After a fierce six-week landscape design showdown set in the whimsical world of topiary, Minnesota-based botanical mosaic artist Meghan Petricka was crowned the "Clipped" champion of the freshest competition series on discovery+.
Judges crowned Petricka as the last topiarist standing, winner of $50,000 cash and bragging rights as the first-ever "Clipped" champion.
Petricka is a 2002 Montgomery-Lonsdale High School graduate, the daughter of Donald and JoAnn Petricka, and the 2001 Kolacky Queen. For more, pick up the print edition.

Spider-Man, left, was a surprise guest for Christian Stage at Home Town Bats’ Home Run Derby the evening of Friday, June 18, at Union Hill Ballpark, west of New Prague. Christian, the son of Nick and Joan Stage of Lonsdale, is a big fan of superheroes. His family are the beneficiaries of the annual fundraiser that features fun, food, games and members of the Dakota-Rice-Scott League slamming for the fences to get as many home runs as possible. For more see upcoming print issues of The New Prague Times and Montgomery Messenger. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

The New Prague City Council is hosting a Meet & Greet event at the New Prague Golf Club, 400 Lexington Ave. S., on Monday, June 28, 2021 from 4-6 p.m.  The purpose of the Meet & Greet event is for members of the public to meet the finalists selected for the position of City Administrator. The event will be an informal event allowing for attendees to visit with each finalist and provide written feedback of which will be shared with the City Council following their final interview on Tuesday, June 29, 2021. 

CVF Racing of New Prague briefly hosted about 30 Trans Ams and more than 100 people on Tuesday, June 15, who were participating in the Bandit Run, originally a re-enactment of the route taken in the movie, Smokey and the Bandit. It has now become a yearly tradition that travels to a different part of the country each year. CVF Racing was a quick pit stop for participants of the Bandit Run that was going from Worthington on their way to Red Wing. This year's Bandit Run started in Lincoln, NE, on Saturday, June 12, and will end in Wisconsin Dells, WI, on Saturday, June 19.

Due to high temperatures, extremely dry conditions and increased winds, the DNR and Rice County Sheriff’s Office instituted no open burning in Rice County on Thursday, June 17, 2021, starting at 5 p.m. until further notice.
The ban comes from Troy Dunn, Rice County Sheriff, and Jim Edgar, MN DNR Fire Program Forester.
The MN DNR has also put a burning ban on for Le Sueur County effective immediately. According to Le Sueur County Sheriff Brett Mason, burning can resume tomorrow, Saturday, June 19.

Barbara Ann Shoenbauer was born on November 8th, 1932 in New Prague, Minnesota, to Clement and Luverne (Nolden) Mickus. Barbara was baptized and confirmed at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in New Prague, MN, and graduated from New Prague High School in 1950. She was united in marriage to the love of her life Clem Schoenbauer at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church on August 25th, 1956. Throughout her life, Barbara remained an active member of the St. Wenceslaus Catholic parish.

Kathy Kramer has lived south of Lonsdale for more than 40 years, and she’s never eaten a Czech dumpling.
“Nope, never had one. I’m Swedish and German, and I’ve never had those dumplings either,” she said with a laugh.
Along with more than 30 other people from around the area, Kramer’s hands were deep in dumpling dough when the Czech Heritage Club hosted a free potato dumpling-making demonstration on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, at Revival on Main in Montgomery.

This Sunday, June 20, is Father’s Day, when dads across the country and the world will celebrate with their families. For some it’s a big get together with their children and grandchildren in a park or at their houses, others will have small gatherings with an aged parent.
Over the years with some of the friends I’ve made I found out how sometimes a father isn’t part of their children’s lives.

From left, New Prague Mayor Duane Jirik, Czech Heritage Club members Vi Chromy, George Mikiska, Jan Kubista, Deputy Consul General of the Czech Republic in Chicago, Marit Lee Kucera, Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic, Czech Heritage Club members Jim Simon and Fred Simon stand in front of the Brana on New Prague’s east side the morning of Thursday, June 17. Kubista was visiting New Prague and Montgomery with stops at historic sites. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

Home Town Bats will be holding its fifth annual Home Run Derby at 6 p.m. this Friday, June 18, at Union Hill Ballpark, west of New Prague. The beneficiary of this year’s family friendly fundraiser is Christian Stage, the five year old son of Nick and Joan Stage of Lonsdale. He has three siblings, Preston, Anna and Brielle. Ted Nytes of Home Town Bats organizes Home Run Derby, which features batters from the Dakota- Rice-Scott League hitting for the fences to see who can slam the most home runs.

The Scott County Sheriff’s Office reported that on Monday, June 14, at approximately 3:40 p.m., Scott County Deputies located a stolen bus that had refused to stop for Shakopee Police officers. A pursuit was not initiated and deputies followed this vehicle south on Marschall Road from the city limits of Shakopee. They continued following the vehicle south into the city limits of New Prague. The vehicle eventually pulled into the parking lot of Fishtale Bar & Grill, located at 200 County Road 37 in New Prague.

St. Patrick won its 6th straight game Sunday, June 13, knocking off league-leading Union Hill, 4-1.
The Irish moved within one game of the Bulldogs with the victory. St. Patrick is 9-3, tied with Prior Lake for the second spot in the DRS Amateur Baseball League. Union Hill, winners of four of their last five, sits on top of the league with an 8-2 record.
Luke Tupy picked up the win for the Irish, pitching seven innings, allowing one earned run on five hits. He struck out 11 and walked one. Zach Seurer pitched the final two innings, striking out four.

Margaret A. “Maggie” Knight, age 92, of New Prague, died peacefully with her family at her side on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.  Maggie was born on January 2, 1929 in Walhalla, North Dakota, to Felix Arthur and Stella (Halloran) Gastonguay.  She graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in Fargo and attended Minneapolis School of Business and attained a degree in Interior Design.  She married Kenneth Knight, Jr. on January 24, 1949 at the Basilica of St.

On June 11, 2021 at 5:07 p.m., Scott County 911 Dispatch received a call of a pole shed on fire on the 26xxx block of Baseline Avenue in Cedar Lake Township.
Police and fire were dispatched and upon arrival, witnessed a pole shed fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire; however, damage to the building and the vehicles and farm equipment contained inside was substantial.
There were no people or animals inside the building at the time of the fire, and there were no injuries to the owners of the building or first responders.

Judith M. “Judie” Cervenka, age 77, of New Prague, died Thursday June 10, 2021 at Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville, MN surrounded by family.
Judie was born on November 28, 1943 in New Prague to Emil F. and Mary N. (Novak) Bisek.  Judie graduated from St. Wenceslaus School and New Prague High School,
Judie married Daniel T. Cervenka on Sept. 9, 1961 at St. Wenceslaus Church in New Prague.  The couple settled to raise their family at St. Patrick on the Cervenka farm.

We are definitely in one of the first heat waves of the summer with the weather forecasted to be in the 90s and the upper 80s for the rest of the week. It brings up the old question, which affects things more the heat or the humidity?