FFA Week has a new title at WEM High School, FFA/ Snow Week.
The WEM FFA will run daily activities as they have for years, with the addition of coronation.
Three males and three females in each of the high school grades were chosen as royalty. They were voted on by WEM staff based on their PBIS traits. Grade level students will then vote for their king and queen of the court. The royalty includes:

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.

The work of former Le Sueur County resident Edward S. Curtis, a world renowned photographer of Native Americans during the late 1800s and early 1900s, is being celebrated in the form of a free exhibit in the lower-level of the Elysian Area Library and Heritage Center, now through mid-March.
With more than 85 large prints on display and indigenous artifacts, the exhibit is the largest of its kind to be featured in the area—a salute to Curtis’s ties to Elysian Township.

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.

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

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.”

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.

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.

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.

WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM, Friday, January 7, 2022.
The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.Counties involved are Anoka, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Dakota, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, Le Sueur, Martin, McLeod, Nicollet, Ramsey, Redwood, Rice, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Steele, Waseca, Watonwan and Wright.

The WEM Board of Education approved a slight increase to the school district’s levy for the 2022 pay year.
The board adopted a proposed levy in September based on the limits set by the Minnesota Legislature. The increase in levy is due to an increase in debt service.
But according to Business Manager Margaret Jewison, county assessors determine estimated market values for each parcel of property in the WEM School District.

The Le Sueur County Board of Commissioners approved the final 2022 levy in the amount of $24,611,528, which is an increase of $1.1 million or 4.8 percent from 2021.
This action was taken during the December 21 meeting.
County departments developed their proposed budgets during the months of April and May. Work sessions are held between the department heads and the county commissioners during June through August. In September the board sets the preliminary levy.

Students at Trinity Lutheran School, North Morristown, performed a special “Miracle in a Manger” Christmas program as part of the morning worship service on Dec. 12 at Trinity Lutheran Church. The children acted out the story of Christ’s birth, which took place over 2,000 years ago. The program was filled with joyful songs and prayer. Pianist Susan Wagner and organist Val Braun provided musical accompaniment.

The Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office, with other area law enforcement, held its Shop with a Cop the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 8, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in New Prague. There were 23 children that participated in the annual event that allows children to find gifts for family members and something for themselves.