This coming Monday is the Fourth of July. A time for gatherings, parades, picnics and fireworks. It is a celebration of when the United States declared its independence from the United Kingdom.
The Declaration of Independence was a document that basically said a people of a nation had a right to choose their leaders. Before that, most nations had been ruled by a king, queen or emperor. The idea put forth by a group of men in Philadelphia that the common people would get to choose their representatives and their president had not really been seen.

Saturday, June 25, was a beautiful evening in more than one way at Union Hill during the Home Town Bats’ Sixth annual Home Run Derby. Sun and warm temperatures in the 80s, plus a good cause, brought a large crowd together to help the Tiede family of Le Center.

Two upsets by the New Prague Adapted CI Division Softball Team led to a runner-up finish for the Trojans in the MSHSL State Tournament the first weekend in June.
New Prague, the No. 4 South Seed in the 2022 Adapted CI Division State Tournament recorded an upset with a 22-14 victory over No. 1 North seed North Suburban in the quarterfinals Friday, June 3.

Montgomery Mallard Ryan Iverson blasted four home runs and knocked in 10 runs in the Mallard’s 22- 18 DRS Baseball League win over Veseli Sunday, June 26.
The game featured nine total home runs. Matt Friedges had three hits, including two home runs, scored four runs, and knocked in seven for Veseli. Also hitting a home run for the Warriors was Matt Perkinson. Luke Shepard and Riley Schaeffer each added three hits.
Tom Flicek and Tyler Bednar hit long balls for the Mallards. Derek Christenson pitched the final five innings in relief for the win.

Josie Ploetz, age 80 of Belle Plaine, passed away June 23, 2022. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 1, 2022, at Pax Christi Catholic Church in Eden Prairie. Fr. Roger Hessian will officiate. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday at the Kolden Funeral Home in Belle Plaine and continue one hour prior to Mass at church on Friday morning. Memorials are preferred to Belle Plaine Dollars for Scholars in lieu of flowers.

Kim (Palmquist) McGovern, age 51, of Montgomery, passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer on Sunday, June 26, 2022 at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.
Memorial visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 7, 2022 at the St. Peter Funeral Home, 906 N. Washington Ave, St. Peter. Private service will be held for the family.

LaVonne K. Erickson, age 74, of Faribault, MN, passed away Friday, June 24, 2022, at Faribault Senior Living with her family at her side.

Elko New Market’s Fire Rescue Days Community Parade on Saturday, June 25, had a large turnout as people lined up to see the many entries in the annual parade down Main Street. Vehicles from the Elko New Market Fire Department closed the parade. Fire Rescue Days continues this evening with the ARCA Menards Series Race at Elko Speedway and a street dance at the Doublewide parking lot. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

ENM Fire Rescue Days is June 23-26 Elko New Market’s annual celebration Fire Rescue Days will be held Thursday, June 23, through Sunday, June 26. Things start on Thursday, at 6 p.m. at Wagner Park with the band The Castaways. The festival also includes the NEW Lions Steak Dinner on Friday at 5 p.m at Firehouse Grille and live pro wrestling at 8 p.m. in the Doublewide’s parking lot. On Saturday, there is the Fire Rescue Days Community Parade, beginning at 11 a.m. at Elko New Market City Hall, going west on Main Street and ending at Wagner Park.

Tuesday was the first official day of summer and it was a warm day, although not as warm and humid as the previous two days. One thing we can count on with the weather in Minnesota is that it can go from extremely cold days in the winter to extremely warm and, at times, humid days in the summer. While some enjoy the change in the weather, you can always find someone who is going to complain about it.

Brian Edel, a 1999 graduate of New Prague High School, has been selected as the new principal of DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis and will begin his tenure on Friday, July 1. Edel, son of Bruce and Jean Edel of New Prague, has been a teacher, coach and moderator at schools in Minnesota and Connecticut. Edel is coming to DeLaSalle after serving as an administrator for the past 11 years at St. Thomas Academy.

Hometown Bats will hold its Sixth annual Home Run Derby, beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, at Union Hill Ballpark, west of New Prague on Highway 19. The family-friendly event offers children’s games, food and drinks. It brings batters from DRS (Dakota, Rice, Scott) Baseball together to slam in as many homers and raise funds for an area family. This year’s Home Run Derby benefits Adeline Tiede, daughter of Jeremy Tiede and Jessica Lambrecht OF Le Center. Adeline, age 3, has two older sisters Mayta (12) and Lucy (6).

Thomas E. Hanzel, age 78, of New Prague died peacefully with his family at his side on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital New Prague.  Tom was born on July 16, 1943 in Mankato to Louis and Joella (Berg) Hanzel.  The family moved frequently with Louis’s job with the mill, finally settling in New Prague, where Tom completed his high school education, graduating from NPHS as the only NP athlete to letter in four sports in one school year.  He went on to Mankato State University, completing his bachelor’s degree.  He married his high school sweetheart, Deborah A.

Sean O’Neill, left, talks with FOX9 New Prague Times News anchors Tim Blotz and Alix Kendall about the history and legacy of baseball at Union Hill the evening of Wednesday, June 22. O’Neill had been a player on the team and is now president of the field’s baseball association. A large crowd came out for the event and to see the Union Hill Bulldogs take on the Mayer Blazers.
The FOX9 New Prague Times News team visited with former players and had a preview of the Home Run Derby fundraiser that will be at Union Hill on Saturday, June 25.

Fourteen players scored, thirteen players had hits, and thirteen players knocked in runs for the Union Hill amateur baseball team Thursday, June 16 in a 33-3, seven inning win over Veseli.
The Bulldogs accumulated 27 hits with Sam Novak and Nathan Osborne each collecting four and Nate Lee and Jacob Becker collecting three each. Lee, Osborne, Becker, and Nathan Berg each hit home runs.
Conrad Masberg picked up the win on the mound, allowing one earned run on three hits in five innings. Novak pitched the final two innings and did not allow an earned run.