There will be two drive through events for area children this weekend. On Saturday, March 27, from 10-11:30 a.m. Elko New Market’s Community & Civic Events Committee (CCEC) will be hosting the annual Egg Hunt. On Sunday, March 28, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church, west of New Prague, will have an Easter for Kids Drive-Thru.

Trojan Results from MSHSL Wrestling Tournament at STMA High School:
Koy Buesgens (Gr. 10) wins the 126 AAA State Championship by a score of 5-0!
Colton Bornholdt (Gr. 10) wins by decision 6-4 to place 3rd in the 132 AAA Tournament!
Nick Novak (Gr. 12) wins the 145 AAA State Championship by a tech fall with a final score of 15-0!
Joey Novak (Gr. 10) wins by fall in 3:40 to place 3rd in the 152 AAA Tournament!
Evan Anderson (Gr. 11) wins by fall in 2:17 to place 5th in the 220 AAA Tournament!

Rice County is working with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) on designing a proposed six-legged roundabout at the intersection of Interstate 35 and Highway 19. Rice County Highway Engineer Dennis Luebbe said while they are early in the design stages, they hope to award a contract in 2022 and begin work on the project in 2023.

MSHSL Wrestling Tournament at STMA High School: Evan Anderson (Gr. 11) wins 5-1 in Consolation Round of 220 AAA Tournament! Evan wrestles for 5th Place later today!
Joey Novak (Gr. 10) loses 6-4 in Semifinals of 152 AAA Tournament! Joey will move to consolation bracket! 
Nick Novak (Gr. 12) wins by fall in 1:59 in Semifinals of 145 AAA Tournament! Nick wrestles for a state championship later today! 
Colton Bornholdt (Gr. 10) loses 7-2 in Semifinals of 132 AAA Tournament! Colton will move to consolation bracket! 

The New Prague School Board received updates on employee vaccinations and COVID cases in the school district at its Monday, March 22, meeting.
Superintendent Tim Dittberner said by the end of the week 125 employees will have received their...
To read more on this story, pick up the March 25, 2021 print edition of The New Prague Times.

Trojan Results from MSHSL Wrestling Tournament at STMA High School: Evan Anderson (Gr. 11) loses 5-3, Joey Novak (Gr. 10) wins by decision 3-1, Nick Novak (Gr. 12) wins by fall in 1:58, Colton Bornholdt (Gr. 10) wins by major decision 13-5 and Koy Buesgens (Gr. 10) wins by tech fall 21-6 in quarterfinals of AAA Tournament!

On Thursday, March 18, during a virtual public hearing about the second stage of the reconstruction of New Prague’s Main Street between the City of New Prague, property and business owners and residents of the area, it was noted work would begin on Monday, April 26. The next day that start date had changed to Monday, April 5.
The contractor, SM Hentges & Sons, Inc. of Jordan, reviewed the long range forecast on Friday, March 19, and determined that...
To read more on this article, pick up the March 25, 2021 print edition of The New Prague Times.

Eleven New Prague senior skaters ended their 2020-21 season Thursday, March 18 in a 9-1 loss to Eden Prairie.
Eden Prairie (16-1-2 overall), the No. 3 rated Class AA team, scored four goals in the first, two in the second,. and three in the third in this Section 2AA quarterfinal.
New Prague senior Joey Vacek scored his second goal of the season in the second period on assists from John Schmidt, his third, and Jack Wilmes, his fifth.
Eden Prairie held a 50- 15 shots on goal advantage against the Trojans, who finish their season with a 3-16 overall record.

In about a week’s time, weather permitting, the second phase of work on New Prague’s Main Street will begin. This will be a spring and summer of reconstructing the street and replacing infrastructure underneath the street.
For me it affects not only where I work at The New Prague Times’ office, but also where I live. It’s no great secret that I live within walking distance of The Times’ office. There’s been jokes ranging from I may have to walk around the block to get around construction to using a zip line to get across the street.

For the first time since 2014 the New Prague gymnastics team will be making a trip to the State Tournament.
The Trojans scored a season- high 142.875 to claim the Section 2AA Championship Thursday, March 18 at Bloomington Jefferson High School.
Lakeville North, the defending Class AA State Champions, placed second (141.750) and Lakeville South placed third (140.325) in the eight-team Sectional.
The Trojans advanced to State in 2014 as a Class A team. In 2016 they were moved up to Class AA. The last time they advanced as a Class AA school was in 1985.

Donald A. “45” Nickolay, age 68, of Elko New Market, died Monday, March 22, 2021 with his wife at his side after a brief illness at University of Minnesota Hospital.  Don was born on July 27, 1952 in New Prague to Francis J. and Lorraine L. (Shimota) Nickolay.  He attended St. Wenceslaus School, graduated from New Prague High School, and attended Faribault Vocational-Technical School in welding.  He married the love of his life, LuAnn R.

Shirley J. Meyer, age 95, of New Prague, died peacefully, with her family at her side on Sunday, March 21, 2021 at St. Francis Regional Medical Center.  Shirley was born on October 11, 1925 in Wheatland Township, Rice County, MN to Theofil M. and Bessie (Novak) Kajer.  She attended St. Wenceslaus School and graduated from New Prague High School.  She married Donald E. Meyer on November 9, 1946 at the St. Wenceslaus Rectory in New Prague.  Shirley’s faith was always a central part of her life and she was active at St.

Dennis Simon aims for the green on Monday, March 22, at the New Prague Golf Club on a day with temperatures around 57 degrees Fahrenheit. It was the second day the golf course was open, with roughly 50 players enjoying the weather. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

Nick Novak has been named to the 2021 MWCA All-State Academic Wrestling Team. This team consists of some of the state’s best wrestlers who are also great students. This group of student-athletes has won 23 state titles, over 4,400 matches, and an astounding 82% winning percentage. Each year, the MWCA seeks the state’s top wrestlers, who are also great students. The 28 wrestlers selected this year were from a pool of 145 wrestlers nominated across the state by members of the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association.

This year has been one of changes for New Prague High School students. For Marie Offermann, Lukas Janecek and Tim Taeumler this has been an especially different year as they are exchange students attending classes at the high school through Greenheart International, a nonprofit agency that places exchange students in the New Prague area. Despite the challenges the three have been...
To read more on this story, pick up the March 18, 2021 print edition of The New Prague Times.

The New Prague City Council unanimously approved the first reading for an ordinance amendment that pertains to allowing an indoor firing range. City Planning Director Ken Ondich presented the amendment at the council’s electronically held Monday, March 15, meeting.
Ondich explained the City’s Planning Commission was recommending approval of the amendment. The indoor firing range was...
To read more on this article, pick up the March 18, 2021 print edition of The New Prague Times.