With about three weeks before Christmas this year is likely going to be a very different holiday season. It will fit in well with the rest of 2020. The majority of the year has been different mainly due to the world dealing with a pandemic.

Those who shopped locally on Saturday, November 28 found numerous Small Business Saturday deals and complimentary goodies at various stores in downtown New Prague. Multiple business owners, who were unsure whether people would venture out to shop during the on-going pandemic, reported an uptick in customers and were excited to see their stores once again filled with customers.

Robert F. Bastyr, age 78, of Jordan, died Sunday, November 29, 2020 due to complications of Covid 19 at VA Hospital in Minneapolis.  Robert was born on September 7, 1942 in New Prague to Robert R. and Estellene M. (Rutt) Bastyr.  He attended St. Wenceslaus Catholic School, graduated from New Prague High School, and attended Mankato Vocational School in mechanics.  Always proud of his military service, Robert served in the US Army in Vietnam with the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, known as the Bobcats.  He married Margaret A. “Margie” Bastyr on August 5, 1989 at St.

Gladhill, Rebecca (Riggs) of Shakopee MN. lost her 26 year battle with cancer to be with the Lord on Nov. 26, 2020 at the age of 69. She was raised in Evansville, Indiana where she enjoyed working on the family’s Jersey dairy farm with her siblings and many cousins.  She was a 4-H member for 10 years and loved showing her cattle at local, regional, state and national shows.  She graduated from F.J.

Jeron Pint, age 76 of Jordan, entered eternal life on Saturday, November 28, 2020. A private Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Jordan, on Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 11AM. Father Neil Bakker will preside and Jeron’s wife, Marilyn, will act as his urnbearer.
Friends can live stream the service by visiting the church’s website and clicking on the live streaming tab. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred and will be distributed by Jeron’s family in his memory.

Update
Traffic on Main St. was redirected as emergency crews dealt with an accident involing a vehicle, heading east on Main St. and a female pedestrian on Monday, Nov. 30th at approximately 11:15am.
 The female pedestrian was transported to the hospital by North Memorial Ambulance. The investigation into the accident has been turned over to the Minnesota State Patrol as Main Street is also State Highways 13/19.

New Prague KC Hall - 411 4th Ave. SW, New Prague
Mon. November 30. 2020
12:30 - 5:30 pm
New Market Town Hall - 8950 230th St. E, Lakeville
9am - 2 pm
Wed. December 2, 2020
Jordan Fire Station - 501 N. Varner St, Jordan
Thurs. December 3
1 - 5 pm
To sign up for an appointment for either locations go to:
https://www.primarybio.com/r/scottcounty

A man from Belle Plaine died in a boating accident on Saturday in Le Sueur County.
According to Le Sueur County Sheriff Brett Mason, deputies responded to a call at 9:45 a.m. on November 28, 2020, at the Clear Lake public access in Lexington Township for a report of a capsized duck hunting boat.
Upon arrival deputies located Nicholas Jeffrey Brooks, 29, of Belle Plaine sitting on top of the overturned duck boat.
Jeffrey Ernest Brooks, 55, of Belle Plaine, was found floating in the water several yards from the overturned boat.

Harlan B. Stevens, age 73, of Elko passed away Thursday, November 26, 2020, at Pleasant Manner Care Center in Faribault with his family at his side.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New Prague continued its tradition of providing Thanksgiving meals for families and individuals on Sunday, Nov. 22, but there were some changes. Due to the pandemic the church had people drive through the church’s parking lot where volunteers put the ready to make free meals in vehicles’ trunks.
“We wanted to do something this year since we couldn’t do the usual,” said Donna Galvin, Hospitality Coordinator at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.

Santa chats with Teagan, center, and her brother Reed, at Cedar Brook Garden Center on Saturday, Nov. 21. The business north of New Prague had Santa visit with children on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 22. Santa asked children what they wanted for Christmas, if they had been good and how Mrs. Claus was back at the North Pole making sure the elves would have the presents ready. Children kept their distance and several wore masks during their visit, which were spaced out. There were also...
To see more on this story pick up the November 26, 2020 print edition of The New Prague Times.

This is has been a difficult year, there is no argument there. It has been a year that has tested people’s resolve, their good humor, and for some their faith. Even with everything that has happened this year there are still things to be thankful for.

Effective Monday, November 30th, 2020, the Rice County Courthouse is closed due to recent surge of new cases of COVID-19 and increasing concerns for public health. 
Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea issued an Order Governing the Continuing Operations of the Minnesota Judicial Branch on November 20, 2020.  This order suspends all in-person court hearings until further notice.  Therefore, the courthouse will be closed to the public until in-person hearings resume. 

The shortened season ended for the New Prague football team Tuesday, Nov. 17.
The Trojans were defeated by Waconia, 27-7, in the Section 2AAAAA Quarterfinals.
Waconia entered the game as the No. 4 seed in the Section with a 4-3 record. New Prague was the No. 5 seed with a 2-2 record.
Matt Friedges scored the lone touchdown for the Trojans in the first half, a half in which head coach Jacob Norby said his team played very well in.

Ruth Spartz, age 82 of Montgomery, formerly of Northfield, passed away unexpectedly at the New Prague Hospital on Tuesday evening, November 24, 2020
Services will be 2:00PM, Thursday, December 3, 2020, at the Bierman Funeral Home.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.  Masks are required and the funeral home will assist with social distancing.
Arrangements are with the Bierman Funeral Home.  www.biermanfuneralhome.com