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The Minnesota River Bulldog Hockey Team had an upand- down week last week. The team hosted Redwood Valley on December 14 and cranked out a definitive 8-1 victory.
Three days later, the boys traveled to Dodge County and lost to the Cobras by a score of 1-13.

After a couple of close losses to Fairmont 44-47, Belle Plaine 35-61, and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 38-40, the TCU boys’ basketball team cranked out a 65-52 home win over Sibley East on Friday, Dec. 17.

The great gift dilemma. We’ve all gone through it.
Especially at this time of year, a common quandary is what to give someone who has everything. If you don’t get a list of suggestions from the recipient, how do you choose something that allows you to communicate your feelings and appreciation for them?
You talk to people close to the recipient to get ideas.
You can guess what they’d like and attach a gift receipt with the present.
Or you buy the last resort - a gift card.

A number of school districts around the country, including Tri-City United, are responding to an anonymous threat on TikTok that seemingly warns against students attending class on Friday.
The threat, or "challenge,"reportedly calls on students to commit acts of violence on Dec. 17. It does not name a specific school or district.
According to TCU Superintendent Lonnie Seifert, there have been no threats that the district is aware of that specifically identify TCU schools as a site for violence.

The Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office, with other area law enforcement, held its Shop with a Cop the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 8, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in New Prague. There were 23 children that participated in the annual event that allows children to find gifts for family members and something for themselves.

Lawrence “Chappy” Plonsky, 88, of Heidelberg, passed away on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Fairmont. Visitation will be held on Monday, December 20, from 8 to 10 a.m. at Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery with Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. at St. Scholastica Catholic Church in Heidelberg. Interment will be held in the St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Lexington.

James A. “Jim” Pumper, age 62, of New Prague, died unexpectedly at his home on Monday, December 13, 2021.  Jim was born on August 11, 1959 to Myles and Dorothy (Moll) Pumper.  He grew up in Le Center and attended Le Center High School.  Jim was a self-taught mechanic, learning many of his skills through watching and with the help of his father.  Many knew Jim personally from the various automotive repair shops in the area.  Even in retirement, he spent his time doing various automotive tasks for family and friends.  He married Laurie J.

Jim Pumper, age 62, of New Prague, died unexpectedly at his home on Monday, December 13, 2021.
Wife, Laurie; Mother, Dorothy; Sister, Sue.  Services are pending.

Donald William Coughlin, age 82, of Montgomery passed away on Saturday, December 11, 2021. Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 17, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. with visitation starting at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery. Interment will be held at St. Michael’s Cemetery in Montgomery.
Military Honors will be provided by the Montgomery Area Veterans Honor Guard.

Thomas J. Shriver, age 87, of Montgomery, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 7, 2021. Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, December 16, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. with visitation one hour prior at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery. A celebration of life will be held in spring 2022.
Thomas was born to Michael Raymond and Agnes Loretta (Reedy) Shriver on September 10, 1934, in Watertown, SD. He married Dorothy Hillstad on April 2, 1954, and they raised a family of five children.

Le Sueur County received $3.7 million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), part of a $2.2 trillion federal economic stimulus bill that was passed in March 2020 in response to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
So, how did the county spend those dollars?

MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Transportation is preparing motorists for forecasted heavy snowfall rates Friday morning through Saturday morning. The heavy snowfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour are expected to reduce visibility, cause compaction on the roadways, and make travel difficult in south central and southwest Minnesota. 

Suzanne Theresa Gores, 71, of Montgomery, died Tuesday, December 7 at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester. Visitation will be held on Monday, December 13, 2021, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery. 
Funeral service will follow the visitation at the church at 11:30 a.m.  Burial will be held at Calvary Cemetery in Montgomery. 
Suzanne was born July 6, 1950, to James L. and JoAnn E. (Busch) Burns in Tracy, MN. She graduated from Lamberton High School, and married Joseph Michael Gores in Wabasso, MN on October 10, 1968. 

Ruth Marie Barta, 89, of Montgomery passed away at The Villages of Lonsdale on Friday, December 3, 2021 surrounded by her family. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, December 11, at 11 a.m. with visitation two hours prior at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery.
Ruth was born at home on the farm in Wheatland Township on July 14, 1932 to Joseph L. and Julia (Machacek) Tupy. She attended grade school in Veseli and graduated from New Prague High School.

Richard “Dick” Grosklags, age 82, of Savage, MN, passed November 24, 2021, at Savage Senior Living at Fen Pointe. A celebration of life will be on Sunday, December 12, at 2 pm, with a visitation starting at 12:30 pm, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation in Prior Lake. Family is requiring masks to be worn. A private family burial will be at Dawn Valley Cemetery, in Bloomington, MN.

A family of cousins found this year’s Christmas medallion on Wednesday, Dec. 1. Cousins (front, from left) Mikayla Segna, Ruby Vosejpka, Max Segna, and Zoey Finkenbiner (back) share the prize of $50 Monty Bucks and a $50 Mackenthun’s gift card. The cousins found the coin hidden in a coffee can that was on the tree line near the cemetery behind Mackenthuns’s Fine Foods.
Read more in the December 9 issue. (Wade Young Photo)

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