Good morning, Mankato.

A Mankato woman who was sexually assaulted as a child confronted her attacker in court on Monday — she detailed how his actions affected her life.

A Mankato judge sentenced Lazarous Lazaro Thomas to 30 years in prison—crediting nearly two years served—for his conviction of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl nearly 10 years ago, and deputies stopped him from leaving the courtroom.

Local high schools are participating in Minnesota’s Direct Admission program—this allows graduating seniors to automatically qualify for a list of colleges based on their academic records.

Nearly 38,000 next year’s seniors in 245 schools will be able to choose their preferred institutions with waived fees and no waiting period.

North Mankato City Council voted at Monday night's public hearing to keep seasonal patios and let outdoor dining continue from May 1 to Oct.

31—business owners and residents argued that the patios boost revenue and community activity, and staff will explore extending the dates in the future.

A section of Blue Earth County Road 184, also known as 206th Street, will close to traffic beginning Wednesday while crews replace a deteriorated culvert on the east side of County Road 28 between Blue Earth County Road 28 (607th Avenue) and 610th Avenue.

The closure is expected to last about two weeks and additional information can be obtained by calling 507(304-4025).

County officials in Le Sueur, Nicollet and Watonwan counties expressed confusion after being named on a federal list of sanctuary jurisdictions last week.

Officials said they received no formal notification from the Department of Homeland Security and have requested clarification+ the online list was later removed.

Mankato City Council is expected to approve a $125,000 tech upgrade for police that adds upgraded Milestone cameras, new Flock-linked road cameras, and a trailer-mounted camera for events to speed video reviews—council members discussed privacy and bias concerns after a fabricated abduction report and a geese incident showed the need for better surveillance.

The Lake Crystal—Wellcome Memorial softball team is back in the state tournament for a second year as the Knights will face Hawley in the quarterfinals today at 3:00 p.m.

The Mankato East softball team will try for its third straight state title after winning the last two Class AAA championships, and they will play Simley today at 12:30 p.m. at Caswell Park.

St Cloud Rox vs Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Game

6:35-8:05 p.m. — ISG Field — Ticket prices vary — Enjoy an exciting baseball game between local teams under the summer sky.

Minnesota 52 Hike Challenge - National Trails Day Group Hike

10 AM – 1 PM — Minneopa State Park — $7 parking/admission — Celebrate National Trails Day with a fun group hike featuring bison education and trivia.

Alison Krauss & Union Station Concert

7:30-9:00 p.m. — Vetter Stone Amphitheater — Tickets available soon — Experience a special evening with twenty-seven-time Grammy winner Alison Krauss and her band on their first tour in a decade.

Minot Honeybees vs. Mankato Habaneros Doubleheader

5:05-8:05 p.m. — ISG Field — Ticket prices vary — Catch an exciting doubleheader featuring the Minot Honeybees taking on the Mankato Habaneros.

Badlands Big Sticks vs. Mankato MoonDogs

6:35-8:05 p.m. — ISG Field — Ticket prices vary — Catch the thrilling baseball showdown live in Mankato.

2025 American Indian Summer Camp

Jun 15-18 — Preska Residence Community — Free entry — Engage in cultural learning and college preparation activities designed for American Indian high school students.

Wausau Softball vs Mankato Habaneros

6:35-8:05 p.m. — ISG Field — Tickets available — Catch the Wausau Softball team face off against the Mankato Habaneros in a lively game at ISG Field.

Mankato Habaneros vs. Wausau Softball Match

6:35-8:05 p.m. — ISG Field — Ticket pricing varies — Catch an exciting softball showdown between the Habaneros and Wausau.

Monthly Meetup - GitOps and GitHub Actions

5:30-7:30 p.m. — Mogwai Collaborative — Free entry — Engage in hands-on workshops on web development and cybersecurity for software enthusiasts.

Eau Claire Express at Mankato MoonDogs

6:35-8:05 p.m. — ISG Field — Ticket prices vary — Enjoy a thrilling baseball matchup while supporting a charitable cause.