New Prague High School's baseball team suffered two losses to Farmington Tuesday, June 2 after the newspaper's print edition went to press, in Dundas and settled for a second place finish in the Section 1AAAA baseball tournament.

With their performances at the Section 1AAA meet last week at Lakeville South, New Prague is sending several of its top track and field athletes to represent the Trojans at the Minnesota State High School League’s state meet today and Saturday, June 4 and 6, at St. Michael-Albertville High School.

Elko New Market joined other Minnesota communities addressing data centers as the Elko New Market City Council approved a moratorium on data centers.

The council approved the moratorium at its Thursday, May 14, meeting.

In a memorandum from City Senior Planner Renee Christianson said city staff recommended the adoption of the moratorium to allow the city time to study what the impact of a data center might be to the area and for a comprehensive study to be done.

Kallal earns state berth

Although they advanced only one golfer to the state tournament, New Prague’s girls’ and boys’ golf teams were strong at the Section 2AAA meet Tuesday and Wednesday, May 26-27, at Ridges of Sand Creek in Jordan.

The NP girls took second in the team competition, posting a two-day, 36-hole total of 676. Minnetonka won the team competition at 581. Orono took third at 705.

While there has been little progress to creating a new U.S. Post Office for New Prague, behind-the-scenes work toward a new home for a facility has continued.

The Postal Service has secured a lease for a new facility at 1102 First St. NE in New Prague, said Desai Abdul-Razzaaq of the U.S. Post Office’s Corporate Communications Office. The location is the site of the former Pizza Ranch restaurant just east of the intersection of NE 10th Ave. and E Main St. “Construction activities will begin soon,” he said.

Eugene J. “Gene” Simon, age 93, of New Prague, died peacefully surrounded by his family on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Praha Village, New Prague, MN. Gene was born November 23, 1932, at the family farm near Veseli, to Bohumil and Ludmilla (Kalina) Simon. He attended a country school near the farm and later Catholic school at Most Holy Trinity. He graduated from New Prague High School in 1950.

The New Prague City Council unanimously approved two resolutions for the property at 1201 First St. NE. The first was to purchase the property for $1.7 million, which recently had been the location for New Day Church and the second resolution established procedures relating to compliance with reimbursement bond regulations.

City Administrator Josh Tetzlaff said the second resolution was if the council makes a decision that bonding for the purchase of the church is needed. At this time, the city has no intentions to bond for the purchase of the property, Tetzlaff said.

Carol Margaret Kratochvil Carlson, 76, passed away on January 28, 2026, in Houston, Texas.

For anyone who is a big hockey fan they are preparing for the finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs. I know it happens every year, but I still find it odd the National Hockey League (NHL) is wrapping up in what some might call spring, and others might call the first month of summer.

Angeline (Angie) Singer, 97, was reunited with her husband and many dear relatives and friends in heaven on May 24, 2026, at Presbyterian Homes in Bloomington, MN. Angeline (Pexa) Singer was born on October 11, 1928, in her parents’ farmhouse in Helena Township, Scott County, Minnesota. 

Lanny Carlton Anderson of New Prague, MN, born on March 8, 1939, in Appleton, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on May 27, 2026.

Mary K. (Bruzek) McDonald, age 87, formerly of Roseville, passed away on May 25, 2026. Mary was born March 14, 1939. 

She was receded in death by husband, Dr. William McDonald; parents, Ben & Katharine (Heinen) Bruzek; and sister, Sally Schmid.

She is survived by daughters, Ann Murray (David Eisenlord), Susie (Ron) Burke, and Katie (Jerry) Clark; grandsons, Joshua, Andrew, McCarthy, and Riley; sister, Peggy (Tom) Baldwin; and brother-in-law, Gene (Ann) Schmid.

Harry J. Handzlik, age 85, of New Prague, passed away on May 27, 2026.

Harry grew up in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from high school, he proudly served his country in the United States Navy for six years. Following his military service, he moved to Minnesota, where he worked at Motorola and later at Control Data in electronics. While working there, he met his first wife, Marilyn. Together they built their home and began raising their family.

Hundreds of people attended the retirement open house for Pastor Steve Trewartha, Saturday, May 16, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in New Prague. Trewartha, more known as “Pastor Steve,” has served as a pastor in New Prague for more than 20 years and is the founding pastor of FaithPoint Lutheran Church of rural New Prague.

The Minnesota Legislature called it a day Sunday, May 18, taking credit in the House for working together for the good of the state and its citizens as mature adults ought to do. People working together for a common good, compromising and acting reasonably in a legislative session will oftentimes occur when the two major parties enjoy equal representation.

And yet, the Minnesota House of Representatives weekly news service makes it sound like such bipartisan cooperation is to be celebrated rather than expected. Sadly, it is.

When he thought about a contribution to the committee raising funds to build the Praha Outdoor Performance Stage (POPS) in New Prague, Eddie Shimota might have been able to cut a check and be done with the matter. But Shimota, owner of Shimota Project Management, noticed the committee had plenty of generous, dedicated and talented people, but none of them with much experience building anything.