The WEM softball team received a number of post-season awards.
They also presented team awards and named their 2023 letterwinners.
The Bucs finished with an 8-8 overall record and were 5-6 in the Gopher Conference, tied for sixth out of 12 teams. As a team they received the Minnesota High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Academic Gold Award. As a team, the Bucs carried an impressive 3.859 grade point average.
Receiving Academic AllState honors were Jenessa Baumgarten, Hannah Bruns, Jordan Green, and Emma Woratschka.

Thousands of bullheads (12,500) were served, rain drops were few, and queens were crowned.
These were just some of the many things associated with the 2023 Waterville Bullhead Days celebration, which was held June 9 through June 11.
One of the highlight events of the weekend was the Friday night crowning of Miss Waterville and Junior Miss Waterville.
Izabela Slechta, daughter of David and Heather Slechta, was crowned Miss Waterville 2023. Shelby Briggs, daughter of Sara Tiedimann and Levi Radloff, was crowed Attendant.

MISSING PERSON ALERT: The Prior Lake Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating a missing teen. Keira Dupey, age 13, is 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighs 100 pounds and has black/brown hair and brown eyes. Dupey was last seen on May 25 leaving a facility in Prior Lake with Kari Steele, who is also a missing person. Dupey may have traveled to St. Paul or the surrounding suburbs.

For more than half a century, the second full weekend in June is dedicated to the annual Waterville Bullhead Days celebration.
There are a number of new events this year and some of the regular events have been super-sized for the June 9 thru 11 festival.
One of the newer events is the Borderline Pulling Series Tractor Pull. This will be held Saturday, June 10 at noon directly south of the city/county shop. There will be five different classes and possibly some local pullers involved. They put on a great show last year in their first appearance at Bullhead Days.

For years, almost 20, Richard and Wanda Morsching have spent the second weekend in June running the Waterville Bullhead Days Bullhead Stand.
Approximately 20 years before they took over this beloved portion of the Waterville celebration, they first met at Bullhead Days when Richard was serving beverages in the beer garden.
“I met my soulmate at Bullhead Days,” Wanda said. “Richard was bartending at the beer garden when I saw him. Jeff Stangler was going to wait on me but I said I wanted him (Richard).”

The teaching contracts of 12 non-tenured teachers and two tenured teachers were approved by the WEM Board of Education during their Monday, May 22 meeting.
Tenured teachers receiving contracts were Carrie Brown and Samuel Gavin.
Non tenured teachers receiving contracts for 2023- 2024 included Max Haakonson, Bridget Reuvers-Slinger, Haley Schaaf, Britta Robran, Alyssa Schmidtke, Amber Karels, Madysson Dufault, Kelci Halvorson, Andi O’Neil, Mary Ann Eich, Tyson Cooley, and Skyler Petry.
In other WEM Board of Education business:

Eight WEM girls track and field athletes have advanced to compete in the Section 2A Track and Field Meet Saturday, June 3 at Mankato West High School.
Juniors Ella Duenes and Josie Volkmann, sophomores Ashlyn Pelant, Jaiden Williams, Tatum Richards, Loryn Caldwell, and McKenna Schuster, and freshman Addison Condon advanced after placing in the top eight in individual events or top four in relay events at the North Sub-Section meet Thursday, May 25 at Sibley East.

Over the last week, the contractor has been able to complete the water main installation on the first phase of the project, and by the time this information reaches you the storm sewer will also be completely installed for the first phase.
Once construction resumes this week, they will focus on connecting a handful of water services. The only remaining work will be to construct the new road base before concrete curb and bituminous paving.

Wayne Orval James, age 65, of Elysian, died on the afternoon of Saturday, June 3, 2023 at the Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis.

Judy Barbara Villwock, 77, of Owatonna, died Thursday, June 1, 2023 at her home surrounded by her family.
She was born June 21, 1945 in New Ulm, Minnesota the daughter of Albert and Rose (Fleck) Schmidt. She was a 1963 graduate of Waterville High School. After high school, she began working at Federated Insurance.

Lionel Jon “Chub” Sorgatz, age 63, of Mankato, died peacefully surrounded by his family on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, North Dakota due to complications from ALS.
Chub was born on January 25, 1960, to Delbert and Betty (Ferch) Sorgatz in Faribault, MN. He attended Waterville Elysian High School and was a member of the Graduating Class of 1978. He was united in marriage with Maureen Clare Baker on May 8, 1982 at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Elysian. Together they had two children, Holly and Taylor.

Darlene Ardis Besser, age 86, of Waterville passed away peacefully surrounded by family at her home on Friday, May 26, 2023.
Born on October 1, 1936 in Wells, Minnesota, she was the daughter of Ervin and Hattie (Schnoor) Schultz. On April 7, 1956, Darlene was united in marriage to Vernon Besser. She worked for the USPS, Bergs Pharmacy, DAC, Vern’s Bait and Tackle Shop, and the City of Waterville.

Kay Anne Landrum, age 70, of Owatonna passed away at her home on Monday, May 22, 2023.
Born on October 13, 1952 in Austin, MN, Kay was the daughter of Florimond and Stella (Schneider) Meister. She graduated from Waterville Elysian High School in 1971. On August 27, 1971, she was united in marriage to Michael Landrum in Faribault. They have enjoyed over 50 wonderful years together.

Rice County officials are continuing to respond to a fire at the county’s landfill solid waste facility at East 145th Street in rural Dundas. The fire began in the landfill portion of the solid waste facility shortly after it closed for the evening on Monday, May 22.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but with assistance from state and local agencies, work is ongoing to mitigate any and all issues within the county’s control.

Elysian, Kilkenny, Morristown, and Waterville have scheduled Memorial Day Ceremonies for Monday, May 29.
Elysian Ceremony
The Elysian Ceremony will start with stops at Greenland Cemetery (7 a.m.), German Lake Cemetery (7:20 a.m.), St. Peter (Bell) Cemetery (7:55 a.m.). Cannonville Cemetery (8:20 a.m.), and the Waterville Veterans Memorial (8:45 a.m.). Due to road construction, the Memorial Day Program in Elysian will be held at Sunset Park starting at 9:30 a.m.
Waterville Ceremony

Charles Frederick Schaedler, Jr., age 83, formerly of Waterville, passed away on Sunday, April 30, 2023, in Arizona.
Born on June 25, 1939 in Minneapolis, MN to Charles Sr., and Enid Schaedler. Charles served in the US Air Force for  4 1/2 years before his honorable discharge. He retired from the United States Postal Service after 30 years of service. He was a loving and devoted husband and father.