Tri-City United (TCU) junior Grant Fitterer closed out his 2024 season with a 47th place finish in the Section 2AA Cross Country Championship which was held at Benson Park in North Mankato.
Fitterer was clocked in 18:41 on the 5,000-meter course to lead the Titans. Mankato East senior Audi Thom won the race in 15:44.

The Miss Czech-Slovak Minnesota Pageant is now accepting applications for candidacy for junior ambassadors and queens for the 36th Annual Miss Czech-Slovak Minnesota Pageant.
An informational open house will be held at the Montgomery Public Library, 104 Oak Ave, on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 12-1:30 p.m. Potential candidates will have the opportunity to meet with board members, ask questions and learn about the opportunities.

In advance of the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, Le Sueur, Rice, and Scott Counties announce plans to illuminate county buildings green from Monday, Nov. 4, to Monday, Nov. 11, as part of Operation Green Light for Veterans, a nationwide effort uniting counties to support military veterans.
Le Sueur County Veterans Service Officer, Mark Roemhildt, stated, “Operation Green Light is an opportunity to show appreciation for those who served our nation in the armed forces. A simple ‘thank you’ or gesture like illuminating a green light shows our support.”

Locations will be open during the stated days/times starting September 20 (Fri).
Locations will also be open 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on November 2 (Sat), and November 3 (Sun).
Locations will also be open until 5:00 p.m. on November 4 (Mon).
Locations will serve all voters in the county unless marked with an asterisk (*).
Those marked with an asterisk (*) will only serve residents of that city/town.

For additional questions, contact the county auditor or municipal clerk.
Le Sueur County

As an incentive for students of Most Holy Redeemer School (MHRS) to raise funds, Pastor Timothy Sandquist said he would sleep on the Catholic school’s rooftop if they raised at least $25,000 in funds.
“They did a great job. They really did surprise me,” said Father Sandquist. “Typically, they went to relatives and friends and knocked on their doors to raise the funds.” Total amount of funds raised were $29,642.15 and there is an additional $25,000 for the matching grant from Bob Washa.

Kindness continues to live on in Kailey Mach’s legacy, who passed away tragically in a house explosion in the late hours of Feb. 26, 2022, while house sitting in rural Lexington Township.

Gloria A. Kovall, age 85, of Annandale, died on Sunday, October 27, 2024, at the Annandale Care Center.
A Requiem High Mass will be held 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at Immaculate Conception Traditional Catholic Church, Sartell with Fr. Nino Molina officiating. Burial will follow at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, at Woodlawn Cemetery, Annandale. Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Monday at Dingmann Funeral Care Chapel, Annandale and one hour prior to the service on Tuesday at the church. A prayer service will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday at the funeral home.

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Aria Stepka, 9, of Tri-City United Lonsdale Elementary School, was chosen as the 2024 Torchlight Parade and Fireworks button designer winner.
The honors were presented to Mrs. Brenda Petersen’s 4th grade classroom on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at noon. Stepka was very surprised, and her classmates were extremely supportive and happy for her.

Minnesota’s Paid Leave Law was passed by the Minnesota legislature in 2023, and it will go fully into effect on Jan. 1, 2026. A multi-chamber of commerce event, including New Prague, Montgomery and Lonsdale, was held on Thursday, Sept. 26, at Next Chapter Winery in Lanesburg Township to discuss the changes coming forward regarding the new law.
Minnesota Director of Paid Leave Greg Norfleet presented to a capacity group of about 40 registered area business owners, sole proprietors, and employees about what that means for them.

The Tri-City United (TCU) boys soccer team shut out two opponents in the Section 2A soccer tournament last week.
Those two wins move the Titans into the Section 2A Championship Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Austin against No. 1 seed Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa.
TCU blanked Wings United, 6-0, Thursday, Oct 10 in Montgomery and did not allow a score in a 3-0 semifinal win over St. Peter Saturday, Oct. 12 in Montgomery.
In the opening match victory, the Titans got three assists and a goal from Cooper Sutherland and three goals from Angel Ruiz Gomez.

Janice Marie Sticha, age 81, of Lonsdale passed away peacefully and unexpectedly, on October 11, 2024, following a brief illness.  Born on June 12, 1943, Janice lived a life marked by quiet strength and grace.  She faced adversity with courage, an attribute that defined her throughout her life.  She was a cherished and beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.  She leaves behind a legacy of love, friendship, caring, resilience, and wisdom.

Misty Marie (Looft) Lobeck passed away Sunday, October 6, 2024, after a courageous fight with cancer. 
Misty was born on March 18, 1978, to Dale and Gail Looft in Spirit Lake, Iowa.  She graduated from Montgomery – Lonsdale High School in 1996.  She participated in band playing the clarinet and earned the honor of being chosen to participate in the All State Band her senior year.
Misty's amazing memory and gift of organization allowed her to become a valuable team member in the materials department at St. Francis Hospital in Shakopee, MN, for 22 years.

“We started slowly as Waseca jumped out to a quick 21-0. After the initial surge, we were able to slow down their explosive offense and get some turnovers,” said Head Football Coach Matt Collins. “After the first quarter, we went back and forth with them, and we had a couple of nice drives. We did a really good job stopping their run game throughout all four quarters.”

This past week I saw a literature piece that I assume was sent to almost all households in Lanesburg Township. It was a hit piece about candidate Liz Krocak who is running for a county board seat. The authors of this mailing did not have the courage to sign their names,  which tells me a lot about what I need to know about their character. An unsigned letter isn't worth the paper it is written on.

Mayo Clinic Health System in New Prague broke ground on their $9 million Cancer Center and Infusion Therapy expansion on Oct. 2.
"This expansion of the Cancer Center is a reflection of our commitment to providing cutting-edge care, individualized support and a healing environment for every patient who walks through our doors," says James Hebl, M.D., regional vice president of Mayo Clinic Health System in Southwest Minnesota.