News

In tribute to their husband and father Brian Sommers, Kirsten Sommers and her children Jameson, Evelyn, Caden, and Owen served as honorary captains during Friday’s home opening Bluejays football game. Head Coach Brad Wendland is pictured on the right.

Sommers family named honorary captains

Kirsten (Muotka) Sommers alongside her children Jameson, Evelyn, Caden and Owen Sommers all served as honorary captains during Friday’s home opening Bluejays football game. Kirsten’s late husband, Brian Sommers, was a 2007 graduate of Waseca High School and a member of the Bluejay football team....

Kaitlyn Hoehn says her interest in cemeteries steps from her lifelong fascination with history. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Individualized history

To Kaitlyn Hoehn, 37, cemeteries have at least as much to do with life as they do with death. “These were people. They lived full lives…or they had their lives cut short. “These stones, even crumbling and almost gone, were what they chose to record those lives. They’re important.” Hoehn...

Local Waseca Groomer Sofy Clayton

Groomer Sofy Clayton traveled long road to her Waseca home

“I was so scared! My English was very poor–just basic,” says Waseca veterinary clinic groomer Sofy Clayton, describing her early years in southern Minnesota. “I watched a lot of TV; I took some classes, and I always carried a dictionary with me. But it was a very scary time. If I had to go to the...

Johnathan DePauw

DePauw joins Waseca special education department

Johnathan (JJ) DePauw knew he was destined to teach: “Since I was a child, I have always wanted to grow up and help people. I went through college looking for the right place for me to make a difference. With my skills, personality, and goals; it seemed like education was the fit for me,” he says...

Waseca Band Director

Anders Peterson

Peterson to lead Waseca band department

New Waseca band director Anders Peterson says teaching is something he decided on back in the eighth grade: “During a career research unit, I just so happened to be the only one of my friends who did not research being a band director. Oddly enough, I am the only one who followed through,” he...

Waseca County commissioners and leaders, Waseca Chamber of Commerce members and others met with state-level leaders during a morning reception on Tuesday, August 20. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

State-level leaders visit county

Area representatives, senators and candidates took part in a “legislative update” during the August 21 regular meeting of the Waseca County board of commissioners. Speaking for 10 or so minutes each were Representative Peggy Bennet (District 23A); Representative John Petersburg (District 19B);...

Kendra Hoehn and Mark Schultz, owners of Infinity Catering & Shuttle, Brew'd Awakenings Bistro and Dairy Queen in Janesville offered a variety of tasty food items during the city's "Music in the Park" series on August 22, 2024. Photo by Ben Revermann

Sweets sounds of summer

The sun was on its way down and kids were screaming at the playground. The wind carried the smell of hotdogs through the crowd. The fourth session of the city’s “Music in the Park” series was the evening of Thursday, August 22. Performing on stage was the band Generation Gap, a duo of Rod...

Mason Wadd, 17, selling his corn at Mason's Sweet Corn stand

in the Bomgaars parking lot on Saturday, August 20, 2024.

Pioneer photo by Ben Revermann

Mason Wadd continues annual sweet corn sales

Located in front of the Waseca Bomgaars’ parking lot is a small-scale business labeled “Mason’s Sweet Corn.” The proprietor of the stand and the man working it himself is Mason Wadd, 17; he’s been selling his corn for the past 5 years. Wadd lives about 5 miles north of Waseca, and is a senior...

Volunteers at the Doggy Playdate and Picnic at Waseca's Memorial Park, left to right: Elain Spain; program coordinator Tammi Roeller; Pam Rudolf; PC assistant Jill Tobin; Kelly Parkinen; Sharon Jones; (kneeling) Iditarod musher Linda Jay; Linda Henslin; Kelly Boeddeker and Mike Singlestad. Pioneer photo by Ben Revermann

A memorable doggy play date

Waseca’s Memorial Park next to Barney’s Drive-In on the south side of Clear Lake was bustling Saturday, August 24 with a “Doggy Play Date and Picnic” on the Dog Park grounds which began at 10 a.m. and continued until 2. A central attraction for the day was Iditarod dog sled musher Linda Jay, who...

One possible design of a potential real estate project at Waseca’s “Market Place’ property was shared during a February city council meeting.

Marketplace project may move forward

The Waseca Investment group may be moving forward with development of the city-owned Waseca Marketplace property. The announcement came during the regular meeting of the Waseca City Council, Tuesday, August 20, 2024. A few months earlier, the local investment group had come before the council...