Friday, Aug. 7, was a busy day for Trygg Holliday as he managed the building of a prayer garden at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Elko New Market.

Part of his inspiration for the prayer garden is his dad, Timothy Holliday, who passed away four years ago. The small garden will have a bench where people can sit. A memorial plaque for Holliday’s dad will be placed on the bench. It was Timothy Holliday, plus Trygg’s grandmother, Darlene Thomas, who got Trygg involved in Boy Scout Troop 9111 out of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lakeville.

Without the funding needed to complete the full array of improvements planned for Highway 19 between New Prague and Highway 169, the Minnesota Department of Transportation is planning a comparatively short-term pavement improvement along the dilapidated roadway next year.

Le Sueur County Sheriff Brett Mason reports Tuesday Aug.18, 2026, at approximately 7:15 p.m. the Le Sueur County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a dirt bike crash on private property on 320^th Street near Highway 13 in rural Lanesburgh Township south of New Prague.

Upon arrival, deputies located an unresponsive 15-year-old boy.  It appeared the boy lost control of the dirt bike while operating it on a private track. Medical aid was rendered by New Prague Fire Department along with North Memorial Ambulance Service. 

    A rural New Prague woman is facing multiple charges stemming from a domestic dispute at the home of her former boyfriend in Derrynane Township.

    Area residents took full advantage of the event-filled day on Saturday at Lonsdale Community Days.
    Thousands took to the streets and businesses in downtown Lonsdale, starting with the annual Lonsdale Skywarn Breakfast. There were nearly 50 vendors along Main Street, where patrons could eat, drink, buy goods, ask questions, inquire about services, or learn some history.

Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Veseli is finishing up work on the its building just in time for the Veseli Ho-Down on the church grounds Sunday, Aug. 16.

One of the longest running Minnesota County Fairs is celebrating its 169th year next week.

The Le Sueur County Fair begins Thursday, August 20 at the fairgrounds in Le Center, and runs through Sunday, August 23. It is the last county fair before the Minnesota State Fair.

Every year the fair board approves improvements to the grounds and this year will be no different, with many new spruced up areas.

The Elko New Market City Council at its Thursday, July 23, meeting was asked for feedback on a proposed option for the city’s old police department building at 26518 France Ave.

Between 30 to 40 people attended the Sunday afternoon, Aug. 2, concert by the seven members of Ameriikan Poijat (Boys of America) at the Broz Event Venue in New Prague.

The brass band was formed in Northfield in 1990 and its purpose is to preserve and perform traditional Finnish brass septet music. The free concert was presented by the New Prague Arts Foundation.

    One of the longest running Minnesota County Fairs is celebrating its 169th year next week.
    The Le Sueur County Fair begins Thursday, August 20 at the fairgrounds in Le Center, and runs through Sunday, August 23. It is the last county fair before the Minnesota State Fair.
    Every year the fair board approves improvements to the grounds and this year will be no different, with many new spruced up areas.

Update: 8/11/26 3:30 p.m.

A fire on a local farm, totally destroyed a barn used for storage and its contents Wednesday evening, Aug. 5.

New Prague Fire Chief Steve Rynda said firefighters received a fire call at 7:40 p.m. of a barn fire on the 200 block of E 253rd St., just east of Cedar Lake and southwest of St. Patrick. Firefighters found the shed totally engulfed by flames when the first firefighters arrived within 10 minutes of receiving the fire call.

There were no injuries in the fire and the barn, about 40 feet by 60 feet and used for equipment storage, is a total loss, Rynda said.

Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 1, Mayo Clinic Health System patients in New Prague who have urgent health concerns that are not life-threatening will continue to have access to care through  Primary Care On Demand  24/7  virtual  visits  as  well as  in-person primary care appointments.   

    Crews will close northbound Highway 169 to traffic between County Road 59/Delaware Avenue in St. Lawrence Township and Creek Lane in Jordan from 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10. The closure is necessary to complete storm sewer work, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).
    The posted detour will be County Road 59 (Delaware Avenue) to County Road 66 (Old Highway 169 Boulevard) to Highway 21 (Broadway Street). All construction activities and traffic impacts are weather dependent and subject to change.

    Miss Czech-Slovak Minnesota 2025-2026 Gianna Olsen from Stillwater attended the Miss Czech-Slovak US Pageant in Wilber, Neb., competing against 10 other candidates from around the country. She was given the Cultural Preservation Award by the judges.
    Olsen did a vocal solo for her talent at the event, which ran from Friday, July 31-Sunday, Aug. 2, and coincides with Wilber’s Czech Festival. 

On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at approximately 2:23 p.m., Scott County Sheriff’s Office 911 Dispatch received a report of a motorcycle crash near Drexel Avenue (County Road 15) and 235th Street in Helena Township.

Deputies responded to the scene and found that a 1998 Harley-Davidson motorcycle had been traveling northbound on Drexel Avenue and was entering a curve when it left the roadway and struck an embankment and driveway approach.