News

Teams of children from area schools frequently help pack baskets to be delivered to clients at the Janesville Area Food Shelf, located in Trinity Lutheran Church with its own outside entry door. Baskets are prepared at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Janesville Food Shelf serving those in need

The Janesville area food shelf has typically distributed nearly 55,000 pounds of food to nearly 850 households each year over the past few years, reports organization director Kay Gottschalk. The food shelf has its own entry door toward the south end of the west wall of Trinity Lutheran...

Area food shelves benefit from statewide campaign

During the month of March, the Twin Cities based organization FoodShare holds a major fundraising drive to provide financial support for about 300 participating food shelves around the state. Local shelves keep track of the number of people served and donations received during the target dates–this...

KEEPING THINGS MOVING - Berry Pallets, owned and operated by Richard Berry and his son Curtis, has been located at the far southern end of Fourth Street Southwest in Waseca since 2012.

Berry Pallets

Six semi loads of lumber a day. Berry Pallets, located at the far southern end of Fourth Street Southwest in Waseca since 2012, builds a million pallets a year and has numerous international connections. The company, owned and operated by Richard Berry and his son Curtis, “shops” for lumber...

MNPrairie separation is complex, time consuming

Tara Reich, executive director of the collaborative human services agency referred to as MNPrairie, reported to the Waseca County Board of Commissioners during their March 3 meeting regarding steps currently underway to reconfigure the organization. MNPrairie was established in 2014 when...

The Waseca school system's fifth- through twelfth-grade bands took part in the Band-O-Rama in the high school gymnasium on Monday, March 2, 2026. More than 180 student band participants and many family members were present for the performance.

Band-O-Rama fills gym

The Waseca High School “Band-O-Rama” performance in the gymnasium on Monday, March 2, featured more than 180 students from grades 5-12 and included three different directors: Selma Kleinsmith, band teacher from Waseca Intermediate School, who led both fifth and sixth grades; Anders Peterson,...

Council hears about power lines, liquor sales

During the Waseca city council meeting the evening of Tuesday, March 3, council members heard from Anna Thill and Zach Rogers, representing Xcel energy. The two summarized a project underway in town where poles are being replaced with either new wooden or steel poles. Thill explained the project’...

IN LOGAN'S HANDS - Fifth-grader Logan Riehm got to decide the style of WIS teacher Joey Wollenburg's haircut on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Logan was among many students 'cited' for reading a book during the school day; his name was drawn from a large collection of kids who were also 'caught' reading in school.

WIS teacher receives haircut

In honor of “I Love to Read Month,” Joey Wollenburg–Mr. Wollenburg as he’s known to his students--got a special haircut the morning of Tuesday, March 3. The “barber” was Waseca Intermediate School (WIS) student Logan Riehm, a fifth grader who is now officially an amateur hairstylist. “I...

A new boat ramp was installed at Blowers Park in 2024, allowing access to Moonan Marsh and Watkins Lake.

Proposed park plan assesses needs, hopes

As part of a process meant to establish a five-year maintenance and improvement plan for county parks, facilities director Brian Tomford offered information during the March 3 meeting of the county board about each of 9 spaces owned by the county, summarizing how the public tends to use them, and...

County addresses justice center, road construction

During their March 3 meeting, members of the Waseca County Board followed the recommendation of Adolfson and Peterson (A & P) Construction to approve releasing specifications for a $28.6 million justice center to contractors so that bids can be submitted and a contractor selected in time for...

BATTER UP - The New Richland Area Sportsmen’s Club fish fry at the New Richland City Hall featured over 220 people on the evening of Feb. 27.

Sportsmen’s Club fish fry draws more than 200

More than 220 people attended a New Richland Area Sportsmen’s Club fish fry at the New Richland City Hall the evening of Friday, Feb. 27. Volunteers numbering 20 or more worked at every phase of the event, from frying and serving the fish to delivering additional pieces to diners at their...