The New Prague adapted floor hockey team is looking to follow up on a strong season with another state tournament appearance in 2019.
The squad finished last year with a 12-1-1 record, with their only loss coming in the first round of the state tournament. They went on to win consolation honors.
Shelly Kriha is back for another season as head coach, and she is assisted by Jeremy Kalal and Steve Kriha. Support staff Diane Johnson and Connie Jensen help with the team, along with student managers Brookelyn Skluzacek, Brandon Zeilinger and Eva Johnson.

Rose Adeline (Dietz) Washa, 104, of Le Center, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, at her home in Le Center. Visitation will be Saturday, Jan. 12 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery with funeral service following at 11 a.m. also with Father Chris Shofner officiating. Interment will be held at a later date.
Rose was born on December 18, 1914, in Montgomery to August and Rose (Kriha) Dietz. She was a Montgomery High School graduate. Rose was united in marriage to Nathan Henry Washa on November, 12, 1934 in Montgomery.

Wayne Marvin Scheffler, age 62 of Loomis, CA, a former graduate of New Prague High School passed away December 17, 2018. Wayne lost his battle with cancer. Wayne was born Feb.7th 1957.

Rita Marie Sticha, 82, of Faribault, formerly of Montgomery passed away on Friday, January 4, 2019 at Pleasant Manor in Faribault. Visitation will be Wednesday, January, 9 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery with funeral service following at 11 also at the funeral home with Father Victor Valencia officiating. Interment will be held in Calvary Cemetery in Montgomery.

Highway 21 north of the intersection of that road and Seventh Street NE is currently closed due to the New Prague Fire Department dealing with smoke and a possible house fire on the west side of the highway. Around 2:15 p.m. the fire department was summoned to the scene after a call was received of smoke coming from a window of the house. The New Prague Police Department was also called to the scene to detour traffic around the area.

The first night of Chamber Bingo drew a crowd of 165 people on Thursday, Jan. 3, at the New Prague Golf Club. Held by the New Prague Chamber of Commerce, the evening was sponsored by Mayo Clinic Health System of New Prague. The large crowd required tables to be set up on two floors of the golf club. The weekly evening of bingo and prizes continues through March 28. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

As 2018 drew to a close, Praha Village, New Prague’s new senior apartment complex at 1100 First St. SE, was in the finishing stages of preparing to open to residents. Within the first month of 2019 they expect to be open to independent living residents on Tuesday, Jan. 15, although people can move in before that date. Assisted living and memory care residents will be in by February 1.

New Prague’s Seth Fischer will be competing for the third time in the X Games in Aspen, CO, January 25-28.
Fischer, 20, is a 2016 New Prague High School graduate and qualified for his first X Games two years ago in the sport of Snow BikeCross. Racers compete on machines that are a cross between a snowmobile and a motorcycle. The machines have one ski on the front and a track system on the back, and compete on a course similar to motocross.

Blase Benedict Bisek, age 98, of New Prague, died peacefully, surrounded by his family on Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital – New Prague. Blase was born on January 30, 1920 in Lanesburgh Township, Le Sueur County, Minnesota to William A. and Mary B. (Snorek) Bisek. He attended country district school, St. Wenceslaus School during the years of his sacraments, and graduated from New Prague High School. He was drafted into the US Army in January 1942 and served with the Tenth Armored ‘Tiger’ Division.

A snowstorm forced the New Prague Trojan wrestling team to rethink their post- Christmas plans as the team chose not to head north for the Rumble on the Red Tournament and instead head south to the Bi-State Classic in LaCrosse, WI last weekend.

There’s something refreshing about starting a new year. Many people see it as a chance to make a new beginning, a time for self-improvement or a time to reassess what we’ve been doing with our lives.
And so, each year, millions of people make a list of things they want to work on in the next 12 months. These “New Year’s Resolutions” are simple statements that say what we will do in the coming year to make our lives better.

Laurie Ann Theis, age 55, passed away peacefully in the presence of family, on Sunday morning, December 30, 2018, at her home in Jordan, MN, after a couragious fight with cancer.    
 Family and friends are welcome to come share stories and enjoy a light lunch on Sunday, January 20, from 1-4 pm, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation, 833 South Marschall Road, Shakopee, MN.  

The New Prague Trojan Dance team has had mixed results so far this season, finishing anywhere from first to last in its four meets. The team, coached by Monika Goettl, continues to hone its skills as it prepares for the section competition coming next month.
The season’s first meet was held Saturday, Dec. 1, at Cannon Falls. The Trojan Kick team placed first of six teams in the large-school division, while the Jazz finished second of six, behind Owatonna.
The Trojan JV Jazz and Kick squads both placed second of five teams.

Jerry Wallace Will, age 60, of Sierra Vista, AZ, formerly of Prior Lake, passed away unexpectedly, Tuesday, December 25, 2018.
Jerry was the fourth child born to Wallace and Claudia (Busch) Will on July 23, 1958.
At the age of 18, he joined the military and proudly served his country for 42 years. He had a 20 year Army career and a 22 year civilian Army career as a UAS Maintenance Instructor for Unmanned Aircraft for General Dynamics.

Mayo Clinic Health System in New Prague has announced the birth of the 2019 New Prague New Year's Baby.
A boy, Cale Matthew Graf, was born at 8:02 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, to parents Matt and Jeana Graf of New Prague. Cale weighed in at 11 pounds, 8.9 ounces and was 24 inches long at birth. He has two older sisters, Sophia and Sierra ages, 5 and 4.

Dorothy M. Shimota, age 82, of Montgomery, formerly of New Prague, died peacefully, surrounded by her family on Sunday, December 30, 2018 at Traditions of Montgomery. Dorothy was born July 16, 1936 at Cedar Lake Township, Scott County, MN to John C and Mary (Simota) Pomije. She graduated from New Prague High School and married Edward J. Shimota on April 10, 1956 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in New Prague. She lived her entire life in the Veseli/New Prague area, where she and her husband raised their six children.