I’ve seen plenty of pheasants cruising around Minnesota, as well as several bald eagles. Not so much for larger animals. Popular culture had me expecting more moose. I suppose they exist in Minnesota. I’ve never lived far enough north to witness them.

A furious comeback by Glencoe-Silver Lake (GSL) and a lack of offense by Tri-City United (TCU) over the final six minutes of the North Sub-Section Championship Monday, March 4 allowed the Panthers to pull out the 64-59 win.
    GSL (21-7) trailed by as many as 10 points in the second half and were down 57-51 with seven minutes to play following a three-pointer by Titan sophomore Ella Schmeising.

Milo Studnicka Sr., age 83, of Montgomery, passed away on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at The Lutheran Home in Belle Plaine. Visitation was held on Monday, March 11 from 3 p.m.-6 p.m. at the Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery. Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, March 12 at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church with Fr. Tom Niehaus officiating. Interment will be held in the Bohemian National Cemetery in Montgomery.

TCU Boys Basketball played hard tonight but lost to Glencoe-Silver Lake, 75-56.
More in the March 14 edition of the Messenger.

Four of Montgomery Fire Department (MFD) members climbed 53 flights of stairs wearing gear and an air pack for the 2024 Fight For Air Climb (FOAC) firefighter challenge at the Capella Tower in downtown Minneapolis. They have currently raised $1,069, which goes to the American Lung Association for research.

Four students from Tri-City United Montgomery’s Elementary and Middle School showcased their musical talents and dedication as they represented their school district at the inaugural Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) Elementary All-Star Choir this Feb. 17 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

High school national tournament teams
Two Tri-City United Robotics teams, Team Kooler and Team Gear Train, have been invited to the 2024 CREATE U.S. Open Robotics Tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa, from March 14-16. Qualified teams across the United States, Canada and internationally compete in this signature event. The high school tournaments will have four divisions, each division having approximately 45-55 teams competing.  

Patricia Lois Filipek passed away on March 2, 2024, at the age of 80, at Three Links in Northfield.  A private family burial will be held. 

A rural New Prague man was killed in a crash involving the three-wheeled ATV he was riding during the early-morning hours of Sunday, March 3.
The Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office reports at 2:05 a.m., Matthew James Soller, 33, of rural New Prague was found partially under a three-wheeled ATV on Le Sueur County Road 121, approximately a quarter-mile south of Highway 19 in Derrynane Township. Soller was removed from under the three-wheeler and life-saving efforts were performed. Soller was ultimately pronounced deceased at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.

TCU freshman Tucker Skluzacek earned fifth-place honors wrestling at 114 pounds in the Minnesota State High School League's Class AA individuals tournament at Xcel Energy Center. Skluzacek finished the tournament at 4-2. Three of his victories came by pinning his opponent. He won his final match with a fall at 4:15. Skluzacek reached the state tournament finishing second in the section competition. He finished the season at 52-16.
Full story in the March 7 Messenger. Subscribe online today to not miss any news!

Jean Marie Waugh, age 76, of Waterville, passed away on Monday, February 19, 2024, at Mayo Systems Hospital in Mankato. Services are pending.
Jean was born on June 25, 1947, in New Prague to William and Irene E. (Maxa) Kubik. She was a graduate of New Prague High School and received an Associate’s degree for Drug Counseling at Angelina College in Lufkin, TX. She enjoyed playing bells at her church, needlework embroidery, crocheting, puzzles and word puzzles, visiting with others, and her pets. She was a member and a leader of TOPS.

Tri-City United High School girls basketball won 52-43 against Belle Plaine Thursday, Feb. 29 in New Prague at the Section 2AA Girls Basketball Quarterfinals.
    They will play in the section semifinals against Glencoe-Silver Lake on Monday, March 4 at 6 p.m. in the Taylor Center at the Minnesota State University Mankato. Should the Titans win that game, they will play again in Mankato against either Waterville-Elysian-Morristown or New Richland on Friday, March 8 at 7:45 p.m.
See more details in the March 7 Messenger.

James Donald Hlavac, 57, of Farmington, passed away on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at his home. Visitation will be Saturday, February 24, from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. with Memorial Mass of Christian Burial at 2:00 p.m. all held at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery with Fr. Tom Niehaus officiating. 

The search for a museum space to display and store items for the Montgomery Historical Society (MHS) continues. This was one of the messages at their annual meeting at the Rustic Farmer on Main on Jan. 31.

The second half of the season has been a very good one for the Tri-City United (TCU) girls basketball team.
The Titans are currently riding a three game winning streak and they have won 6 of the past seven games.
TCU picked up a 64-59 win over Lester Prairie Tuesday, Jan. 30. This improved their record to 3-4 in the Minnesota River conference.
Two nights later the Titans had an easy time against Minnesota Valley Lutheran (MVL), downing MVL 65-29 in nonconference action.

The New Prague Fire Department dealt with a fire along Main Street that was more smoke. In a preliminary report around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, firefighters responded to a report of a fire at an apartment at 112 Main Street E.