Autowash Systems, Inc. (ASI), the leading car wash distributor serving the Upper Midwest, announces the purchase of the New Prague Car Wash, located next to Casey’s Gas Station. This investment marks a new chapter in ASI’s ongoing commitment to advancing technician training and supporting the local community.

The primary purpose of this acquisition is to create a hands-on training facility for ASI technicians while showcasing the latest in in-bay automatic wash technology. As an added benefit, the wash will also be open to the community.

Since 1903, the Bruzek family has served New Prague and area families at times of grief and sorrow over the loss of loved ones.

On Wednesday, Nov. 12, a two-vehicle crash happened around 11:58 a.m. on the east side of New Prague.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol a flatbed towestbound on Highway 19 approaching 141st Street in the left lane. The tow truck was hauling recreational items and pulling a pontoon.

The tow truck rear ended a stopped Ford vehicle at the intersection. After the impact the tow truck and pontoon jackknifed blocking the westbound lanes.

The driver of the Ford vehicle was air lifted by North Memorial, with non-life threatening injuries.

New Prague High School’s National Honor Society recently held an induction ceremony with 53 new members inducted. The National Honor Society (NHS) now has a total membership of 93 members.

“I feel that new members add an influx of energy to the organization,” said Matt Stensrud, NPHS language arts teacher and National Honor Society advisor. “These are people that are motivated, passionate, and caring individuals, and it’s always great to see that many people apply and be accepted. They are what keeps the organization going.”

Recently, more than two dozen volunteers with Crossroads Church of Elko New Market picked apples at Nelson’s Apple Farm of Webster. The apples were sent to area food shelves to help families in need.

“It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon to get out and pick apples,” said Pastor Gordon Deuel of Crossroads Church. He noted their group got to see and help how apples are washed and packed at the apple farm owned and operated by Ross and Karen Nelson. Plus, those who helped were able to have an apple dandy, a deep-fried doughnut, afterwards.

The Scott County Sheriff’s Office is opening its ninth annual greeting card design contest.

The New Prague Fire Department aided a farmer whose arm became caught in a corn picker Tuesday evening, Nov. 4, along the 23000 block of Helena Boulevard.

New Prague Fire Chief Steve Rynda said the call came in at 8:25 p.m. The farmer, a male in his early 60s, was working on the machine out in a field when his hand and arm became stuck in the machine, said Rynda, adding the farmer was the one who called the fire department.

After arriving on the scene, firefighters were able to free the farmer’s arm and hand.

Voters in the New Prague Area School District approved the school district’s request for additional local revenue by a wide margin.

Falcon Ridge Elementary School’s multipurpose gym was extremely quiet Friday, Oct. 24, as students participated in the school’s Read-A-Thon.

During the day each grade at the school, which has 500 students, had a designated time to read and celebrate the day in the gym, said Greta Deutsch of the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC).

Besides reading in the gym, students were also reading in their classrooms for the event, said Deutsch. The event has two purposes, to encourage reading and raise funds for the school.

When word that Scott, Le Sueur and Rice counties could no longer process applications for assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Rita Goggins knew more people would be looking for assistance.

The counties are expecting additional pressure on the food shelf created by the federal government shutdown.

The Elko New Market City Council discussed the future of the former police department building at 26518 France Avenue at the council’s Thursday, Oct. 23, meeting. A study workgroup had come up with three possibilities for the building, demolish, sell or save. The council decided to bring the building back for discussion in January.

Hope for the Community in Elko New Market teamed up at the beginning of October with the non-profit Feed My Starving Children and local business Niagara Bottling, LLC to serve 340 families in the Elko New Market area. The three organizations provided 110 pounds of donated food and hygiene supplies to families in need.

“That was a great event,” said Jim Muelken, who with his wife, Jodi, started Hope for the Community Elko New Market in 2017 with the help of Al Goracke, the board president of Hope for the Community in Blaine.

In preparation for Thanksgiving, the Le Sueur County Veterans Office is providing $25 gift vouchers during the month of November to veterans. The office is partnering with O’Keefe’s Meat Market in Le Center to provide the gift vouchers, according to a press release from the Le Sue County Veterans Office.

Area veterans can stop by the Le Sueur County Veterans Office to pick up a voucher, while they last, said the press release. This is a benefit for veterans of Le Sueur County because of their service to our nation.

Some people make golf, painting, photography, porcelain figurines or traveling to exotic places as a favorite hobby. Paul Bongers enjoys growing pumpkins in the backyard of his house in Lonsdale.

And for Bongers, bigger is unquestionably better.

He grows Dills Giant Atlantic pumpkins in his backyard. He started growing them in 2020. This year’s crop of three pumpkins ranged from 1,200 pounds when it split, a condition leading to rot, to 1,219 pounds and the largest of the three tipping the scale at 1,819 pounds.

Elko New Market firefighter Jodi Muelken was honored Monday, Oct. 6, with the 2025 Minnesota Crime Prevention Association Volunteer of the Year award.

The award is given to a person who has demonstrated by their actions, a furthering of crime prevention efforts in a given community or specific area. The MCPA has been presenting the award since 1973.

Jay Simon, fire chief of Elko New Market’s volunteer fire department, nominated Muelken.

New Prague High School hosted its second annual Career & Tech Day, Thursday morning, Oct. 2, in the high school’s auditorium, gymnasium and back parking lot. There were 55 area businesses that participated.

The event showcased community employers and provided sophomores and juniors a high-impact, effective, and efficient day to explore various career areas, said principal Brian Thorstad.

Many students were able to talk with business representatives in the gymnasium, while others were able to get a bit of hands on experience with demonstrations in the parking lot.