Elsie M. Lukes, age 91, of New Prague, died peacefully surrounded by her family at Mala Strana Rehabilitation Center on Tuesday, October 2, 2018.  Elsie was born on April 3, 1927 in Lexington Township, Le Sueur County to Albert and Emma (Dvoracek) Holey.  She was raised in the Le Center area and attended a country school in Lexington Township.  She married Leonard R. Lukes on November 21, 1950 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in North Mankato. The couple started their life together in Mankato, where Elsie worked at Brett’s Department Store.  They moved to St.

The New Prague Trojan girls tennis team will travel to Marshall Tuesday, Oct. 2, to open the Section 2AA team tennis tournament. 
New Prague received the No. 5 seed in the South Subsection and will face No. 4 Marshall. The winner will travel to Hutchinson Thursday, Oct. 4, to take on the No. 1 seed Hutchinson Tigers. 
Full brackets for Section 2AA tennis (Tuesday matches)
 
North Subsection
8-Chanhassen at 1-Minnetonka
5-Shakopee at 4-Orono
6-Mound Westonka at 3-Eden Prairie
7-Chaska at 2-Prior Lake
 
South Subsection

St. Wenceslaus Catholic School in New Prague held its annual marathon Saturday morning, September 29. Students, parents, school staff members, and other supportors of the local school walked and ran around the school and church property and then enjoyed a meal of hot dogs and chips that was served by the Knights of Columbus. The event is one of the school's main fundraisers. This year, the school has a goal of raising $43,000. As of Monday, Oct. 1, Principal Kim Doyle was confident the goal would be reached.

Playing a state-ranked team for the third time in three weeks, the New Prague Trojans lost to Mankato West 41-14 in their Homecoming football game at Trojan Stadium Friday, Sept. 28. 

Like last week against Northfield, both teams scored on their first possession of the game. The Trojans scored on a 3-yard pass from Parker Johnson to Mitch Callahan. 

Mason DeGross and Aidan McLoone were crowned as Homecoming King and Queen Friday, Sept. 28, during the morning pepfest in the school gym. Members of the Royal Court are (seated, left to right) prince Collin Schuette, King Mason DeGross, Queen Aidan McLoone and Princess Hadley Bailey; (standing) candidates Laure DeGross, Blake Woodson, Bryce Simon, Morgan Pint, Grant Yackly, Callie Peterson, Collin Dorzinski, Katelyn Blair, Andrew Piilola, Molly Giesen, Anna Holden, Hartman Sadusky, Kate Wagner and Travis Frerk.

The New Prague Area School Board approved the preliminary levy payable in 2019 during its meeting Monday, Sept. 24.
As it does each year, the board set the preliminary at “maximum.” Finance Director Sandy Linn explained that the Minnesota Department of Education has not finalized all of its numbers for the current school year, so her department does not have any definite numbers regarding the upcoming budget at this time.
“We have some preliminary numbers, but we know they will change, and we need to have the ability to make those changes,” she told board members.

The 2018 Dozinky Festival was blessed with good weather and great crowds.

The downtown area was filled Friday evening and Saturday with large crowds as thousands of people headed to New Prague to celebrate the harvest, the community and its ethnic and agricultural heritage. The music coming from the Main Street Stage, the Beer Garden and the Czech Heritage Village filled the air, as did the aroma of fresh-made foods, whether it was gyros, cheese curds, pork burgers or the many Czech favorites such as pork, dumplings and sauerkraut.

Another Dozinky is now in the books. It was a fun and busy time for my editor Chuck Kajer and myself as we hurried to cover many of the activities that go with New Prague’s harvest festival. I very much appreciate Chuck stepping up to get a few photos for me as my camera had technical difficulties for some time. This was the 34th year of Dozinky and next year will be the 35th annual festival. I was in my mid-teens when the festival started.

New Prague High School’s Homecoming Week is underway, with the bulk of activities scheduled for Friday, Sept. 28.
Festivities began on Sunday, Sept. 23, with the annual Powder Puff Football game. The flag football game between teams of senior and junior girls was won by the senior class, 35-0.
Each day of the week was dedicated to different dressup theme days. Students were to take part in floatbuilding for the parade on Wednesday, Sept. 26, at the bus garage.

The New Prague Trojan swim and dive team won two meets last week, defeating Tri- City United and Litchfield.
The squad will travel to Dassel-Cokato on Thursday, Sept. 27, and then compete in the St. Peter Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 29. On Thursday, Oct. 4, New Prague travels to Waconia.
Trojans 105, Titans 90 New Prague traveled to their former home pool in Montgomery to take on the fledgeling Tri-City United team on Tuesday, Sept. 18. Using mostly JV swimmers, the Trojans defeated the host Titans 105-90.

The New Prague Trojan girls cross country team had a strong showing at the Milaca Mega-Meet Saturday, Sept. 22, at Stone’s Throw GC in Milaca.
The meet, billed as one of the largest high school cross country meets in the US, saw the Trojans finish 13th of 25 teams in the large-school division.
Wayzata won the meet with 34 points and had three runners finish in the top six and five runners finishing in the top 13. Eden Prairie was second at 74 with Andover third at 75. New Prague had 383 points, behind Moorhead’s 353 and just ahead of Woodbury with 384.

MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Transportation advises motorists that Highway 19 from Henderson to Highway 169 has a high probability of closing on Tuesday, September 25 with the current river forecast.
It is unknown at this time whether Highway 93 from Henderson to Highway 169 will need to be closed. MnDOT crews will do what they can to keep traffic safe and moving.
Highway 93 closed on Friday due to flooding from the Rush River, but crews were able to open the roadway on Sunday.

David Leonard Skluzacek, 61, of Montgomery, died unexpectedly on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 at his home. Visitation will be on Wednesday, Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to noon with a prayer service to follow all at Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.
 
David was born on May 18, 1957, in New Prague to James and Leonella (Simek) Skluzacek. He attended Saint John the Baptist Catholic School and Jordan High School. He was united in marriage to Pamela Soine at Vang Lutheran Church in May of 1990. 
 

Michael P. McLoone, age 74 of Mankato and originally from Waseca, died unexpectedly but peacefully at home on Thursday morning, September 20, 2018. Mike’s love and generosity for family and friends will forever be cherished.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning, September 29, 2018, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Mankato, with Father John Kunz officiating. Immediately following the Mass, a reception to celebrate Mike’s life will be held at Loyola Catholic School in Mankato. He will then be privately interred at Calvary Cemetery in Waseca.

Paul H. Wermerskirchen, of Jordan, passed away peacefully at home on September 22, 2018, at the age of 90.  A visitation will be held on Friday, September 28, 2018, from 3-7 p.m., at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home in Jordan.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, September 29, 2018, at 12:30 p.m., with visitation one hour prior at St.

A detour will be going into effect at the intersection of New Prague’s Main Street (Highway 19) and Union Pacific Railroad’s crossings beginning next week. While the sign says it will be Monday, Oct. 1, a press release from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) says the detour begins Wednesday, Oct. 3, as crews will be working to replace two railroad crossings for the Union Pacific Railroad located between Highway 21 and Third Avenue Northwest.