Looking back at 2025

In the past year the Waseca County Pioneer has covered many exciting stories worth remembering. Here is a look back at the best highlights from the year that was 2025.

 

April

- During the March 18 meeting of the Waseca City Council, Marc Basara of Rebound Enterprises reported on progress to date for tax increment financing and other elements concerning the “Marketplace” apartment building meant to be constructed near Walmart in Waseca. He reported the current plan is to begin construction early this August and open the development in 2026.  

- Waseca High School senior Zoie Thompson, 17, signed a letter of intent to be part of the archery team at Union Commonwealth University (UCU) in Barbourville, Kentucky during a ceremony at the high school on Monday, March 24. 

- The Waseca Tourism Board has officially launched the Waseca Community Lights Committee, a new initiative, fronted by Mayor Randy Zimmerman, dedicated to enhancing holiday lighting throughout the city.

- For the first time in many, many years, a new era begins for New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva High School track and field.  Coach Duey Ferber, who guided the Panthers to many successful seasons, retired as head coach. 

- After an April 1 public hearing at which no input from the public was offered, the Waseca County board of commissioners approved moving forward with a “bonding” process to borrow up to $17 million toward remodeling the county law enforcement building and constructing a “justice center” addition to the historic county courthouse. 

- The gym and cafeteria of the Waseca Intermediate School were humming with activity the morning of Saturday, April 12, for the Waseca Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) fundraiser known as the “Bluejay Blast.” More than 350 people attended and around $25,000 was raised.  

- Waseca High School seniors Sophie Chawra and Lexi Kanewischer both earned a trip to compete at the Business Professionals of America (BPA) national leadership convention set for May 7 to 11 in Orlando, Florida after placing well enough in state competition in early March. 

- The Waseca Spring Shop Hop was organized by 11 local specialty shops to encourage customers who visit any one of them to consider patronizing some of the others as well. Occurring on Friday and Saturday, April 11 and 12, it was a chance for local and visiting shoppers to see some of the character and charm the retailers have to offer. 

-  In partnership with the Waseca Exchange Club, the City of Waseca and Waseca County have officially proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, reaffirming their commitment to supporting safe, nurturing environments where all children can grow, thrive, and succeed. 

- The Waseca 7th & 8th-grade dual-meet wrestling team was pool champion at NYWA championships in Rochester, wrestling five times while defeating Alexandria in the championship.

- The Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton High School girls’ track and field team opened the 2025 season in fine fashion, winning the JWP Invitational.

- The many community contributions of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) President and CEO Tim Penny were celebrated by more than 500 community members, colleagues, and admirers during Penny’s retirement party at Mineral Springs Brewery in Owatonna.

- Waseca High School senior Tauston Rupe signed a letter of intent on April 15 to play football for St. Olaf College of Northfield in the fall of 2025. Rupe’s major will be kinesiology, the study of human movement. 

- Waseca High School senior Ben Hagen signed a letter of intent on Tuesday, April 15, to play football with the team at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn. 

-  The Waseca Art Center hosted its annual High School Art Show, continuing a tradition that has spanned more than three decades.

 

May

- The Waseca Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) distributed trees ordered during the organization’s spring tree sale on Friday, April 25, at the Waseca County fairgrounds. Customers who had placed the 140 orders began arriving by 7:30 even though distribution did not begin until 8:30.  

- During their regular business meeting April 24, members of the Waseca school board heard from Junior-Senior High School assistant principal Justin Johnson. Johnson reported enrollment is at 827, an increase of six above the previous year, which Johnson says is contrary to the experience of other districts around the state. 

- History was made for the Waseca High School boys’ tennis team. For the first time ever, the Bluejays earned the right to compete for the Big South Conference overall championship.

- Each year, the Minnesota Beef Council proudly recognizes a Minnesota retailer for its outstanding commitment to excellence in beef promotion. The 2025 Minnesota Retail Beef Backer Award was presented to Morgan’s Meat Market of Waseca, a family-owned establishment whose legacy and innovation have made them a pillar of Minnesota’s beef industry. 

