News

Around 50 children were at the Janesville Reading Garden on Thursday, June 5, for a "Reptiles Around the World" traveling petting show. Educator and snake handler was Jay Radke. Pioneer photo by Ben Revermann

Janesville Library presents Reptiles Around the World

Snake Discovery sent its “Reptiles Around the World” traveling reptile show to numerous libraries in the Waseca County area, and during the afternoon of Thursday, June 5, they stopped at the Janesville Reading Garden located next to the library There were 50 children sitting in the grass, with...

Elected to the SWCE board of directors June 3 were (from left): Anton Seykora, District 2; Dennis Ringhofer, District 4; and Weston Wilson, District 6.

Two new directors; SWCE hosts 89th annual meeting

Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric members in attendance for the co-op’s 89th annual meeting at its headquarters in Owatonna Tuesday, June 3, learned the results of the co-op’s mail-in ballot for three director seats. Steele-Waseca Cooperative Attorney Tricia Lancaster announced to the 487...

WIS Track and Field results

The Waseca Intermediate School held their annual Track and Field Day Thursday, May 29. The results are as follows. 6th Grade Track Results For the girls 50 meter hurdles, in first place was Olivia Brunner, second place was Josie Olsen and third place was Halle Barto. For the boys 50...

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) presented a May 31 ceremony at Woodville Cemetery in Waseca honoring John Oleson, who served with the First Minnesota Heavy Artillery Regiment in Chattanooga, Tennessee. His service ended in September of 1866, after the formal declaration of peace by President Andrew Johnson. After returning home, Oleson lived to the age of 94, dying on Jan. 11, 1940.

History group honors county’s last living Civil War veteran

A small crowd gathered at Woodville Cemetery on May 31 for a ceremony which called history to mind. The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) brought together reenactors who represented a time in the late 1800s, not only by their dress, but by their use of words and behaviors which...

Waseca America Legion 2025-26 Officers

Waseca American Legion Post 228 recently installed officers for the 2025-26 Legion year. Pictured front row left to right: Kent Schultz, Chaplain; Jackie Barbknecht, Commander; Gary Bohn, Adjutant/Finance. Back row left to right: Shelby Kaiser, First Vice Commander; Al Mettler, Second Vice...

Heather Blake, who along with her husband Travis took ownership of Four Seasons athletic wear in downtown Waseca, is planning to transition the business back toward its original focus on sportswear, gear, and supplies.

Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Four Seasons changing under new ownership

When Heather and Travis Blake took ownership of Four Seasons Apparel and More from Jaala and Jeremiah Miller at the beginning of April, it was a bit like returning home for Heather, who has had many connections with the store beginning back when she took part on the Bluejay softball, basketball...

Waseca Intermediate School students Griffin Arndt and Aubree Buker received their D.A.R.E Class of 2025 diplomas on Monday, May 12, 2025.

DARE Class of 2025

The Waseca Intermediate School Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Class of 2025 graduation took place over the lunch hour on Monday, May 13, to a full gym of students and family members. Event organizers told the crowd DARE courses are designed to help fledgling Blue Jays continue to “Think...

Waseca Area Foundation board members are all volunteers. Among them, they make decisions regarding how grants will be distributed to local organizations which have applied. Pictured here are (from left) John Hanson, Dave Dunn, Molly Erdman, Brad Milbrath, Penny Vought, David Oraskovich, Dianne Beckmann, Roger Ashland, Katie Youngberg, Michele Priebe, and Foundation Executive Director Amy Potter. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

WAF awards more than $100,000 during celebration

Well over 100 people attended a May 8 celebration marking more than $110,000 in grants awarded to local organizations by the Waseca Area Foundation (WAF) during its spring round of funding. Representatives for more than 40 local groups or events gathered at the Starfire Event Center in Waseca....

Waseca county commissioners (from left) Brad Krause, De Malterer, Doug Christopherson, Brian Harguth and Brad Milbrath line up to sign a group letter to Governor Tim Walz. County leaders statewide are protesting the financial burdens the current proposed state budget will place on local governments and property tax levies.

Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

County leaders angered over elements of proposed state budget

After a discussion regarding a proposed future state budget which included the words “horrific,” “stark,” and “out of control,” all five members of the Waseca County Board of Commissioners expressed enthusiasm for placing their signatures on a letter addressed to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz...

From left: Authors Allie Johnson, Mary Sue Hagerty, Ben Sather, Nathan Gottschalk, Beth Lieser, Alex Blake, and Anna Marken gave a reading for their book "The Death of Raggedy Anne" at the Waseca Public Library on Friday, May 9, 2025.

Pioneer photos by Ben Revermann

Cow Tipping Press visits Waseca Library for public reading

A large crowd attended a public reading of the newly published book “The Death of Raggedy Ann” at the Waseca Public Library the afternoon of Friday, May 9. Published by Cow Tipping Press out of Minneapolis, the book is a composite of pieces written by neurodiverse individuals who live in Waseca...