A gas leak was underway from late Monday morning at Highway 13 and Lexington Avenue in Montgomery. Firefighters and CenterPoint Energy said they should have it sealed up by early afternoon. Residents nearby the location are asked to keep their windows closed and away from the intersection until it has been fixed. Firefighters were monitoring gas levels regularly around the area for potential evacuations. See more in the August 31 edition of the Messenger.

New Prague, Montgomery, Waterville, Scott and Le Sueur counties and the area are under an excessive heat warning during the coming week.
The National Weather Service says the area will be subject to "dangerously hot conditions with heat index values up to 110 (degrees) possible."

When the state amateur baseball tournament convenes this weekend in Dassel, Delano, Litchfield and Waconia, the Dakota, Rice Scott League, a group including two favorites and a long shot to make the Class C state field will be well represented.
Class C teams Faribault, Union Hill and Veseli earned state berths at the region tournament which concluded last weekend.

Lonsdale Community Day, Saturday, Aug. 12, was packed with activities for people to enjoy from the morning too the night.
“It was amazing,” said Shanna GutzkeKupp, executive director of the Lonsdale Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the celebration to bring the community together. “We had wonderful weather.”
Weather for the day had temperatures in the low 80s at the most and sun through the day.

There are three tractors in the shed at the Borgmeyer farm just east of the Le Sueur-Rice County line. Each one has a specific job, though the 1968 John Deere 4020’s role is only partially linked directly to farm work.
“It still runs the auger every fall, still pulls things every spring,” said Willie Borgmeyer. He farms 120 acres of corn and beans in Shieldsville Township in western Rice County.

Steven David Moravec, age 67, of New Prague passed away on July 11, 2023 at his home.  A funeral service was held on August 5, 2023 at FaithPoint Lutheran Church in New Prague with Pastor Steve Trewartha officiating.

Hedwig “Hedi” Terisa Chlan, age 94, of Montgomery, passed away on Sunday, August 13, 2023 at Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin. Visitation will be held on Monday, August 21 from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m., all held at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery with Fr. Tom Niehaus officiating. Interment will be held in Calvary Cemetery in Montgomery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Most Holy Redeemer Catholic School or Church.

Joan C. Hamlin, age 89, of Montgomery, passed away Sunday, August 6, 2023, at French Meadow Place in Le Sueur. Visitation will be on Tuesday, August 15 from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. with Funeral service to follow at 11 a.m., all at St. John Lutheran Church in Montgomery with Pastor Jason Pollington officiating. Interment will be held in the Bohemian Cemetery in Montgomery.

Yvonne Dorothea Embretson, age 92, of Montgomery, passed away on Wednesday, August 9, 2023 at Praha Village in New Prague. Visitation will be on Friday, August 18 from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. with funeral service following at 11 a.m. all at St. John Lutheran Church in Montgomery with Pastor Jason Pollington officiating. Interment will be held in the St. John Lutheran Cemetery.

Montgomery and Shakopee both fall in Thursdays games fighting for the third spot in the state amateur baseball tournament. Veseli will play Lonsdale at Lonsdale on Sunday at 2 p.m.
More in the upcoming newspapers on August 17.

A Kilkenny woman’s house was damaged but nobody injured when fire broke out inside the front porch Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 9.
Just after 3:30 p.m., Constance Weber noted the air-conditioner window unit inside her front porch at her house on Laurel Avenue in Kilkenny had overheated and was ablaze. Weber discovered the fire after she heard crackling coming from the air-conditioning unit. The fire had spread from the front porch and was spreading other rooms inside of the house, according to the Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office.

Linda Ann Warnemunde, age 73, of New Prague, died peacefully on Saturday, August 5, 2023, at Mala Strana Health and Rehabilitation Center in New Prague, Minnesota.

Catherine Ann Sery, age 80, of Lakeville formerly of Hastings, passed away on Monday, July 31, 2023 at United Hospital in St. Paul. Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 26, from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery with Memorial Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11 a.m. with Fr. Tom Niehaus officiating. Interment will be held in Calvary Cemetery in Montgomery.

The Kolacky Days Grand Day Parade entertained thousands with more than 110 units in the parade.
The St. Paul Winter Carnival and many local royalty members from neighboring communities represented themselves through out the parade, including Miss Czech Slovak Minnesota, Belle Plain B-B-Q Days, Miss Waterville, Lonsdale Ambassadors, and more. A little more than a handful of bands made for great musical fun, spread throughout the route. 

Many 1,000's of visitors packed First Street in Montgomery during the 24th Annual Classic Car Show and the Vintage Snowmobile Show during the 89th Annual Kolacky Days Festival on Saturday. 
Whether you are a rat-rod person, an untouched original appreciator, or you liked a good ol' fashioned full restoration, there was something for everyone. Cars lined the street and some side streets from Oak Avenue to Vine Avenue. Vintage snowmobiles lined the rest of the next block north on First Street to Spruce Avenue.

Gerald Francis Kovarik, age 79, of Lonsdale, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
He is survived by his five children: Julie Kovarik (fiancé Dennis Tikalsky) of Hackensack, Ann Kovarik of Montgomery, Crystal (Richard) Shetka of Faribault, Sarria (Mitch) Green of Hopkins and Christopher Kovarik of St. Paul; five grandchildren: Nikitta (Cole) Mason, Cody Shetka, Brandon Klonne, Oscar and Roy Green, one great-grandson, Waylon Mason; brother Richard (Connie) Kovarik.