After a pair of impressive performances on the mound the weekend of March 20, Elly Novak quickly cemented her spot as the College of Saint Benedict softball team’s Game 1 starter. After another big weekend against two solid teams, Novak caught the eye of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).
After notching 24 strikeouts and giving up just six earned runs in three appearances, Novak was named the MIAC Pitcher of the Week, the league announced on March 22. This is the first MIAC weekly pitching honor for Novak, a sophomore at CSB.

Despite some rain drops, there was no raining on their parade. On Saturday, the Tri- City United Wrestling Team visited each community within the district in a parade celebrating their victory as 2AA Team Section Champions at the state tournament. The team also celebrated seven state entrants (Ayden Balma, Chris Johnson, Zach Balma, Caden O’Malley, Marco Reyes, Brody Rud, and Riley O’Malley) and three state finalists (Chris Johnson, Brody Rud and Riley O’Malley).

Tri-City United High School students will take to the stage this weekend, seven months after the show was first cast, to present Disney’s “High School Musical.”
The show is directed by English Teacher, Sarah Mejia. The difficulty of bringing this year’s musical to the stage, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been an endeavor unlike any other.

On Thursday, March 18, during a virtual public hearing about the second stage of the reconstruction of New Prague’s Main Street between the City of New Prague, property and business owners and residents of the area, it was noted work would begin on Monday, April 26. The next day that start date had changed to Monday, April 5.
The contractor, SM Hentges & Sons, Inc. of Jordan, reviewed the long range forecast on Friday, March 19, and determined that...
To read more on this article, pick up the March 25, 2021 print edition of The New Prague Times.

Classroom STEM concepts were put to the test when students from several Minnesota schools participated in the first-ever TCU Robotics Tournament on Saturday.
Teamwork, leadership, communication, and more were put to the test as teams competed in the VEX Robotics Competition at TCU High School. After spending months designing and building their robots, students...
To read more on this story, pick up the March 25, 2021 print edition of the Montgomery Messenger.

Here’s a scary story from the field of science: experiments at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have successfully grown mouse embryos inside an artificial uterus.
Wait!
What?
The embryos looked perfectly normal, according to the study published in the journal Nature. All their organs developed as expected, along with their limbs and circulatory and nervous systems. Their tiny hearts were beating at a normal 170 beats per minute.
Fake wombs?
Really? Why?

Throughout this school year the “learning model” has become a topic that’s discussed at every school board meeting and work session held by the Tri-City United School Board.
At Monday’s work session, the learning model discussion centered around when and if students in the high school will...
To read more on this article, pick up the March 25, 2021 print edition of the Montgomery Messenger.

“May Christ Bring Us All Together To Everlasting Life” - Rule of St. Benedict, Chapter 72
Sister Mary Joanne Lusk was born on August 15, 1933, to Joseph and Ann (Bilek) in New Prague, Minnesota, the eldest daughter in a family of two children.
Her younger brother, John, died shortly after birth. She was baptized and confirmed at Holy Redeemer Parish in Montgomery, MN.

Providing more than just food
When a person or family makes an appointment with the Montgomery Food Shelf, they receive dry and canned goods, bread, produce, milk, and cereal.
During the year-long COVID-19 pandemic, so much more has passed through the doors of the organization at 151 Elm Avenue SE.
Renee Southworth, the Montgomery Salvation Army Food Shelf Coordinator, usually has an average of...
To see more on this story, pick up the March 25, 2021 print edition of the Montgomery Messenger.

Sometimes, trying something new sparks new interests, ideas, and creativity.
Once a year, Most Holy Redeemer Catholic School in Montgomery holds unique mini classes for its seventh and eighth grade students. The week of big opportunities was held...
To see more on this story, pick up the March 18, 2021 print edition of the Montgomery Messenger.

There was a whole lot o’ fun in Le Center on Saturday. The town lucked out with the weather and enjoyed blue, sunny skies and warm temperatures for its annual St. Patrick’s Parade on March 13. Hundreds of festive lads and lassies of all ages grabbed their shamrocks, donned their green, and lined Main Street to celebrate all things Irish.

Montgomery was well represented at Le Center’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 13.
Kolacky Days royalty (left to right) Miss Congeniality Rachel Way, Second Princess Nikaija Young, First Princess Marissa Gare, and Kolacky Queen Rachel Rynda.

Saturday was a day of highs and lows for the TCU Wrestling Team.
After a tough battle, for the first time in its history, the Titans were crowned the Section 2AA Champions when they defeated Scott West 40-25.
“Saturday was incredible,” said Head Coach Shaun Timmerman. “There was...
To see more on this story, pick up the March 18, 2021 print edition of the Montgomery Messenger.

Saturday, while he was standing in shorts and a t-shirt in 60-degree weather, my son, Mecca, muttered, “I’m so glad winter’s over.”
Yes, the lack of snow and warm sun gave him the impression winter was finished.
Yes, the balmy temperatures made us think of packing up the winter boots and shovels.
But, we know better than to be fooled by March’s trickery.
When he said this, I smiled, because Mecca doesn’t say much. I was thrilled we were having a meaningful conversation. I was hoping more would follow.
Alas, the magic was over.

James Myles Filipek passed away on March 16, 2021, at the age of 80, in his home.  His battle with cancer in recent years showed his courage in facing life challenges with a smile. Despite the pain, Jim came out a hero and stayed strong until the end.

Four-year-old Rosa Eileen Ruiz (above) opened a lemonade stand in Le Center on Saturday, March 13, during the community’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The little entrepreneur sold glasses of pink lemonade from her colorful stand for 50 cents each. Of course, all orders came with a big, adorable smile.