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To place an obituary, please include the information from the obituary checklist below in an email to obits@pioneerpress.com. There is no option to place them through our website at this time. Feel free to contact our obituary desk at 651-228-5263 with any questions. General Information: Your full name, Address (City, State, Zip Code), Phone number, And an alternate phone number (if any) Obituary Specification: Name of Deceased, Obituary Text, A photo in a JPEG or PDF file is preferable, TIF and other files are accepted, we will contact you if there are any issues with the photo. Ad Run dates There is a discount for running more than one day, but this must be scheduled on the first run date to apply. If a photo is used, it must be used for both days for the discount to apply, contact us for more information. Policies: Verification of Death: In order to publish obituaries a name and phone number of funeral home/cremation society is required. We must contact the funeral home/cremation society handling the arrangements during their business hours to verify the death. If the body of the deceased has been donated to the University of Minnesota Anatomy Bequest Program, or a similar program, their phone number is required for verification. Please allow enough time to contact them especially during their limited weekend hours. A death certificate is also acceptable for this purpose but only one of these two options are necessary. Guestbook and Outside Websites: We are not allowed to reference other media sources with a guestbook or an obituary placed elsewhere when placing an obituary in print and online. We may place a website for a funeral home or a family email for contact instead; contact us with any questions regarding this matter. Obituary Process: Once your submission is completed, we will fax or email a proof for review prior to publication in the newspaper. This proof includes price and days the notice is scheduled to appear. Please review the proof carefully. We must be notified of errors or changes before the notice appears in the Pioneer Press based on each day’s deadlines. After publication, we will not be responsible for errors that may occur after final proofing. Online: Changes to an online obituary can be handled through the obituary desk. Call us with further questions. Payment Procedure: Pre-payment is required for all obituary notices prior to publication by the deadline specified below in our deadline schedule. Please call 651-228-5263 with your payment information after you have received the proof and approved its contents. Credit Card: Payment accepted by phone only due to PCI (Payment Card Industry) regulations EFT: Check by phone. Please provide your routing number and account number. Rates: The minimum charge is $162 for the first 12 lines. Every line after the first 12 is $12. If the ad is under 12 lines it will be charged the minimum rate of $162. Obituaries including more than 40 lines will receive a 7.5% discount per line. On a second run date, receive a 20% discount off both the first and second placement. Place three obituaries and the third placement will be free of charge. Each photo published is $125 per day. For example: 2 photos in the paper on 2 days would be 4 photo charges at $500. Deadlines: Please follow deadline times to ensure your obituary is published on the day requested. Hours Deadline (no exceptions) Ad Photos MEMORIAM (NON-OBITUARY) REQUEST Unlike an obituary, Memoriam submissions are remembrances of a loved one who has passed. The rates for a memoriam differ from obituaries. Please call or email us for more memoriam information Please call 651-228-5280 for more information. HOURS: Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM (CLOSED WEEKENDS and HOLIDAYS) Please submit your memoriam ad to memoriams@pioneerpress.com or call 651-228-5280. The Gophers volleyball program’s 2026 recruiting class features a distinct Minnesota flavor. Two of Minnesota’s three signees on National Signing Day on Wednesday hail from the metro — Centennial middle blocker Elena Hoecke and Eagan libero Madi Kraft. The third signee is outside hitter Makenna Crosson from San Jose, Calif. Hoecke just won the 2025 Minnesota Ms. Baden award given to the state’s top senior player while leading the Cougars to state. She was also named the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s Region 7 Player of the Year. Hoecke — who touts a lengthy record of national team experience — hit .412 this season at Centennial with 338 kills, 189 digs and 103 blocks. “Elena’s blocking eye work, ability to attack off one foot and her physical effort in transition will stand out immediately,” Gophers coach Keegan Cook said in a release. “Her international experiences with the USA National Team Programs have accelerated her growth. Her inner drive, ability to communicate at a high level and durability are just some of her intangible strengths as an athlete.” In a release, Hoecke said she chose Minnesota because of the program’s “amazing history and winning culture.” She noted she wants to be an All-American who helps the Gophers win Big Ten and national championships. “I want to play at the highest level and this program gives me the opportunity to do so,” Hoecke said. “I know my coaches and teammates are going to push me to become the best volleyball player and person I can be. Minnesota has a great winning history, and I want to help continue that legacy.” Kraft joined Hoecke as a Ms. Baden finalist. She holds the Eagan record for most career digs (1,788), no small feat for a historic program. This fall, the senior recorded 350 digs, 50 aces and a 2.2 passer rating for the Wildcats. Kraft noted she’s followed the Gophers since she was little, adding Minnesota “is home to me.” “Madi’s poise, determination and vocal leadership are easy to observe,” Cook said in a release. “Over the course of her high school and club career, Madi established herself as one of the top liberos in the state of Minnesota. Her toughness and love of competition are just two of the reasons we are looking forward to getting her into the gym this winter.” Related: Meet Gophers volleyball commit Madi Kraft Crosson has 430 kills in her still ongoing high school season. The Gophers said it’s a top-15 recruiting class nationally, according to multiple media outlets. All three commits are expected to join the program in January. “Their competitive character and passion to learn stands out alongside their many accomplishments,” Cook said. “We’re eager to get them into the gym and thankful for their commitment to start their journeys this winter.”
