Area residents who have concerns, questions or ideas about how to improve Highway 19 the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) wants to hear from you. MnDOT will be having a virtual open house from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, March 2.

St. Louis Park High School announced this week that it will no longer compete this season against New Prague High School after an alleged racial incident at a Tuesday, Feb. 15, boys hockey game.
St. Louis Park Athletic Director Andrew Ewald sent a letter to New Prague AD Brad Skogerboe on Monday, Feb. 21, saying he's made the decision that the school "will not compete directly with New Prague High School as a result of the racist experience our boys hockey program was subject to.”

A new face will soon be walking the halls of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New Prague. Lauren Petersen joins the Holy Trinity staff on Tuesday, Feb. 22, as Director of Children, Youth & Family (CYF) Ministry.

She was an active toddler, a wall climber.
Now, she’s a ninja.
Ten-year-old Soumya Dohm, the daughter of Jeremy and Jessica Dohm of New Prague, is a member of Obstacle Academy’s Youth Ninja Team.
The ninja gym, which is located in Eden Prairie, is co-owned by two ninjas—Sarah Schoback of Hastings, who is known as one of the top females to ever compete on American Ninja Warrior, an NBC show featuring top athletes racing through challenging obstacle courses, and Hunter Guerard, who is better known as “The Lizard” on American Ninja Warrior.

Rep. Jim Hagedorn, R-Minn. of Blue Earth, died Thursday night at age 59 of kidney cancer, his wife said in a Facebook post.
Hagedorn represented the Minnesota’s First Congressional District, that includes 21 counties from South Dakota to Wisconsin, along the Iowa border. The district covers much of the southern third of the state and includes Rochester, Austin and Mankato.

Claims of racist taunts that were allegedly made during a girls basketball game in New Prague are being investigated. New Prague had a home game on Tuesday, Feb. 15, hosting Robbinsdale Cooper, with many players that are students of color. According to accounts it was a close game and as it neared its end students and adults in the New Prague section started making monkey noises. Some of the Robbinsdale Cooper coaches asked people in the crowd to stop.

Larry Schoenecker, left, demonstrates how to clean a fish at the Youth Fishing Seminar on Saturday, Feb. 12, at Raven Stream Elementary School in New Prague. There were 135 youth from ages 5 to 14 at the annual seminar hosted by the New Prague Sportsman’s Club. There was a casting contest, rod making demonstration, presentation about safety and regulations for fishing and prizes. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

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

The annual Lonsdale Area Chamber of Commerce dinner returned to its in-person format on Tuesday, Jan. 25 after last year’s drive-in style due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The year’s dinner took place at Ettlin’s Ranchero Supper Club in Webster where several dozen chamber members gathered together to enjoy a meal, share many laughs, and hear about the successes in 2021 and what is in store for the Chamber in 2022.

St. Wenceslaus School proudly presents Elf Jr.! Buddy the Elf is an “orphan” who accidentally climbed into Santa’s bag and took up residence at the North Pole. His enormous size and poor toy-making skills lead him to the realization that he is not a real elf. So begins Buddy’s quest to find his birth father in New York City. Join Buddy on his adventure as he tries to get his dad off the naughty list, discovers his true identity, and brings the Christmas spirit to all of New York.

This past fall, the Minnesota Senate implemented a new art program for K-12 students throughout Minnesota called “My District, My Minnesota”. The Minnesota Senate invited students to submit a drawing or a photograph of life in their district. One submission of life in their district per Senate District was chosen to hang in the Minnesota Senate Building for the following calendar year.

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.

New Prague High School held its Snoball Pep Fest on Friday, Feb. 4, with the coronation of its royalty. Libby Olson (left, front row) was named Queen and Jaxon Short was named King. Other candidates were Madi Josephson, Addie Hartshorn, Kenna Huber, Hannah Robasse, Annie Glomski, Sammie Kotek, Brynn Sticha, Josh Miler, Cam Prochaska, Matt Friedges, Joe Maxa, Tom McBroom, Ben Schmitz and Eddie Sirek. For more on Snoball see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

The Minnesota American Legion helped a New Prague veteran in getting a car to replace her old one on Friday, Feb. 4, at The Car Lot in New Prague. From left are Rob Krautkremer, owner of The Car Lot, veteran Brandy Steller, New Prague Post 45 Commander Linda Dvorak and Scott County Veteran Service Officer Marissa LaCourt with Steller’s new car. American Legion Department of Minnesota Adjutant Mike Maxa worked with Dvorak and LaCourt to purchase a 2000 Nissan Maxima and assist Steller. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

The New Prague Hy-Vee and its gas station are among six Minnesota properties that have been sold in leaseback deals that total more than $88 million. The combined grocery store and liquor store and gas station, all along 10th Avenue SE in New Prague, will still be operated by Hy-Vee Inc.