Another three-game week for the Mallards, with only one DRS League game left before playoffs, going 1-2 on the week with an overall record of 13-10-1 and 9-8 in the league. The Mallards are just one game away from securing a spot in the top six of league standings, earning a bye into Region 3C playoffs, beginning Sunday. August 4.
Montgomery Mallards 2, Belle Plaine Tigers 1

William Robert Hanek, age 86, of Montgomery, died on Thursday, July 25, 2024, at The Emeralds at Faribault. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 31, from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery. Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, August 1, at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church with Father George Grafsky officiating. Interment will be held Calvary Cemetery in Montgomery. Military honors will be provided by the Montgomery area Veterans Honor Guard.

Scott Pelava, owner of Lonsdale Auto Works, was chosen as the 2024 grand marshal for Lonsdale Community Days, happening on Saturday, August 10.
Pelava opened Lonsdale Auto Works in 2005, providing service to the Lonsdale area for 19 years so far. He has been an active member of the Lonsdale Area Chamber of Commerce (LACC), serving two terms on the board of directors for them. Chamber Executive Director Shanna Gutzke-Kopp says that he has been “constructively working with staff, committee members & business leaders.”

Marlys Annette Benolken, age 83, of New Prague, formerly of Lonsdale, died peacefully with her family at her side on Monday, July 22, 2024, at her home at Praha Village.  Marlys was born on September 22, 1940, in Fargo, North Dakota, to James A. and Catherine M. (Kreyer) Stage.  She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, attending Holy Name Catholic School from kindergarten through graduation from high school.  Once Marlys had raised her five children, Marlys entered the work force, serving as an administrative assistant for Rice County Corrections for 15 years.

The Kolacky Days medallion has been found by the reigning royalty themselves. It was located at the Montgomery City Hall. The Kolacky Queen and her princesses spent time each day since the first clue given on Monday to locate it. Full information will be published in the print issue of The Messenger on August 1.
Look for The Messenger on newsstands starting Wednesday afternoon with a special 12-page section dedicated to Kolacky Days and all of its happenings!

The armed man who prompted sheriff’s deputies and police to shut down Interstate Highway 35 near Faribault Sunday, July 21, for nearly five hours allegedly had drugs in his vehicle, paraphernalia and equipment for packaging drugs.
The incident began at 2:52 p.m. and ended shortly after 7 p.m.

Bruce Davis, a jovial man, decided a few weeks ago to resign as head baseball coach for Tri-City United High School after 37 years in the position.
“I really don’t have any reasons to retire. I still love coaching. Last spring was as much fun coaching as any season,” said Davis.
Davis also hung up his hat as a teacher for TCU, starting in the fall of 1987 of the then Montgomery-Lonsdale Schools. He started teaching in Montgomery as a fourth grade teacher, spent one year as a third grade teacher, and the rest of his career as a sixth grade teacher.

With anticipation of Kolacky Days, a lot of work has gone into refurbishing the first fire bell for the city of Montgomery. Local Historian Dale Ruhland and a host of others have spent hours researching the origin, as well as coordinating funds and work to be done, on the fire bell that used to sit on a concrete pad alone in Memorial Park near the Settler’s Cabin.
The bell was first installed in the early 1880’s, either when the first fire hall was approved in 1880 for the city or shortly thereafter.

When I first heard about jumping worms a couple of years ago I was freaked out. I thought I would never buy another plant again — I did not want them in my yard. I thought the worms were fatal to all the hard work I had put in my yard. They are not.
I have learned a lot about the jumping worms since that day. I have seen them in a yard, that had beautiful plantings. It was not hurting them up to that point. So, I will share what I have learned about them.

Silvana Ciscato Blum, age 77, of Montgomery, passed away on Thursday, July 18, 2024, at her home. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 24, from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery. Visitation will continue on Thursday, July 25, from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. with Funeral Service at 11 a.m. all held at St. John Lutheran Church with Pastor Jason Pollington officiating. Interment will be held in the St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Montgomery.

Dorothy Helen Trinka, age 93, of Montgomery, passed away on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at the Lutheran Home in Belle Plaine. Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 3, from 10 a.m. - noon with funeral service at noon. All held at the Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery. Interment will be held at a later date.

Richard James DeCoux, age 82, of Montgomery, passed away on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at Traditions of Montgomery. Visitation will be held on Friday, August 2 from 10-11 a.m. with a Funeral service at 11 a.m. all held at Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery.

Two Montgomery Township residents were killed in a house fire early Sunday morning.
Roman Jindra, 76, and Betty Jindra, 73, were found in the kitchen area of a house on Jindra Lane in Montgomery Township around 1 a.m. Sunday, July 14. Le Sueur County Sheriff's Office dispatchers received a report of a structure fire at the house at 12:54 a.m. Betty Jindra called 911 and reported the house was on fire and she and Roman were trapped inside the residence, according to a press release from the sheriff's office.

Gerald "Jerry" Joseph Coughlin, 91, of Opelika, Alabama, passed away Saturday July 6, 2024, at his home following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.  He was born November 14, 1932, in Montgomery, Minnesota.
He was preceded in death by his parents James Michael Coughlin, Sr. and Agnes Catherine Weiers Coughlin; his son Gregory Alan Coughlin and brother Donald (Donnie) Coughlin.

Donald "Don" Joseph Barnett, age 87, of Kilkenny, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 8, 2024, at his home. Visitation will be held on Friday, July 12, from 4-7 p.m. at Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery. Visitation will continue Saturday, July 13, from 10-11 a.m. at St. Canice Catholic Church in Kilkenny with Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. with Father Timothy Sandquist and Father George Grafsky officiating. Interment will be held at St. Michael’s Cemetery in rural Montgomery. Military honors will be provided by the Montgomery area Veterans Honor Guard.

St. Patrick built an early lead and then held off Hampton Sunday afternoon, June 30, at Bonin Field.
The Irish took a 5-0 lead with two runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth frame. Hampton rallied with a three tallies in the sixth inning before St. Patrick upped its lead to 6-2 with a solo run in the home half of the eighth inning, a run that provided to be the game-winner for the home team.