On Thursday, Dec. 16, Elko New Market Assistant City Administrator Mark Nagel was honored upon his retirement. For Nagel this caps off 15 years with the city that began when he was interim City Administrator for Elko and then helped with the merger of Elko and New Market into one community.
“'This is actually my second retirement,” said Nagel during an open house that was before the Elko New Market City Council’s meeting. “My first was from Normandale Community College.”

New Prague’s Deputy Registrar office moved recently as it transitioned from First Bank & Trust on the east end of town to 118 Main St. E in the downtown. The office closed at First Bank & Trust on Tuesday, Dec. 28, and reopened at its new location under Jared O’Reilly of Savage on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.
The Deputy Registrar office was first established at First Bank & Trust when it was still State Bank of New Prague and located along Central Avenue N.

Scott County Public Health will administer free COVID-19 tests at the Shakopee Library this month amid all-time high positivity rates. 
Over 23% of county residents seeking COVID-19 testing were positive for the virus on average in the past seven days, according to the latest data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 
Testing will be available by appointment from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. on Jan. 10-13, Jan. 18-20 and Jan. 24-27 at the Shakopee Library at 235 Lewis Street South. 
Click here to register for an appointment or visit scottcountymn.gov. 

WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM, Friday, January 7, 2022.
The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.Counties involved are Anoka, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Dakota, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, Le Sueur, Martin, McLeod, Nicollet, Ramsey, Redwood, Rice, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Steele, Waseca, Watonwan and Wright.

The Elko New Market Police Department reported in a press release:
On Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, at approximately 8:35 a.m., the Elko New Market Police Department was dispatched to an Elko New Market address for a disturbance call.
Upon arrival, the homeowner was located inside the residence deceased. The reporting party, an Elko New Market man, was also present and taken into custody without incident. He was transported shortly thereafter to Scott County Jail.

Lillian Ann Reiman Kochlin, 75, of Belle Plaine, formerly of Casa Grande, passed away on December 29 surrounded by her family. A Funeral service will be held at Immanuel Lutheran on Fish Lake on January 11, 2022  starting at 11 am. A visitation will take place prior to the service from 9-11 am at Immanuel Lutheran on Fish Lake. 

Maureen Ann Busse, age 66 of Belle Plaine, passed away in her home on January 3, 2022 with her husband and children by her side.
Maureen was born in New Prague on September 6, 1955 to Richard and Gertrude (Neisen) Meger. She grew up on the Meger farm near Union Hill with a full house of 10 kids, 1 bathroom, and countless memories. She graduated from New Prague High School. On June 17, 1978 she married John Busse at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lexington. They made their home in Belle Plaine where they raised two children.

Roger W. Simon, age 74, died peacefully, surrounded by his family on Saturday, January 1, 2022 at St. Mary’s Hospital, Rochester, MN.  Roger was born on January 11, 1947, in New Prague to Walter R. and Julia (Svoboda) Simon. He was raised in the Veseli area and attended Most Holy Trinity Catholic School, graduated from New Prague High School, enlisted in the National Guard and later graduated from Mankato State College. He married Carol J. Trnka on July 26, 1969, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lonsdale, MN.  They were happily married for over 52 years.

Michael Albert Hogan sadly passed away at home in Newbury, England on 22nd November 2021 aged 88 years.
A wonderful and loving man he will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Funeral service to be held at West Berkshire Crematorium on Friday 14th January 2022 at 12noon.
Donations in Michael's memory can be made to Cancer Research UK. 
Donation enquiries to Turner Brothers Funeral Directors at turnerbrothers.newbury@dignityfunerals.co.uk

The Ptarmigans’ offense was clicking during the 62nd SnoBowl on Saturday, Jan. 1, at Memorial Park in New Prague. The Ptarmigans won 28-0 against the Polars in the long running alumni snow football game. Teams are made up of graduates from New Prague High School. This was one of the coldest games played as temperatures were -5 degrees Fahrenheit. For more on the game see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

Mary Ann Ruehling, age 62, of New Prague, died peacefully with her husband at her side, on Christmas Day 2021 at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital in Rochester.  Mary Ann was born on July 20, 1959 in Detroit Lakes to Arthur and Mary Jane (Lundeen) Kiehl.  Born and raised in Detroit Lakes, she graduated from Detroit Lakes High School.  She met the man who would become her soul mate and life partner, John B. Ruehling, three years before they married on August 13, 1988 at Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lanesburgh.

The New Prague boys hockey team got a pair of goals from Willy Seymour and four others scored one goal in a 6-3 win over Dodge County Tuesday, Dec. 21.
Seymour scored his first and second goals and also added an assist in the Trojan win over the returning Class A State Runner-up team.
Also scoring goals were Max Henzel, his first, Peyton Becker, his first, John Schmidt his second, and Will Andersen his first. New Prague scored four opening period goals and added two more in the third period, one of which was...

I hope everyone had a good and safe Christmas this year. For me I was able to go north to my hometown of Thief River Falls and visit with family who lives there. Compared to the big get togethers in the past, this one was more scaled back and relatively quiet.

The Le Sueur County Board of Commissioners approved the final 2022 levy in the amount of $24,611,528, which is an increase of $1.1 million or 4.8 percent from 2021.
This action was taken during the December 21 meeting.
County departments developed their proposed budgets during the months of April and May. Work sessions are held between the department heads and the county commissioners during June through August. In September the board sets the preliminary levy.

The Lonsdale City Council has approved another no-frills budget and property tax levy for the 2022 fiscal year.
“I know there are no frills in this budget,” said Lonsdale City Council Member Kevin Kodada. “I know we won’t end up in a surplus like the state did.”
Lonsdale City Administrator Joel Erickson echoed Kodada’s statement as he went over the budget and property tax levy proposed for approval at the December 9 council meeting.
“The whole city budget is as basic as it gets,” Erickson said.

The New Prague Trojan Dance Team hosted their annual Community Showcase Tuesday, Dec. 21. They featured all five of their competition routines for this season, a performance from the Future Trojan Dancers who took part in NPDT's winter dance clinic, as well as a few solo performances from Trojan Dancers. There was a great turnout for attendance this year.
The Trojan Dance Team took time to also...
To see more on this story pick up the December 30, 2021 print edition of The New Prague Times.