Two New Prague businesses have temporarily closed due to COVID-19. The Yoga Tree and City Club Bar closed early last week.
The staff of The Yoga Tree along 10th Avenue NE sent out a notice to its students on Wednesday, July 1, that they were informed by a student that they had been in contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus as of Tuesday, June 30. The staff noted anyone who attended class on Monday, June 29 and/or Tuesday, June 30, to please take the necessary care and precaution as mandated by government guidelines.

Approximately 40 floats participated in the third annual Cedar Lake Fourth of July Boat Parade.
The casual event gathers lake residences, lake enthusiasts, friends, and family together to celebrate Independence Day on the local lake.
Participants gathered their decorated boats and pontoons near the public access on the lake’s west side, then travelled south, circling the lake.
Andrea Beno, who helps organize the parade, thanked everyone who participated in the “steamy” parade. “It was our biggest yet!” she stated.

Local artist Greg Preslicka, a 1983 graduate of New Prague High School, was busy in June creating a view into Prior Lake’s past and present with a community mural titled “Yesterday and Today.” Located on the wall of Nuvera, an internet service provider, the large painting depicts two views of the community’s lake. On the left is the lake’s past, including a ferry, the water slide that was at Green Heights Resort, the train bridge, and cows. On the right side of the mural are activities from today, water skiing, sailing, fishing, and its beach.

In staying on track with their desired timeline, the Lonsdale City Council approved a firm to provide architectural and planning services for the new police facility to be operational in 2021.
After interviews with a handful of firms and further discussion, the council unanimously voted to move forward with Wold Architects and Engineers at their meeting on June 25.

New Prague Mayor Chuck Nickolay announced on Monday, July 6, that he would not be seeking re-election in 2020.
He said in a press release, “While it has been an honor to serve my hometown for the past ten years, it is also time to step down and let new leadership emerge for our city. I know that I will leave New Prague in very capable hands.”
“When I decided to run for Mayor, I told my family that, if elected, I would commit to ten years,” he said adding those ten years have gone by.
For more see this week’s upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times.

Sheriff Brett Mason led members of Le Sueur County Historical Society (LCHS) Board on a tour of the county’s now-vacant, 108-yearold jail and sheriff’s residence and the recently vacated 1978 jail on Tuesday morning, June 23.
According to County Administrator Darrell Pettis, the county is looking for ways to preserve and use the iconic brick building, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

Eric Steinhoff may have hit 31 homers to win the Home Run Derby, but little Analise Tveitbakk ruled the ballpark on Saturday.
The two-year-old happily ran the bases, took pictures with the batters, and picked out sweets at the concession stand during Home Town Bats' Home Run Derby at the Union Hill Ballpark on June 27. The fourth annual fundraising event benefited Analise and her family.

The detour for the Highway 19 construction project in downtown New Prague is set to start Monday, July 6.  The recent permitting and scheduling issues have been resolved.
Motorists are reminded that the first stage detour for motorists traveling westbound through New Prague consists of 10th Avenue NE, 7th Street NE/NW, and Highway 21.  Eastbound traffic will be detoured south on Highway 13, Le Sueur County Road 29, and 10th Avenue SE.  Motorists desiring to go to downtown businesses will need to watch for special signing.

Highway 93 between Highway 169 and Henderson just closed due to flooding from the Rush River and as a result motorists using the Highway 111/22 Nicollet to Gaylord east detour will be rerouted within 24 hours.
For the second time this construction season, official route for traffic using the east detour changes to  included Highway 169 at St. Peter, Sibley County Roads 8 and 17, and Highway 19 until further notice.  The west detour between Nicollet and north of Nicollet CR 1 remains Highway 14, Highway 15 and Highway 19.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has reported a cluster of positive COVID-19 cases in South Central Minnesota among young adults in their 20s who reported visiting bars and restaurants June 12 and 13, the first weekend they reopened.

If you mailed in your registration renewal and have not received your tabs due to processing delays, please contact use using this form: https://dps.mn.gov/…/Pages/dvsforms-registration-tabs-plate…
You will receive a verification letter via email to use as proof of registration renewal until your tabs arrive.
We also notified law enforcement that some Minnesotans will not receive their registration tabs before they are required to display the tabs on their license plates.

St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church recently announced that Fr. Eugene Theisen has been named pastor of the New Prague church, effective Wednesday, July 1. Fr. Theisen’s Installment Mass will be held at 5 p.m. on July 1, at St. Wenceslaus Church, 215 Main St. E. The Mass will be live streamed on multiple platforms through the church’s website, its Facebook page and YouTube.

Area residents will still have a chance to celebrate the Fourth of July in 2020. While the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in parades and other activities being cancelled, people will still be able to enjoy a few festivities and see the night sky lit up with a multitude of colors.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New Prague will be doing an expansion of the south end of its building. The church at 1300 Main St. E will be adding 3,100 square feet for an administration wing.

Recently during a special mass at St. Scholastica Catholic Church in Heidelberg, Rose Marie Hauer was recognized for her 50 years as the church’s lead musician and organist. She was presented a Certificate of Appreciation signed by Father Eugene Theisen and Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
“It doesn’t seem that long,” said Rose Marie about serving her church that long. While she and husband, Don, live in Philipps Square senior apartments in New Prague now, they began the journey of music and faith together.

This coming Saturday, June 27, at Union Hill Ballpark, west of New Prague, at 5 p.m. the National Anthem will kick off the Fourth Annual Home Run Derby organized by Home Town Bats. This family friendly fundraiser features batters from the Dakota-Rice-Scott League and other leagues from across Minnesota hitting for the fences to see who can slam the most home runs.