The Waterville City Council approved the 2026 proposed budget and levy during their regular meeting Tuesday, Dec. 2.

The levy will see an increase of $186,442 which is an increase of 15 percent over the 2025 levy. Last year the city levy increased $118,108, which was an increase of 10.5 percent. The levy covers all city departments and debt service, but does not include the water and sewer departments.

According to City Administrator Teresa Hill, the proposed levy increase of 15 percent is only 12 percent with added taxable value included in the taxpayer statements.

The City of Morristown passed its final budget for next year at its Dec. 1 regular meeting. The passage followed their Truth in Taxation hearing. The hearing was held at the top of the meeting, which, in total, lasted for more than two and a half hours.

The levy was passed at $717,574, a 6% increase over the current year’s levy of $676,957.

A few residents voiced concerns about the increase during the public hearing. Comments ranged from how the tax money was being spent to the difficulty of being able to sell a house with the tax rates too high.

Led by Most Valuable Player Tim Boese, the Morristown fire Department not only won their first game, but their first championship in the 3rd Annual Fire Fighter Floor Hockey Fundraiser.

The event was held Saturday, Dec. 13 at the WEM High School gymnasium.

Through the first two years, the Morristown Dept. was winless in four games.

This year they turned the tables on the other three teams from Elysian, Kilkenny, and Waterville, winning their first championship.

Being a Certified Massage Therapist over the last 28 years, Brandi Zishka-Rossow found herself roughly 10 years ago in her professional journey searching for something more.

Zishka-Rossow, who has been in business in Elysian since 2007 and in her current location since 2012, is the owner of Tranquil Escape Message & Wellness, LLC and Fitness Escape, LLC.

If you are looking for some great shopping possibilities and some holiday cheer, check out the two festive events scheduled for Elysian and Waterville Saturday, Nov. 29.

The day starts with Elysian’s Small Business Saturday, which runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This event features more than 30 vendors who will be located in 14 different locations throughout the community.

Special discounts and sales, raffles, specialty foods and drink, and bake sales will be featured throughout the morning.

The Lake Region Area is lucky to have three artists who have been recognized not only in Minnesota, the United States, but worldwide.

WEM students had a chance to study various aspects of the art created by Adolf Dehn, Roger Preuss and David Maass, the three local artists who lived in this area.

“I know SNAP has been the highlight of discussion for many, many weeks” Le Sueur County Director of Human Services Jamie Hayes said at the Le Sueur County Board of Commissioners regular meeting on Nov. 18.

Hayes was before the board for the payment authorization of an elevator project, but had time left in her segment to talk about the ongoing federal issues with the SNAP program.

WEM kindergarten students shared how they would “Cook a Turkey” if they had the chance.

I cook my turkey with a stove. My turkey cost $100 and I got it from Wal-Mart. I got my turkey home with a car. When I cooked my turkey I put cereal in the pan with my turkey. I cooked it on 400 degrees for one minute. I ate ketchup and ranch, and chicken nuggets and ice cream with my turkey. My family ate the turkey with me. My turkey tastes good. Haddie Guy

A proposed solar farm on the northeast corner of Morristown drew concerns at the city’s monthly meeting on Nov. 3.

The project would see the farmland directly southeast of Dollar General converted into a solar farm capable of 4.99 megawatts. New Leaf Energy is the solar company interested in developing the land. The land is owned by Poplar Grove Farms LLC of Farmington.

Two Elysian Legion members received outstanding recognition when they were presented with the Quilt of Honor during the Veteran’s Day Ceremony held Tuesday, Nov. 11 at the WEM High School.

Receiving the honors were Ron Berndt and Ron Gregor.

For the past two weeks, a talented group of WEM actors have been rehearsing for their performance of Sherlock Holmes.

The WEM Fall Play will be performed Friday, Nov. 14 and Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. in the newly remodeled auditorium in the high school in Waterville.

Fifteen students will be taking to the stage and almost all of them will be performing more than one role.

On a 6-1 roll call vote, the Waterville-Elysian-Morristown School Board officially decided to close WEM Middle School in Morristown. The decision was made at the board’s regular meeting on Oct. 27.

“I think we’re losing an opportunity to increase enrollment,” Board Member Jeff Stangler said. Stangler was the lone vote against closing the school. “We did all this talking, but we’ve never done anything.”

The building will be closed as of June 5, 2026.

Waterville Police Chief Bob Petrasak asked the Waterville City Council for approval to obtain and train a certified therapy dog during their Tuesday, October 7 regular meeting.

The dog would be used in police fire, CISM support group (Critical Incident, Stress, Management), North Memorial ambulance services, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown School District, and for the residents of Waterville.

Council member Tim Smith commended Petrasek on his request and was absolutely in favor of it.

St. Clair freshman Payton Blount blasted 20 kills in leading her St. Clair volleyball team to a seep of WEM in the Section 2AA Quarterfinal Thursday, Oct. 23 in Waterville.

The Cyclones defeated WEM 25-14, 27-25, and 25-18 to end the Buccaneers’ season with a 20-9 overall record.

Blount provided much of the offense for the fifth seeded Cyclones, who advance to play No. 1 seed Southwest Christian Tuesday, Oct. 28 at New Prague in the Section 2AA Semifinals.

WEM finished with 31 total kills but they also had 28 hitting errors in 147 total attacks.

Halloween events in the Lake Region Area will be held this weekend and on Halloween.

The Waterville Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the Trunk or Treat on Main Street in Waterville Saturday, Oct. 25 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

At 4 p.m. the Just For Kix Dancers will be performing.

The annual Elysian Spook Trail is also scheduled for Saturday, October 25 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. along the Sakatah State Trail in downtown Elysian.

In preparation for Thanksgiving, the Le Sueur County Veterans Office is providing $25 gift vouchers during the month of November to veterans. The office is partnering with O’Keefe’s Meat Market in Le Center to provide the gift vouchers, according to a press release from the Le Sue County Veterans Office.

Area veterans can stop by the Le Sueur County Veterans Office to pick up a voucher, while they last, said the press release. This is a benefit for veterans of Le Sueur County because of their service to our nation.