Due to a decrease in funding from the state, Le Sueur County veterans will see a change in their transportation provided by the county.
Veterans utilizing the Le Sueur County Veterans Van will now be charged $10 per trip to the Minneapolis VA Hospital.
This change was approved during the Tuesday, Nov. 6 Le Sueur County Board of Commissioners meeting in Le Center.
According to Veteran's Service Officer Jim Golgart, the funding his department receives from the state has dwindled to between $1,500 and $2,000.

Megan Hanson of New Prague had the opportunity of a lifetime last weekend.
The 37-year-old wife and mother of four ran in the New York City Marathon - her first ever marathon, on Sunday, Nov. 4.
Hanson, moved to New Prague about a year ago with her husband Jon and four children, Liam, 8, twins Lincoln and Leland, 6, and Luca 3. She’s been running about six years and had never run more than a 10-kilometer race or a couple of halfmarathons before. She took up running shortly after having her twin sons.

The Elko New Market Chamber of Commerce held its annual dinner on Thursday, Nov. 1, at The Firehouse Grille with more than 30 people attending. It was noted the chamber had four ribbon cuttings for new businesses this year and is planning to hold its Ladies Night Out in the spring. The community has also opened a branch of Hope for the Community food shelf, which has been helping hundreds of families since it began five months ago.

New Prague senior Sydney Siegle concluded her six-year high school cross country career by competing at the Minnesota Class AA Girls Cross Country Championships Saturday, Nov. 3, at St. Olaf College in Northfield.
“Sydney has steadily improved her times throughout her six-year career,” said Coach Shawn Brandt. “This year was no different. She qualified for the State Meet by dropping 38 seconds off her previous PR. The State course at St. Olaf is a challenging route stacked with the best runners in Minnesota.”

Mayo Clinic Health System in New Prague officially unveiled a $1.2 million renovation to its Women and Children’s clinic Tuesday, Oct. 30.
The renovation covered 9,000 square feet in the southeast corner of the building. The addition was nearly three years in the making, including planning and design. Construction began in late 2017.

Adeline Flicek Kennedy, 91, passed away in Port Angeles, Washington on October 16, 2018.  She was born May 27, 1927 in Wheatland Township, Minnesota, the only daughter of John C Flicek and Elizabeth Dvorak.  She married Vincent Kennedy in 1946 in New Prague, Minnesota. 

Le Sueur County voters chose to keep incumbent Sheriff Brett Mason and incumbent Auditor/Treasurer Pam Simonette in office, along with three other county officials who were unopposed for re-election in county-wide races. 
 
They also returned two incumbents to the Board of Commissioners and chose Danny O’Keefe to represent District 2 on the County Board. 
 

Elko New Market City Council Member Joe Julius defeated incumbent Bob Crawford and will become the new mayor of Elko New Market in January. 
Julius received 1,062 votes, while Crawford had 798. 
Incumbent city council members Josh Berg and Katie Timmerman were unopposed and reelected. Timmerman received 1,185 votes and Berg 1,148. Their next terms will begin in January and run through 2022. 

There was little intrigue in the New Prague City elections Tuesday, Nov. 6, with four candidates running for four positions. 
 
Incumbent Mayor Chuck Nickolay was unopposed and received 2,851 votes. He will begin another two-year term in January. 
 
Maggie Bass and Rik Seiler were the only two candidates running for four-year terms on the council. Bass, who was appointed to the council last year, received 2,400 votes. Seiler received 1,869. 
 
Bruce Wolf won a special election to complete the final two years of a term. He received 2,687 votes. 

Tony Kornder and David Entinger were elected to the Belle Plaine Township Board of Supervisors Tuesday. Kornder received 285 votes for Seat A, with opponent Chris Franke receiving 107. Entinger received 224 votes for seat B, with Mark Schulz receiving 115 and Chris Bieder 79. 
Kristy Bieder was unopposed for Town Clerk, and received 340 votes.

As of 10:45 p.m., With 14 of 15 precincts reporting, it appears Tammy Pexa, Mark Bartusek and Leo Giesen have won four-year terms to the New Prague Area School Board. 
 
The only precinct that hasn’t reported is Lonsdale, and Lonsdale has just a handful of voters in the New Prague Area School District - not enough to overcome the 350-vote difference between the third and fourth place finishers. 
 
Vote totals are: 
Mark Bartusek 3991
Tammy Pexa 3868
Leo Giesen 3237
Sandy McMillan 2887
Matthew Goldade 2141
Miranda Vertnik 2111

Scott County Sheriff Luke Hennen, who was appointed to the position in 2016, won a four-year term with a narrow victory over challenger Jason Arras in Tuesday’s General Election. 
 
Hennen finished with 29,698 votes, or 50.63 percent. Arras recevied 28,726 votes, or 48.97 percent. 
 
Hennen’s term will begin in January and run through 2022. 
 
County Attorney Ron Hocevar was unopposed for reelection. He received 46,632 votes. 
 
In Commissioner District 3 (Shakopee), Michael “Mike” Beard defeated Joe Wagner, 5,688-3,713. 
 

Todd Lippert (DFL-Northfield) had a strong showing in his hometown as he won election to the Minnesota House of Representatives in District 20B Tuesday, Nov. 6. 
Lippert received 10,932 votes, or 55.3 percent, to defeat Josh Gare (R-Montgomery). Gare had 8,832 votes, or 44.68 percent. 

As of 10:30 p.m., With 12 of 15 precincts reporting, Tammy Pexa, Mark Bartusek and Leo Giesen lead the race for New Prague Area School Board. The three remaining precincts not reporting are New Prague Precinct 1 (Le Sueur County), Lanesburgh Township and Lonsdale. 
 
Vote totals are: 
Mark Bartusek 2942
Tammy Pexa 2879
Leo Giesen 2364
Sandy McMillan 2148
Matthew Goldade 1553
Miranda Vertnik 1534
 
This post will be updated when final results are in.

State Rep. Bob Vogel (R-Elko New Market) easily won reelection for a two-year term in the Minnesota Legislature in House District 20A. Vogel received 11,984 votes, or 63.4 percent, to 6,860 votes for challenger Barbara Droher Kline (DFL-New Prague). 
 
Vogel won each of the 25 precincts in the district.

Elmer William Sticha, 88, of Montgomery, passed away at Pleasant Manor in Faribault on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Nov. 9, at Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery, with visitation two hours prior also at the funeral home. Interment will be held in Calvary Cemetery in Montgomery. Father George Grafsky will be officiating.