News

The 4H dog showmanship, obedience, and rally show began at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 9 in the 4H building at the Waseca Fairgrounds. Handlers Sarah Fredericks, McKinsy Rew, and Mattea Dann are shown above.

Obedient dogs at Waseca fairgrounds

July 9 brought a bright morning and many beautiful dogs as the 4H Dog Showmanship, Obedience, and Rally Show began at 9 a.m. Gathered in the 4H building at the Waseca County Fairgrounds were handlers from middle- and high-school levels, along with the dogs they have been working to train. Three...

Johnny Griggs shows off his Green Bay Packers cap. Pioneer photo by Michael Roy

Dueling Pianos at Indian Island Winery

What do you get when you combine one pianist from Minnesota and another from Wisconsin? A talented duo who shows their musical prowess interspersed with comedic relief. That’s what the duo Crazy Keys Dueling Pianos brought to the Indian Island Winery in rural Janesville on Saturday afternoon....

Pastor Keith Bilitz served as pastor for 21 years at St. John and Trinity Evangelical Lutheran churches. Pioneer photo by Jonah Stafford

Bilitz retires after 21 years

After 21 years of service in the Waseca County area, Pastor Keith Bilitz of St. John and Trinity Ev. Lutheran churches has retired, with his last service having taken place Sunday, May 22. While “some pastors go longer,” Bilitz said, he chose to retire at 65 due to the stress of the Covid-19...

Mayor Rob Wilkening presented Airianna Knuteson with the “Mayor of the Day’ award prior to the Waldorf City Council meeting Monday, July 11. From left Amanda Petersen, Mayor Wilkening, Arianna Knuteson, and Alex Ahrendt

Pioneer photo by Amelia Roessler

Knuteson named mayor of the day

As 15-year-old Airianna Knuteson called the July 11 Waldorf City Council meeting to its close, her term as “Mayor of the Day” ended. It had begun only a few hours earlier when she and her family had dinner with the town’s actual mayor, Rob Wilkening. During the meal, Wilkening and Knuteson...

Performing and attending a Back Alley Concert at Barden’s Bar were: Molly Byron (Waseca Chamber of Commerce), Jim Kozan, Louisa Byron, Mick Barrens, Jerome Broughton, John Lucca and Marty Buum. Pioneer photo by Jessica Lutgens

Los Tequileros band performs outdoor concert at Barden’s Bar July 1

“Friday was like an all-school reunion and memory lane all in one,” said Craig Schuster, one of the hundreds of attendees at the second annual Back Alley Concert hosted by Barden’s Bar in Waseca. “I didn’t want to go home.” The Friday, July 1 event, was held outdoors with picnic tables where...

MEAT - The faces behind the new online meat shop, The Meatery, are shown above, from left, Dean Morgan, Colette Drager and Tim Fischer. Pioneer photo by Amelia Roessler

Tasteful selections

According to its founder, The Meatery MN is built off the faith that, if people get a chance to taste good, down-home food, they’ll want to keep coming back for more. “Access,” says kickstarter Collette Drager, “will feed inspiration. “What we’ve done is developed this community where everyone...

HALF OF HIM – Waseca Floral owner Rick Morris is pictured with his wife Sheila. Pioneer photo by Michael Roy

Another chapter

“Another chapter coming to a close,” one 15-year customer observes after learning that Rick and Sheila Morris have placed Waseca Floral and their adjoining residential property up for sale. As chapters go, it’s been a long one. Rick and Sheila have been operating the business for 50 years,...

Farm and city days turns 100

Hundreds of people, maybe even a thousand visitors and residents, were in attendance throughout the 100-year anniversary of “Dairy Days,” later renamed Farm and City Days weekend in New Richland, July 8-10. The most popular attractions included Greg the Mystifying Magic show, drawing more than...

A duck hunt to remember

Lifelong Hartland resident and NRHEG alum Noah Nielsen recently shared the story of his favorite duck hunt of all time in a Facebook post that garnered hundreds of likes. But it is the meaning behind this hunt and the gift Nielsen gave to Waseca Police Officer Arik Matson that has touched the...

A popular Father at Sacred Heart

“We’ve been priests for four years. Nothing has burned down– it’s a good day,” laughs Father Thè Hoàng of Waseca’s Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Hoàng celebrated his anniversary on June 8. Having been with the Sacred Heart parish for two years, the religious leader reflects on what has gotten him...