When he’s had a tough day in the classroom, Jeremy Biermaier always has basketball as an activity more often than not will end the day on a positive note. 

Other than an actor whose movies her grandpa cherished, she doesn’t know who John Wayne was. That’s all Jenna Hlavac needed to know before creating a drawing of the famed American icon.

The New Prague City Council at its Monday, March 18, meeting received an update on its community recreation in the form of how many parks it has, what condition they are in and what to do next.
“We have not put any cost to this,” said John McNamara of Wold Architects, who presented the update. He added the firm wanted to find out from the city how it wanted to proceed with community recreation needs.

The following New Prague High School student-athletes were named to the all-Metro West Conference teams for their performances during the winter season.
Boys’ Basketball
All-conference: Evan Weichert; honorable mention: George Songe, Jonny Connelly.
Girls’ Basketball
All-conference: Katie Boulanger, Taylor Hemann; honorable mention: Maya Kilian, Lily Schoenecker.
Gymnastics
All-conference: Hannah Kraft, Karly Ophus, Brooklyn Carter, Vayda Spicer, Maura Erickson; honorable mention: Maria Schoenbauer, Susie Dalsin.
Boys’ hockey

Donna Hall, age 70, of Northfield, passed away at home, with her family by her side, on Wednesday morning, March 27, 2024.
Donna Mae (Sticha) Hall was born July 14, 1953, in New Prague, Minnesota, to Frank J. and Rose M. (Tupy) Sticha.  She was raised on the family farm at St. Patrick, attended St. Wenceslaus Parochial School and graduated from New Prague High School in 1971.  During her high school years Donna began working as a legal secretary and continued her education to become a Paralegal where she worked for O’Neill, Traxler, Goggins, and Zard for 20 years.

Mary Elizabeth (Chlan) Sirek, 90, of Lakeville, Minnesota, passed away on March 22, 2024. 
She was born August 26, 1933, in Webster, Minnesota, to parents Joseph and Agnus Chlan. Mary, alongside her late husband Stephen, dedicatedly raised a family of ten children and remained a devoted and nurturing (great) grandmother throughout her life. She will be missed by all who knew her. 

Peggy MaryAnn Wulke, age 74, of New Prague, MN, passed away on March 17, 2024. A Celebration of Peggy’s Life will be held from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. with closing words at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation (104 First Street West) in Jordan. 

Maylon F. Palma, age 82, of New Prague, died peacefully, with his family at his side, after a lengthy stay at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital Rochester.  Maylon was born on October 26, 1941, on the family farm in Webster, Scott County, to Myles M.

Rudolph “Rudy” Fahrenkamp, 92, of Jordan, passed away on March 19, 2024. His Christian Funeral will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jordan (100 Sixth St West) on Saturday, March 23 at 11 a.m. There will be a time of visitation prior from 9:30-10:45 a.m.. Following the Christian Funeral, Rudy will be laid to rest at Spirit Hill Cemetery with Military Honors. Pastor Jeremy Glowicki will be presiding over the services. 

She’s a two-year starter on an NCAA Division II womens’ basketball team headed to the Elite Eight Monday night in St. Joseph, Mo. New Prague’s Emily Russo is enjoying quite a ride with the Mavericks.

The decision to sell the family-owned hardware store was easier in some ways than it was to tell the employees, Donald Simon said. Monday, March 18, he and his siblings will turn control of the stores they have built over to new owners.

Members of the New Prague School Board face a decision on a $3.5 million budget adjustment Monday, March 25, a vote they know will likely leave many people unhappy but a decision the district needs to have completed to balance the district’s books for the 2024-25 school year.

A 22-year-old Gaylord man was arrested on March 20 for his role in supplying fentanyl pills to a Montgomery 18-year-old girl who died as a result of a suspected overdose on Jan. 8, according to a press release by the Cannon River Drug Violent Offender Task Force (CRDVOTF).

Sandra M. (Skluzacek) Tuma, born January 18, 1955, and formerly of Lonsdale, passed away March 16 after a hard fought battle against cancer. Preceded in death by her father Rudolph, she is survived by her mother Arlene of Lonsdale, her son Chad (Julie), daughter Amber (Chris) Gehrke and son Dustin (Leanna) and grandchildren and great grandchildren. Also survived by sisters Sharon (Ken) and Laure (Mike) and brothers Lyle (Sandi), Brian (Angie), Bruce (Lisa) and Eric (Bobbie).

Benjamin “Ben” James King, age 51, of New Prague, Minnesota, died tragically on March 13, 2024, in a drowning accident while on vacation with his family in Puerto Rico. While his family and friends are shocked by his passing, they are thankful for his life.

Thursday, March 21, the New Prague Educational Foundation will host its second annual Arts & Activities Showcase at the Park Ballroom in New Prague, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
There will be art exhibits by preschoolers to high school students in music and speech on the stage from 5:45 to 7:45 p.m. with many, many other items to see and groups to visit with.
This is a no-charge, come-as-you-wish social event. There will be a drawing for two tickets to the O'Neill Brothers Holiday Concert in late-December. The O'Neill Bros. provided door prizes for this event.