After a very successful regular season, the Tri-City United (TCU) girls basketball team has received the No. 3 seed in the Section 2AA Tournament, which starts Monday, Feb. 24.
The Titans will face No. 14 seed, Blue Earth Area. A win, and the Titans would host either Belle Plaine and Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial Thursday, Feb. 27. The Section Semifinals will be played at MSU-Mankato Monday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
TCU had a busy week against some very good teams and finished with one win and a pair of losses.

Scott West, rated 12th in Class AA, ended the team portion of the wrestling season for the Tri-City United (YCU) grapplers.
The Titans split two matches in the Section 2AA Tournament Thursday, defeating Orono, 39-30, and losing in the quarterfinals to Scott West.
TCU won eight matches in their win over Orono. Two of their five losses were forfeits.
Winning by fall were Gage Factor (127) pinning Bennett Williams in 4:32, Nathan Blaschko (152) pinning Daniel Bremer in 60 seconds, and Blake Herman (160) pinning Jacob Rodgers in 1:42.

Four Tri-City United Le Center PreK-8 School elementary students from recently participated in the Minnesota Music Educators Association’s (MMEA) second annual Elementary AllStar Choir, held at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Saturday, Feb. 15. This special event brought together 180 students, in grades 4-6, from across Minnesota for a day of rehearsals and an inspiring performance as part of the MMEA Midwinter Convention.

Local musician and Montgomery Fire Department firefighter Sean Benz and his band The Misfits were approached with a special opportunity last July. “I was asked to play the Richie Valens Luncheon after my band and I were done playing at the Iowa Rock n’Roll Music Association’s ‘Rock the Roof’ event, something we’ve done for many years now,” said Sean Benz. “Connie Valens approached me and said, ‘Hey, I’d love to have you play the Richie Valens Luncheon,’ and she invited us as their special guest for the Winter Dance Party (as well).”

TCU Schools closed Tuesday, Feb. 18, because of extreme cold.
The National Weather Service issued a weather warning beginning Monday, Feb. 17, 9 p.m.
Tuesday will be an e-learning day. KidZone closed. After-school activities on, but the girls' basketball game is canceled.

Jerry George Herrmann left this world peacefully on February 15, 2025, at the age of 86, surrounded by his family. Jerry was born on June 25, 1938, in New Prague, MN, to Jerry and Mary (Tikalsky) Herrmann of Lonsdale. He grew up in Lonsdale, graduated from New Prague High School in 1956 and the University of MN School of Pharmacy in 1962.

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.

Recognizing it will face more challenging opponents in the weeks to come, the New Prague floor hockey team has enjoyed victory in its first two games this season.

The Tri-City United (TCU) wrestling team split two duals during their home triangular Thursday, Jan. 16 in Montgomery.
The Titans defeated a depleted Le Sueur-Henderson squad, 57-17 and lost a 43-23 match to Redwood Valley.
In the win over the Giants, the Titans received six forfeits and one default. Winning matches were Owen Delander (107 pounds) with a fall in 1:45 over Kain Romano, Nathan Blaschko (152) with a fall in 4:10 over Isaac Holloway, and Maxxis Ross (160) with a 14-9 decision over Luke Miller.

Multiple fire departments responded to the scene of an industrial fire at Fiberglas Fabricators, 315 W Industrial Street, in Le Center, on Monday, Jan. 13, shortly before midnight.
A Le Sueur County Sheriff’s deputy contacted his patrol sergeant at approximately 11:47 p.m. saying that he had observed smoke coming from the roof soffit air vents of the building, observed smoke inside the building, and that the air smelled of smoke, according to the incident report from Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Department.

Donald J. Trump was sworn in this week very peacefully. I look to four years prior and the opposite was true. To say otherwise would be to lie. These days, I wonder how much lying or searching for a lie plausible enough to believe that many people have been doing.

Two wins in three games last week has evened the Minnesota River boys hockey team’s record at 8-8.
The Bulldogs dropped a 4-3 contest at Mankato East Tuesday, Jan. 14. They rebounded to win two Big South Conference games, both by 9-1 scores. The Bulldogs put up 60 shots in a 9-1 win over Windom Thursday, Jan. 16. They matched that score Saturday with a win over Worthington.
Scoring goals in the loss to East were Kaden Throldahl, Eian O’Keefe, and Riley Kamm. Assists were recorded by Tyler Gogerty, Jack Miller, and Ryker Rehm.

A group of quilters from St. John Lutheran Church in Montgomery has spent a great deal of volunteer time making 56 quilts that were sent off earlier this week, via Lutheran World Relief, to help aid those affected by the wildfires in the Los Angeles area of California.
The victims will also be receiving personal care kits that include things like a towel, soap, toothbrush, and nail clippers.
A total of $500 was raised in the collection baskets this Sunday at the church to help with the shipping of items, something that is direly needed according to Gari Teig.

Joel Edward Kukacka, age 73, of New Prague, died on the evening of Wednesday, January 1, 2025, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.