The Montgomery Mallards and Union Hill Bulldogs won their Region 3C playoff games Wednesday, Aug. 1, and are each one win away from a state tournament berth. 
The final two spots for the State Class C Tournament from Region 3C will be determined Friday, Aug. 3, with a pair of elimination games. St. Patrick will travel to Montgomery for an 8 p.m. game and New Prague is at Union Hill for a 7:30 p.m. game. 
Montgomery defeated Shakopee 3-2 in an elimination game Wednesday, while Union Hill beat St. Benedict 10-7. 

Providing safer schools was the main goal of the official Tri-City United facility safety self-assessment held on Friday, July 27.
 
The self evaluation involved administration from TCU, law enforcement from Montgomery, Lonsdale, Le Center, and Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Department, Le Sueur County Emergency Management Department and the TCU Facilities Coordinator.  
 

Micaela Brevig, left, of the Raptor Center, informs children and adults about the red tail hawk she has during Holy Cross School’s Family Fun Night on Tuesday, July 31. There were food trucks, an Elko New Market fire truck and lots of activities. This was the second year the school had the event. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

The New Market Muskies and Faribault Lakers became the first two Region 3C teams to qualify for the State Class C Baseball Tournament with wins Tuesday evening. 
In Veseli, the Muskies took a 2-0 lead in their game against New Prague, but the Orioles’ Eric Wagner belted a two-run home run to tie it. Nick Rost put the Muskies back on top with a solo home run and they Fish registered a 3-2 win. 
In Prior Lake, St. Patrick took an early lead, but Faribault stormed back for a 6-2 win. Jack Helgeson had  complete game win for the Lakers. 

An explosion and fire that destroyed a vacant home in Montgomery early Tuesday morning on July 17, has been ruled as arson by the state fire marshal’s office.
 
The explosion occurred in the residence located at 104 3rd St. SW, across the street from Most Holy Redeemer Church at 2:15 a.m., and could be heard across town. It blew glass and debris across several blocks. No one was injured.
 
According to Montgomery Police Chief Lou Sager the fire marshal made the determination on Thursday, July 26. 
 

DRS playoffs
Game Friday, July 27
Shakopee 7, Prior Lake 3 (Shakopee wins series 2-1)
 
Region playoffs
 
Sunday, July 29
Double elimination, first round
New Market 8, Shakopee 2
New Prague 13, Montgomery 3
Faribault 10, Union Hill 5
St. Patrick 7, St. Benedict 3
 
Tuesday, July 31
Winners bracket, winners go to state
New Prague vs. New Market, 8 p.m. at Veseli
Faribault vs. St. Patrick, 7:30 p.m. at Prior Lake
 
Wednesday, Aug. 1
Elimination games

Formerly of New London, Marilyn Joyce (Retzlaff) Sawall age 80, died on Thursday, July 26, 2018, in Minnesota. 
 
She was born on December 25, 1937, in Appleton. In 1977, Marilyn moved to Minnesota with her husband and children. Marilyn had a deep love for Christ Jesus and was continually searching for ways to grow her faith.  She has always had a special place in her heart for children and loved spending time with them. 
 
She enjoyed listening to music, singing, and dancing. She also loved to travel.
 

Montgomery has new ambassadors after the Kolacky Days Pageant on Friday. Crowned Queen is Rianna Doyle, daughter of Ted and Anne Doyle. First Princess went to Elizabeth Trnka, daughter of Jon and Ronna Trnka. Second Princess is Maggie Trnka, daughter of Mike Trnka and the late Tanya Trnka. The candidates voted Kailey Mach as Miss Congeniality. See more in the print edition.

At the Kolacky Days Pageant, the St. Paul Winter Carnival knighted outgoing royalty Miss Congeniality and Second Princess Amanda Way, First Princess Becca Simon, Queen Anna Franek, and this year's Grand Marshals Jake and Kay Keohen. See more in the print edition.

Alex and Caitlin Jakes are the lucky winners of the Kolacky Days Medallion Hunt. For more, see the print edition.

Results Thursday, July 26
Montgomery 13, Lonsdale 11 (Montgomery wins series 2-0)
Faribault 11, Webster 1 (Faribault wins series 2-0)
St. Benedict 10, Veseli 9 (St. Benedict wins series 2-0)
Shakopee 11, Prior Lake 5 (Series tied 1-1)
 
Game Friday, July 27
Shakopee at Prior Lake, 7:30 p.m. 
 
Region 3C First round,
Sunday, July 29
Montgomery vs. New Prague, 2 p.m. in Veseli
Faribault at Union Hill, 2 p.m. 
 

Dale was frustrated as he kept running out of time to go look for the medallion. However, he was bound and determined to go look, so he decided to take a day off and wait for the last clue to be released. The last clue was released, and it was just a bunch of random questions: 
- The 3rd year that the celebration was cancelled due to WW II – 19__ __ - In 1977, we celebrated what annual celebration? __ __
- The year before Kolacky Day was established – 19__ __
- This year’s annual celebration - __ __ 

The Le Sueur County Board of Commissioners have decided to take over the rural emergency sirens in the county.
During the Tuesday, July 24 meeting the commissioners discussed results from a special meeting held July 17 among those interested in the emergency sirens.
There are nine rural sirens in the county, with one on Lake Washington, one on Lake Emily, one on Lexington, and three on German-Jefferson and three on Sakatah-Tetonka.
The Lake Washington Lakes Association did not request help with keeping their sirens operational.

It was the next morning and Dale remembered that the Community Club used to take a photo in front of one of these markers every year for many years and bet they hide the medallion near there. Before work, he thought he would stop by Franke’s Bakery for a glazed donut and was looking over the brochure and was talking to Mary Ann as he ate, when a few things randomly came up: 
 
-Do you know the most common letter a Kolacky Days Sponsor starts with?
 
-What event will be celebrating its 60th anniversary as being a part of the Kolacky Days tradition?
 

The Dakota-Rice-Scott baseball league regular season concluded Sunday, July 22, and the final standings have New Market, St. Patrick, Union Hill and New Prague earning byes into the Region 3C Tournament. Eight other teams will play best-of-three series this week for the other four spots in the region tournament, which will be a double-elimination affair beginning Sunday, July 29.

Who can talk to whom, limiting free speech and protecting information are just a few of the recent events in the court case against the Le Sueur County Historical Society (LCHS).
 
According to an order filed in Le Sueur County Court on July 17, attorneys for LCHS have sought to restrict first amendment rights of those involved in the case. The proposed order filed by Attorney Raymond Konz, seeks to preclude the 16 plaintiffs in the case from disclosing “confidential” information between each other, puts limits on the media, and potentially other people in the public.