It was -13ºF outside, but things were heating up inside the Waterville Area Senior Center, Thursday morning, February 3.
There’s music. There’s laughter. And, there’s exercise.
There’s also a handmade sign taped in the front of the room that reads: Stop if you get tired. Sit and rest or sway side to side instead of marching. It’s Okay!
It’s the local S.A.I.L. (Stay Active and Independent for Life) exercise program.

WEM//JWP freshman Keegan Kuball had an outstanding week of wrestling for the Grizzlies.
Kuball improved his team-leading record to 31-2 and his team-leading pin total to 22 with three falls in a pair of events last week.
WEM/JWP faced Medford (11-2 overall) Thursday, Feb. 3 in a Gopher Conference dual in Waterville. Kuball earned the only victory for the Grizzlies in matches wrestled, pinning Kamilo Gonzales in 3:02.

Informational meeting to be February 13
The Miss Czech Slovak MN Program is seeking participants for its pageant in April and younger girls for its Junior Ambassador Program. An informational meeting for both groups will be held on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, at 1 p.m. at Montgomery Oil Company and David's Diner, 200 Fourth Street NW.
Miss Czech Slovak Minnesota Pageant

If gratitude can seep into your blood, my February blood donations are brimming with it.
My daughter Anna required multiple blood transfusions during her open heart surgery, a a procedure she underwent when she was just seven months old.
So, if my blood donation day happens to fall in February (the month her surgery took place), I dedicate my donation to my now 12-year-old daughter, her skilled surgeon, and those amazing anonymous people who donated the blood that saved her life.
I became a regular blood donor last year.

John (Jake) “Pops” Keohen, age 83, of Montgomery, beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather, and great grandfather left this earth to join his heavenly Father on February 8th, 2022.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Kay; his sons, John “Jake”, Pete, Matt, Tim’s widow, Diana; stepchildren, Scott (Diane), Craig (Carolyn), Pam (Larry), Faith (Randy) and sister, Kathryn (Tatty); 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen and Jerry; sisters, Mary Hennes and Patricia Rynda; brother, Jerry and son, Tim “Wally”.

Big things are happening in the woods on Elysian’s west side.
Jacob and Leslie Lee are transforming the former Knotty Pine Bar and Grill into Ahavah Cottage, an elegant wedding and event venue that can accommodate up to 295 people.
The couple purchased the property in November.
“This place means a lot to me,” Leslie stated with a smile. “I worked here as a single mom back when it was The Bear’s Den… It feels almost surreal now to walk in, knowing we own this place.”

John (Jake) “Pops” Keohen, age 83, of Montgomery, beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather, and great grandfather left this earth to join his heavenly Father on February 8th, 2022.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Kay; his sons, John “Jake”, Pete, Matt, Tim’s widow, Diana; stepchildren, Scott (Diane), Craig (Carolyn), Pam (Larry), Faith (Randy) and sister, Kathryn (Tatty); 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen and Jerry; sisters, Mary Hennes and Patricia Rynda; brother, Jerry and son, Tim “Wally”.

Press release from the Le Sueur County Sheriff's Office.
Le Sueur County Sheriff Brett Mason reports that on Tuesday, February 8th, Agents, with the Cannon River Drug and Violent Offender Task Force, assisted by the Sheriff’s Office Investigations Unit and the Waterville Police Department arrested Nathan William Quast, age 37 and Emily Ann Wagner, age 33 of Waterville after an investigation in their involvement in control substance and possessing stolen property.

Ethan Shane Delaske passed away on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at his home in Janesville with his parents and sister by his side at the age of 5 years old.

The WEM/JWP wrestling team picked up their most falls in a dual meet this year, pinning four Kenyon-Wanamingo wrestlers in a 48-32 loss to the Knights Thursday, Jan. 20.
Brady Murphy (106) opened the night with a fall in 3:04 over Ryan LaCanne.
Lucas Morsching (145) recorded a fall in 3:46 over Austin Avery.
Sam Carlson (220) pinned Charles Konkur in 1:39.
Heavyweight Keegan Kuball pinned Amari Stokes in 1:36.
Carson Petry (113) picked up a 15-0 technical fall over Masyn Hanson in 4:35.
Gavin Krause (138) earned a 9-3 decision over Landon Trump.

Since August, three daycares have closed in the local area, according to Minnesota Department of Human Service’s online Family Child Care database. One was located in Elysian. The other two were in Waterville.
During that same time frame, two new home daycares have opened.
Sheila Mack opened her home daycare, Homegrown Kids Childcare, in Waterville in early January, after weeks spent scrambling to find more convenient care for her infant foster daughter.

Richard “Dick” Stangler, of Kilkenny, has spent his entire life working with seed. His first job was to clip the metal MCIA seal on seed bags with a pliers. His grandfather, Elmer, started the family in the certified seed business; his father, Jim, followed.

I was venturing back through some of my first columns and came across this Schneid Remarks from 1990 when I worked at the Waseca County LifeEnterprise News. I actually thought it was quite funny.
I wrote this column about the art of refereeing basketball, something which I have always had a frustration with. Since playing high school and college basketball, and now reporting on the sport, I have grown to appreciate what referees have to go through.

The next step toward the 2022 election will take place Tuesday, Feb. 1 at its most grassroots level.
It's caucus time.
Le Sueur and Rice County Republicans and DFLers will meet in separate locations to gear up for the election by passing resolutions, electing delegates to send to the local and state conventions and – most likely – talking about the 2022 race for the governor's office. The delegates sent to those conventions will then endorse candidates for State and National offices.

As the Mayor of the City of New Prague, Duane J. "Dewey" Jirik received a copy of “Minnesota’s ‘Big Woods’ Musicians” authored by Sr. Anita Smisek, OP, with narrative assistance from John Chromy.
That’s when he saw his family on the pages and wanted his sons to have their copies.

WEM seniors Brady Nutter and Michael Taylor each recorded historic accomplishments during a 92-58 win over Medford Thursday, Jan. 20.
Nutter finished with a triple double, scoring 20 points, grabbing a career-high 16 rebounds, and dishing out a career-high 11 assists. He hit 9-of-14 from the field and made both of his three-point attempts.