As a student growing up, she never enjoyed art classes. “The art teacher always told us what we should do and how we should do it,” Beth Vander Heiden said.

Today, the New Prague photographer is her own artist. She uses the earth and night sky as her pallets, creating images using a blend of a keen eye for light, shape and color and unshakable patience.

Michael Bassett passed away on August 25, 2025, after a courageous battle with illness. He was born on March 25, 1980.

Michael is survived by his wife, Stacy Bassett, and his two daughters, Julia and Taylor Bassett. He will be remembered with love by his family, friends, and colleagues.

A private service will be held in accordance with the family’s wishes.

William (Bill) Chandler Sensibaugh, age 86, of Shakopee, MN, passed away on August 22, 2025 at the Good Samaritan Society in Waconia, MN.

All services will be held at Church of St. Mark, 350 Atwood Street South, Shakopee, MN: Visitation Thursday, September 4, 2025, from 9-11 a.m., followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m.. Interment Catholic Cemetery, Shakopee, with full military honors provided by the Shakopee Veterans Honor Guard.

Superintendent Andy Vollmuth presented the district’s plan for informing the community about its operating levy in the coming weeks. If you are willing to listen with an open mind, we hope you take advantage of the opportunity to learn about the district’s request of its taxpayers.

Union Hill, Webster suffer season ending heartbreakers

Things don’t always work out as planned. Heading into the 2025 Minnesota Amateur Baseball Association’s state tournament this past weekend, leaders of area baseball teams from Union Hill, Elko, Webster and Prior Lake were all confident their teams had the right blend of offense and defense to advance to the second round of competition this weekend.

New Prague High School’s girls’ soccer and tennis teams are looking for more success than they enjoyed a year ago. Achieving the teams’ goals will rely on returnees learning lessons from their experiences.

Girls’ soccer A year after the Trojans made the jump to 10-5-3 record from a sub-.500 record, New Prague is again looking to improve.

Three years ago, members of the New Prague Lions Club began volunteering their time to support Dollars for Deb, a fundraiser designed to raise money to serve cancer patients and remember Deb Bertrang-Piotter.

The Elko New Market City Council continued work on Highlands at Eagle View, a proposed neighborhood development covering about 52 acres, at the council’s Thursday, July 24, meeting. The council approved two resolutions, one wetland replacement plan and one preliminary plat, plus an ordinance for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) and a grading authorization agreement.

Despite the threat of storms over the weekend, the rain mostly held back until after-hours of the Le Sueur County Free Fair.

The 168th annual event took place Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 14-17.

The forecast called for storms each day, but the worst of the rain came in the early hours of Saturday and well after the fair closed Sunday night. Both times, Le Center saw up to an inch of rainfall.

A half-inch of rain fell in the afternoon Friday, but had cleared as the events for the day moved into gear.

Bruce Clausen, age 61, of Shakopee, MN, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, MN.

Bruce was born in Shakopee on November 26, 1963, to Clifford and Dorothy (Lindfors) Clausen.

While growing up, Bruce enjoyed hanging out with friends, riding bikes, playing various sports and just being outdoors. In 1977, Bruce’s dad won a boat at Juba’s Grocery Store and the two of them enjoyed many years of fishing. In addition, they always enjoyed a fall deer hunting trip.

Despite their best efforts, area town baseball teams couldn't make it out of the opening round of state tournament play.

Saturday, Aug. 16, Webster fell to Raymond, 3-0, and Cold Spring topped Union Hill, 6-5.

Friday night in Glencoe, Elko went down to Sartell, 3-1.

Sunday, 4 p.m., in Hutchinson, Prior Lake takes on Bird Island.

See details in upcoming print edition of The New Prague Times.

Leon Luce, age 93, of Marystown, Minnesota, passed away on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.

The family will receive guests from 9:00 – 11:45 a.m. on Friday, August 22, with Mass of Christian Burial beginning at 12 noon, all events will be held at the Parish of Saints Joachim and Anne, in St. Mary of the Purification Catholic Church, 15850 Marystown Rd – Shakopee. Burial at the church cemetery will follow with veteran's honors, and a reception will then be held at the church fellowship hall. Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers to the Marystown Catholic Cemetery.

Dale L.

The 2025 Le Sueur County Fair begins Thursday, August 14 at the fairgrounds in Le Center and runs through Sunday, August 18.

Events are scheduled through the weekend at one of the state’s oldest county fairs.

Mike Geisen was, and still is, a practical man with more common sense than most. He has lived much of his life in a rural area, a few miles outside Belle Plaine on the edge of Carver and Sibley counties. No doubt he was bewildered back in 2006 when his new neighbor, a transplant from the suburbs, was putting up pasture fence for horses and explained what he was doing as if asking for Mike’s approval.

“What do you care what I think? It’s your land. You can do what you want,” he said.

“Yeah, but I’d rather get along with you more than not,” the transplant said.

Tuesday, Aug. 5, was Night to Unite in New Prague with at least five parties held around town. The national event allows neighbors to get out and meet each other, plus representatives from the New Prague police and fire departments. Jess and Lisa Realander’s house at 500 Central Ave. S was the central point for one party.