The Waterville Indians amateur baseball team won three games last week to win the Wet Willy Tournament June 29 and 30 in Waterville. The Indians, winners of 19 straight games after a season opening loss to Northfield, defeated Cannon Falls (2-0), Baseball 365 (7-6), and Union Hill (6-1) to claim the title. Waterville will play at Eagle Lake Saturday, July 6 and return home for a Sunday, July 7 game against the Cleveland Spiders. Game time Sunday is 2 p.m. For more on the Indians check out the July 4 edition of the Life/Enterprise.

An 18-year-old male faces two felony charges for allegedly shooting a man with a BB gun during a drive-by on Main Street, Waterville, in the early morning hours of June 30.
According to court documents, Hunter Storm Kleeberger, 18, who does not have a permanent address, shot a man twice in the arm with a CO2 charged BB air gun while driving through town.
Kleeberger and the victim, who told police he had been outside smoking when Kleeberger drove by, reportedly had a verbal confrontation prior to the shooting.

Thursday, July 4, is celebrated as the birthday of the United States, and many area communities will be celebrating Independence Day with fireworks and other festivities. In the immediate area, New Prague, Lonsdale and Veseli will hold their traditional fireworks displays, as will other communities in Scott, Le Sueur and Rice counties. Here are some of the highlights.

Patrick Goggins of New Prague has been appointed a District Court Judge in Minnesota’s First Judicial District by Governor Tim Walz.
Goggins will be replacing the Honorable Martha Simonett and will be chambered at Le Center in Le Sueur County.

She grew up in an orphanage in eastern India and witnessed the adoption of many of her childhood friends. Their final destinations were unknown to her, but her memories of them never faded.
Then, it was her turn.
In 2012, Hardeep Kanne left Basundhara, an orphanage in Orissa, India. She was later adopted by Julie and Dave Kanne of Morristown in August 2016. She was 16 when she joined the Kannes' other adopted daughters, Anamika and Ariana, who are also from India. Even more special, Anamika and Hardeep were from the same orphanage.

WEM senior MaeLea Harmon capped off a fantastic high school track and field career by winning the Class A State 100-meter dash championship. She placed in the top four in this race at State all four years she competed in track. Harmon is a school record holder in the 100-meter dash, long jump, and as a member of the 4 x 100-meter relay. For more on Harmon and her State Meet experience, check out the June 13 edition of the Life/Enterprise.

Roger Walter Schulz, age 84, of Morristown died on June 12, 2019, at The Emeralds at Faribault (formerly St. Lucas).
Funeral services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, North Morristown on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 2 p.m. with the Reverend Juan Palm officiating. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery, Morristown.
Visitation will be at the church on Saturday from 12:30 p.m to 2 p.m.
Arrangements are being completed by the Boldt Funeral Home, Faribault.

All eight of the WEM track and field contingent have advanced to Saturday's Class A Championship Finals. MaeLea Harmon advanced to the 100-meter final. The 4 x 100-meter relay team of Harmon, Toryn Richards, Alexis Morsching and Riley Sammon advanced to the finals. The 4 x 100-meter boys relay team of Isaac Pratt, Levi Wolter, Tanner Ranslow, and Tyler Hermel advanced to the finals. Richards tied for third in the high jump Friday afternoon, which was won by Maple River senior Madi Schirmir. Richards will compete Saturday in the pole vault finals.

Aviana Swanson, daughter of Rhiannon Swanson, was crowned 2019 Miss Waterville Friday, June 7. Her attendants are Yoselin Morales, daughter of Antonio and Aurelia Morales and Megan Schmitz, daughter of Jessica Koski. Morales received the Miss Congeniality Award and Schmitz received the Talent Award. For more on Bullhead Days check out the June 13 edition of the Life/Enterprise.

Six WEM students will have one more chance to represent their school. Two others will have a few years remaining to do the same.
A total of eight WEM track and field athletes will compete this weekend in the Class A State Track and Field Meet at Hamline University in St. Paul.
The athletes advanced after competing in the Section 2A Meet Saturday, June 2 at Mankato West. They either finished in the top two in their respective events or exceeded the state standard height, distance, or time.

The WEM softball team finished out a record-breaking season with a 6th place finish in the 2019 Class A State Tournament Friday, June 7 at Caswell Park in North Mankato. The Bucs finished the season 23-2. They were defeated in the opening round by Badger-Greenbush/Middle River, 4-2. In the consolation semifinals, junior Trista Hering pitched the fourth perfect game in State Tourney history, blanking South Ridge, 11-0 in five innings. In the consolation championship game Friday morning, New Ulm Cathedral defeated WEM, 8-2.

There is a banner which signifies the Buccaneer volleyball team not only advancing to State, but winning the Class A State Championship in the WEM High School.
Now a second banner will be featured on the gymnasium wall.
The WEM softball team has advanced to its first ever Class A State Tournament after rolling through the Section 1A Tournament the last two weeks.
The Bucs outscored four opponents 31-1 on their way to the Section Championship. This included back-to back shutouts of Mabel-Canton, 7-0 and 10-0 in five innings.
The fourth seeded.....

Waterville’s annual Bullhead Days 2019 will be held June 7th, 8th, and 9th. This will be the 55th straight year the celebration has been held.
This year’s celebration will remain much the same as last year, with the continuation of the KORN Country 92.1 Entertainment Stage.
A Food Court Area furnished with benches and picnic tables will feature the Entertainment Stage, where many different activities will be held.

Three-year-old Alex Ahlbrecht needs to get to California.
One of the nation’s top pulmonary surgeons at Stanford Medical in Palo Alto, California, has agreed to perform a difficult and possibly life-saving operation on young Alex this November.
Alex and his parents, Stephanie and Craig Ahlbrecht of Waterville, just have to get there.
“We’re going no matter what. He needs the surgery,” explained Stephanie. “But, it’s not going to be easy, especially financially, even with medical insurance.”

There will be a community send-off for the Buccaneer softball team Thursday, June 6 at 11 a.m.. Please join the WEM pep band and line the sidewalk at the high school entrance and road out of town to wish our Lady Bucs good luck at the 2019 Class A State Tournament. The Bucs will open State Tourney action Thursday at 1 p.m. against Badger-Greenbush/Middle River. Regardless of the outcome of this game, WEM will play at 7 p.m. at Caswell Park in North Mankato, where all State Tournament games will be played.

Three young ladies will participate in the 2019 Miss Waterville Pageant this Friday evening, June 7 at 7 p.m. at the Waterville-Elysian-Morristown High School auditorium in Waterville. The crowning of Little Miss Waterville and her attendants will take place during the pageant. Ten little girls will participate in the Junior Miss Waterville Admission pageant.
Admission to the pageant is $5.