The New Prague Trojan adapted softball team split a pair of games last week, defeating South Suburban 11-7 and losing to Burnsville/Farmington/Lake ville 9-6.
The team, which includes athletes from New Prague, Tri-City United, Belle Plaine and Jordan schools, was scheduled to play at Minneapolis Tuesday and will host White Bear Lake in its final home game Thursday, May 9. New Prague is on the road for its final two games of the season, at Dakota United in Rosemount Tuesday, May 14, and facing Chaska/Chanahsssen/Prior Lake/Shakopee at Prior Lake Thursday, May 16.

A sold out audience attended the fifth official screening of the documentary “Singin’ in the Grain” at the New Prague High School auditorium on Sunday, May 5. More than 600 people gathered for the movie, which is about Czech heritage and music that covers more than 40 years of the Eddie Shimota Band.

This column was going to be about history, but on a national and state level. Now it’s going to be on a more personal level after a meeting with a couple on Sunday, May 5.

The Trojan boys track team competed at the Orono Invitational Thursday, May 2, placing fifth of eight teams.

After public comments and an about-face by a council member, the Lonsdale City Council is reweighing how and when to proceed with a new police department and City Hall project.
"There's really no point at having further discussions tonight. We discussed and that's where it's at," said Mayor Tim Rud to close out the city council special meeting that included public comments by community members on May 1.

By unanimous vote, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted and Jordan high schools were accepted into the Wright County Conference, beginning with the 2020-21 school year.
The move brings the total number of schools in the conference to 16. Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted will join the West Division of the conference and Jordan will join the East Division. Mound Westonka will move from the West to the East, giving the conference two eight-team divisions for major sports.

Jeremy Engebretson has accepted an offer to become the new principal for Raven Stream Elementary School. The New Prague Area School board is scheduled to approve the hiring at its May 13 meeting.
He will take over for Pat Pribyl, longtime principal and teacher in the New Prague district. Pribyl announced his retirement last month.

Two sections of Highway 99 in Le Sueur and Rice Counties will be under construction beginning Monday, May 20 for resurfacing, drainage and safety improvements.
According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), Highway 99 from Highway 13 to Highway 21 in Rice County will be detoured to Highway 13 and Highway 21 on Monday, May 20 as crews begin replacing culverts. The detour will remain in place until project completion in October.

Helen E. Meger, age 80, of rural Le Center, Minnesota passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on May 5, 2019 at the Central Health Care in Le Center, Minnesota.
Helen was born on June 9, 1938 in Spooner, Wisconsin.  She worked at Indianhead Café in Spooner and after graduating from Spooner High School in 1961, she moved to Wausau, Wisconsin. Four years later she moved to Minnesota.
After moving to the New Prague, Le Center area, she worked at Munsingwear for 22 years. 
She was married to Robert Meger on November 25, 1961.  They lived at the farmhouse since then.

Dave Velishek, of Prior Lake, passed away May 2, 2019 at the age of 75.  A visitation will be held on Monday, May 6, 2019 from 3:00 – 7:00 PM.  Mass of Christian Burial is Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at 11:00 AM with visitation from 9:30 – 10:45 AM.  All services will be held at St. Michael Catholic Church in Prior Lake.  Father Tom Walker will preside, and Dave’s grandchildren will act as pallbearers.  Dave will be laid to rest at Credit River Cemetery with military honors provided by the Prior Lake Honor Guard. 

Runners leave the starting gate at Memorial Park to start the 13.1 mile Run New Prague Half-Marathon Saturday, May 4. It was a near-perfect day for running runners of all ages gathered for the half-marathon, 10K and 5K races and Kid's Fun Run Saturday, May 4, at New Prague's Memorial Park. Chris Caron of Maple Grove was the first one to cross the finish line, in 1 hour, 18 minutes, 5.2 seconds. Anja Standly of New Prague was the first woman to complete the race, in 1:37.4. See more in the May 9 print edition.

On June 26, Karen VonBank will be bringing to a close more than 42 years of being a daycare provider. She actually came to the decision back in 2018, in April of that year she informed the families of the children she was caring for that she would be retiring.
Before her retirement, she received on Thursday, April 25, the Scott County Daycare Provider of the Year Award. It is the third time she has been honored, her first time to receive the award was in 1990 and the second was in 2005.

New Prague’s Adapted Softball team travelled to East Ridge High School Thursday, April 25, where they lost a 14-3 contest to the South Washington Thunderbolts.
New Prague just couldn't seem to get in the rhythm, coach Shellie Kriha said. “We allowed too many runs and didn't produce hits on offense,” she said.
South Washington took a 4-0 lead in the first, but New Prague got hits from Evan Minar and Shane Friedrick before Breanna Stark drove in the team’s first run.

The Le Sueur County Pioneer Power Association hosted its annual Swap Meet at its showgrounds near Le Sueur Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 26-28.
More than 800 vendors were registered for the meet, which is considered one of the largest in the nation.
Whether you were looking for antiques, collectibles, car and tractor parts, hardware, power equipment, toys, clothing, home-made candies and maple syrup or hand-crafted items, chances are someone had something you were looking for.

The weather held out long enough for the New Prague Trojan girls golf team to compete in three tournaments last week. Two of them were Wright County Conference meets at Baker National and the other was the New Prague Invitational.
The Trojans have two meets scheduled for the week ahead. They compete in the Northfield Invitational at Willingers GC Thursday, May 2, and will host a rescheduled WCC East Meet at CreeksBend GC on Monday, May 6.

Big innings led to big wins for three Dakota-Rice-Scott League baseball teams on the first day of the regular season Sunday, April 28.
New Market scored eight runs in the 11th inning to defeat St. Benedict 10-2, Prior Lake used a nine-run sixth to power their way to a 13-3 win over Shakopee and St. Patrick broke open a close game with a seven-run seventh inning to claim an 8-0 win over Lonsdale. Also on Sunday, Faribault defeated Webster 7-4, Veseli defeated Union Hill 4-3 and Montgomery registered a 4-0 win over New Prague.