Montgomery received its holiday dressing on Wednesday, Nov. 28, when workers from the City of Montgomery installed the holiday Czech banners and lighted decorations on First Street. The decorations made it up just in time for the Torchlight Parade and Fireworks on Thursday, Nov. 29. The parade starts at 6:30 p.m. (Wade Young Photo)

Small Business Saturday on November 24 looked like it was well-received by a lot of people. I haven’t seen First Street that packed on a Saturday in a long time. Cars lined the street, causing some to spill over into the side streets for the morning and majority of the afternoon.
It was good to see.
Watching the news reports about the Black Friday frenzy, I couldn’t help but feel sorry. I felt sorry for shoppers in the larger cities. I’m sure they are normally nice people, but that day transforms them into Black Friday crazies.

A group of kids are taking kindness to the next level when they organized a clothing drive for the residents of the poorest county in the United States.
Twenty students in Shaun Robbins’ seventh and eighth grade advisory class at TCU Montgomery Middle School organized and promoted a clothing drive over the past several weeks. Their efforts acquired 11 full boxes of warm clothes and blankets for the residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

Le Sueur County has a furry, four-legged crime fighter.
The county’s newest K-9, “Jett”, started work on November 20.
The county secured Jett, a purebred German Shepherd, last autumn when he was around nine-weeks-old. Jett was bred locally from Kozie Shepherds in southern Minnesota and attended his K9 academy with Le Sueur County Deputy Joe Kern at Performance Kennels in Buffalo. Nationally Certified K9 Trainer, Steve Pearson, was responsible for training Jett.

Second graders, Ty Wohlers and Eydie Fleek don’t recall if they have ever seen the special float that starts the Torchlight Parade and Fireworks event, but they will see it firsthand on Thursday, Nov. 29.
Ty, son of George and Shanda Wohlers of rural Montgomery, and Eydie, daughter of Ann and Matthew Fleek of Montgomery, have been selected to be the Junior Grand Marshals of the 2018 holiday event.

Father Kevin Clinton, center, offers a blessing on several tractors the morning of Sunday, Nov. 18, at St. John the Evangelist Church of Union Hill. The brief ceremony was also to celebrate this time of blessings and thankfulness at the end of the harvest. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

James Michael Parkos, 46, of Sauk Rapids, formerly of Lonsdale, passed away, November 13, 2018. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 20, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery, with visitation two hours prior at church.
Jim was born on February 21, 1972, in Faribault, to Robert and Nancy (Rein) Parkos. He was a 1990 graduate of Montgomery-Lonsdale High School.
Jim was a heavy equipment repair mechanic. He enjoyed his Harley Motorcycle, Minnesota Vikings, eating chicken wings, tractors/farm equipment, and going to Pioneer Power.

A Czech cultural organization whose ambassadors have appeared in events throughout Minnesota and other states for close to two decades will come to an end next month.
Domaci Inc., and its groups, the Domaci Czech Folk Dancers and the Czech Heritage Junior Royalty, will hold its final performance and royalty ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 2. Directors Arnie and Deb Ziskovsky, the founders of Domaci Inc., have been leading and coordinating the ambassadors for 19 years, and they are ending it with their annual event, Hometown Holidays at the Park Ballroom in New Prague.

A few changes could be in the works for the Dakota-Rice- Scott League baseball next summer as the Minnesota Baseball Association has changed its criteria for classification of teams.
Currently 12 of the 13 teams in the league are classified as Class C teams and one (Elko) is Class B. The association is implementing a points system to classify teams, based on population of the community, the number of players with collegiate and professional experience on their roster from outside the community, and success in the state tournament over the past five years.

Luella Elizabeth McGillen, 95, of Le Center passed away on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, at the Benedictine Living Community of St. Peter.  Visitation will be held on Monday, Nov. 19, 2018, from 8:30 until 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Le Center, with the Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10 a.m.  Father Christopher Shofner will be officiating.  Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in Le Center. 

A Le Sueur County judge has ordered the Le Sueur County Historical Society (LCHS) to turn over all of its financial records and books, hold a fair and democratic election for members, and allow the additional members to join the lawsuit against it, among other things.
This order was filed on November 8.
A lawsuit was filed against LCHS on February 21 by 16 members who allege the existing board of LCHS has mismanaged the society, has murky financial dealings, and followed anti-democratic processes, which, they state are contrary to Minnesota law and LCHS bylaws.

Every year on November 11, Americans honor the 19.6 million active and former US service members who have gone to war.
Locally, Veterans Day is often marked by school programs with speeches and solemn ceremonies, and special meals as a way to offer our appreciation.
As a way to say "thanks for your service”, the students and staff at Tri-City United Schools and Most Holy Redeemer School held their Veterans Day programs on Monday.

Earl Theodore Gramling, 88, of Le Center, died on November 7, 2018. Visitation will be held on Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, from 3 to 7 p.m. concluding with a KC Service at Le Center Funeral Home in Le Center. 
 
Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 10 a.m. with visitation from 9 to 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Le Center. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in Le Center. Military honors will be provided by the Le Center Area Veterans Honor Guard. In lieu of flowers memorials preferred to St. Mary's Church.
 

Rolling a perfect, 300 game isn't easy. 
It's an accomplishment for the most well-seasoned bowler.
And when a father and son roll 300 games on the same night, it's one for the memory books.
Brian Henze of Montgomery and his son, Tyler, both bowled perfect games Thursday night, October 25.
"We both got 300s and were 300 miles apart," Brian shared. "It's pretty special."
Brian was subbing for a friend at Pla Mor Lanes in Montgomery.