New Prague High School’s volleyball team had a mixed week as the Trojans lost to Holy Angels, defeated Bloomington Jefferson and won the Farmington Tournament.

The Trojan spikers faced Jordan Tuesday evening, Sept. 19. New Prague is also hosting Chaska Wednesday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m., and Kasson-Mantorville Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m.

Two New Prague businesses are under new ownership with one receiving a new name in the process.

Under new ownership are the Corner Bar and Pioneer Saloon, which has been renamed Outlaw Saloon.

Outlaw Saloon On Friday, Sept. 1, Rob Krautkramer and his partner, Dione Bast, became the new owners and operators of the Outlaw Saloon, 103 Main St. W. As the Pioneer Saloon, it was owned and managed by Mark Michel for 24 years.

Homecoming is in full swing at New Prague High School. Events for homecoming celebration began Friday, Sept. 15, continued Sunday, Sept. 17, with the powderpuff football game and has included dress-up days from Monday, Sept. 18, through Friday, Sept. 22.

Friday there will also be the homecoming football game as New Prague takes on Rochester Century, 7 p.m., at Trojan Stadium. Following the game will be the homecoming dance in the high school’s gym.

In the six-plus years they have called New Prague their home, Chris and Nichole Davis have developed a deep connection to the community and appreciation for all it offers residents. Now, they want to bring one of its most historic and under-utilized amenities back to life for the benefit of the entire community.

Between Monday, Aug. 14, through Wednesday, Aug. 16, a crew was busy removing two fuel tanks, pipes and other items from the former Crawford’s Standard Service, at the southwest corner of the intersection of New Prague’s E Main Street and SE First Avenue.

“The tanks have to be out of the ground before I sell it,” said Kevin Crawford, who ran the business for 40 years before closing it March 25, 2022.

Crawford plans to sell the property to his son Nick Crawford and Ronnie Bastyr who own New Prague Auto Repair at 205 Fourth Ave. SW in New Prague.

Allie Meyer and Matthew Stensrud were recently chosen to be co-directors for New Prague High School’s fall musical. The two wanted to co-direct the upcoming production as they both have the experience and can coordinate together.

“I heard there was an opening for director, so I went to Matt and I asked him if he wanted to do this together,” said Meyer, who will begin her ninth year as a social studies teacher at the high school this fall.

With a win over crosstown rival New Market Friday night, they set the stage for Sunday’s milestone victory, the 1,100th victory in the coaching career for Elko’s Terry Fredrickson.

A son, Thomas James Simon, was born to Andy and Megan (Maruska) Simon of New Prague on Friday, May 5, 2023 at St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Shakopee. Thomas weighed 8 pounds, 15 ounces and was 20 inches long. Thomas is welcomed home by his siblings Raymond, age 8, Vivian, age 6, Adeline, age 4 and Cecilia, age 2.

Grandparents are Paul and JoAnne Maruska of New Prague and Joe and Sandy Simon of Lonsdale.

Great-grandparent is Mary Ann Maruska of New Prague.

There’s plenty of reason to believe former Minnesota Rep. Bob Vanasek of New Prague was correct when he said the current debate over school districts handling the facilities use of transgender and gender non-conforming students is a legislative issue and will not be settled in a school board meeting room in New Prague or any other school district across the state.

Hope. That one word in the form of a tattoo led The O’Neill Foundation of Hope to help Kyle Schultz, who has ALS, receive a new motorized wheelchair.

“I was watching the news and I saw he had his van and wheelchair stolen,” said Ryan O’Neill who grew up in New Prague and founded the foundation, a private 501c3, with his brother, Tim, in 2022.

Schultz, 26, lives in St. Paul and has been dealing with ALS for two years. ALS is an incurable disease that weakens muscles over time and attacks the nervous system, eventually making walking and talking difficult.

He remembers the fear sweeping through his being in 2003 when he heard his wife had cancer. Two years later, Chris Smith heard a doctor direct those same words at him.

Demolition of the house at 208 Central Ave. N by Deutsch Construction began around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 28. By that evening, the roughly 100 year-old-house was gone and crews were spreading dirt around the site. Plans by the City of New Prague call for the spot to be seeded with grass.

The house had been rented by Irene Ellman and her late husband, Kenneth. The couple raised their three daughters in the house.

She never imagined an unexpected knock on the door in 1974 would start a friendship that would one day save her life.

Forty-eight years later, the two women remain close friends. They know the importance of sharing a gift and hope others will consider doing the same, be it for someone they care about or someone they’ve never met.

“Never did I think this girl would save my life,” Pat (Pumper) Christensen said. “She means everything to me. I was running out of options. I was running out of people.”

Anya Menk, a 2018 graduate of Tri-City United High School and 2022 graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, recently completed her first jazz studio album.

Caryl “Kay” Vogel, age 92, of New Market, MN, entered eternal life on Saturday, June 10, 2023, while being surrounded by her beloved family.