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.

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.

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.

Last week, as the staff and leaders at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church were putting the finishing touches on plans to host the annual RibFest, the prediction of more rain for New Prague and the area gave them reason for concern.
More rain is the last thing the church needed as plans for the church’s largest annual fundraiser were being finalized. Concerned more rain would diminish attendance, the group looked for a back-up plan.

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?

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.

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.

The New Prague City Council discussed stopping work on the new police station during its Monday, June 16, meeting.

Statement from Rep. Pursell office. "In the wake of the assassination and shooting this weekend of Rep. Hortman, her husband, Sen. Hoffman, and his wife, Rep. Pursell is not available for the Town Hall planned on Mon, Jun. 23rd at the Eagles in Northfield and has been cancelled."
Watch for more details later in the summer.

Barbara “Barb” Joan (Zevenbergen) Givens passed away on Friday, June 13, 2025, at her home in Montgomery. She was born on February 21, 1947, in Hull, Iowa to loving parents, Ruth (nee Dorsman) and John Zevenbergen, Jr. She graduated from Northwestern University in Orange City, Iowa, in 1969. She taught English in Stillwater to middle school students. She loved teaching! She later moved on to help the Givens’ Family Best Lock Business. While her kids were little, she loved volunteering with the Cubbies at Awana and other opportunities at church.

Veda Sirek, age 88, of New Prague, died peacefully with her loving family at her side on Friday, June 13, 2025, at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital Rochester.

A petition from New Prague residents to have a say in the city’s proposed new police station has been submitted. On Thursday morning, June 12, resident Brian Paulson dropped off the petition to have a vote on the proposed $10,415,000 general obligation Capital Improvement Plan bonds to pay for the building of the new police station.
Paulson has been organizing the drive to collect the 244 signatures that were needed on the petition. He and others collected 543 signatures.

Having not held the required public hearing to sell bonds to fund the proposed new police station attached to the fire station and, in the eyes of some, ignoring the comments of the people who opposed the issuance of bonds once a public hearing was held, the New Prague City Council has arguably given people the idea it is going to do what it wants.
Regardless of the opposition from a small number of people.