News

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...

TOGETHERNESS - Left to right: Beth Stankiewicz, Larry Johnson, Jess Stuckmayer bring the community together at the Waseca Art Center to support Waseca Area Caregiver Services (in what is hoped to be a yearly event).

Art show benefits caregiver services

Beth Stankiewicz, program director and accounts manager for Waseca Area Caregiver Services (WACGS) and Jess Stuckmayer, director of the Waseca Art Center have organized a Hometown Art Show and Silent Auction at the Waseca Art Center, to raise money to help individuals in need. When executive...

Resignation a formality

Waseca City Manager Lee Mattson announced at the Tuesday, July 5 council meeting that council member Ted Conrath had submitted his resignation. Conrath was not present at the meeting to explain why he resigned, but Mattson stated that it was “due to personal reasons.” Council member Jeremy...

Not a single horse missing

For 158 years, the Waseca County Horse Thief Detectives have gathered to assess their accomplishments. And every year they’ve been able to report proudly, “not a single horse has been unrecovered.” This was the case again in 2022 when the “Oldest Protective Society West of the Mississippi”...

FIREWORKS - An uncountable number of spectators circled Waseca’s Clear Lake for the city’s annual July 4 fireworks display. Photos from all of Lakefest 2022 can be found on Page 16

Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Lakefest 2022

Waseca’s annual 4th of July “Lakefest” celebration featured musical acts ranging from local to national. Although rain and thunderstorms early in the day threatened the afternoon of festivities, the weather turned just in time for things to stay on schedule. The lineup of acts began at 3 p.m....

Gavin Vesper, Kaden Oliver and Rick Scholbrock of Kid Power Pedal Pulls. The group will be putting on an event at the Waseca County Free Fair Thursday, July 14 at 6 p.m.

Power pedaling for two decades

Every summer for 20 years, Rick Scholbrock has fulfilled his greatest passion through his company, Kid Power Pedal Pulls. Working out of a small Northern Iowa town, Scholbrock is famously known, and likely to be recognized by anyone attending a local fair, as the “kids’ tractor pull guy.” He and...

A birthday party at the meeting

At the Waldorf City Council Meeting on the night of Monday, June 13, small town friendliness and a need to get work done intersected. The meeting started with a little excitement when Waldorf Mayor Rob Wilkening nearly dropped, but safely delivered a birthday cake for city clerk DeeAnn Britton...