Governor Tim Walz and Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen visited the Heldberg Dairy Farm, owned and operated by Karl Heldberg, south of Le Sueur the afternoon of July 6 to talk dairy and agriculture. The governor and commissioner spent a great length of time speaking with Heldberg and exchanging thoughts about farmers, their struggles and the state of the dairy industry in Minnesota.
Individuals looking for some historical facts about the city of Waterville, its businesses, and some of its residents, can now read about them outside the Waterville City Hall.
The Waterville Artists and Historic Waterville Businesses exhibit is starting to take shape, with six beautiful displays currently erected.
According to Jeff Jarvis, a partnership was formed with the Le Sueur County Historical Society Board.
Anita Ester Swift, age 76 of Waterville, died at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato on the morning of Sunday, July 2, 2023, shortly after being diagnosed with an aggressively advancing cancer.
New Prague and other communities in the area will be celebrating the July 4th holiday with everything from parades to music to boat parades to fireworks.
New Prague The evening of Monday, July 3, will be the New Prague Fireworks Show. Events are east of the New Prague Middle School, beginning at 6 p.m. there will be Kona Ice, Dawgs on the Run, face painting and free massages. The national anthem will be sung by Linda Fahrenkamp with the fireworks at 10:10 p.m.
Elko July 1st at Dusk, Elko Speedway
Air quality is expected to reach the orange AQI category in southern, east central, and northeast Minn., which is unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Barbara Renee Bittrich, age 73 of Waterville, died on the evening of Saturday, June 24, 2023 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.
Air quality alert issued due to ozone for Tuesday, June 20, through Thursday, June 22, for central and southern Minn.
Air quality is expected to reach the orange AQI category in central and southern Minn., which is unhealthy for sensitive groups.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has issued an air quality alert for central and southern Minn., effective from noon on Tuesday, June 20, through 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 22. The affected area includes central and southern Minn., and the tribal nations of Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, Upper Sioux, and Prairie Island.
Charles “Chuck” Paul Dorenkemper, age 73 of Waterville, passed away at his home surrounded by his family in the early morning of Friday, June 16, 2023.
Charlene “Char” A. Schroeder, age 83, of Morristown, died on Friday, June 16, 2023, at Allina Health Faribault Medical Center.
Funeral services will be held at First English Lutheran Church, Faribault, on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. The Reverend Mark Johnson will officiate. Interment will be at Meadow Ridge Memorial Park, Faribault.
Visitation will be at Boldt Funeral Home, Faribault, on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. and for one hour prior to the service at the church.
Charles Frederick Schaedler, Jr., age 83, formerly of Waterville, passed away on Sunday, April 30, 2023 in Arizona.
Born on June 25, 1939 in Minneapolis, MN to Charles Sr., and Enid Schaedler. Charles served in the US Air Force for 4 1/2 years before his honorable discharge. He retired from the United States Postal Service after 30 years of service. He was a loving and devoted husband and father.
The WEM softball team received a number of post-season awards.
They also presented team awards and named their 2023 letterwinners.
The Bucs finished with an 8-8 overall record and were 5-6 in the Gopher Conference, tied for sixth out of 12 teams. As a team they received the Minnesota High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association Academic Gold Award. As a team, the Bucs carried an impressive 3.859 grade point average.
Receiving Academic AllState honors were Jenessa Baumgarten, Hannah Bruns, Jordan Green, and Emma Woratschka.
Thousands of bullheads (12,500) were served, rain drops were few, and queens were crowned.
These were just some of the many things associated with the 2023 Waterville Bullhead Days celebration, which was held June 9 through June 11.
One of the highlight events of the weekend was the Friday night crowning of Miss Waterville and Junior Miss Waterville.
Izabela Slechta, daughter of David and Heather Slechta, was crowned Miss Waterville 2023. Shelby Briggs, daughter of Sara Tiedimann and Levi Radloff, was crowed Attendant.
MISSING PERSON ALERT: The Prior Lake Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating a missing teen. Keira Dupey, age 13, is 5 feet, 4 inches tall, weighs 100 pounds and has black/brown hair and brown eyes. Dupey was last seen on May 25 leaving a facility in Prior Lake with Kari Steele, who is also a missing person. Dupey may have traveled to St. Paul or the surrounding suburbs.
For more than half a century, the second full weekend in June is dedicated to the annual Waterville Bullhead Days celebration.
There are a number of new events this year and some of the regular events have been super-sized for the June 9 thru 11 festival.
One of the newer events is the Borderline Pulling Series Tractor Pull. This will be held Saturday, June 10 at noon directly south of the city/county shop. There will be five different classes and possibly some local pullers involved. They put on a great show last year in their first appearance at Bullhead Days.
For years, almost 20, Richard and Wanda Morsching have spent the second weekend in June running the Waterville Bullhead Days Bullhead Stand.
Approximately 20 years before they took over this beloved portion of the Waterville celebration, they first met at Bullhead Days when Richard was serving beverages in the beer garden.
“I met my soulmate at Bullhead Days,” Wanda said. “Richard was bartending at the beer garden when I saw him. Jeff Stangler was going to wait on me but I said I wanted him (Richard).”
The teaching contracts of 12 non-tenured teachers and two tenured teachers were approved by the WEM Board of Education during their Monday, May 22 meeting.
Tenured teachers receiving contracts were Carrie Brown and Samuel Gavin.
Non tenured teachers receiving contracts for 2023- 2024 included Max Haakonson, Bridget Reuvers-Slinger, Haley Schaaf, Britta Robran, Alyssa Schmidtke, Amber Karels, Madysson Dufault, Kelci Halvorson, Andi O’Neil, Mary Ann Eich, Tyson Cooley, and Skyler Petry.
In other WEM Board of Education business:
