People lined up to watch the Classic Car Cruise the evening of Friday, Sept. 17. The Car Cruise started at New Prague High School and part of its route for this year went south on 10th Avenue NE (formerly Scott County Road 37). According to an early count more than 280 vintage vehicles participated in the 28th annual cruise of classic cars. The Car Cruise is part of Dozinky, New Prague’s Czech Harvest Festival. Activities continue on Saturday, Sept. 18, along Main Street with a parade at 12 p.m. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

First Bank & Trust of New Prague announced on its Facebook site that the Dozinky Medallion has been found. Amanda Myers, Wendy Anderson, and Anne Stroening discovered the medallion. The bank has an annual hunt for the medallion, which is hidden somewhere in the community, and people depend on weekly clues to try and find the medallion. The fourth clue to the location of the medallion was released yesterday. (Photo courtesy of First Bank & Trust)

Elko New Market observed the 20th anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001 on Saturday, Sept. 11, with a large US flag flying from a fire truck from the Elko New Market Fire Department. The department and the Elko New Market Police Department held a joint open house from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday. The event included tours of the new police department building, demonstrations of how to deal with grease fires and the landing of a helicopter from North Memorial Health Air Care. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

Proud Irishmen and women--and those who are Irish at heart--are shining up their shamrocks in anticipation for Kilkenny’s Halfway to St. Paddy’s Day celebration this Saturday, September 11.
Dale and Kathleen Hamele, longtime Kilkenny residents and business owners, have been named this year’s grand marshals. The couple has owned and operated West Side Repair in Kilkenny for 30 years.

A large crowd and good weather greeted The Le Sueur County Pioneer Power Show Friday Aug. 27, through Sunday, Aug. 29. The annual show features tractors of all years, sizes and models.
“We had extremely good attendance this year,” said Bill Thelemann of the Pioneer Power Tractor Show. “We dodged the main (predicted) rain storms.”

The Duck Cup Memorial had speaker Joe Beckman address the teachers of New Prague Area Schools on Thursday, Aug. 26, in the high school auditorium. Beckman encouraged the teachers to reclaim the human connection in their schools.

The September 1, 2021, issue of the Belle Plaine Herald, will be the last.
The newspaper’s owners, the Townsend Family, announced the news on its front page this week.
“The Townsend Family is sadly publishing the final edition of the Belle Plaine Herald, after nearly 140 years of covering the news in Belle Plaine and the surrounding area. This is the one article I hoped we would never have to print,” stated publisher and editor E. Daniel Townsend, who’s been employed at the newspaper and print company as long as he can remember.

New Prague High School students in grades 10 through 12 headed back to in person classes the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 31. Freshman were at the school building on Monday, Aug. 30, for orientation. Students started arriving for classes between 7:15 and 7:45 a.m. According to the high school there are 1,380 students registered this year. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

Members of the New Prague Chamber of Commerce surprised Jerry Minar the morning of Friday, Aug. 27, as he and his wife Bev will be this year’s Grand Marshals of the Parade of Farm Pride during the city’s Dozinky Festival. Jerry said they are honored to be named as the Grand Marshals. From left are Frank Weber, New Prague Chamber of Commerce board member, Jerry Minar and Brooke Sticha, Executive Director of the New Prague Chamber.

With sun shining through the large windows in FaithPoint Lutheran Church’s new sanctuary, Rev. Dr. Steve Trewartha warmly welcomed congregation members, friends, and visitors to the church’s Grand Opening worship service and celebration on Sunday morning, August 22, approximately one year after the church held its groundbreaking ceremony.
The 14-acre campus is located at 1051 270th Street West (one mile north of the car dealerships on Redwing Avenue) in New Prague.
A ribbon-cutting event was held prior to the service to kickstart the event.

The Czech Heritage Club were on the road a few weeks ago.
Club Members George Mikiska and James Simon appeared at the Pope County Fair in Glenwood on August 6. According to the members, Pope County has the next highest population of Czech immigrants in the state after Czech Country (Veseli, Lonsdale, Montgomery, and New Prague).

Crews place temporary cluster boxes outside of the New Prague Post Office on Thursday, Aug. 19. The New Prague Post Office will temporarily close beginning Saturday, Aug. 21, to undergo floor repair. The post office will tentatively be closed for 26 days with the lobby also closed. Customers who have PO Boxes in the New Prague Post Office will be able to use the cluster boxes for their mail. A key for the cluster box will be in their PO Box on Friday, Aug. 20. Mail can still be dropped off at the blue mail boxes and will still be picked up.

Minnwest Bank and Roundbank announced on Thursday, Aug. 12, the signing of an agreement to merge. Completion of the transaction, which is currently expected to occur by the end of 2021, is contingent upon regulatory approval.

Generations Theatre Company took its cast from its summer production “Blame it on the Movies” on the road on Thursday, Aug. 12. The tour consisted of stops at Tradtions of Montgomery, Mala Strana Rehabilitation and Assisted Living Center and Praha Village, the senior apartment facility, both in New Prague. The group sang songs from “Blame it on the Movies,” which consisted of songs from various time periods of the silver screen.

The New Prague City Council honored City Administrator Mike Johnson during its Monday, Aug. 16, meeting. Johnson who has been the city administrator for 13 years is retiring on Friday, Aug. 20. The council unanimously approved a resolution recognizing Johnson for his work and presented him with a plaque and a key to the city.
The resolution stated that Johnson’s efforts and dedication helped New Prague grow and with the overall well-being of the city.

By Den Gardner
(NPGC Board Member)
One-hundred years ago New Prague residents dreamed of a four-hole golf course in a new park planned for the city, along with tennis courts, a football field, playground and other amenities. That vision never materialized, but a seed had been planted.
Ninety years ago that vision did become a reality and on Aug. 21 New Prague Golf Club will celebrate 90 years as part of the club championship. A brief program will begin at 4 p.m. and the public is invited to commemorate the pioneers of that dream 90 years ago.