The City of New Prague will have the building located at 102 E. Main Street (containing The Consignment Lodge at 102 E. Main Street and Downtown Sound at 104 E. Main Street) posted as an unsafe structure and to be vacated (per MN Rules1300.0180) until further notice.

The Le Sueur County Commissioners cast their votes Tuesday, April 6 for their top candidates for the county administrator position.
The board was presented a list of nine candidates by DDA Human Resources Management Consultant Liza M. Donabauer, who has been working on the hiring process for the county.
The position was posted February 17 and four weeks later 30 individuals had applied. 14 of those applicants were selected as semifinalists. Of those, five withdrew their applications.

Scott County Sheriff Luke Hennen was appointed to the Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), effective Monday, April 5. His appointment was among several board appointments recently announced by Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan.

Students from St. Wenceslaus School in New Prague worked on a challenge from the Minnesota Zoo to get their red panda, Min, out and about more.
Red pandas are omnivores, but can also exist on a bamboo diet, and are native to Asia’s high forests and are unfortunately an endangered species. Red pandas are slightly larger than a domestic cat with a bear-like body and thick russet fur.

Crews break ground the morning of Monday, April 5, at the strip mall west of Coborn’s Marketplace. The project will add 4,800 square feet to the strip mall and expand the parking lot to the west towards Chalupsky Ave. SE. The construction value of the project is $425,203 for the “shell building” with the space finished when there is a tenant. For more see an upcoming print edition of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

Frank Wergin, left, baptizes his son Jack being held by mom Allie during the Holy Saturday baptismal ceremony at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New Prague. The Saturday, April 3, celebration included five families who were having their children baptized. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the ceremony was held outside with families separated and many wearing masks. For more on the celebration see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

The Week of 4/5/2021:
Road Closure and Detour is expected to be in place prior to 8:00 a.m. on Monday, April 5th.
On Monday, April 5th, the contractor (SM Hentges & Sons, Inc.) will be saw cutting pavement, curbs, and walks in preparation of removals to begin the next day.

A steady drizzle on Saturday, March 27, didn’t stop families from attending the Elko New Market Egg Hunt. Held from 10-11:30 a.m. in the Eagle View Elementary School parking lot, volunteers took entries for an egg guessing game and handed out 362 of 400 bags that had treats and prizes in them. Families could also explore the Elko New Market Fire Department’s ladder truck, an Elko New Market Police Department vehicle or meet the Easter Bunny. 

A south bound vehicle caused damage and a power outage at Union Hill before midnight on Thursday, March 25.
According to Minnesota Valley Electric Co-Op (MVEC) the power outage was reported around 11:15 p.m. and fixed by 12:35 a.m. on Friday, March 26. The driver had hit and snapped two guy wires that anchor an electric pole to the ground. A wire wrapped around one of the power lines causing the outage.

**UPDATE**
Chief Brady Juell is pleased to announce arrests have been made in the TDF Robbery Case.
Authorities in WI arrested our suspects in the same car used in this robbery after they robbed a bank. Numerous WI law enforcement jurisdictions were involved in the apprehension that resulted after a vehicle pursuit. Numerous clothing items and firearms were taken into custody after the arrest that confirm involvement in our case.  

On Thursday, March 18, during a virtual public hearing about the second stage of the reconstruction of New Prague’s Main Street between the City of New Prague, property and business owners and residents of the area, it was noted work would begin on Monday, April 26. The next day that start date had changed to Monday, April 5.
The contractor, SM Hentges & Sons, Inc. of Jordan, reviewed the long range forecast on Friday, March 19, and determined that...
To read more on this article, pick up the March 25, 2021 print edition of The New Prague Times.

Lucy Sticha of New Prague has some pretty good ideas about how to run a city.
If she were mayor—for only one day—the St. Wenceslaus Catholic School sixth grader would use her time to build affordable housing, update dangerous roads, and create more parks.
Lucy wrote these local government leadership ideas in a “Mayor for a Day” essay. It was a class assignment, but her essay went on to claim honorable mention in the League of Minnesota Cities’ 2020 Mayor for a Day Essay Contest! More than 150 Minnesota fourth, fifth, and sixth graders participated in the contest.

There will be two drive through events for area children this weekend. On Saturday, March 27, from 10-11:30 a.m. Elko New Market’s Community & Civic Events Committee (CCEC) will be hosting the annual Egg Hunt. On Sunday, March 28, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church, west of New Prague, will have an Easter for Kids Drive-Thru.

Rice County is working with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) on designing a proposed six-legged roundabout at the intersection of Interstate 35 and Highway 19. Rice County Highway Engineer Dennis Luebbe said while they are early in the design stages, they hope to award a contract in 2022 and begin work on the project in 2023.

The New Prague School Board received updates on employee vaccinations and COVID cases in the school district at its Monday, March 22, meeting.
Superintendent Tim Dittberner said by the end of the week 125 employees will have received their...
To read more on this story, pick up the March 25, 2021 print edition of The New Prague Times.

Dennis Simon aims for the green on Monday, March 22, at the New Prague Golf Club on a day with temperatures around 57 degrees Fahrenheit. It was the second day the golf course was open, with roughly 50 players enjoying the weather. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)