She’s had enough ranch dressing to last her a decade.
2011 Waterville-Elysian- Morristown High School graduate Tabitha Nusbaum, daughter of Carrie Schmidtke and Dan Nusbaum, was dropped into a big vat of cold ranch dressing as part of NBC’s television gameshow, Ellen’s Game of Games.
The episode featuring Nusbaum aired Sunday night, May 16.
On the show, Nusbaum played “You Bet Your Wife,” a game where one contestant wagers what their partner will know. If the partner does not know the answer in time, he or she is dropped into a big vat of ranch dressing.

NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has set up a wide variety of free online mental health classes for May and June. They include such classes as Hope for Recovery, Transitions, Ending the Silence, Understanding Early Episode Psychosis for Families, In Our Own Voice, Family to Family, Positive Psychology, Creating Caring Communities, a suicide prevention class called QPR – Question, Persuade and Refer, a special QPR class for Agricultural Communities and many more.

Bernadine (O’Leary) Hildebrant’s a little lady. Her knees don’t always cooperate so she uses a walker to get around her home, but even at almost 100 years old, she’s quick witted and enjoys visiting with family and friends.
She’ll turn 100 years young on Monday, May 17.
The long-time newspaper reporter has interviewed multiple centenarians during her career, but this time, the tables are turned. The story is about her.

An extensive search for a new Le Sueur County Administrator is coming to a close.
After final interviews with four candidates Monday, May 3, the Le Sueur County Board of Commissioners extended the job offer to Joseph Martin during the Tuesday, May 4 board meeting.
Martin, lives in rural Waterville with his wife, Staci (Bohlen), and their two children. He is the son-in-law of Curtis and Joyce Bohlen of rural Kilkenny.

Motorists on Highway 21 in Rice County at Shieldsville are encountering lane closures that began April 19 as crews start resurfacing, making intersection improvements and repairing culverts, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Work includes resurfacing approximately eight miles of Hwy. 21 from about one mile west of Interstate 35 to Highway 99. New turn lanes/bypass lanes will be installed at Shields Court, Mazaska Lake Trail, Lake Mazaska Boat Launch and French Lake Trail.

After missing out on last year, buyers and sellers were ready to wheel and deal at what has become the seasonal kick-off location to the swap meet season in the Midwest.
From Friday to Sunday, approximately 700 vendors gathered to sell their wares at the 44th Annual Le Sueur Pioneer Power Swap Meet.
“Everybody was happy to be out and among...
To see more on this article, pick up the April 29, 2021 print edition of the Montgomery Messenger, The New Prague Times or the LifeEnterprise papers.

Dozens of white pelicans have made their way into the bay in Waterville, adjacent to the campground. They have been seen for the past couple of weeks in this same area.

Tonn farm is a Century Farm
The David and Tina Tonn Family Farm that lies across the gentle, fertile hills between Waterville and Elysian along Ridge Road, has been recognized as a 2021 Century Farm.
114 years ago, David’s great-grandparents, Max and Emma Lorenz, who immigrated the United States from Germany, purchased a small farmstead and...
 
To see more on this article, pick up the April 29, 2021 print edition of the LifeEnterprise.

The Le Sueur County Board announced the finalists selected for the position of County Administrator.
On April 6, 2021, the Board selected four individuals to participate in an interview process that will take place on May 3, 2021. Liza Donabauer of DDA Human Resources, Inc., is the consultant hired to assist the County in the selection process.
Joseph Hatch
Joseph Hatch is currently serving as the Director of Human Resource Business Operations for the City of Minneapolis where he has served for approximately 13 months.

A 26-year-old woman from Kilkenny was flown to Mayo Clinic in Rochester after her vehicle rolled over in Shieldsville, Friday morning, April 23.
According to Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn, Phoenix Plaskett, 26, of Kilkenny was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester by Mayo helicopter with serious injuries. Dunn said Plaskett was driving a 2004 Mazda Tribute eastbound on Dodd Road by Le Sueur Avenue when the accident occurred at 7:29 a.m.

Mayo Clinic Health System in New Prague has more than 200 available COVID-19 vaccine appointment slots available Thursday and Friday, April 22 and 23.
The vaccination site is located at the Mayo Clinic Health System clinic, 212 10th Ave. NE, New Prague.

The City of Elysian has become a resting spot for Canadian geese.
This hasn’t been a positive thing for city parks and other local properties. They have actually become quite a nuisance.
Elysian has been blessed with...
To read more of this article, pick up the April 22, 2021 print edition of the LifeEnterprise.

His son died of an opoid overdose. Now, he’s fighting to save others.
Noah Goodwin should be celebrating his 23rd birthday this week.
But, the young man, who loved his dog and bowling, died from a drug overdose last year. He was found unresponsive in his Waterville apartment on Sunday morning, June 7.
In his grief, Noah’s father, Paul Purfeest of Waseca, began...
To see more of this article, pick up the April 22, 2021 print edition of the LifeEnterprise.

Morristown native Paula (Schwichtenberg) Meskan has been named the CEO of River’s Edge Hospital and Clinic in St. Peter.
The 1987 Morristown High School grad earned her four-year Bachelor of Nursing Degree from the College of St. Catherine.

The WEM Speech team competed in the Section 2A North Sub-Subsection Meet on Tuesday, April 5th. Five of the girls will be moving on to Section 2A meet on Friday, April 16th. Paige Atherton and Kiri Kerekes placed second in Dramatic Duo. Alex Heuss took second place in Great Speeches. Emma McGraw competed in Dramatic Interpretation and placed sixth. Madeline Balfe placed third in Creative Expression. Maddie Heuss competed in Original Oratory. Left to right: Paige Atherton, Kiri Kerekes, Alex Heuss, Emma McGraw, Madeline Balfe, and Maddie Heuss.

A settlement was approved between the City of Waterville and MacQueen Equipment of St. Paul for a purchase made by the city which, once delivered, was not what they had initially ordered.
MacQueen delivered an off-colored fire truck to the Waterville Fire Department last year and the city debated whether they should send the truck back to be repainted or keep the truck since it was not the color they ordered.
City attorney Jason Moran worked on...
To read more on this article, pick up the April 15, 2021 print edition of the LifeEnterprise.