- “Scholarship Night” at Waseca High School brought high school scholarship recipients to the stage alongside the individuals who helped decide who would benefit from about $176,000 in support for their post-secondary schooling. 

- Speaker Karla Scherff drew attention to the bittersweet importance of observing Memorial Day for those attending the Waseca County ceremony held on the courthouse lawn. 

- The Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Class of 2025 was one of the largest graduating classes the school had seen in recent years, with 69 students receiving their high school diplomas on the football field on Friday, May 23. 

- During a signing ceremony the morning of May 21, Waseca High School seniors Cejay Pickett, Helin Cruz-Hernandez, Kylie Snow and Joseph Mextico-Perez “signed” to indicate their commitment toward becoming future educators. 

- The Waseca High School girls’ and boys’ track and field teams finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Big South Conference meet at St. Peter. The host team won the girls’ division with 165 points, with TCU second at 133.5. The Bluejays totaled 83.

- The season ended with a one-and-done in the section tournament for five of six area baseball and softball teams. Only the NRHEG baseball squad advanced.

- The NRHEG High School track and field teams competed in the Class 2A South Sub-section meet at USC High School in Wells. The NRHEG girls finished fourth out of 12 teams, totaling 79 points. JWP won the championship with 124.5 points.

- Waseca school district teachers and their guests celebrated accomplishments and milestones in a gathering of about 165 people at The Mill the evening of May 21. 

 

June 

- “The end of an era. The start of a new legacy,” was the class motto for the Waseca High School Class of 2025 which graduated 153 in a packed gymnasium. 

- They stood together for the final time. One by one, they walked out into the world. The 55 members of the NRHEG class of 2025 graduated in a packed high school gymnasium in New Richland. 

- Deputies Brayden Berg and Gavin Kritzeck took the sheriff’s department oath of office during the May 6 Waseca County board meeting, both were welcomed heartily as the county’s newest deputies. 

- Waseca High School came to be well represented in the upcoming state track and field meet. No less than 13  athletes in 11 events advanced for coach David Abel’s squads from last week’s two-day Section 2AA meet at Faribault’s Bruce Smith Field.

- Add another championship for the 2025 Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton High School girls’ track and field team. The Bulldogs’ latest first-place trophy came on their biggest stage of the season so far, the Section 2A meet.

- The New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva girls’ track and field team advanced three individuals to the state meet. Kylie Olson, Anika Ladlie and Gabby Schlaak represented the Panthers in the state meet after a stellar showing in the Section 2A meet at Mankato West High School.

- The first ever Arik Matson Legacy Service Award was presented at the June 3 Waseca City Council meeting. Public Safety Director and Police Chief Kris Markeson introduced the award, which features three major character traits that he said Matson exemplified during his career: cooperative spirit, community engagement and willingness to improve. 

- According to Brandon Eder, assistant to the supervisor of the Waterville area fishery operated by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Waseca’s Clear Lake is one of the busiest in the wide area managed by the Waterville fishery, and for a good reason. 

- Families and teams competed among neighs, snorts and shouts in the Yaunt-2 organization’s first ranch rodeo of the year on June 7 and 8.  

- The NRHEG Clay Target team held their fun shoot and awards picnic on June 4 at the Owatonna Gun Club. 

- While running a restaurant wasn’t a part of their original plan, Sarah Kay Hoffman and her business partner Makayla Selvik ran restaurant and cocktail bar Refinery 507 at 100 State Street North for four years before they decided to make a change, turning their facility into a private event venue. 

- The Waseca Exchange Club is proud to announce that member and Special Olympics athlete Jake Lieser has been selected to represent Team Minnesota at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, taking place in late June at the University of MinnesotaTwin Cities campus. 

- It was a great day to be a Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Bulldog on Thursday, May 29, as JWP celebrated the graduation of 42 kindergarteners.

- At the Waldorf city council meeting the evening of Monday, June 9, Mayor Rob Wilkening presented the “City of Waldorf Phase 2 Project” listing 11 different city projects for a total cost of about $8.4 million.