Elvin Leigh Wehking, age 57, of rural Janesville, died in a single vehicle crash on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
    The Le Sueur County Sheriff’s dispatch center received a 911 call at 5:33 p.m. of a vehicle crash near a residence on Tetonka Lake Road in Elysian Township. Le Sueur County Sheriff’s deputies and Elysian Fire and Rescue were initially dispatched to the scene. 
    Sheriff’s deputies noted that a 2003 Ford Taurus, driven by Wehking, had left the roadway, travelled through a ditch and collided with a large tree — which caused extensive front end damage to the vehicle. 

There was a motion on the floor to disband the Waterville Police Civil Service Commission, but it never received a second, so the Commission will remain.
Waterville City Council member Jennifer Grobe voiced her concerns about why the city has this Commission and she made the motion to end the Commission during the December 5 council meeting.
The motion died for lack of a second so the Police Civil Service Commission will not be abolished. It would have taken a unanimous vote of the council to end the commission.

The Tri-City United (TCU) boys basketball team outscored WEM 34-16 over the final nine minutes of their game Thursday, Dec. 28 to pull out a 72-68 nonconference win in Waterville.
After leading 27-25 at halftime, the Bucs increased their lead to 52-38 on a rebound basket by senior Caleb Caron with 9:13 remaining.
The TCU defense held the Bucs to five field goals over the next nine minutes while their offense did much of their damage at the free throw line, scoring 14 from the charity stripe, including the final four of the game.

Joan Clara Hermel, age 92, of Waterville passed away surrounded by her family on Sunday, December 31, 2023, at Traditions of Waterville.
Born on September 30, 1931, in Waterville, Joan was the daughter of Ben and Clara (Frodl) Gregor. She graduated from Waterville High School with the Class of 1949. On November 21, 1950, she was united in marriage to Milo Hermel at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Waterville. Joan was a homemaker and held various administrative jobs throughout her career. She retired from her working career at Le Sueur County. 

Thomas “Tom” Frederick Graham, 61, of Elysian, MN died at his home on December 23, 2023.

Merlyn H. Bruns, age 91, of New Ulm passed away peacefully on January 1, 2024, at the Sleepy Eye Care Center in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota.
 Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Ulm.  Pastor Jeffrey Bovee will officiate, and burial will follow in the St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in New Ulm where the New Ulm Area Comrades of Valor will provide full military honors.
 Visitation will be from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m. on Saturday at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church prior to the service.

Lee Ann Baumgarten, age 83, of Morristown, died Saturday, December 23, 2023, at Traditions of Waterville.

Thomas "Tom" Frederick Graham, age 61, of rural Elysian, died on Saturday, December 23, 2023 at his home.
Full obituary to follow. Arrangements are with Dennis-Steffel-Omtvedt Funeral and Cremation Service in Waterville. DSOFuneral.com

Lee Ann Baumgarten, age 83, of Morristown, died, Saturday, December 23, 2023, at Traditions of Waterville.
Full obituary to follow next week.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date. Dennis-Steffel-Omtvedt Funeral and Cremation Service is handling the arrangements. dsofuneral.com

Diana Turek, age 65 of Montgomery, was found deceased in her vehicle in front of Edel’s Meat Market at 116 1st Street North in Montgomery Thursday, Dec. 21.
A female customer arriving at the meat market noticed Turek in the vehicle and knocked on the window but got no response. She made a call to 911 at about 3:22 p.m.
Montgomery Police Officer Sladek was dispatched, arrived on scene and advised dispatch to send Montgomery Area EMS. Officer Sladek found Turek in her vehicle. He checked for vital signs and advised dispatch to cancel EMS as she was deceased.

You can guarantee yourself a win if you never let your opponent lead.
The WEM girls played two games last week and led from tip off to the final second, defeating Waseca 53-43 Tuesday, Dec. 12 and Faribault BA, 64-35 Friday, Dec. 15.
In the win over the Bluejays, the Bucs jumped out to a 13-5 lead behind a pair of three-pointers by Kylie LaFrance. WEM led 23-20 at halftime.

I am so thankful I don’t have to drive more than a couple of blocks to work every day after a Thursday morning trip to Mankato.
I have come to the conclusion the older I get the more I don’t really like to drive.
Night driving is becoming increasingly difficult. This was part of what made my Thursday early morning trip that much more frustrating.
I left the house at 6:30ish, which is 30 minutes or more behind my wife, who makes a trip to Mankato every day.
I know there are others who travel much farther and I don’t envy you at all.

The WEM Student Council sponsored a very successful clothes drive and giving tree for gift donation to Le Sueur County for the holiday season.
Tatum Richards, Student Council Vice President, and Trey Richards, 9th grade Vice President, donated a lighted Christmas Tree for the ornaments to be placed with various requested items needed for the holidays. Many games, toys, dolls, and warm winter gear were brought in from students, teachers, and community members who graciously took ornaments off the tree and bought those items.

With more than 1,800 individuals buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Elysian, keeping memorial flowers watered has now become easier.
A yard hydrant has been added to the property, located near the center of the cemetery behind the newer section of grave markers.
“They did this street (SW Maple Ave), and they cut the water at the stop sign,” said Jerry Kapaun, president of the Elysian Cemetery Committee. He noted...
To see more on this story pick up the December 21, 2023 print edition of the LifeEnterprise.

Charges have been officially filed in Le Sueur County Juvenile Court against three juveniles stemming from an incident which occurred in rural Madison Lake/Le Sueur County on October 9.
According to Le Sueur County Juvenile Court, the charges range from felony harassment based upon bias, gross misdemeanor 3rd Degree damage to property based upon race, and misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
Security cameras at the Chad Alladin residence in rural Le Sueur County showed a number of young people with toilet paper and some writing on Alladin’s son’s car Monday, Oct. 9.