The repairs for a failed culvert on Highway 99 east of Highway 13, south of Montgomery, are expected to be complete by Friday, Oct. 16 with the detour removed by the end of the day, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).
Highway 99 east of Highway 13 closed on June 30 due to a failed culvert after heavy rains. MnDOT engineers came up with a new design that will provide a long-term fix to the deep foundation issues and replaced the culvert.
For updated road condition information, call 511 or visit www.511mn.org.

TCU schools informed parents and guardians on Monday of three lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) in members of the TCU School communities.
According to Superintendent Lonnie Seifert, the three confirmed cases were reported over the past five days.

Members of the Czech Heritage Club spread the word about its organization and heritage over the weekend.
Three board members, Violet Chromy, George Mikiska, and Jim Simon, attended the festival in Faribault.

TCU schools informed parents and guardians on Monday of three lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) in members of the TCU School communities.
According to Superintendent Lonnie Seifert, the three confirmed cases were reported over the past five days.

Tri-City United High School announced its 2020 Homecoming candidates on Friday, Oct. 9. During a time of a pandemic with face masks, the candidates are (from left) Matt Rabenberg, Jordyn Brownlee, Mason O’Malley, Brooke Blaschko, Riley O’Malley, Isabelle Factor Brody Rud, Anabelle Davies, Dan Lozano and Paige Johnson. For more information, and to see the faces behind the masks, see the print edition. (Wade Young Photo)

In an announcement Tuesday on the Montgomery Torchlight Parade and Firework's social media page, organizers stated the Holidazzle-like event will be canceled in 2020. They said it is due to "the pandemic restrictions by our state government."
"We would like to thank everyone for your support of this event. Unfortunately after careful consideration due to the pandemic restrictions by our state government we have no choice but to cancel the parade and fireworks for 2020" the post stated.

The “Fall Colors Cruise” rolls out of Henderson the afternoon of Saturday, Oct. 3. Approximately 200 classic vehicles were participating in the 70 mile cruise that traveled through St. Thomas, Le Center, around Le Sueur County lakes to the Ottawa Road into Le Sueur and back to Henderson. The Henderson Classic Car Roll-In Committee hosted the cruise. Donations were also taken for the local food shelf that collected an estimated couple hundred pounds of food. For more seen upcoming issues of The New Prague Times, the Montgomery Messenger. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

The Office of the Le Sueur County Election Administrator announced on Friday that absentee ballots are now available to the public for the General Election (November 3, 2020).
Voters are strongly encouraged to apply online for an absentee ballot.
Online absentee ballot applications are currently available on the Minnesota Secretary of State website or Le Sueur County website.

Montgomery Ambulance service is 50 years old.
October 1, 2020, marks a half century of the city-owned service providing care to the local area.
Prior to the creation of the ambulance service, the Schoenbauer Funeral Home provided transportation and care to individuals during emergency situations. However, the state decided this was a conflict of interest.
At the same time, state and federal governments started a program to get ambulances into rural areas. Funding from this program helped created the Montgomery Ambulance service.

Lonsdale area residents came out the evening of Friday, Sept. 25, to support its local police department and the Rice County Sheriff’s Office. The Lonsdale Knights of Columbus hosted the event held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with the staff of the Lonsdale Police Department honored for their work in the community. The....
To see more on this story pick up the Ocotber 1, 2020 print edition of The New Prague Times.

The 2020 Be-A-Mazed Corn Maze at the Montgomery Orchard celebrates one of nature’s most enduring stories - the Sandhill Crane!
Scott Wardell said the maze design and condition combine to make the best experience for visitors.
“Visitors will be able to enjoy a maze design that makes its way through six acres of adventure,” Wardell explained. “There are 10 trivia stops focused on facts about the sandhill crane throughout the maze, which has extra wide aisles this year to allow guest to pass without getting to close to each other.”

A public hearing was held Tuesday, Sept. 1 at the Le Sueur County Board Room to make a decision regarding the auditor/treasurer position.
The board notified the public of their intent to make this position an appointed position last month.
After publishing their intent in the legal county newspaper, a public hearing needed to be held.
There were neither written comments nor public comment during the meeting.
The board approved the resolution which will make the county auditor/ treasurer position an appointed position. This will take effect Oct. 2, 2020.

Since moving to a new location earlier this year, the farmers market in Lonsdale has seen an increase in business.
“We’ve gotten a lot more traffic compared to last year,” said Cakes by Brenda owner Brenda Hergenroder.
Hergenroder, who is in her first year as organizer of the farmers market, said that last year the market was held in the Lonsdale American Legion parking lot.
When the former organizer and the American Legion decided not to continue the market this year, Hergenroder stepped in to see that Lonsdale continued to have a market.

Labor Day is in the books.
Summer is over, and students in the area are opening their books/laptops for the return to a new school year, which officially began Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Many students haven’t seen the inside of their schools for six months since the COVID-19 health pandemic sent everyone home to learn virtually last March. Life in the classroom, they are seeing, looks a little different.

A new, colorful exhibit at Montgomery’s Arts and Heritage Center
The colorful and historic pieces all came together.
A collection of aprons created by apron enthusiast, historian, and renowned storyteller Yvonne Cory of Easton is now on display at the Arts and Heritage Center of Montgomery. The free exhibit will be available for viewing during the center’s regular hours until October 10.

Arnold "Buck" Zahratka wasn't quite sure what his family was up to when they told him to scooter himself out onto the sidewalk in front of Traditions of Montgomery on Monday afternoon, August 31--Buck's 95th birthday.
"You want me here?" the Montgomery man good-naturedly questioned.
Then, he heard the honking.