Michael Donald Anthony David, affectionately known as “Mickii”, age 73, of Le Center, passed away on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis, MN. Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 1, from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Le Center Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life service will be held the following day, Monday, December 2, at 10:30 a.m., with visitation beginning one hour prior at the American Legion in Le Center. Deacon Dan Wesley will be officiating, and interment will be held at the Calvary Cemetery in rural Waterville following the service.

Le Sueur County Sheriff Brett Mason, along with the Mounted Posse and The Sheriff’s Youth Project, have once again come together to launch the project, “Believe in the Magic of Christmas.”

The project “will provide an opportunity for our community to come together and spread a little Christmas Magic for a very deserving family.”

Darus Lyn Toot, 68, of Janesville, MN, died Saturday, November 9, 2024, at home.

He was born on December 4, 1956, and was the third child of Wayne and Marcella (Huffman) Toot.  He attended Waterville-Elysian Public Schools and graduated in 1975.

Darus worked in construction and traveled to various locations in the U.S. Yearly trips to Sturgis were some of his favorite adventures as well as hunting and camping. He enjoyed socializing with his friends and family and we appreciated his quick wit and sarcastic manner! 

Joe Johnson
Rice County Emergency Management Director
As winter approaches, it's critical to prepare for extreme cold, snow, and icy conditions. These storms can last a few hours or several days and cut off heat, power, and communication. 
Winter storms create a higher risk of car crashes, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, residential fires, and heart attacks from overexertion. 
To ensure that you and your loved ones are prepared, follows these steps: 

Among the buildings along South Plut Avenue at the Le Sueur County Fairgrounds in Le Center, Minn., lies a small building nestled between the other structures that keeps a piece of yesteryear alive — District #75 Schoolhouse. The building is a wood, oneroom schoolhouse, which was typical for the area at the time.

A combination of disappointment and joy were mixed together following the Section 2AA Championship football game Friday, Nov. 1 at JWP High School.
The disappointment was the Buccaneers losing 52-20 to Triton. WEM scored on their opening drive but the Cobras scored on all eight of their drives in advancing to the Class AA State Tournament. They will play undefeated Chatfield, a team which Triton lost to 33-6 Sept. 27.

Voters in the Lake Region Area have voted and there will be some major changes in many of the four local communities.
Two new mayors and six new city council members have been voted into office following the Tuesday, Nov. 5 General Election.
The cities of Elysian and Morristown will have new mayors. Elysian, Kilkenny, Morristown, and Waterville will all have at least one new city council member.
The only elected office which will not see change is on the Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Board of Education.  All three incumbents were voted back in.
City of Elysian

Dennis Leroy Schwichtenberg, age 83, died October 28, 2024, at Laurels Peak Rehabilitation Center in Mankato.  
Dennis was born March 17, 1941, in Waterville, Minnesota and baptized at Trinity Lutheran in Waterville.  He lived on the family farm northeast of Waterville with his parents, Paul and Ruth Lamont Schwichtenberg. He started school in a one room country schoolhouse near Horseshoe Lake. Later he attended school in Waterville before moving to St. Clair and graduating from St. Clair High School in 1958.

Locations will be open during the stated days/times starting September 20 (Fri).
Locations will also be open 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on November 2 (Sat), and November 3 (Sun).
Locations will also be open until 5:00 p.m. on November 4 (Mon).
Locations will serve all voters in the county unless marked with an asterisk (*).
Those marked with an asterisk (*) will only serve residents of that city/town.

For additional questions, contact the county auditor or municipal clerk.
Le Sueur County

Janice "Jan" A. Steinhaus, age 89, of Waterville, died on the evening of Thursday, October 24, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

The WEM volleyball team was among eight Section 2AA teams who advanced in the Section tournament Monday, Oct. 21.
The Bucs, the No. 4 seed, defeated Le Sueur-Henderson (25-18, 25-21, 17-25, 25- 16) in Waterville to improve to 18-12 this season. More on this match in the Oct. 31 edition of the LifeEnterprise.
The win advances the Bucs into the Section 2AA quarterfinals Thursday, Oct. 24 when they will play No. 4 seed Glencoe-Silver Lake, 19-9 overall, in Glencoe.
All eight teams who were higher seeds won their matches Monday.