News

From the 74th annual Sleigh and Cutter festival held in 2024.

Sleigh and Cutter celebrating three quarters of a century

Having begun in 1950, the Waseca Sleigh and Cutter festival marks its seventy-fifth anniversary in 2025. To the best of anyone’s knowledge, the festival is the longest-running event of its kind in the country. Ken Borgmann, who’s been one of the event’s organizers since the early 1990s, says...

Andrs family from left: Kati, Nathanael, Elaina, Pastor Ken, and Naomi.

Pioneer photo by Ann Staloch

Pastor Andrs says farewell for Fertile

With just enough sun to shine through the rich stained-glass windows, Pastor Ken Andrs delivers his final message with his sonorous voice. After nearly four years of ministry at First Congregational Church in Waseca, Andrs is moving on to serve as pastor of Hope Evangelical Free Church in Fertile...

Taking part in the special county board meeting on Dec. 31 were (back, from left) County administrator Michael Johnson, and commissioners De Malterer, Doug Christopherson, Brian Harguth, Brad Milbrath, Brad Krause, as well as Bethlehem Inn representatives (center row, from left) Gregg Johnson board of directors member; Angie Alvarez, shelter manager; Sue McIntosh, program director; Molly Erdman, board of directors vice president; Roger Ashland, board of directors treasurer; and (front) Diane Ytuarte, board of directors president. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Bethlehem Inn receives $39,000 in “homelessness prevention” funds

Bethlehem Inn, a Waseca shelter which provides short-term housing for women and their children, received $39,630 in unanticipated funding during a special meeting of the Waseca County Board of Commissioners Tuesday, Dec. 31, when commissioners approved transferring $39,630 in “homelessness...

Red Cross phlebotomist Maddie Schwamberger helped Ryan Buchele give blood during the Red Cross blood drive on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024

Waseca Legion Red Cross blood drive

A blood drive at the Waseca American Legion on Monday, Dec. 30, drew 55 donors and collected 55 pints of blood according to Leanne Sutleif, who coordinated the drive with the American Red Cross. Four legion volunteers and four Red Cross phlebotomists staffed the six-hour event. Sitting at...

Ashlynn Schwering and Jim Priebe were taking part in the MN Chaos Mens Slowpitch bean bag toss fundraiser at The Mill on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Pioneer photo by Ben Revermann

MN Chaos softball bean bag toss fundraiser at the Mill

There was a bean bag tossing fundraiser for the men’s slow pitch softball team at the Mill on Saturday, Jan. 4. The temperature outside was a chilly two degrees but the spirits inside were warm and upbeat. Matthew Olsem was keeping track of who was winning and who was losing up on the stage and...

President Joe Biden pardoned Rita Crundwell, former Waseca Federal Correctional Institute resident on Dec. 14, 2024.

Presidential slate of pardons includes former FCI inmate

President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people, a majority of whom were on “home confinement” under a pandemic era program on Dec. 12, 2024. Among those who benefitted is former Waseca resident Rita A. Crundwell. Her address had been 1000 University Drive, otherwise known as...

Debra Hoganson with Minnesota governor Tim Walz; she has been active with his campaigns since he first ran for elected office beginning in 2004.

Hogenson casts one of ten Electoral College ballots for Minnesota

Minnesota’s electoral votes were cast at the state capitol on December 17: By virtue of representing the state’s first congressional district, Waseca’s Deb Hogenson was the first to announce her vote. There was a great deal of ceremony and a sense of reverence for being part of a historic...

During the final council meeting of 2024, Dec. 17, Waseca mayor Randy Zimmerman presented councilor John Mansfield with a plaque commemorating his service to Waseca from January 2021 through December 2024. Pioneer photo by Eli Lutgens

‘25 levy approved, tax abatement to sunset, Pioneer designated as legal newspaper

The Waseca City Council approved its new tax levy, agreed to let the tax abatement program for new home builders sunset, and also designated the Waseca County Pioneer as the city’s newspaper of choice for 2025 legal notices during its final meeting of 2024. A final levy amount of $5,834,662 was...

Departing executive director for the Waseca Area Chamber of Commerce Ann Fitch, pictured with the Chamber's president elect Mikhail Rostislavovich, left, and administrative assistant Kristie Biehl, right. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Problem solving was Fitch’s favorite role

As Ann Fitch prepares to move on from her six years as executive director for the Waseca Area Chamber of Commerce (WACC), she believes she will miss the challenges and pleasures of helping people and organizations solve problems. “Big or small, there’s something good about helping find the...

Pictured with the presidentially pardoned turkeys Peach and Blossom are Farmamerica staff members Kari Wadd, program director; Megan Mudgett, communication and engagement coordinator; and Rachel Berry, site assistant. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Two lucky birds: Farmamerica’s Peach and Blossom

Northfield area turkey farmer John Zimmerman is the chairman of the board for the National Turkey Federation, a one-year office he has held since February. Because board officers follow a sort of cycle, he has known for three years he would be chairman in 2024–and so he knew it would be his job...