NexGen Home Services received Waterville Chamber’s “Good News Megaphone” in February. Not only is the Chamber celebrating their relocation to Waterville but also their industry state award.
Currently from Leesburg, FL, Richard “Dick” Jerome Wandersee died Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at Advent Hospital after a brief illness.
He was born October 4, 1937, in Redwood Falls, MN, to Walter and Frances (Unzeitig) Wandersee. He was the sixth of seven children.
A law that was on the books in Minnesota since 1942 was repealed by the Minnesota State Legislature for 2026.
Minnesota Statute 97B.318, which stated “During the regular firearms season in the shotgun use area, only legal shotguns loaded with single-slug shotgun shells, legal muzzle-loading long guns, and legal handguns may be used for taking deer. Legal shotguns include those with rifled barrels,” was effectively repealed as of Jan. 1, 2026.
A law that was on the books in Minnesota since 1942 was repealed by the Minnesota State Legislature for 2026.
Minnesota Statute 97B.318, which stated “During the regular firearms season in the shotgun use area, only legal shotguns loaded with single-slug shotgun shells, legal muzzle-loading long guns, and legal handguns may be used for taking deer. Legal shotguns include those with rifled barrels,” was effectively repealed as of Jan. 1, 2026.
Condon, Velzke win WEM Girls Basketball MVP Awards
WEM senior Addison Condon and junior Alix Velzke received top honors during the WEM Girls Basketball Recognition Banquet Thursday, March 19.
Condon was named the Offensive Player of the Year Award for the second straight season. She scored 681 points, averaging 26.2 points per game, a school record for points and average.
Velzke received the Defensive Player of the Year Award. She had 108 rebounds, 64 deflections, and 48 steals in 26 games played.
The JWP/WEM boys track and field team placed second Saturday, March 21 in the Gopher Conference Indoor Championship held at MSU-Mankato.
The Bulldogs, who entered into a co-op this spring between JWP and WEM, finished with 77 points to finish behind Triton with 114 points. Following in descending order were NRHEG (70), United South Central/Alden-Conger (68), Kenyon-Wanamingo/Goodhue (54), Hayfield (42), and Medford (30).
Winning the 4 x 800-meter relay in 9:46 were the quartet of Teagan Mulder, Wesley Heinz, Wyatt Jans, and Brennan Welvaert.
The 7th Annual Hoot Lanes Jr. League Scholarship Tournament was held on Sunday, March 21, 2026 and this one was bigger than ever.
This tournament is limited to bowlers that bowl in the Hoot Lanes Jr. League. 34 bowlers participated in the tournament which is the most in the seven-year history.
The event was another enormous success. The tourney awarded $12,000 in scholarships for the tournament which is also the most money ever donated.
There was also a $300 random draw by the Bowl4Life Scholarship Foundation and the winner of this scholarship was Mason Waugh.
Thomas “Tom” Henry Christensen, age 88, of Janesville passed away surrounded by family on Monday, March 23, 2026 at Lakeshore Rehabilitation Center in Waseca.
Eloise Emily (Pierson) Zellmer, 89, of rural Waterville, passed away peacefully on March 21, 2026, surrounded by her family.
Born January 6, 1937, at home in rural Lewisville to Nels and Anne (Sanders) Pierson, Eloise was raised on a farm near Butterfield, where she developed a deep love for family, faith, and hard work. She was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Butterfield, choosing Philippians 4:13 as her guiding verse. She graduated from Butterfield High School in 1954 and attended Mankato State University.
Carrie Ann Ferch, of Waldorf, MN, passed away peacefully on March 16, 2026, with her loving family by her side, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Choir students receive “Superior” rating at Sub-Sections
The WEM Music Department has been very busy this year and during the final months of the school year they have many events planned.
Of those events, two are coming back to the district after not being held for years.
Most recently, the WEM Choir participated in the Sub-Section Music Contest Festival and they were awarded the top honor, a “Superior” rating.
Six Grizzlies finish their wrestling careers
Six WEM/JWP Grizzly wrestlers finished their careers at the end of February and one of those was named this year’s Most Valuable Wrestler.
Brady Murphy was named the Most Valuable Wrestler after finishing an outstanding career which saw him finish in the top 10 in many Grizzly school records lists.
Murphy, along with Zach Quast, Charles Adams, Devin Cowdin, Spencer Nordstrom, and Kayle Langford were seniors this winter who will be hanging up their wrestling singlets.
For generations of Scouts and Scouters across Minnesota, Camp Cuyuna has been a place of adventure, faith, friendship, and lifelong memories. From campfires and merit badges to quiet moments along the lake, thousands of young people and volunteers experienced some of the most meaningful moments of their lives there.
Its Girl Scout Cookie Season and these three 8th Grade Girl Scouts are excited to be raising money to put toward their Silver Award Project. WEM Area Girl Scouts Mallory Wetzel, Tori Bruns, and Charli Atherton have started working on their project, which will consist of putting together activity bags for social workers and public health employees to bring with them to home visits, and they are also putting together foster care bags for children who are unexpectantly/involuntarily removed from their home. The foster care bags will consist of..
Hilda “Lou” L. Nutter, age 86, of Elysian, MN, died peacefully Friday, March 6, 2026.
A Private Family Service will be held with interment in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Elysian, MN. Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Rice County Highway Engineer Dennis Luebbe appeared at the Morristown City Council’s March 2 meeting to discuss the possibility of connecting a trail or sidewalk from Highway 60 to Verdev Drive.
“That project is still in our 10-year plan,” Luebbe said. “The county board approved it in the middle of February. We’re looking at trying to secure money from MnDOT, through one of their grants.”
Luebbe says they have tried to get a grant for that project for a few years.
