News

The back wall of the building at 115 South State Street in Waseca fell in two sections at about 1:15 the afternoon of Wednesday, April 2. No one was injured; tenants have been helped in finding temporary housing. Pioneer photo by Eli Lutgens

Back wall of 115 S. State Street falls, displaces tenants

The back wall of an apartment building located at 115 South State Street in Waseca collapsed between 1 p.m. and 1:17 p.m. Wednesday, April 2. There were no injuries reported; power and gas were turned off that same day. First responders answered the call at 1:15 p.m. Waseca Police Chief Kris...

Local artist Robin Warburton has two especially large projects underway. Especially known for her lifelike sculptures of birds, she estimates she has completed close to 400 so far. Photo by Deb Bently

Artist Robin Warburton takes on two special projects

Janesville area artist Robin Warburton has shown her sculptures in the Waseca Art Center and consistently has her work on display in galleries around Minnesota and even in Branson, Missouri. She estimates she has created well over 300 sculptures of birds in sizes ranging from hummingbirds to...

Janesville area farmer Todd Selvik shared information about raising pigs with third-graders who attend Waseca schools during the April 1 "Ag in the Schools" event at Hartley Elementary.

“Ag in the Schools” lives up to its name

“If you ask a child where milk comes from, the answer will probably be ‘from the grocery store,’” observes Vicky Singlestad, organizer of a local annual program known as “Ag in the Schools.” On Tuesday, April 1, nearly 150 Waseca area third-graders from Sacred Heart, Team Academy and Hartley...

The card game Bridge has provided a decades-long network of support--and hours of good-spirited ribbing--for this group of Waseca ladies. They are (front, from left) MaryAnn Madel, Jacque Storby, (standing, from left) Wilda Smith, Cookie Rausch, and Phoebe Praxl. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

Card sessions “bridge” changes

When Wilda and Keith Smith and their family moved to Waseca 45 years ago, Betty McIntire, who operated the drug store with her husband Homer at the time, pulled aside an out-of-town visitor who had stopped to ask for directions. “There’s something I have to ask you about Wilda,” Betty said with...

The Waseca High School spring musical "The Addams Family" will be performed at 7 p.m. on April 3, 4, and 5, and at 2 p.m. on April 6. Pioneer photo by Deb Bently

WHS presents ‘The Addams Family’ April 1-5

The cast of Waseca High School’s spring musical “The Addams Family” wants everyone to know all the awkward moments on the stage are planned. In fact, the play is rich with awkwardness: Lucas Beineke, the young adult son of upstanding community members Mal and Alice Beineke, has fallen in love...

The University of Minnesota Extension office selected Tony and Cassie Schlaak, and their children Ashton (not pictured), Owen, Evelyn and Hadley as the Waseca County Farm Family of the Year. The award was announced during the Farm and City Luncheon on March 20. Photo by Deb Bently

Area ag leaders honored during annual program

The Farm and City luncheon organized by the Waseca Area Chamber of Commerce drew about 230 people to The Mill event center at lunchtime on Thursday, March 20. Speakers Stacy Schroeder, a member of the Waseca city council, and De Malterer, a member of the county board of commissioners,...

SECOND IN STATE - Waseca boys' basketball team captains hoist the Minnesota Class AA second-place trophy. They are, from left, Deron Russell, Damarius Russell and Carson Ohnstad. Pioneer photo by Eli Lutgens

Nothing gold can stay

Stay golden, Bluejays. Saturday was destined to be a night Waseca faithful will remember for the rest of their lives, regardless of the outcome. But, to quote Robert Frost, “Nothing gold can stay.” This famous line of poetry describes the fleeting beauty of nature and serves as a reminder...

Irish Royalty from left: Bella Kelling Gerdts, Grace Groh, Kwynn Elizabeth Krause and the 2025 royalty Miss Lily Quast as Miss Irish Rose and Stella Ziemke as the new Miss St. Patrick at the Irish American Club celebration at the Mill on Saturday, March 15, 2025. Photos by Irish American Club of Southern Minnesota

57th annual Irish celebration

By Ben Revermann Staff writer The Irish American Club of Southern Minnesota presented the 2025 Miss St. Patrick and Miss Irish Rose pageant the evening of Saturday, March 15. Stella Ziemke of Mankato was crowned as Miss St. Patrick and Lilly Quast of JWP as Miss Irish Rose. The venue was the...

News of long-awaited trail shared with board

The Freeborn-Waseca regional trail was an item of discussion during the Waseca County Board of Commissioners work session the morning of March 6. Freeborn County Public Works director Philip Wacholz and county commissioner Nicole Eckstrom updated board members regarding progress made toward...

Community Health Workers Mariana Izaguirre and Minerva Gomez were present at the Mental Health and Substance Abuse resource fair at the Waseca Senior Center on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. Pioneer photo by Ben Revermann

Mental health and substance use awareness at the senior center

Area residents were invited to an “awareness event” covering the topic of substance use the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 26 at the Waseca Area Senior Citizens Center. The free session offered a chance to speak with health care and substance abuse agencies to learn about resources and find tools to...