Shirley Ann (Lamont) Krenik, age 89, of Elysian, passed away peacefully at her home on September 4, 2026, surrounded by loved ones.

Monday, Aug. 31

•     Traffic stop (TS) and issued a warning for failure to maintain lane.
•     Assisted (Asst.) with a medical at Traditions.
•     TS and arrested an individual for cannabis open package, obstruct legal process, driving after revocation and no insurance.
•     Asst. with a medical on Deer Trail.

Tuesday, Sept. 1

    Meghan Bastyr has had multiple jobs over her time here on Earth, including being a mom, a heavy equipment operator, farmer, and more. She went to college to be a nurse, but that isn’t what she went straight into out of college.
    After graduating nursing school in 2008, she worked with her father Rick Renslow, who was also a late-1980’s World Wrestling Federation pro wrestler, in a landscaping business building boulder walls on lake shorelines. That ended when her father passed away in 2008.

    At first, it appeared as if Le Sueur County would need to set a considerable increase in levy rates going into next year. However, after months of work sessions, the county board of commissioners is now in good position to approve one of its lowest annual increases.
    The county had anticipated a large increase in property taxes because of changes to how the human services department is funded. The Federal government shifted the financial burden of funding the department to the state, as the state shifted much of the burden to the county level.

    Many around the area noticed the out-of-place Ferris wheel on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at Next Chapter Winery between New Prague and Montgomery, especially after the lights came on at night.
    The Ferris wheel was rented by husband Jeff Nelson of the late Shonna Nelson, who passed away on Sept. 3, 2025 after a battle with cancer. It was part of “Shonna’s Yahrzeit.” A Yahrzeit, sometimes spelled jahrzeit, is a Yiddish word meaning “year time” and is a Jewish tradition that celebrates the anniversary of a loved one’s death, specifically a parent or near relative.

The incident
    Steven Goettl, 41, of Le Center, was driving his motorcycle on his way home from work at Le Sueur, Inc. on Thursday, Aug. 27, at about 4:45 p.m. when he drove over some rocks or gravel on a curve where 356th Street turns south and changes into 305th Avenue, which is a paved road approximately two miles southeast of Le Sueur, Minn.
    Goettl lost control of the motorcycle, passed over the opposing side of the road, took out a road sign and landed next to his motorcycle in the ditch. 

To the editor,

I’m supporting Marisa Ulmen for Minnesota State Senate District 22 because she understands what it takes to build and sustain a strong rural community.

Marisa knows rural Minnesota because she has lived it. She is a fifth-generation farmer from Madelia, and she understands both the challenges and opportunities facing our farm families and rural communities.

Her campaign is focused on four priorities: affordable, accessible healthcare; support for rural families and communities; a strong future for our farm families; and stronger rural towns.

John Titus, of Lonsdale, MN, died peacefully at the University of Minnesota Hospital on August 17, 2026, after a brief illness due to a sepsis infection related to his Crohn’s disease. He was surrounded by the love of his family and of his best friend Matt. The world has lost a truly one of a kind human.

William J. Pan, aka Buckshot, Mr. B, Bill, age 79, formerly of Montgomery, currently of Cold Spring, TX, passed away peacefully on September 4, 2026.  Bill was born to Annabelle (Bauer) Pan and Harry Pan of Montgomery on September 23, 1946. From here is where Bill’s story began! At a very young age, Bill would play guitar in his grandmother’s yard and sing songs; some of these songs he would make up. This may have been the start of his music career!

Titans start boys soccer season 3-0

    The Tri-City United boys soccer team started its 2026 season by allowing only two goals while posting three straight wins.
    The defending Section Champions defeated Mankato West, 1-0, Wings United (St. James/Windom/Madelia), 10-1, and Worthington, 2-1, in a rematch of the Big South Conference Championship.
    Junior Angel Ruiz Gomez scored the lone goal in the shutout of Mankato West August 29, in the 22nd minute.

    It was a clean sweep for the Tri-City United girls tennis team Tuesday, Sept. 1.
    The Titans improved to 3-3 overall with straight set wins in all seven matches. They only allowed one Eagle player to score more than three points in a set.
    At No. 1 singles junior Ellie Adams was a 7-5, 6-2 winner. Junior Reagan Steffen was a 6-2, 6-0 winner at No. 2 singles. Junior Destynee Wolff was a 6-0, 6-1 winner at No. 3 singles. At No. 4 singles, junior Lexie Berger was a 6-3, 6-0 winner.

    The Tri-City United boys soccer team opened their 2026 season with a 1-0 shutout win over Mankato West Saturday, Aug. 29 in Montgomery.
    No statistics were provided following the match.
    The Titans are rated in the top 15 in Class A in the Minnesota State Soccer Association Pre-Season Poll.

    Tri-City United Schools is one of about 10 schools to try out an expanding partnership program with Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSUM) called RESEPI, which is short for Rural Experiential STEM (science, engineering, technology and mathematics) Education Partnership Initiative.
    The program was piloted by MSUM last year in Mankato’s three public schools with hopes to expand the program to about 100-plus school districts in the 2027-2028 school year and hopefully to all the 277 non-metro school districts in the state eventually.

Titans girls drop opening two games

    The Tri-City United girls soccer team played a pair of games before school started and were defeated in both.
    The Titans lost, 4-2, to Norwood/Sibley East Thursday, August 27. Kinsley Mach scored both the goals for TCU. Camila Perez and Alice Grimm each had an assist. Johanna Zasoski saved 18-of-20 shots on goal.
    Two days later Mankato West traveled to Montgomery and defeated the Titans, 8-1. Scoring the lone goal for TCU was Camila Perez.

Monday, Aug. 24

•     Assisted (Asst.)an individual with a vehicle lock out.
•     Traffic stop (TS) and issued a warning for no front license plate. (2)
•     TS and arrested an individual for driving while intoxicated (DWI), unlawful firearm possession, drug possession, and driving after revocation.
•     Asst. an individual with a civil manner.
•     TS and issued a warning for an equipment violation

Tuesday, Aug. 25

    A “Meet Your Candidates” event has been coordinated by Jean Keogh at the sponsoring Revival on Main ahead of this year’s mid-term elections on Tuesday, Sept. 22. 
    Area residents are encouraged to attend this free event to hear from and ask questions to candidates for Minnesota Senate District 22, Minnesota House District 22B, Le Sueur County, City of Montgomery, and Tri-City United School District #2905.
    Social period will start at 6:30 p.m., with kolacky, cookies, coffee, and a cash bar, where residents will be able to interact directly with candidates.