The Ptarmigans’ offense was clicking during the 62nd SnoBowl on Saturday, Jan. 1, at Memorial Park in New Prague. The Ptarmigans won 28-0 against the Polars in the long running alumni snow football game. Teams are made up of graduates from New Prague High School. This was one of the coldest games played as temperatures were -5 degrees Fahrenheit. For more on the game see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

Mary Ann Ruehling, age 62, of New Prague, died peacefully with her husband at her side, on Christmas Day 2021 at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital in Rochester.  Mary Ann was born on July 20, 1959 in Detroit Lakes to Arthur and Mary Jane (Lundeen) Kiehl.  Born and raised in Detroit Lakes, she graduated from Detroit Lakes High School.  She met the man who would become her soul mate and life partner, John B. Ruehling, three years before they married on August 13, 1988 at Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lanesburgh.

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.

The Lonsdale City Council has approved another no-frills budget and property tax levy for the 2022 fiscal year.
“I know there are no frills in this budget,” said Lonsdale City Council Member Kevin Kodada. “I know we won’t end up in a surplus like the state did.”
Lonsdale City Administrator Joel Erickson echoed Kodada’s statement as he went over the budget and property tax levy proposed for approval at the December 9 council meeting.
“The whole city budget is as basic as it gets,” Erickson said.

The New Prague Trojan Dance Team hosted their annual Community Showcase Tuesday, Dec. 21. They featured all five of their competition routines for this season, a performance from the Future Trojan Dancers who took part in NPDT's winter dance clinic, as well as a few solo performances from Trojan Dancers. There was a great turnout for attendance this year.
The Trojan Dance Team took time to also...
To see more on this story pick up the December 30, 2021 print edition of The New Prague Times.

The New Prague boys hockey team got a pair of goals from Willy Seymour and four others scored one goal in a 6-3 win over Dodge County Tuesday, Dec. 21.
Seymour scored his first and second goals and also added an assist in the Trojan win over the returning Class A State Runner-up team.
Also scoring goals were Max Henzel, his first, Peyton Becker, his first, John Schmidt his second, and Will Andersen his first. New Prague scored four opening period goals and added two more in the third period, one of which was...

I hope everyone had a good and safe Christmas this year. For me I was able to go north to my hometown of Thief River Falls and visit with family who lives there. Compared to the big get togethers in the past, this one was more scaled back and relatively quiet.

Ruth Hoofhower, age 94, of Belle Plaine, MN, entered eternal peace on Tuesday evening, December 21, 2021, at Oak Terrace Senior Living, in Jordan, MN. 
 A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday, December 29, at 11 am, with a visitation from 9-10:45 am, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 313 Second Street East, Jordan. Father Neil Bakker presided. Ruth was laid to rest at St. John Calvary Cemetery. 

Dorri Lynn Yackley, age 62 of Belle Plaine, was welcomed into her heavenly home on December 21, 2021. A visitation will take place from 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, December 30, 2021, at the Kolden Funeral Home in Belle Plaine. Following the visitation, family and friends are invited to the Neisen’s Corner Bar – Rustic Room in Belle Plaine.

Mary Ann Ruehling, age 62, of New Prague, died on Christmas Day at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital - Rochester.  Services January 8, 2021.  Full obituary next week.

Margaret Henry, age 69 of Northfield, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, December 25, 2021, at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina. Very soon after she was surrounded by her family and so much love as they processed the unimaginable.

Amy Schmitz, age 58, was welcomed to her Heavenly home while peacefully surrounded by her family on December 24, 2021. It was her Christmas miracle after a difficult and courageous battle with corticobasal degeneration.

Joyce Christine (Meyer) Ewing, age 81, of Chaska, MN, died on Sunday, December 19, 2021 at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, MN.
 Funeral Service was on Thursday, December 23, 2021, 1:00 PM at the Bertas Funeral Home, 200 West Third Street, Chaska, MN, with Father Nick Van Den Broeke officiating. The visitation was one hour prior to the service. The burial was at the Preiss Cemetery, Cologne, MN. Memorials are preferred to the Preiss Cemetery.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New Prague held a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new addition to its building on Friday, Dec. 17. Co-pastor Ben Hilding offered a brief history on the new wing of the church and prayers for it.
Among the 26 people present were representatives of the church and those that were involved in its design and construction, including Bruce Caulfield, Marv Deutsch, Mike Solheid and Shannon Allen. Dr. George Winn and his wife Joan were recognized for their generosity and leadership with Dr. Winn cutting the ribbon for the ceremony.

Three New Prague boys basketball players scored in double figures and a fourth player scored nine points in a 65-59 win over Jordan Tuesday, Dec. 14.
Ethan Chromy led the offense with 21 points. Matthew Kudrle added 13, Jaxon Short 12, and Noah Washa nine.
“We played very well throughout the first half. We executed on the offensive end and were able to make the shots that we were getting,” head coach Dan Peterka said.
“Defensively we were doing a good job of holding them to one shot per possession. We did a good job of getting...

Mike was born September 25, 1958 in Kansas City, Missouri to John and Nancy Means.  He graduated in 1976 from Yukon High School, Yukon, Oklahoma.     
 Although he moved around during childhood his heart was fond of his home state: Oklahoma. On June 3, 1978 he married Karen Govett and celebrated 43 years with his best friend in marriage.  They lived a majority of their life in Oklahoma but moved to Virginia in 2003 where he enjoyed diving into the history of the United States.