Le Center's Laynee Blashko was crowned Miss Shamrock for the 2026 St. Patrick's Day Festival at the coronation ceremony on Friday, March 13. Marissa Schroeder of Le Center was crowned Miss Irish Rose and Sierra McCabe of Cleveland was crowned Miss Leprechaun.

The parade and other festivities on Saturday afternoon went by without any issues from the impending blizzard. 

Look for the full story in the March 19, 2026, Montgomery Messenger.

    Music students from Tri-City United High School participated in the Section 2AA Solo and Ensemble Contest last Wednesday, March 4. 
    The school’s jazz band and the Encore choir both received the highest rating, a superior, at the contest.

In last year’s legislative session, the Minnesota Legislature passed a law ending the shotgun-only zone for deer hunting in the southern and west-central counties of the state.

The action leaves each county currently in the shotgun-only zone with the decision of whether to pass an ordinance to maintain the ban on rifle hunting.

Le Sueur County can either do nothing and allow the rifle hunting ban to lift, or it can pass an ordinance to uphold the current law.

    Sophie Smith, 20, of Montgomery, won this year’s 2026 Kolacky Days button design contest, chosen by the 248 members of the Montgomery Area Community Club (MACC) that runs Kolacky Days out of the 10 submitted designs.
    Smith is an emergency medical responder (EMR) working towards being an emergency medical technician (EMT) for Montgomery Area Emergency Medical Services. She is a 2024 graduate of Tri-City United High School with plans to continue her education to do something in the health care fields.

Saturday, March 14, 5 p.m. Update

The National Weather Services (NWS) in Chanhassen, Minn., has issued a Blizzard Warning for our greater area from 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, through 4 a.m. on Monday, March 16. They are calling this a "historic March winter storm on track to bring extreme snow accumulations and strong winds." 

The warning calls for a broad swath of 12 to 18 inches of snow over the region, with some area approaching two feet, with winds between 35 and 45 mph, with gusts to 55 mph, even after the snow starts to taper off.

While St. Patrick’s Day was still a week away, festivities kicked off Saturday at the Le Center American Legion Post 108 with the Miss Shamrock Talent Show.
            Three candidates are vying for the title of Miss Shamrock, Miss Leprechaun or Miss Irish Rose. The John Gregory O’Connell Scholarship will also be given to one of the candidates.

    It was another success for the Titans at the Minnesota State High School Weightlifting Championships in Cannon Falls this last Saturday.
    Head Coach Andrew Meier said, “It was a great finish to an overall very successful season. Seven lifters at state: four of them made the podium and two state champions.”

    In September 2025, Community Development Asset Group (CDAG) out of the the Twin Cities proposed a 43-unit market-rate apartment complex at the end of the dead end 7th Street Northeast off of Elm Avenue. The for-profit company has submitted another proposal for the City of Montgomery to consider an apartment complex of 56 units now.

Janice “Jan” Rosella Madonna, age 70, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2026, surrounded by family, love, and the memories of a life well lived.

Jan was known for her warm heart, joyful spirit, and deep love for family and friends. Anyone who knew Jan knew she loved anything Barbie. As a devoted vintage Barbie dealer and collector, she found great joy in sharing that passion with others and served as President of the Lady Slipper Doll Club.

    Business members and residents of the Lonsdale area were treated last Tuesday, Feb. 24, to the Lonsdale Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the Community. This year it was held at the new Lonsdale City Hall, moving from the Lonsdale Public Library.
    About 50 invested people were present to hear Tri-City United Schools Superintendent Kevin Babcock, New Prague Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Andrew Vollmuth, and Lonsdale Mayor Tom Berg give updates in their respective areas.

Gerard "Jerry" Emmett McCue, age 78, of Montgomery, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

NP falls to champs in Saturday semifinal round

Rebounding from a tough loss in the semifinal round to the tournament’s eventual champion, the New Prague Trojans’ floor hockey team took third-place honors at the Minnesota State High School League’s floor hockey tournament at Bloomington Jefferson High School.

    Outside of pageantry or large community event duties, it’s not every day that you get two Princess Kay of the Milky Way in the same room. 
    Last Thursday, Feb. 26, Tri-City United High School was paid a planned visit of the current and 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way Malorie Thorson from Wright County. Thorson was invited by 70th Princess Kay of the Milky Way Emma Kuball of Waterville.
    Both princesses come from long-standing farming families and ones that have supported the dairy industry for some time. 

    For the second time Tri-City-United (TCU) junior Tucker Skluzacek had a chance to stand on the podium at a Class AA State Wrestling Tournament.
    Skluzacek, wrestling at Class AA 145 pounds, won three of his five matches to place fifth overall this past weekend at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul. He finished his outstanding junior season with a 43-8 record.
    Skluzacek opened with a 15-4 major decision over Foley sophomore Jacob Demarais. 

    At a recent meeting, our city officials described a tentative agreement that would allow a for-profit developer to construct a 56-unit apartment building on 7th Street East. This site is located on a dead-end road that is accessible only from Elm Avenue East—also a dead-end road. The proposal includes substantial property-tax subsidies for the developer, along with the city selling the acreage for just one dollar.

    Mollie Remhof had a typical start to her day after work when she arrived home late afternoon of Monday, Feb. 16. “I’d gotten home from work, and let them outside,” she said. “Just cleaning and whatever. You check on them once in a while, and they generally don’t go anywhere.” 
    Remhof has two dogs, Roxie, an eight-year-old golden retriever, and Harley, Roxie’s seven-year-old mixed-breed. “Her (Roxie’s) daughter came back all wet, not muddy but wet,” said Remhof. “Around here, it was all muddy, so I was like ‘Where were they? What were they doing?’”