News

Waldorf changes animal registering requirements

The first order of business at the Waldorf City Council meeting the evening of Monday, Sept. 8, was a public hearing to modify city ordinance 87 with two objectives. One was to give the council greater flexibility when adjusting fees. The other was to establish a $50 fine for any residents who...

YOUTHFUL HARMONY - The Sacred Heart Fall Festival’s main mass will be the Children’s Choir Mass set for 5 p.m. Sept. 20. Pictured here are the students who tried out for the choir during its first practice: (first row, from left) Bailey Ulschmid, RaeAnn Konz, Amelia Kummerfeldt, Autumn Smith, Emery Weber, Mary Lenz (second row) Roberto Beltran, Lilli Berry, Adelyn Jensen, Evelyn Sommers, Elaina Berg, Nolan Monson, (third row) director Marlys Froehle, Leighton Humphries, Evee Johnson, Stacy Sandoval, Sophia Smith, Gavin Condon, and Lina Berry. Pioneer photo by Ben Revermann

Children's Choir warms up for Fall Festival

The Sacred Heart Fall Festival will be taking place Sept. 19, 20 and 21. Organizers say it is a chance to enjoy the fall outdoors, eat, celebrate, worship, and shop. The event will include a concession stand, fish fry, bingo, raffles, children’s games, spirit wall, silent auction and much more...

REIVER WIN - Kaeden Johnson, number 26, played in the Iowa Western game against Georgia Military College on Aug. 31. Among his supporters were a large number of family members.

Kaeden Johnson goes from Gopher to Reiver

Waseca High School graduate Kaeden Johnson, a recent Minnesota Gopher football player, has decided to change schools. Johnson decided to leave the Minnesota Gophers on April 22 this year to seek an opportunity to get some significant playing time. The Gophers have a stacked running back...

25 YEARS - Pictured here are the Waseca Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors congratulating ICAN on reaching 25 years of service. Front row from left: Theresa Sunde, Jodie Thompson, Mikhail Rostislavovich, Tiffany Lynch, Taryn Sack, Mike Jevning, Linda Ebnet, Nicole Rux and Kristie Biehn. Back row from left: Larry Johnson, Kevin Walter, Tom Sankovitz, Bernie Gaytko, Carey Root, Jen Williamson, Molly Erdman and Marcy Buchele.

Ambassadors celebrate ICAN's 25th anniversary

The Waseca Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors proudly congratulated ICAN of Waseca on reaching a significant milestone—25 years of dedicated service to the community. Since its inception in 2000, ICAN has been a beacon of compassion and innovation, enriching the lives of individuals and families by...

INCLUSIVITY - A young student enjoys one of the play pieces already in place at the NRHEG inclusive playground. The Color Fun Run this week will help work continue on the second and third phases of the playground construction. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

NRHEG Color Run F'run'draiser

NRHEG is holding a second annual one-mile Color Run, Walk or Stroll event in Ellendale on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. The fun, family-friendly event is a fundraiser for the community inclusive playground. Participants can walk, run, stroll, skip or somersault through a course and get blasted by...

Dairy Jersey Summer yearling - Charley K

Waseca County 4-H Minnesota State Fair Winners

Minnesota 4-H'ers from 87 counties arrived with over 2,671 animals at the 2025 “Great Minnesota Get-Together” for this year’s 4-H livestock encampment, which was held Wednesday, Aug. 20 through Sunday, Aug. 24. Minnesota 4-H’ers have been preparing for this event all summer long. Members...

September's black shadow

The morning of September 11, 2001, seemed no different from any other morning as I prepared to go into the office at the Center of the American Experiment in downtown Minneapolis where I was the Programming and Development Director. Earlier in the week I had been in conversations with New York...

ONGOING WORK - Construction continues on Second Street in Waseca, causing difficult access to businesses like the Waseca Area Neighborhood Service Center and Waseca Area Food Shelf. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

We're still here!

The Waseca Area Neighborhood Service Center (WANSC) and Waseca Area Food Shelf are open for their usual activities and happy to assist customers and donors. “Access can be a little complicated,” admits organization executive director Cindy Kolander, “so we are adjusting to circumstances day...

HONORED - Janesville area resident Kay Gottschalk will be inducted into the Bethany Lutheran Hall of Fame Sept. 19 in honor of 40 years as a book keeper for the school’s volleyball team. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Kay Gottschalk named to Bethany Hall of Fame

It could be claimed that Janesville area resident Kay Gottschalk has been making lemonade for 40 years. Although she loves sports and team competition, a medical condition keeps her–literally–on the sidelines. There, her “lemonade” is being a book keeper, something she has been doing for...

RECOVERY WORKS - The Waseca County Courthouse will be lit in purple all through the month in recognition that September is "Recovery Awareness Month" both nationally and in Waseca County. Celebrating the strength and resilience of people who have rebuilt their lives after recovering from substance abuse disorder are (front, from left) Nikki Weller, Elissa Johnson, Megan Radel; (center row, from left) Hunter Carlson and Heather Clark; and (back, from left) Rachel Cornelius, Waseca County Attorney; Mackenzie Weis, Department of Corrections; Nicole Grams, Steele Waseca Drug Court Coordinator; and Dan Frenk, Waseca County Court Services. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Recovery Awareness Month sends messages of support

Waseca County has proclaimed September “Recovery Awareness Month,” in alignment with a nation-wide initiative. For the next four weeks, the courthouse exterior will be lit in purple to help increase awareness surrounding recovery from substance abuse disorder and show support for people and...