Steven Hruby, age 58, of Le Center, passed away surrounded by his family on March 1, 2026, at Mala Strana in New Prague.

Joseph James Bendzick, 68, of Waxahachie, Texas, formerly of New Prague, passed away on February 10, 2026, due to a fatal car accident. Joe was born on 09/07/57 to Ervin & Audrey Bendzick in New Prague, MN.

He attended St. Wenceslaus School and then New Prague High School where he graduated in 1975.

Joe married Donna Pumper in 1979 and they had 2 sons together, Christopher and Adam.

They later divorced.

Sunday, Feb. 22, was a sunny day with temperatures in the teens, but it didn’t stop 243 children from showing up to help build housing for wood ducks.

The 26th annual Youth Wood Duck Box Building Day sponsored by the Scott-Le Sueur Waterfowlers at the New Prague Knights of Columbus Hall. Organizers said it had been busy as 50 children, age 16 and younger, had signed up in the first 90 minutes of the four-hour event. Around 10 a.m., the number of children and their families waiting to help build wooden houses for wood ducks stretched out the front door said organizers.

Several months after the New Prague School Board OK’d a two-year contract with the district’s teachers represented by Education Minnesota, the school board approved two-year agreements with five different employee groups for 2025-2027.

New Prague’s two gymnasts who earned spots among the state’s top individuals offered solid showings in a talented field Saturday, Feb. 21, at Roy Wilkins Auditorium.

New Prague sophomore Hailey Proshek finished eighth with an all-around score of 37.575 – just 1.075 points out of first place. Proshek earned a 9.525 on the vault, a score good for ninth place. Her uneven-parallel bars score of 8.775 was good for 23rd place. She earned a 9.575 on the beam, good for fourth place on the event. Proshek had the second-best score in the floor exercise, a 9.7.

While New Prague diver Brody Dvorak won a berth in the state meet, New Prague swimmers met their goals of big time drops at the Section 2AA Swimming & Diving Feb. 20 meet at Pioneer Ridge Middle School in Chaska.

Heading into the final round of competition in the Section 2AA diving competition, Brody Dvorak was on the outside looking in. His coach, Tracy Torgerson, told him the time was now if he wanted to qualify for the state meet.

Any momentum the New Prague girls’ basketball team may have gained from winning their final regular season game of the season didn’t hold up well as the Trojans fell in the opening round of the Section 1AAAA playoffs Wednesday night, Feb. 25, at Lakeville North.

The Panthers, the section tournament’s No. 3 seed, ended No. 6-seeded New Prague’s season with a 73-40 win. The Trojans end the season at

At 9-18 overall, 2-10 in the Metro West and 1-3 against Section 1AAAA opposition.

The New Prague City Council at its Tuesday, Feb. 17, meeting approved a resolution where city staff will request an advancement of $950,000 from the state for the city’s municipal state aid street construction funds.

Donna Marie Cochran, age 65, passed away on Monday, January 12, 2026, in Sebring, Florida. Donna was born on July 21, 1960, in New Prague, Minnesota, the daughter of Gilbert and Shirley Schoenbauer. She attended school at St. Benedict, New Prague Schools and graduated from Mankato State with degrees in Early Childhood and Education. 

Heading into the state tournament, New Prague High School’s cooperative floor hockey team seems ready to begin a strong defense of its state championship from a year ago.

The opening round is the big question mark. New Prague will face Shakopee-Prior Lake-Chaska-Chanhassen tomorrow evening, Friday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m., at Bloomington Jefferson High School’s activities center. See the team congratulations page in the print edition for the bracket information.

Max Prange, age 35, of New Prague, peacefully went with God after receiving his final blessing surrounded by family after a sudden illness on February 16, 2026. Max was born into his earthly life on February 19, 1990, and was raised on a dairy and crop farm in rural Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. Throughout his years he treasured his generational family farm; he grew a love for the land and the animals. He developed a strong work ethic that would stay with him throughout his life. Max succeeded at everything he did.

Jeanette C. Wieskus, age 89, of New Prague, formerly of Fulda, died peacefully with her family at her side on Friday, February 20, 2026, at her home at Praha Village.  Jeanette was born on November 8, 1936, in Fulda, MN, to William and Agnes (Dorpinghaus) Odenbrett.  She grew up in Fulda, graduating from Fulda High School and then a calling led to a degree as a nurse from St. Mary’s College in Rochester, with her career beginning on night shifts at St.

Marcy Von Bank, age 90, of New Prague, MN, formerly of Jordan, MN, entered eternal life on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at Kingsway in Belle Plaine, MN.

Harvey Eugene Chapman, age 85, of Montgomery, MN, passed away peacefully in his favorite chair on his farm on February 16, 2026.

We heard last week President Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan announced Operation Metro Surge was coming to an end. No matter how you feel about immigrants and illegal immigration, there seems one simple question we should all ask and demand those responsible for it answer.

Was it really worth it?

Fortunately, New Prague didn’t see even a sliver of what happened in Minneapolis. Yet the agency is keeping an eye on our neighbors in rural communities.

Heading into the final week of the regular season, New Prague’s girls’ basketball team is looking to build momentum as it prepares for a probable section game on the road.

Coach Eric Specht sees New Prague is a likely No. 6 seed in the section playoffs. NP defeated Rochester Century and has a better record than Rochester John Marshall (6-18 overall, 0-7 against section teams), he said. Rochester Mayo and Lakeville South are expected to be the top two teams in the section, followed in some fashion by Lakeville North, Owatonna and Farmington.