News

WELD DESIGNS - Bruce Matson, owner of Matson Creative Designs of Waseca, with some of the miniature smoker grills he makes in his spare time. Matson has been a welder for almost 50 years; his company has completed projects in many historically significant locations. Pioneer photos by Deb Bently

Always thinking

Bruce Matson, who owns the metal fabrication company Matson Design Specialties and operates it alongside his son Zack, admits he seldom stops thinking. “I have to keep a notebook in my pocket to write my ideas down,” he comments. The two-man shop, located about three miles north of...

PORTRAIT OF A LADY - An exhibit featuring Florence Rose Castor, 1884-1957, will be at the Waseca Historical Society until Oct. 23. Pictured from left: Executive Director of the museum Amy Danielson and Elizabeth Olivia Anselmo in front of a popular form of dress worn during the period of Florence's life. Pioneer photo by Ben Revermann

Florence Rose Castor’s life on display at Waseca County Historical Museum

The Waseca County Historical Society (WCHS) is presenting a new exhibit, Portrait of a Lady, from now until October 24. The exhibit highlights the life and times of Florence Rose Castor, 1884-1957. WCHS invites visitors to imagine Florence as a student, a traveler, a friend, a sister and a woman...

FLOODING - Heavy rains have caused the overflooding of roadways in Waseca County at least twice this summer. Here, rising waters from the nearby LeSueur River caused water to cross a Wilton Township road on July 23. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Record-setting rainfall drenches county

An August 17 and 18 rainstorm dropped 9.48 inches of rain at the 111-year weather station at the University of Minnesota’s Southern Outreach and Research Center (SROC) located in Waseca. SROC staff and other recordkeepers provide unofficial rainfall amounts for the same event around the county as...

SHOE ENOUGH - Corey Myers with the Twin Cities organization "Good in the 'Hood," brought a busload of shoes to Waseca for a recent Salvation Army event. The Waseca County Salvation Army offered free shoes for children in advance of the school year; the event was funded by the holiday season "kettle" campaigns held within the county. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Salvation Army gives away 85 pairs of shoes

“We were looking for a place we could do as much good as possible as the school year is starting,” comments Kerri Dzuibak, one of seven board members with the Waseca County Salvation Army. With her on the Salvation Army board are Jay Dulas, Victoria Huen, Larry Johnson, Kris Markeson, John...

HOT AND FRESH - Tom Klug, new to the Waseca Farmers Market, sold a breakfast sandwich on Saturday, August 30, 2025. Pioneer photo by Ben Revermann

Otisco Valley Growers sells hot food at market

Lifelong Waseca County resident Tom Klug recently started selling not only his frozen meat at the Waseca farmers market at the fairgrounds, but also breakfast sandwiches. Saturday, Aug. 30, he was selling under grey skies, cooler temperatures and a slight threat of rain. His sales area...

BACK TO SCHOOL - During the NRHEG secondary school open house, school board members Terri Engel, Loren Schoenrock and Pat Theuer helped prepare and serve the light meal offered as part of the NRHEG Secondary site open house on Aug. 27. Pioneer photos by Deb Bently

NRHEG open house a success

An estimated 400 or more people attended a six-hour “open house” at the NRHEG Secondary school from 2 to 8 p.m. Aug. 27. Principal Grant Berg commented he felt the event served its purpose, which was to increase the number of children and families attending the start-of-year orientation and...

ROUTE CHANGE - As the school year begins, unfinished construction is causing some complications for transportation. Until the usual route is suitable for traffic, buses will be turning around and driving back north on South Ash Avenue. Parents dropping off students are asked to drive through the parking lot to return to Highway 30. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

NRHEG Secondary traffic adjusting to incomplete construction

NRHEG Transportation director Dan Schmidt explained to people attending the secondary site’s recent open house that the building’s large east parking lot will serve a major role in adjusting traffic flow as the school year begins. South Ash Avenue, the city street directly in front of the...

NRHEG Secondary pursues parent contact

During their August 18 meeting, members of the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva (NRHEG) school board approved a change to the way parent contact hours are scheduled for grades 6 and above for the 2025-’26 school year. When it comes to traditional parent teacher conferences, “We aren’t...

County court services expands delivery format

As of October 1, the office currently known as Waseca County “Court Services” will instead be “Community Corrections.” Department head Jonathan Schiro asked county commissioners during their Aug. 19 meeting to approve the new name. At the same time, he provided an update on a change...

COMPLICATIONS - Ongoing construction will interfere slightly with operations as the NRHEG school year begins. Street work which was scheduled to be complete before September was delayed by this year's rainfall. Here, a construction crew put in time on a recent Saturday to pour and level cement on sidewalks. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Unfinished construction hinders start of school

During the Aug. 18 meeting of the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva school board, district superintendent Michael Meihak summarized a recent discussion with representatives of the construction company which has been working all summer to redo the utility infrastructure under Ash Avenue South...