News

November ballot to include funding question

During the August 20 meeting, members of the Waseca school board heard from Superintendent Eric Hudspith regarding the permanent school trust fund amendment that will be on the ballot in November. Hudspith emphasized that the public is being asked to vote whether the permanent school fund, which...

Ambulance seeks volunteers

During their meeting the evening of Monday, Aug. 10, members of the New Richland city council learned it will cost between $20,000 and $25,000 to put new concrete at the north entry to city hall. City administrator Tyler Lendt explained an engineer’s input will be needed to plan the replacement...

Waldorf celebrates opening of all-accessible playground

After months of planning and collecting donations, the new playground on the east side of town Waldorf near the city baseball field is complete; the town celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony the evening of Thursday, Aug. 20. Waldorf local and playground regular Caitlin Schule brought...

Ragen Madsen was gearing up for her big race at Toners Lake Karting on Sunday, Aug.16, 2026.

A place to talk, race or watch go-kart races

Bordering Toners Lake about halfway between Janesville and Waterville is Toners Lake Karting (TLK), a place for people to race go-karts, or watch go-kart races, whichever they were in the mood for, and there were lots of them on Sunday, Aug. 16. TLK is open from May through October, and...

A piece of history

A piece of Waseca County history that spent decades out of the public eye is now the centerpiece of the Waseca County Historical Society’s newest presentation, “48 Stars: Then and Now.” This exhibit pairs historic black-and-white photographs of the 36-foot by 19-foot 48-star flag recently...

Charlie Barnes, who donated the land where the Waldorf Veterans Memorial Park is located, opened the dedication ceremony for the First Responders Memorial the morning of Saturday, Aug. 22. Pioneer photo by Ben Revermann

Barnes unveils First Responders Memorial

It was a beautiful and sunny day during a special dedication at the Veterans Memorial during Waldorf Days on Saturday, Aug. 22. The city unveiled a brand-new structure in the Veterans Memorial Garden under the flag poles, the First Responders memorial statue. Veteran Charlie Barnes opened...

A WHOLE NEW LOOK - A group of children taking part in a daycare program at the NRHEG Secondary Site take their ease in the recently remodeled student commons area. Lockers which once stood in rows have been moved against the walls of the space; the area under the skylight is now carpeted and offers inviting areas for sitting or working at tables.

Preparing for pre-Labor Day

“I can’t wait to see them talking to each other at lunchtime,” enthused school board member Terry Engel during the Aug. 17 meeting of the NRHEG school board. Engel was responding to Secondary School Principal Grant Berg’s explanation of the cell phone policy for the coming school year: “...

Braves punch ticket to state after decade absence

On to state. The third-seeded Waseca Braves upset the second-seeded Waterville Indians 5-1 at Waterville in the Region 5C championship game Friday night, earning the team's first trip to state since 2016. The Braves have taken steps over the past four seasons, improving each year, falling one...

Young drivers learn Soap Box technique

A long, downhill block of Waseca’s Fourth Street Northeast became a racetrack the afternoon of Saturday, Aug. 15, as the Waseca Freemasons invited all area youth ages 8 to 15 to take part in the organization’s eighth annual soap box races. Money raised by the event is donated to local public...

Council looks into allegations of improper payment

During the Aug. 10 meeting of the Waldorf city council, city attorney Christopher Kennedy was asked to review and clarify data center ordinances, which he will present to the council for review. Kennedy was also present because it was brought to his attention there are allegations of improper...