Four of the top 11 runners in Class A competed in the Thursday, Sept. 25 WEM/JWP Grizzly Pie Run at Prairie Ridge Golf Course in Janesville.

The 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 11th rated Class A individual runners and the 4th rated team in Class A competed.

Fourth-rated Mankato Loyola/Cleveland won the girl’s race with 22 points. Blooming Prairie placed second (66), WEM/JWP third (76), Martin County West/Butterfield-Odin fourth (91), NRHEG fifth (133), and Medford sixth (157).

Ardis Martha Ely, age 78, of Cleveland, Minnesota passed away on September 30, 2025, at her home. 
   

Ardis was born on September 15, 1947, in Elysian Township and is the daughter of Ortwin and Marie (Wendt) Roemhildt. As a child she attended Bell Church School and later Waterville school.  Following her education, she held various factory jobs before discovering her true calling as a caretaker for family and friends.  
 

Throughout the last few years, the WEM volleyball team always tries to bolster their regular season schedule with topnotch teams.

This year has been no different.

Last week the Bucs battled two state-rated teams and despite losing both matches, there were some very positive things which came from these matches.

Deanna R. Hagger, age 73, of Le Sueur, died on Friday, September 26, 2025, at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.  Funeral service will be on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, 10:30 a.m. at First Lutheran Church in Le Sueur.  Visitation will be on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, 4:00 p.m.

Halfway through the eight game regular high school football season, the WEM Buccaneers are among only eight teams still undefeated in Class AA.

The Buccaneers rolled to a 51-14 win over Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Friday, Sept. 19 behind more than 500 yards rushing.

The Associated Press rated the Buccaneers the 10th best Class A team last week on Wednesday, Sept. 17. WEM should move up at least two places following week four games. The two teams just above the Bucs in the rankings, redwood Valley and Osakis, both lost Friday night.

Although conditions were dry for Kilkenny’s Halfway to St. Paddy’s Day celebration Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 13-14, it was a hot one out there. Temperatures both days were in the mid-80’s and dew points in the upper 60’s to low 70’s made it a little uncomfortable for physical activity, such as their self-proclaimed “World Famous Toilet Bowl Race” on Saturday afternoon.

Bucs pick up big win over Cobras

The WEM volleyball team had a perfect week last week which included a key win over one of the Gopher Conference favorites, Triton.

The Buccaneers notched three straight wins between Sept. 15 and Sept. 18, with two of those against Gopher Conference opponents. The biggest of those was a four-set victory over Triton, handing the Cobras their first conference loss.

WEM/JWP junior Wyatt Jans had the top performance for the Grizzly boys cross country team during the NRHEG Invitational which was held Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Riverview Golf Course in New Richland.

Jans covered the 5,000-meter course in 17:51, placing 6th overall among the 70_ runners.

Mankato Loyola/Cleveland senior Soren Kelly won the race in 16:29. He was followed by Austin Pacelli sophomore Isaac Johnson in 17:08 and Tri-City United (TCU) senior Grant Fitterer in 17:21.

The much anticipated 2025 WEM Homecoming Week begins Monday, September 29 and will run through October 4.

Four queen and four king candidates have been chosen and they will be crowned Friday, Oct. 3 during the afternoon coronation in Waterville.

Queen candidates include Addison Condon, daughter of Scott and Pam Condon, Morgan Flohaug, daughter of Trevor Flohaug, Alenka Jans, daughter of Andy and Anne Jans, and Clare Landrum, daughter of Ryan and Katie Landrum.

The WEM/JWP girls cross country team had their top five runners finish in the top 25 of the Maple River Invitational Thursday, Sept. 11.

The Grizzlies placed fourth among the five full teams with 72 points. Springfield/ Cedar Mountain won the meet with 38 points. They were followed by Jackson County Central (51), Minnesota Valley Lutheran (66), WEM/JWP, and Medford (142).

WEM/JWP competed without their top runner McKenzie Westphal and with her they probably would have finished second overall.

The WEM/JWP boys cross country team put together their best team performance of the season Thursday, Sept. 11, placing second in the Maple River Invitational.

The Grizzlies scored 57 points top finish as runners-up to Minnesota Valley Lutheran (MVL) for the team championship. MVL scored 29 points and had five runners in the top 11. Placing third through sixth were Springfield/Cedar Mountain (64), Medford (112), Jackson County Central (120), and Blue Earth Area (135).

Cecil Harris Madson, fondly known as Harris, passed away peacefully on September 12, 2025, at the age of 100, at the Methodist Hospital Palliative Care Unit in Rochester, MN, following a brief illness. He was born on August 16, 1925, in Nunda Township.

Seven individuals applied, six individuals were interviewed, and one individual was named to the Elysian City Council during the regular September 8 meeting.

A vacancy on the council was declared August 11, 2025. following the death of Mayor Thomas McBroom, Sr. Council member Dennis Schnoor was appointed mayor, which left a council spot open.

Steve Hoppe was chosen among the six interviewed to fill in the fourth city council position.

In his post on Facebook, Sean McCaslin simply started by saying,” Feeling grateful” with an emoji following a fire which destroyed property at Lakeview Resort at approximately 9:54 p.m.Tuesday, Sept. 9.

McCaslin said he was in one of his two bedrooms at his residence at the campground when he heard an explosion. An individual at the campground saw the initial fire and called 911 and within minutes the Waterville Fire Department was at the scene.

Morristown City Council’s monthly meeting on Sept. 2 was only 22 minutes long, but the groundwork was set for future meetings.

As required by law in the month of September, the preliminary levy was set for next year’s budget. The total for Morristown is $717,434.

The amount represents a 6% increase from the previous year. The amount of the increase is not official until the final budget is voted on in December.

Before that, a Truth in Taxation hearing will be held. The council set the public hearing for Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. at 402 Division St. S. in Morristown.

Sheriff Brett V.P. Mason of Le Sueur County announced last week the commencement of the Law Enforcement Scholarship Program for 2025.

Sheriff Mason announced that the MSA Board of Directors has established a scholarship fund for the awarding of up to 18 - $2,000 scholarships for this year. These scholarships are due to the coordinated efforts of the 87 elected Sheriffs of the State of Minnesota.