The Elko New Market Police Department has been struggling to get candidates for patrol officer positions.

If all goes well in Alexandria, New Prague High School’s trapshooting team will learn if it will make the state tournament next week.

The Trojans will be competing against like-sized schools Monday, June 22, at The Championships in Alexandria, the gateway tournament to the Minnesota State High School League’s state tournament June 26 at Minneapolis Gun Club in Credit River. NPHS is hoping to qualify its five-best shooters and two alternates for the state tournament. Two members of the team – Ava Chlan and Amber Indykiewicz – have already qualified for state as individuals.

Webster’s bats came alive in the past week, pounding out 31 runs in a pair of wins to move the Sox into second place in the Dakota-Rice-Scott League.

Sunday, June 14, the Sox thumped Montgomery, 21-6, in seven innings. On the mound, Jordon Huwe, Alex Beumer, and Peter Tveite paced the Sox to a victory. All doing a solid job.

Armed with players from the New Prague High School varsity team, NP’s American Legion Post 45 baseball team is all-in on enjoying a strong season this summer.

This year’s team is working to reschedule games initially lost because of the extended high school season. The 45s will play Rochester Saturday, June 20, 7 p.m., at Memorial Park. Monday, June 22, 7 p.m., NP will be at Prior Lake and Thursday, June 25, 6 p.m., the team heads east to face Rosemount.

New Prague city councilors met in a special meeting Monday, June 8, to discuss a challenging question – how to handle the city’s budget today and in the future and begin to discuss the long-term plan for how to bridge the gap between that the city and its residents want and what they are willing to pay for.

Growing up, she never looked at education as the career which would define her adult life. Thirty-plus years after she arrived in New Prague to begin teaching elementary school students, Jodi Prchal has used a strong work ethic and lessons on how to earn a living to provide lifelong lessons for students at Falcon Ridge.

The Elko New Market Fire Department is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. As part of the celebration, the volunteer fire department had banners of retired firefighters placed along Main Street (Scott County Road 2) at the end of May and are up through Labor Day.

If he could, if his body would allow it, Jacob Kirchner would love to play baseball with his friends. Sadly, the 14-year-old boy from Belle Plaine cheers for his favorite teams – the Tigers and his big brother, Zachary, who plays outfield for the high school and town baseball teams.

The son of Jessica and John Kirchner, Jacob and his family – siblings Michel, Haley and Zachary – will be the guests of honor at the 10th annual Home Run Derby to raise funds for his family. It is scheduled for June 27, 6 p.m., at Don Giesen Field in Union Hill.

Patricia M. Solheid, age 82, passed away peacefully on June 14, 2026, at Mala Strana Assisted Living in New Prague, with her loving husband by her side.

Pat was born on February 3, 1944, in Canby, Minnesota. She was a graduate of Canby High School and went on to attend Moorhead State University. Her deep love for music led her to a career as an elementary music teacher in New Prague, where she met and married the love of her life, Al, in 1972.

Dr. Robert A. “Bob” Stepaniak, age 79, of Faribault, MN, died on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at his home, surrounded by his family following an extended illness.

Memorial services will be held on Monday, June 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home in Faribault with the Rev. Diane Goulson officiating.

Visitation will be held on Monday afternoon from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

    Le Sueur County took a step to pump the brakes on data centers being built in the county. At the Board of Commissioners meeting on May 26, the county unanimously passed a one-year moratorium on data center construction.
    The moratorium covers unincorporated areas of Le Sueur County. Cities within the county can still make their own decisions.
    “If a city wants to have a data center, we don’t have any control over that at all,” Commissioner David Preisler said. “If they want to, they’re not affected by this ordinance. They’ve got their own planning and zoning.”

Myron A. Tietz, age 74, of New Prague, passed away on June 11, 2026, in Rochester, Minnesota.

Myron was born on June 16, 1951, in New Prague to Clemens and Lenora (Bohnsack) Tietz. He was raised in New Prague and graduated from New Prague High School. Following graduation, he pursued his passion for carpentry by attending Faribault Vocational Technical School.

Carol M. Hennen, age 83, passed away on June 8, 2026. A visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation (833 S. Marschall Rd) in Shakopee, MN. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. with additional visitation from 9:30 - 10:45 a.m. on Friday, June 19, 2026, all at Sts. Joachim & Anne Parish, St. Mark Catholic Church (350 Atwood St S) in Shakopee, MN. Father Peter Williams will preside.

Harold K. “Mac” McMahon, age 98, of New Prague, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on June 9, 2026.

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church of Union Hill, west of New Prague, held a free-will lunch and fellowship after its Feast of Corpus Christi, Sunday, June 7. Rev. Eugene Theisen agreed to get into a dunk tank to help raise funds. The dunk tank was $5 for children and $10 for adults. It was a popular event with children with many lining up to try and dunk Theisen.

Theisen agreed to...

To see more on this story pick up the June 11, 2026 print edition of The New Prague Times. 

David "Dave" Edward Johnston, age 59, of Montgomery, Minnesota, was called home on June 7, 2026, following a tragic accident while doing something he loved—riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.