Medford Thursday, Jan. 23 and returned with a 42-29 win over the Tigers.
WEM/JWP is now 3-1 in the Gopher Conference and 10-6 overall. They trail Kenyon-Wanamingo in the conference and have two duals left against NRHEG and Triton.

Mahlon Charles Grubish, age 95, of Waterville, died peacefully on Friday, January 24, 2025, in Faribault