Grace Marie Kukacka, 79, of Montgomery, MN, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on July 3, 2026, at Mercy Hospital Unity Campus in Fridley.

    Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) has completed its case in the Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, early morning death of 58-year-old Jose Luis Alvarado at Seneca Foods Corporation in Montgomery.

    Only a select individuals can say they competed for their state team representing Minnesota in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games held in Minneapolis from June 19-26, and Montgomery’s Phillip Weber is one of them.
    Weber, 2009 Tri-City United High School graduate, was made aware that he was chosen to be a part of Minnesota’s 16-person swimming team during an announcement on YouTube by Special Olympics Minnesota about a year ago. He is one of 245 athletes chosen across the state to represent Minnesota.

Lucille Marie Nickolay, age 103, of New Prague, passed away peacefully on July 4, 2026.

Lucille was born on December 2, 1922, in New Prague, to John F. and Bessie Bazil Nickolay. The oldest of ten children, she grew up during the Great Depression and learned early the importance of hard work, responsibility, and caring for others. She attended St. Wenceslaus Catholic School for eight years and graduated as salutatorian of New Prague High School in 1940.

    Tri-City United Schools teamed up with Let’s Smile, Inc. again this past school year to provide $14,002.00 in no-cost dental work for kids enrolled in the school district, according to TCU Community Education Director Layne Wilbright. It’s a partnership that started in the spring of 2024, and there is no cost to the school as well as families.

    Jean Keogh of Montgomery’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post 5340 was elected the VFW Auxiliary Department of Minnesota president at the department’s 102nd annual convention.
    Keogh was installed by her husband and 2025-2026 VFW Department of Minnesota Commander Ed Keogh during the convention in Plymouth, running from June 18-21.
    “Anchoring to serve, honor and respect” is newly elected President Jean Keogh’s theme for the 2026-2027 year.

    In the wake of the USA Clay Target League’s Minnesota State High School Clay Target League state tournament in Alexandria, the Tri-City United High School’s trap team and three individuals qualified for the Minnesota State High School League’s (MSHSL) Clay Target State Championship on Friday, June 24.

    Montgomery Historical Society teamed up with St. John Lutheran Church for a unique night of history on Wednesday, June 24. A little over 50 people showed up for the occasion. 

    Breaking from the typical beer garden and a couple of bands annual routine, the Montgomery Fire Department did what they could to commemorate this very special sesquicentennial.

    Le Sueur County Sheriff Mounted Posse’s free Rodeo Fun Night last Friday, June 19, at the county fairgrounds in Le Center had a pleasant evening, narrowly missing severe storms that hampered events from the Twin Cities northward.
    A crowd of more than 500 people showed up to watch all ages compete for the best times in barrel racing, pole bending, mutton bustin’, monkey in a tree, a catalog race, a magic carpet ride race.

    Those looking to try a new 4th of July event this year are in luck. The City of Lonsdale announced earlier this year that it would be hosting a Founders Festival on July 3 from 3 p.m. to midnight. 
    A multitude of items will be happening over the course of the day, celebrating both the United States’ 250th anniversary and Lonsdale’s history.

    The Montgomery Area Community Club (MACC) held its annual Kolacky Days Meet and Greet in Memorial Park Monday evening.
    Scott Smisek entertained attendees before the formal ceremony where people could grab a free kolacky and cookie or spend a few dollars on the new merchandise for the 92nd Annual Kolacky Days which will happen July 24-26.
    This year’s six candidates were introduced with their Little Sisters. The part of the event that everyone really waited for was the announcement of this year’s grand marshals. 

    Student athletes from Tri-City United High School’s trapshooting team competed this past weekend in Alexandria for a spot in the Minnesota State High School League’s (MSHSL) Clay Target State Tournament happening on Friday, June 26.
    USA Clay Target League’s Minnesota State High School Clay Target League’s Trap Shooting Tournament, June 15-23, at Alexandria Community and Technical College’s site, is the qualifier for the MSHSL state event. Only the top 40 teams, and top 100 in both boys and girls, move on to the MSHSL state event.

    Most people are aware of the area food shelves and Tri-City United School’s summer meal program for kids 1-18. Even with such programs, Caitlin Huiras thinks there is still much need in this area to help food insecurity.
    Huiras is the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce executive director and quit her job, in part, as a public health program specialist in Carver County to start the nonprofit 507 Food Share in Montgomery. She has a formal education background in nutrition and public health, and her former job focused nutrition with Carver County. 

    Lonsdale Chamber of Commerce’s fourth annual Badges & Bobbers kids fishing event finally had its first good-weather year. The previous few years were plagued with either rain or unpleasant heat. Friday, June 12, though was a mostly sunny and pleasant low-70’s day — the perfect fishing weather.
    The chamber teamed up with Fishing for Life out of Minneapolis, who supplied the kids with the bait, tackle, and other necessary equipment to go fishing with. Kids even got to bring home a free tackle box and pole.

    Tri-City United Baseball ended up placing fourth in the Big South Conference for big schools, Marshall took the top spot for big schools but Fairmont won over them from the small schools section of the conference.
    Brendan Frederick and Keegan O’Meara were named BLACK All-Conference. 
    TCU Softball also placed fourth for big schools in the Big South Conference, with St. Peter taking the top spot for big schools. Like baseball, St. Peter was beat out for top placement in the conference by Jackson County Central.