Despite a cloudburst Friday evening, Sept. 19, people still came out to enjoy Dozinky, New Prague’s Czech harvest festival, Saturday, Sept. 20.

The cloudburst came during the Classic Car Cruise, Friday with people taking shelter under awnings or umbrellas. The passengers of one convertible in the car cruise had several umbrellas with them.

Before the parade of vintage vehicles on Main Street, cars gathered at New Prague High School’s parking lot. The New Prague Rotary Club took care of registration of the vehicles and a rough count had 297 vehicles participating.

Leon J. Hartman, born September 25, 1939, entered eternal life on Sunday, September 21, 2025.

Leon J. Hartman, beloved husband, father, grandpa, and great-grandpa, passed away peacefully surrounded by family.

Members of the Barten family of rural New Prague, from left, Felix, John and Vincent Barten get one of several cornstalks set up Monday evening, Sept. 15, along New Prague’s Main Street. The Barten family cut cornstalks from their field earlier on Monday using their 115 year old machine. The family helps decorate Main Street for Dozinky, New Prague’s Czech harvest festival, that will be held Thursday, Sept. 18, through Sunday, Sept. 21. Also helping Monday evening were Fran Barten and Joe Barten and the Hughes family of Brian, Allison, Maggie and Leah.

Participants in the Dozinky Zero K at Giesenbrau Bier Co. in New Prague Thursday evening, Sept. 18, give a toast. This was the fifth year of the “race” where the starting and finishing line were one and the same. The Zero K and Dozinky Bingo shortly after that are among the many activities that will be held during New Prague’s Czech harvest festival, rain or shine, this weekend. On Friday, Sept. 19, is the Classic Car Cruise beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept.

They walked across a stage in Trojan Stadium, ceremoniously accepted their diplomas and began the next chapter in their lives, not expecting they would one day be back in their hometown as visiting members of a college pep band.

The New Prague High School girls’ volleyball team is 9-5-1 overall for its seasons and is 0-1-1 in the Metro West Conference.

The Trojans were at Wayzata Tuesday, Sept. 16, with game resulted unavailable as of press time. New Prague hosted Chaska Wednesday, Sept. 17. The Trojans are next at Chanhassen for a Thursday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. match.

Over the last week New Prague has won three matches, lost two and tied one. The Trojans’ tied match came during an away game at St. Louis Park, Thursday, Sept. 11, with it ending 2-2.

Superintendent aims for district to be ‘better together’

In the wake of a successful performance review, New Prague Superintendent Andy Vollmuth laid out a series of goals and steps to achieve them last week.

The draft of the goals were provided to board members Monday, Sept. 9, at a workshop meeting. They include:

• To support the NPAS School Board to achieve excellence in governance;

• To create systems and structures to enhance excellence in management;

A few weeks ago, we reported the results of the latest round of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs). Statewide, the results were, at best, uninspiring. Locally, New Prague students who took the tests were slightly above the state average.

Given the highly-charged political environment we live in these days and the huge investment Minnesota dedicates toward E-12 education these days, the resulting blame game was predictable. Social media was awash with people blaming the DFL and Gov. Walz with the mediocre results.

Eunice E.

Mary Lou Cloyd died peacefully on April 23, 2025, in Ames, IA, at Israel Family Hospice House.

Benjamin Scot Cervenka, known to friends and family as Ben, passed away unexpectedly on the evening of September 8, 2025, at the age of 35.

Myron McColl, passed away peacefully on August 23, 2025, at the age of 97 at Valley Ridge Senior living in Burnsville, MN. He was born July 7,1928, in his home in Savage, formerly from Lonsdale.

Patricia "Patty" Susan Doran, age 65, of Montgomery, died on the afternoon of Monday, September 8, 2025, in New Prague.

John J. "Jack" Holomek, age 87, of Montgomery, Minnesota, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, September 12, 2025, surrounded by the love and presence of his family.

Thomas Joseph O’Callaghan, age 94, of Farmington, formerly of New Prague, died peacefully with his family at his side, on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at his home.  Tom was born on October 9, 1930, in Chicago, IL, to James and Edna (Bunt) O’Callaghan.  He was a U.S.

The New Prague Fire Department was flying a United States flag in front of its department the morning of Thursday, Sept. 11, in memory of the events that happened Sept. 11, 2001. This is the 24th anniversary of the terroristic attacks on American soil on Sept. 11, 2001, when two airplanes were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, a third was flown into the Pentagon and a fourth airplane crashed in a rural Pennsylvania field, during a passenger revolt.