Another Kolacky Days weekend is in the history books. It was indeed a hot one. It’s possible this year’s offering of Kolackys was simply baked by leaving them out in the sun for a few minutes.
As an outsider, I’m always impressed by how smoothly the festival goes. There are so many unique things that this festival offers – from prune spitting to the Bohemian tractor pull – I find it to be the festival I talk about the most with my friends and fellow outsiders.
To the editor and Montgomery,
There are moments in life when "thank you" simply doesn't seem like enough. As our family reflects on Neysa's journey, from serving as Montgomery's Kolacky Queen Ambassador to now having the incredible honor of representing our community as a 2026 Aquatennial Ambassador, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the people who have supported her every step of the way.
Hello again everyone:
I could not help but to rebuttal Danny O’Keefe’s reason for running.
He says he is level-headed. So why did you make a motion and vote yes to double the outlet ditch to drain Lexington Lake faster and way earlier than ever!?
He says he is very knowledgeable of county ditches. What you did to Lexington Lake is the reason for a potential and pending lawsuit against Le Sueur County.
He says he uses common sense approach. Is that why three other people are running against you?
Every year since about 2018, a few of us friends have gotten together at Belle Plaine BBQ Days to cook a gigantic burger. It originated with my friends Zachery Schoenecker (also my nephew), Josh Mosbeck, and Alex McCarty. According to my nephew, the first burger was made in 2017 but it didn’t move to its current state of affairs until at least 2018.
McCarty’s father and he both lived in a house along the BBQ Days parade route, which made for a convenient place to have a cookout and then watch the parade on Saturday of the event. As each year went on, the burger grew.
Welcome, everyone. Thank you for being here today as veterans, as family, and as a community to observe Memorial Day 2026.
To many across the country, this weekend is often marked by backyard barbecues, the opening of neighborhood pools, and the unofficial start of summer. But for those of us gathered here right now, we know that today is not a holiday of celebration, but a day of solemn remembrance. We are here to pause, reflect, and honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States.
Traveling back into the district for Easter break, it was clear folks are fed up with St. Paul and the lack of movement on bills. That frustration is warranted, and I agree with it.
Right now, nothing is really happening beyond stopping bad legislation. That
may not sound like progress, but it may end up being the best thing for Minnesotans. There’s an old saying, if government isn’t doing anything, it also isn’t spending money.
I am writing in response to the article regarding the fire and ambulance services in the January 22 issue. My aunt, Frannie Kohout, always said it is never too late to say thank you, and I would like to offer mine.
At a recent meeting, our city officials described a tentative agreement that would allow a for-profit developer to construct a 56-unit apartment building on 7th Street East. This site is located on a dead-end road that is accessible only from Elm Avenue East—also a dead-end road. The proposal includes substantial property-tax subsidies for the developer, along with the city selling the acreage for just one dollar.
For over twenty years, the Roadless Rule has helped protect more than 58 million acres of our national forests from harmful road building and big industrial projects. At the same time, these public lands have stayed open for everyone to enjoy.
My family has fought wildfires in northern Minnesota for generations, so I have seen firsthand how these protections help keep our forests healthy and support our communities’ way of life.
To the Editor,
This letter is written in response to Rep. Terry Stier’s article on federal immigration enforcement published in the Feb. 5, 2026, edition of The New Prague Times (and Montgomery Messenger). Rep. Stier outlines his law enforcement background and his preference for behind-the-scenes engagement with federal agencies rather than public confrontation, a perspective shaped by his years as a police chief and legislator.
Over the past several weeks, I have received a significant number of calls, emails, and messages regarding increased federal immigration enforcement activity in Minnesota, including Operation Metro Surge. Many of you have reached out with questions, concerns, and differing opinions. I want to provide a clear update on what I am doing, why I am doing it, and where things currently stand.
“Terrible things are happening outside. At any time of night and day, poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. They’re allowed to take only a knapsack and a little cash with them, and even then, they’re robbed of these possessions on the way. Families are torn apart; men, women and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared. Women return from shopping to find their houses sealed, their families gone. The Christians in Holland are also living in fear because their sons are being sent to Germany.
As we gather around our tables to greet one another for Thanksgiving, whether if it is for family or you having a ‘Friendsgiving,’ we inevitably have people of opposing thoughts. Despite what many brush off as a ‘difference of politics,’most often it is a difference of morals, a lack of ingesting credible information, or simply not putting in the effort to really know and instead relying on feelings and hunches to make decisions.
Avoidance of such subjects is not okay.
Cracker Barrel came out with a logo, and everyone hated it. I personally hate that they serve very few crackers despite the promise of having barrels full.
Why did people hate the logo? You could throw a dart at a board of reasons why people get angry at anything these days. Any answer you hit will likely suffice.
But why are there so many reasons people get angry these days? The vast majority of it is manufactured, whether folks are aware of it or not. Anger is the easiest route to engagement, and engagement is what drives the economy of social media.