Rice County Public Health is encouraging residents to follow the CDC recommendation to wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. The use of cloth face coverings may help slow the spread of COVID-19 by reducing the chance that a person who has the disease but doesn’t know it, spreads it to others. According to the CDC, cloth face coverings should:
Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
Be secured with ties or ear loops
Include multiple layers of fabric

Richard Glen Sanders Jr., of Prior Lake, died at the age of 37.
On September 29, 1982 in Edina, MN, Richard Glen Sanders Jr. was born to parents, Richard Sr. and Dorothy Sanders. Growing up in New Prague, Richie enjoyed spending time outdoors with his dad and friends. His love of nature carried throughout his life. When he wasn’t spending time outdoors, Richie was hard at work. For the past 20 years, he worked as a carpenter, completing many projects throughout the south metro.

Judith L.

Neil G. Wolf, age 67, of New Prague, died unexpectedly of natural causes at his home on Monday, April 27, 2020.  Neil was born on November 4, 1952 in New Prague to George W. and Delaine D.

Rice County Public Health has opened a COVID-19 helpline today, to answer COVID-19 related questions and to help connect residents to local resources during the pandemic.
The Rice County COVID-19 Helpline number is 507.384. 6459. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.  Messages may be left on the helpline, and calls will be returned the following business day.    
If you have been placed in quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19, call the helpline if you need essential needs assistance in order to maintain isolation or quarantine.

Tony John Tikalsky, age 52, of Waconia, MN, formerly of Chaska, MN, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at Nagel Assisted Living in Waconia.
 A Memorial Service is pending at this time. Information will be posted when date and time are confirmed.
 Tony was born October 11, 1967 in Shakopee, MN, to Richard and Amy (Hoaglund) Tikalsky. He was one of three children. He graduated from Chaska High School in 1986. He was employed as a brick mason his entire life and worked for multiple companies as a brick mason.

(The following is an update from the Minnesota State Patrol on the Monday, April 27, two-vehicle crash.)

Tony James, age 56 of River Falls, WI. passed away peacefully at his home on April 12, 2020 from complications of ALS.
Tony is the son of Tom James and his wife Donna, New Prague and Margie Shinehouse, Medina.
Tony graduated from Belle Plaine High School in 1981 and Mankato State College in 1985 with a degree in business. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved the great outdoors so much, he started his own landscape business, James Landscaping.

Ruth E. Giesen, age 69, of New Prague, died peacefully Saturday, April 25, 2020 at Mayo Clinc Health System Hospital Mankato.
Ruth was born on June 25, 1950 in New Prague to Arthur and Eleanor (Moriarity) Siemon. She graduated from New Prague High School and attained her LPN degree from Miller Hospital School of Nursing. She worked for multiple health care facilities and home health care. Ruth married the love of her life, Donald J. Giesen on September 27, 1969 at St. John Catholic Church in Union Hill.

Road closure alert for CH 42 from CR 17 to CR 83 will begin Monday, April 27th. Access to Minnesota Green will remain available for the duration of the project. Please see the project web page for map of location and detour.
Road closure alert for CH 42 from CR 17 to CR 83 will begin Monday, April 27th. The public will be detoured to CR 16. Closure of the entire length will be until August 2020. Dakota Parkway to CR 83 will be closed until the end of the season.
www.scottcountymn.gov/1944

On March 31, 2020, at approximately 4:15 p.m., Scott County 911 Dispatch Center received a report of sounds of gunshots fired near the End Zone Bar & Grill, located at 10491 260th Street East, Elko, MN.
 
The Elko New Market Police Department was dispatched to the scene and the Scott County Sheriff’s Office also responded.  The responding officers were contacted shortly thereafter by Northfield Police Department, advising they had received a call from an individual residing in their jurisdiction reporting to be a victim of the above-mentioned shooting.   
 

George Johan Maat, age 93, of Kilkenny, died peacefully at his home on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. 
George was born in the The Hague, Netherlands on June 23, 1926 to George Johannes Adreanse and Johanna Wilhelmina (Delnaay) Maat.  George worked as a mechanical engineer in Holland designing dikes. 

In response to Executive Order 20-41 issued today by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz,the Minnesota State High School League, under direction of the League’s Board of Directors, has declared, effective immediately, all activities and athletics that occur during the spring season have been cancelled for the 2019-2020 school year. The decision of the League is aligned with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Minnesota Department of Health and is in support of practices that focus on community health and safety.

Frank Huber, 86, of Montgomery, passed away Sunday, April 19, 2020, peacefully at the Northfield Hospital from a complication of pneumonia. Services and interment will be at a later date.
Frank was born in Waconia on March 6, 1934, to Oliver and Louise (Soller) Huber. He graduated from Montgomery High School in 1952, went to St. John’s University and then to Dunwoody to take up TV and Electronics.
He was united in marriage to Ruth Nickolay at St. Wenceslaus Church in New Prague on April 26, 1960, and passed away just short of their 60th anniversary.

Governor Tim Walz, representatives of the state’s health care delivery systems, the Mayo Clinic, and the University of Minnesota (U of M) today announced a breakthrough for rapid, widespread testing of COVID-19 in Minnesota. Standing together at the State’s Emergency Operations Center, they launched a statewide testing strategy to test all symptomatic people, isolate confirmed cases, and expand public health surveillance tools.

A New Prague business, RaDon Inc., has signed up to help make masks for healthcare workers. RaDon, which manufactures horse apparel, is joining up to help another local initiative led by local resident, Rebecca Rausch, called Mask Army 4 Heroes. Mask Army 4 Heroes is on a mission to create an army of sewing talent to make masks by using H600 Halyard fabrics for healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. H600 is the sterile fabric used beneath instruments during surgeries, and per the University of Florida, is non-permeable and as protective as an N95 mask.