Beating Mahtomedi-Stillwater in its section contest last week, the New Prague High School indoor softball team advanced to a return trip to the state tournament where the Trojans open play tomorrow, Friday, May 17.
New Prague opens state tournament at 8 p.m. tomorrow night against St. Cloud at Chanhassen High School. If New Prague tops the sluggers, they’ll face the winner of the Dakota United vs. Chaska-Chanhassen-Shakopee-Prior Lake Saturday, May 18, noon, at Chanhassen High School in the tournament’s semifinals round.

Shirlee Ann Muetzel, age 91, of Lonsdale, passed away peacefully May 14, 2024.
Shirlee was born August 12, 1932, to Harry Harvey Jahnke and Luella Adeline Lueck Jahnke, south of Olivia, MN. She attended school in Renville and Danube and graduated in 1950. Shirlee and her husband Maurice Milo Muetzel were married 61 years, Ruby and Lori were born to this union. Maurice passed November 3, 2014.

Friday night into Saturday morning was a spectacle of the skies, even those within the city limits and outside of direct light, as the aurora borealis or northern lights put on a show for all to see.
People as far south as the Bahamas and southern California were able to see them outside of light polluted areas. Even within the Twin Cities metropolitan area the aurora was visible to the naked eye.

“This is our first year doing a garage sale,” said Eric Novotny, Saturday morning, May 11. He was among several people participating in New Prague’s Citywide Garage Sales. In his yard and driveway along NE First Street, he had many articles for sale.
“We’ve got clothes, electronics, cookware, you name it,” he said.
He and his wife had seen other garage sales and they decided to take part this year. Novotny noted another reason is they’re expecting a child. “We’re making room in the house,” Novotny said.
The sale also had furniture and several knickknacks.

Jackie Zimmerman, age 93, of Le Center, MN, passed away on April 28, 2024, at Central Health Care Nursing Home in Le Center. A family gathering will be held to honor Jackie’s life. 
Jackie was born January 31, 1931, to Jacob and Jessie (Running) Lucksinger in Johnson, MN. Through her many years, she loved gardening and loved her family. She is now reunited in heaven with her loving husband, Kenny. She will be greatly missed.

Air quality is expected to reach the red AQI category in southern Minnesota, which is unhealthy for everyone
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has extended the air quality alert for southern Minnesota. The alert now remains in effect until 11 p.m. on Monday, May 13. The affected area includes the Twin Cities metro, Albert Lea, Marshall, Worthington, Rochester, Winona, Mankato, and the tribal nation of Prairie Island.

A Shoreview man, a passenger in a 2011 Hyundai, was killed Thursday afternoon, May 9, in a crash on Le Sueur County Road 3, just north of its intersection with County Road 29 in Lanesburgh Township.

Like most any mom, Tina Kreger wanted the best for her three children. She wanted her sons and daughter to be comfortable participating in activities and to be accepted by their peers. For her son, Orion, that presented a unique challenge she willingly embraced.

Many Minnesota partisans have recently been saying out loud what many of us have said for years: Precinct caucuses are a major contributor to the angry, political division permeating politics today.

The New Prague City Council approved a bid from Central Ag LLC to install a fence for a dog park on the north side of town. Central Ag LLC had the lowest of two bids at $23,844.
The council approved the bid 4-0, with Mayor Duane Jirik absent.

We acquired a .22-caliber handgun for dispatching unwanted animals from the barn. Fortunately, we gave it away before ever needing to use it. We were always taught every gun is always loaded unless you personally see it is not loaded. The point of such counsel was to prevent the unthinkable. The advice came from an older brother, who owned many handguns all properly stored in a secured gun locker separate from ammunition.

New Prague School Board members will consider proposed settlements with several unions representing over 200 employees during a special meeting Monday, May 13.
The 6 p.m. meeting is an addition to the board’s previously established schedule. A work session will follow the completion of the special board meeting.
Union employees working in transportation, paraprofessionals and nurses, nutrition services and custodians were scheduled to review and vote this week on a tentative agreement covering July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025.

New Prague’s baseball team has gone 3-1 with a 1-0 win in nine innings over Bloomington Jefferson, a 12-2 loss to Chaska, a 10-6 win over Rochester John Marshall and a 4-0 win over Shakopee.
The Trojans were scheduled to host Orono, Tuesday, May 7. New Prague is on the road with its next two games. Tonight the Trojans are at Waconia at 7 p.m., Monday, May 13, New Prague is at Chanhassen at 7 p.m. On Wednesday, May 15, the Trojans host Benilde-St. Margaret’s at 4:30 p.m.

Hard work is paying off for the NPHS girls’ golf team. The Trojans topped a seven-team field at Hutchinson Friday, May 3.
The Trojans finished with a team score of 365 for 18 holes, 12 strokes clear of Delano. BOLD finished third at 384 and the hosts Tigers checked in fourth with a 387. Marshall, Litchfield, Le Sueur-Henderson and Dassel-Cokato rounded out the field.

A person was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Le Sueur County Road 3 just north of Le Sueur County Road 29 in Lanesburgh Township this afternoon, Thursday, May 9, around 3 p.m.
Le Sueur County Sheriff's deputies and troopers from the Minnesota State Patrol are investigating the crash. The name of the deceased was not released Thursday afternoon.
Additional information on the crash from the sheriff's office is expected Friday, according to a sheriff's deputy. It will be published when available.

A big win last week set the New Prague indoor softball team up for a possible run to a return trip to the state tournament.
New Prague hosted a section tournament game yesterday, May 8. Details of the game were not available at Press time. See The New Prague Times’ Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) pages for more information as it becomes available.
Trojans 14, South Washington County 4
New Prague’s win Tuesday, April 30, set the Trojans up with the No. 3 seed heading into the section tournament.
Dakota United 9, Trojans 7