Library Assistant Karen Gustafson spent her last day at the Montgomery Public Library on Thursday, July 30, like it was any other day attending to the usual customers through closing time.
    Gustafson, now age 61, started working at the library in February 2006. “The first week was tough because the librarian was still getting her feet wet and so the two of us kind of had to figure things out on our own. It was kind of like a rollercoaster,” said Gustafson.

    Montgomery Farmer’s Market will celebrate National Farmer’s Market Week today, which is Aug. 2-8.
    Montgomery’s Farmer’s Market started this year’s Power of Produce or “POP” Club on July 14 and it will run this week as well. It is a program sponsored by Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative (MVEC) and the Knights of Columbus #1573 that gives kids, who come to the market and register with their parents, $5.00 to use on participating stands for fresh produce.

    The Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office 911 dispatch center received a call from retired farmer Richard Peterson, age 75, at 3:09 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2, saying that his attached garage was on fire at 23956 Dodd Road, a little over two miles south of Le Center on the southern edge of the Shanghai Lake Wildlife Management Area.

    Montgomery’s 2024 Kolacky Days Queen Neysa Anderson was crowned as a 2027 Minneapolis Aquatennial Princess this past week. She is the second only from Kolacky Days royalty to enter into the candidacy for potential honor and first to be crowned. Anna Franek in 2019 was the only other Kolacky Royalty to try.
    Anderson joins 2025 Anoka Ambassador Sydney DeRung, who is the other princess, and the prize title 2027 Minneapolis Aquatennial Queen of the Lakes, which was won by 2024-2025 Miss Sibley County Maryn Halverson.

Monday, July 20

    Voters in the southern three-fourths of Le Sueur County have options when deciding who will get their vote in the Aug. 11 primary election for county board seats representing the second fourth and fifth commissioner districts.
    The ballot will also include U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, and attorney general seats open for election.

    Two local 4-H youth are stepping into one of Minnesota 4-H’s most prestigious leadership roles. Le Sueur County is one of only five counties in the state to have more than one State Ambassador selected.
    Elizabeth Holicky of Le Center and Audrey Keltgen of Le Sueur have been selected as members of the 2026–2027 Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador Team, joining 30 other outstanding young leaders from across the state.

A big thank you to all Summer Reading Program participants! Grand prize winners will be announced soon. Good luck to all!

    Monday,  Aug. 3  – BBQ chicken breast, scalloped potatoes, green peas, wheat bread with margarine, brownie, and milk.
    Tuesday, Aug. 4 – Diced turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, whole kernel corn, diced peach cup, dinner roll with margarine, and milk.
    Wednesday, Aug. 5 – Meatloaf, baked potato with sour cream and margarine, broccoli, applesauce cup, wheat bread, and milk.
    Thursday, Aug. 6 – Turkey Tetrazzini, sliced carrots, peach crisp, dinner roll with margarine, and milk.

    The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) announced that 70 schools from 45 districts and charter schools, including Tri-City United, will partner with MDE this fall to pilot the Minnesota Kindergarten Fall Assessment (MnKFA), an observation-based approach designed to be embedded in everyday classroom experiences, such as communication, problem-solving, and play.

George Balluff, 83, formerly of the Montgomery/Lonsdale area, passed away in Wichita, KS on July 27, 2026. He was born January 19, 1943 in Dubuque, IA, to George and Marian Balluff. He graduated in 1961 from Algona, IA high school.

He served in the Army from 1964-1966 as a medic in Germany.

    The Miss Czech Slovak Minnesota Pageant is looking for queen and junior ambassador candidates for its 37th annual event.
    If you are of Czech or Slovak decent and live within Minnesota, and are between the ages of 12-15 for junior ambassadors or between ages 16-23 for queen by Aug.1, you can apply through their website at missczechslovakminnesotapageant.com.
    The applications are due by Aug. 1 and a contestant meeting will be held on Aug. 9. The pageant will be held at the Park Ballroom in New Prague after the Dožínky Days on Sept. 19.

    Le Center’s downtown bustled with jubilation in honor of the United States of America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday.

    A packed, electric crowd turned out at Memorial Field to celebrate Kolacky Days Night on Wednesday, July 22, but defensive miscues and early quiet bats dampened the hometown festivities as the Montgomery Mallards fell 8-2 to the Veseli Warriors.
    The Mallards also played the Webster Sox on Monday, July 27, but details of the game were not available before the Messenger went to press

    The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) will be offering free nitrate testing onsite at Farmfest at the Historic Gilfillan Estate near Redwood Falls Aug. 4-6.
    Nitrate levels above 1 mg/L are considered elevated, and those above 10 mg/L are known to be harmful, especially for infants and pregnant women. Recent studies also suggest that exposure to nitrate in drinking water over long periods even below 10 mg/L may increase the risk of prematurity, birth defects, thyroid problems, and colorectal cancer.

    Montgomery’s 92nd Kolacky Day’s Grand Day Parade will commence at noon on Sunday, July 26, with about 100 units. This is down slightly from last year’s 110 units.
    The parade will start at Vine Avenue West and 3rd Street Northwest at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, travel south to Oak Avenue Southwest where it will go east two blocks by the Montgomery Public Library to go north on 1st Street South until it meets up with Boulevard Avenue Northwest to travel one block west, terminating at the city’s public works lot.