A son, Laurence James Lambrecht, was born to Joseph VII and Sarah (Lucassen) Lambrecht of New Prague on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Shakopee. Laurence weighed 9 pounds, 2 ounces and was 20-1/2 inches long. Laurence is welcomed home by siblings Arthur, age 5, Marielle, age 4, and Joseph VIII, age 2.
Grandparents are Joseph VI and Carol Lambrecht of New Prague and Christopher and Janine Lucassen of Ormeau, Queensland, Australia.

It’s been said one of the few constants in life is change. We see it in our personal lives, we’re seeing it in our own towns and we see it in our country and the world.

On a good day, he is energetic, funny, playing with Legos and full of life. It’s the tough days, the ones following a cancer treatment, where he is weary and lethargic.
Supporters of Jacob Bongers are looking for more of the good days. A benefit home run derby set for Saturday, June 28, 6 p.m., at Don Giesen Field in Union Hill is intended to help Jacob and his family enjoy more of the good days. Home Town Bats is hosting its ninth annual benefit home run derby. This year, Jacob and the Bongers family will benefit from the fundraiser.

As a player and later a manager, Terry Fredrickson has been connected with the Elko Express for 50 years.
Wednesday, July 2, 7:30 p.m., when the Express host their rivals from New Market, at Fredrickson Field, the Express will retire Fredrickson’s No. 12, the jersey number he wore as a pitcher and sometimes wears while leading the ball club.

Ralph Eugene Church passed away on June 19, 2025. He was preceeded in death by his parents. His father was Ralph E. Church, his mother was Clarice Marie Cameron. Ralph sadly never met his biological father. He was serving in the Army and passed away 3 months before Ralph was born. At age 5 his mother remarried. His stepfather was Raymond H. Bergquist. Ralph called him dad, and he loved him very much.

A son, Alexander Ren Iwamoto, was born to Shoryu and Megan (Lambrecht) Iwamoto of Handa, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at Toyota Memorial Hospital. Alexander weighed 6 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 19 inches long.
Grandparents are Joseph and Carol Lambrecht of New Prague, Hideo Iwamoto of Handa, Aichi Prefecture, Japan and Hisae Hatanaka of Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

Generations Theatre Company opens Disney’s “The Lion King Jr.” this weekend at New Prague High School’s auditorium, 221 12th St. NE.
Performances are Friday through Sunday, June 27, 28, and 29. Show times are Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m., and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. General admission tickets are available by emailing generationtickets@ gmail.com or at the door.

The KSTP Channel 5 program, Twin Cities Live In Your Town will be in New Prague and Elko New Market next week. The show will highlight some of the unique spots, restaurants, shopping and people of New Prague and Elko New Market. The program has already made some visits to area businesses in the last few days. Twin Cities Live In Your Town will wrap up Friday, June 27, with a live broadcast at 1319 Woodfire Tavern, 125 Main St. E, 3-4:30 p.m.
Elizabeth Ries and Ben Leber, hosts of Twin Cities Live, will be in New Prague and Elko New Market during the week.

With events scheduled today through Sunday, Elko New Market is hosting its summer festival, Fire Rescue Days.
The event includes a classic car roll-in today, Thursday, June 26, 5-9 p.m., at the Doublewide on St. Joseph Street. Friday, June 27, professional wrestling at the Doublewide is slated to begin at 8 p.m.
A parade is set for 11 am. Saturday, June 28. Sunday, June 29, ENM Boy Scout Troop 325 is hosting a pancake breakfast from 8-noon at Wagner Park on Todd Street.

A 62-year-old motorcyclist from Epping, N.D., was killed in a two-vehicle crash on Scott County Road 7 near 235th Street in western Belle Plaine Township Tuesday evening, June 24, just after 8:45 p.m.
According to a press release from the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the preliminary investigation indicates a 2016 Harley Davidson motorcycle, driven by a man from Epping, N.D., was traveling southbound when it crossed into the northbound lane, colliding with a northbound 2012 Chevrolet Impala, driven by a 20-year-old from Cologne.

It is with deep sorrow and much love that we mourn the passing of Harriet Elaine Johnson, who died peacefully on May 1, 2025, at the age of 86. Born on July 29, 1938, in Chisago, Minnesota, Harriet was a cherished member of the community, known for her kindness, generosity and unwavering spirit.

The Elko New Market City Council discussed updates to the city’s social media policy. The council also provided direction on those updates at its Thursday, June 12, meeting.

After a pair of tough setbacks in the past week, the Elko Express are in an unfamiliar place – needing a victory to build momentum.
At 6-9 overall, the Express fell to Hampton Sunday, June 15, in Hampton.
The Express took an early 3-2 lead after the first inning but then saw the Cardinals tie the game in the third inning and build a 5-3 advantage after four innings.
Elko built a 10-5 lead entering the bottom of the eighth, but Hampton rallied, scoring four times in the eighth and twice more in the bottom of the ninth for the win.

A daughter, Maizie Pauline Lambrecht, was born to Tony and Amanda (Maruska) Lambrecht of Jordan, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Shakopee. Maizie weighed 9 pounds, and was 21 inches long. Maizie is welcomed home by sisters Madison age 4 and Morgan age 2.
Grandparents are Paul and JoAnne Maruska of New Prague, Diane and Kyle Stoleson of New Prague and Randy and Linda Lambrecht of Long Lane, MO.

On a quiet Saturday morning, the peace in an upscale suburban neighborhood was shattered when Minnesota’s speaker emerita of the House of Representatives and her husband were murdered. In another neighborhood not that far away, a member of the Minnesota Senate and his wife, were shot and wounded, allegedly by the same gunman masquerading as a police officer.
Why? The popular working theory in the hours shortly after the murders and attempted murders was that the lawmakers supported a prochoice agenda. Really?

Ten area town baseball sluggers will try to bash as many home runs as possible at the annual fundraiser to help an area child and family dealing with a medical challenge slated for Saturday, June 28, 6 p.m., at Don Giesen Field in Union Hill.
Twelve-year-old Jacob Bongers of Lonsdale is suffering from medulloblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer. The ninth annual home run derby is being planned to welcome Jacob and the previous eight recipients and their families.