The WEM volleyball team played a pair of Gopher Conference opponents last week and those two teams were on different sides of the standings.

The Bucs faced Class A No. 6 rated Kenyon-Wanamingo Tuesday, Sept. 8 and were defeated by the Knights, 25-15, 25-10, and 25-14. Two nights later the Bucs faced winless NRHEG and dominated the Panthers in a 25-9, 25-17, and 25-21 victory.

In the loss to the Knights, eighth grader Greta Velzke led the team with nine kills. Inezsa Pope and Kalyn Novak each added three kills.

Signage on the Adolph Dehn mural, which was erected last year on the east side of the WEM Elementary School, has now been added.

Donovan Schwichtenberg said in 2025 leaders in Waterville chose to recognize one of their favorite sons, Adolf Dehn. He was a high school graduate of Waterville and he had become a famous artist. They chose to recognize him by selecting one of his paintings and creating a giant mural of that picture.

The WEM football team scored on their first five possessions of the first half in a 44-14 rout of Lewiston-Altura Friday, Sept. 11 at Lewiston Auto Field.

It was a dominating first half for the Bucs. They limited the Cardinals to a negative three yards while scoring four rushing touchdowns and a passing score.

Ethan Einertson started the scoring on a 55-yard run on the second play of the game. After a failed two-point conversion, WEM took a 6-0 lead only 49 seconds into the game.

As juniors, Blake Bohlen and Quinn Gare advanced to the Minnesota Junior B.A.S.S State Tournament. They finished in the middle of the pack of the more than 80 teams who advanced.

This past weekend the duo, now seniors, again competed in the State Tournament but this time the fish were biting much better and they placed 6th overall among 79 teams entered.

This year’s event was held on Leech Lake near Walker, MN and the youth fished on Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept. 13, with the final results being determined at 4 p.m. Sunday.

    This year’s Halfway to St. Paddy’s Day celebration in Kilkenny brought in nice weather with abundant sunshine with pleasant temperatures. One of the largest marching bands in the area, perhaps the state, also made an appearance during Saturday’s 35-unit parade at the request of Andrew McGuinness, mayor of the Kilkenny Municipal District in Ireland, the Lakeville South High School Marching Cougars.

Shirley Ann (Lamont) Krenik, age 89, of Elysian, passed away peacefully at her home on September 4, 2026, surrounded by loved ones.

Charles Wolff, Jr., age 88, of Janesville, passed away on September 2, 2026, at home surrounded by his family.  

Visitation will be held 3-6 p.m. on Friday, October 9, 2026. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at All Saints Catholic Church, Madison Lake, visitation will continue one hour before services. Burial will take place at Calvary Cemetery in Madison Lake. 

    At first, it appeared as if Le Sueur County would need to set a considerable increase in levy rates going into next year. However, after months of work sessions, the county board of commissioners is now in good position to approve one of its lowest annual increases.
    The county had anticipated a large increase in property taxes because of changes to how the human services department is funded. The Federal government shifted the financial burden of funding the department to the state, as the state shifted much of the burden to the county level.

To the editor,

I’m supporting Marisa Ulmen for Minnesota State Senate District 22 because she understands what it takes to build and sustain a strong rural community.

Marisa knows rural Minnesota because she has lived it. She is a fifth-generation farmer from Madelia, and she understands both the challenges and opportunities facing our farm families and rural communities.

Her campaign is focused on four priorities: affordable, accessible healthcare; support for rural families and communities; a strong future for our farm families; and stronger rural towns.

Judith Ann Peach, age 79, of Waterville, passed away at her daughter’s cabin on September 6, 2026.

Edgar Carl Mumme, age 96, of Waterville, formerly of St. James, passed away at his home in Waterville on the morning of Sunday, September 6, 2026.

Region 2C Champion Hanska ended the 2026 amateur baseball season for the Waterville Indians, downing Waterville, 13-3 in eight innings, in the Class C State Tournament first round Saturday, Aug. 22 in Shakopee.

The two teams started strong, with the score tied at 3-all after two innings.

But the Indians offense went silent and the 5th rated Lakers scored runs in each of the last five innings, including five in the game-ending eighth inning.

The 2025 WEM volleyball team tied for the Gopher Conference Championship with a 9-1 league record.

They finished 20-9 overall and 10 players return from that team which helped 20-year head coach Crystal Lamont reach 400 career wins.

Returning players include All-Gopher Conference libero Alix Velzke, Kyeria Morris, and Bryella Pope, all seniors. Juniors returning include Ellie Lamont, Paetyn Judd, and Brooklyn Novak. Sophomore Inezsa Pope, freshman Kalyn Novak, and eighth grader Greta Velzke also return.

One of the longest tenured repair shop in the state of Minnesota is located in downtown Morristown.

At last count, there are less than five garages in the state that have lasted a century. Nordmeier Bros. in Morristown is one of those iconic businesses that has persevered for 100 years. And this business may also be the oldest family-owned automotive garage in the state.

In less than a week students and staff will be returning to Waterville for the first days of the WEM School Year 2026-2027.

For the first time in more than 35 years all students will be attending classes in one building. The Waterville building will now house all of the district students.

Teachers will report Monday, August 31 and work through Thursday, Sept. 3. The majority of that first day teachers will be completing moving into their classrooms. Staff training will be held the following day.