It took some time, but we finally have snow and freezing temperatures. So, winter is here. Again, just like last year.
Just like last year, people are not happy with the cold temperatures. Maybe the complaining is a little more understandable this year as December and the first few days of January had temperatures above normal.

Losses are by definition tough. When a team suffers a setback it expected to win, had reason to believe it would win and had victory within its grasp, those setbacks can be an especially bitter pill.
New Prague High School’s girls’ basketball team suffered a pair of tough losses this past week, setbacks coach Eric Specht hopes his players will use as both an educational tool and motivation as the Trojans continue their schedule of games against conference opponents.

New Prague’s floor hockey team built a big lead early and cruised to an easy 17-10 win over Mankato last Tuesday, Jan. 16.
After the loss to state champion Lakeville the previous week, the Trojans faced Owatonna Tuesday, Jan. 23, after The New Prague Times went to press. The Trojans will face Chanhassen/Chaska/Shakopee/Prior Lake Tuesday, Jan. 30, 4:30 p.m., in Shakopee.
“We rebounded nicely after our loss last week and set the tone going forward. We are hoping to rattle off a few wins in a row here and build some momentum,” NP coach Jeremy Kalal said.

Dan Michel, better known as Mitch Paradise on the pro wrestling circle, has had a life-long passion for pro wrestling, and he’s spent the better part of more than 25 years doing it himself.
“Back when we only had just four or five channels, on Sunday mornings after church, we would watch wrestling. We were glued to the TV when Jerry Blackwell and The High Flyers would come on, and then Hulk Hogan came around,” Michel said.

Roslyn “Rose” Ida Savage, age 92, of Belle Plaine passed away on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at Our Lady of the Prairie Catholic Church in Belle Plaine at 10:30 a.m. Fr. Michael Kaluza will officiate. Visitation will be Monday, January 29, 2024, at Kolden Funeral Home in Belle Plaine from 4-7 p.m. Interment will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Belle Plaine.

The New Prague Fire Department says it received a call for a pole shed on fire at approximately 3:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Upon arrival on scene at 29394 201st Ave., approximately one mile south of Union Hill, the department said the shed was fully engulfed.

Robert A. Janovsky (Bob), age 75, of Montgomery, died peacefully on Thursday, January 18, 2024, at home surrounded by loved ones. Visitation will take place on Thursday, January 25 from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Schoenbauer  Funeral Home in Montgomery. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, January 26, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery with visitation one hour prior. Fr. George Grafsky officiating, burial will occur at Calvary with lunch and celebration of life following at the Montgomery Legion Club.

Alice R. Schanus, age 86, of New Prague, died peacefully with her family at her side on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at Praha Village.  Alice was born on September 3, 1937, in New Prague, to James J. and Mary (Kubes) Simon.  She grew up in the Veseli area, went to Holy Trinity Parochial School and graduated from New Prague High School.  She married Marvin M.

Eleanore B. “Ellie” Shambour, age 86, of New Prague, died peacefully with her family at her side on Sunday, January 21, 2024, at United Hospital in St. Paul.  Ellie was born on November 30, 1937, in Webster, MN to Joseph and Stella (McDonough) Leahy.  She attended country school and graduated from Northfield High School.  She married Leonard J. Shambour on August 28, 1956, at Annunciation Catholic Church in Hazelwood.  

Facing a pair of injuries to forwards Owen Blair and Bobby Goggins, depth could become a challenge the Trojans will have to address in the next few weeks.
The two injured players will require shuffling of personnel as the Trojans face a pair of conference and non-conference ice hockey games in the next 10 days. They’ll also face a section opponent as well.
“Our depth has been dinged a bit. I guess it’s the next-man-up mentality,” said NPHS coach Brad Drazan.

She sat through hundreds of meetings over a dozen years, considered thousands of decisions with an untold number of options. For Jeanne Kubes, it all came down to one foundational premise as she saw it – the good of the community’s public schools, the children attending them and the staff working in them.

New Prague High School volleyball coach Greg Sayuk has been named the Class AAAA Coach of the Year by his peers in the Minnesota High School Volleyball Coaches Association (MNVBCA).
Sayuk’s team finished the season in the Class AAAA championship match against undefeated Wayzata, a team loaded with college-bound talent. Though the Trojans fell in three tough games to Wayzata, they finished the season with a best-ever record of 27- 6. They finished undefeated in conference play and swept their four matches against section competition.

Having taken on two tough teams, one the defending state champion and the other a state participant, the New Prague floor hockey team knows it will need to play a little better to return to the top of the mountain.
The Trojans opened the season Jan. 9 with a win over Dakota United, a team they topped at the state tournament a year ago. They fell in the second game, a rematch of the last two state championship games against Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville. The Trojans won the 2022 game and the Blazing Cats enjoyed revenge in 2023.

New Prague area residents will have three chances to see New Prague High School’s one-act play, “Middle School Dating Game,” all at the high school auditorium. The first performance is Saturday, Jan. 20, then Friday, Jan. 26, and Saturday, Jan. 27. The performances are free and open to the public.

Working for post office was just the right job for Karger
She delivered mail for the last time on a cold Saturday afternoon. She said goodbyes to coworkers, nearly all among her good friends. After 25-plus years on the job, Kelly Karger isn’t a fan of saying goodbye.

Roger J. Novotny, age 82, of Veseli, died Monday, January 15, 2024, after an extended illness at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital Mankato.  Roger was born on July 19, 1941, in New Prague to Joseph G. and Mary A. (Tupa) Novotny. He graduated from New Prague High School and started out his career at Lindsay Water Softener.  The majority of his life was spent at Metropolitan Mosquito Control.  Roger loved anything that had to do with nature and the outdoors.  In his younger years, he enjoyed fishing and hunting.  He loved nature walks and feeding wildlife and birds.