Secretary of State Steve Simon is reminding Minnesotans about the beginning of absentee voting for the March 3, 2020, Presidential Nomination Primary. The primary will help determine both the Democratic and Republican party candidates for the November general election.
“The presidential nomination primary opens up the selection process and allows more Minnesotans to participate,” said Simon. “Caucuses are limited to a few hours on one evening; this primary will give more people more ways to participate, and over a longer period of time.”
How to request an absentee ballot

On Tuesday, Jan, 14, Bevcomm, the Blue Earth based telecommunication company, announced it has reached a definitive agreement with Lonsdale Telephone Company to acquire ownership of that Lonsdale based business. Transfer of ownership is pending regulatory approval, which is expected in the first half of this year.
According to a press release from Bevcomm, “Existing employees of Lonsdale Telephone Company will become employees of Bevcomm, and will continue to manage the day-to-day office functions.”
For more on this story see upcoming print issue.

The Le Sueur County Board of Commissioners held their 2020 Reorganizational Meeting Tuesday, Jan. 7 in Le Center.
Fifth District Commissioner Steve Rohlfing was named the Board Chairman and Second District Commissioner Danny O’Keefe was named the Board Vice Chairman.
The Le Sueur County LifeEnterprise News was named the 2020 first legal newspaper. The Montgomery Messenger was named the second legal newspaper.
Mileage reimbursement for Le Sueur County employees will be 57.5 cents per mile, in accordance with the federal IRS mileage rate.

A Waseca Police Officer was shot in the head and “gravely injured” while responding to a report of a suspicious person with a flashlight in the backyard residence on the 900 block of 4th Avenue SE in Waseca after 8 p.m. on Monday night, Jan. 6. The suspect was shot twice and sustained non-life threatening injuries.

High winds and icy conditions may continue into the morning
MANKATO, Minn. –  (3:30 p.m.) Motorists in south central Minnesota are advised to expect difficult driving conditions to remain into Tuesday (December 31) with forecasted additional snowfall, dropping temps and even higher wind gusts.

Georgene Freida Roemhildt, age 73 of Elysian, died at her home on Thursday, December 19, 2019.

The ending of the match-up between two of the top 10 teams in Class A was one of the most interesting in recent history for the WEM boys basketball team.
WEM, rated 8th and Hayfield, rated 7th, battled to the final second and then some Friday, Dec. 13 in Waterville.
The two teams were tied at 66-all after regulation and four minutes later the Bucs pulled out a 72-71 victory.
There were 17 lead changes and 10 times the score was tied. Neither team led by more than seven points.
The Bucs trailed for much of the game after leading 6-0 the first four minutes.

Dover-Eyota won all three duals to win the Dave Scharberg Byron Memorial Wrestling Invitational Saturday, Dec. 14.
WEM/JWP dropped all three of its duals. The Grizzlies were defeated by Westfield (42-31), Byron (64-18), and Dover-Eyota (50-24).
Dover-Eyota also defeated Byron (49-31) and Westfield (51- 23). In the other match, Byron defeated Westfield (51-23).
Two Grizzly wrestlers finished the day with three wins. They were Tucker Rients and Ethan Rider.

Approximately 40 kids attended the first ever Grinchmas Party in Morristown on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Morristown Community Center.
Clad in their pajamas and holiday cheer, the kids enjoyed playing festive games, yummy concessions, and photos with the Grinch (who smiled).
Following all the fun, families sprawled out to enjoy a showing of the The Grinch Movie to round out the evening.
The family event was sponsored by the Morristown Commercial Club and hosted by Miss Morristown royals.

Forget red and green.
It was all about red and blue police lights--and presents, pizza, and fun--at Le Sueur County’s holiday Shop With a Cop event on Wednesday night, Dec. 11 in New Prague.
Twenty kids participated in the sixth annual event that helps foster positive relationships between youth and officers.
“My cop is so cool,” spouted Collin about his partner for the night, Le Sueur Police Officer Aaron Thieke. “I even got to ride in the police car and run the lights and sirens and stuff. Did you hear me sing Jingle Bells over the radio in the squad car?”

David (Dave) Lee Uherka died surrounded by loved ones at Mayo Hospital in Rochester, MN on December 12, 2019 at age 43 after a courageous battle with Type 1 Diabetes.

A 55-year-old man has died from injuries from a snowmobile crash Saturday evening.
According to the Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 4:40 p.m. to a report of a crash on Lexington Road near 173rd Avenue in Montgomery Township.
Officials say the driver of the snowmobile, Larry Gene Haynes, was traveling northbound on the snowmobile trail at a high rate of speed. Investigators say it appears Haynes was unable to stop before the Lexington Road crossing, ultimately striking the side of a westbound pickup truck.

Ralph “Ray” Raymond Sotebeer, age 77 of Buffalo, passed away Tuesday, December 10, 2019. He was born December 21, 1941 in Waseca, Minnesota, the son of Ralph and Clara (Morsching) Sotebeer.
Ray was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at St. Peter Bell Lutheran Church in Waterville, Minnesota.
Ray graduated from Waterville High School in 1959 and proudly served in the US Army.
On November 2, 1968, Ralph Sotebeer and Marilyn Rau were united in marriage at Grace Lutheran Church in Correll, Minnesota.

John Joseph Pelant, Jr.; age 78 of Waterville, passed away on Sunday, December 8, 2019 at Lakeshore Inn in Waseca.

Eugene Francis Bartelt, age 81 of Waterville died on Saturday, December 7, 2019 peacefully at home.
Born on November 20, 1938 in Waterville, Minnesota, he was the son of Arthur and Mary (Gregor) Bartelt. He attended Waterville-Elysian High School and later married Nancy Radloff on September 3, 1960 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church-German Lake.

Herbert “Herb” E. Sorgatz, age 96, of Morristown, died Friday, December 6, 2019 at the Emeralds at Faribault.
Funeral services will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Morristown on Thursday, December 12, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. with the Reverend Travis J. Loeslie, officiating. Interment will be at Concordia Cemetery, North Morristown with military rites by American Legion, Post 149, Morristown.
Visitation will be at the church for one hour prior to the service on Thursday.