According to the New Prague Police Department a juvenile male was approached by a stranger the morning of Tuesday, March 17.
New Prague Police Chief Jim Gareis said around 10 a.m. a police officer was approached by a parent asking the officer to talk with a juvenile male. The youngster told the officer that an adult male in a newer Chevy Silverado cab pickup stopped the boy while riding on his bike at Heritage Park near Lexington Avenue N. The male offered the boy some cookies and a candy bar. The boy immediately left the area and told his parents.
Mayo Clinic Health System in New Prague now offers a drive-through screening process for patients who meet criteria for COVID-19 testing. Transmissions of COVID-19 are increasing statewide and across the nation and other institutions have successfully used the drive-through approach.
According to a press release, as a first step, patients must call their Mayo Clinic Health System primary care clinic. A provider or nurse will determine if patients meet criteria and will schedule a drive-through test.
The following press release was received Mon. March 16:
“COVID19 - March 16, Letter to the Community
New Prague Area Schools Families:
We continue to work through issues around the two-week closure, March 16th through March 27th, to prepare our plan for delivering distance learning, if that is required. We want to keep you informed of new information or changes as they occur.
SCHOOL BUILDINGS OPEN TUESDAY, MARCH 17TH
Gov. Tim Walz announced Sunday that all of Minnesota’s K-12 schools will close for eight school days starting Wednesday to try to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Walz and state Education Commissioner Mary Cathryn Ricker made the announcement Sunday morning in St. Paul.
The Minnesota State High School League put out an announcement Friday regarding cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic:
Effective Immediately:
The Minnesota State High School League is immediately cancelling the Girls Basketball State Tournament.
Additionally, all Boys Section and State Basketball Tournaments have been cancelled.
Section Speech Tournament events for the week of March 15-21 have been postponed indefinitely.
The Adapted Floor Hockey games scheduled for Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14 will NOT be played either.
The Polka Dance Party scheduled for Friday, March 13 at the Central Education Campus in New Prague has been canceled. We are following the Minnesota Department of Health's recommendation to not have large group activities. Please pass this information on to anyone that may have been interested in attending.
Apparently the Switzerland booth was the popular spot for some students during the Culture Fair at New Prague High School on Thursday, March 12. This was the third year for the Culture Fair at the high school, showing off the various countries and beliefs represented in New Prague. There were 19 booths with many focusing on an assortment of aspects of a country or region ranging from its music such as a concertina with the Czech Republic to karaoke in the Philippines. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)
Beginning Friday, March 13, New Prague Middle School will have four performances of fun and music as it presents “Shrek The Musical Jr.” for its spring musical. The show, based on the popular animated movie, will be at the middle school auditorium, 721 Central Ave. N with tickets available at the door. Showtimes are 7 p.m. March 13, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 15. Today (Thursday, March 12) there is also a senior preview at 3 p.m.
UPDATED March 13, 2020- The Adapted Floor Hockey games scheduled for Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14 will NOT be played.
Elementary students from across New Prague Area Schools were able to show off their creativity with an assortment of projects at the Elementary Science Fair on Saturday, March 7. Held at the New Prague Middle School gym there were 52 entries in the annual science fair.
“We had a fun day of science and engineering,” said Jodi Prchal, fourth grade teacher at Falcon Ridge, who helps organize the event with New Prague Community Education. She said of the 52 entries there was “a wide variety of very interesting projects!”
Thursday, March 12, 2020 UPDATE
MANKATO, Minn. – (3 p.m.) Highway 93 from Highway 169 to Henderson is expected to reopen by 6 p.m. this evening, Thursday, March 12, after being closed since March 8 due to flooding on the Rush River. Crews have been working to clear debris off the road and make repairs to shoulders and culverts.
The shoulders of southbound Highway 93 are extremely soft due to exposure to the floodwaters. MnDOT is advising no travel on the shoulders until they dry out and repairs can be made.
The Le Sueur County Board cruised through a very light agenda Tuesday, March 3.
The regular meeting lasted approximately 40 minutes, but was followed by a special road and bridge work session.
A number of items which were dealt with during the regular meeting involved the highway department.
A couple of final payments were approved for work done this past year.
Crane Creek Asphalt received final payments of $148,200.72 for the CSAH 15 project from CSAH 22 to CSAH 26, and a payment of $69,056.47 for the CSAH project near Heidelberg.
The City of Elko New Market held an open house for an Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) on the Adelmann family property, east of the town. Community Development Specialist Renee Christianson and City Engineer Rich Revering answered questions about the review of the approximately 70 acres of property, which is located near the Interstate 35 interchange and currently in New Market Township.
A Las Vegas homicide suspect is in police custody after being located in Rice County.
Mark Doocy, 60, of Blooming Prairie, was arrested on March 4 at the Flying J Truck Stop at I-35 and Highway 19. According to Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn, Doocy was arrested and forced to leave his vehicle after he refused to cooperate with officials.