Good morning, Mankato.

Grace Lutheran Church (located between East Mulberry and Main) gathers twice a month to prepare burritos and banana bread for free community pickup; the food ministry began during COVID (when the church used its large commercial kitchen to safely serve neighbors) and continues to help locals.

Audra Nissen Boyer of Mankato Area Public Schools and Jessica Potter of Blue Earth County Historical Society unveiled a heritage plaque at Lincoln Community School Wednesday; text by BECHS staff after a 2020 pandemic backorder led to its installation with help from the Mankato Heritage Preservation Commission + MAPS.

MSU students will celebrate homecoming next Monday with a kickoff event at the Centennial Student Union mall from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.- festivities include a Friday bonfire at 8 p.m., a carnival on Friday and Saturday in parking lot 20, and a parade Saturday on local streets.

Local naturalist Al Batt explained that plastic decoys rarely deter birds this fall, and he clarified that hoverflies pose no threat while raccoons adapt to residential areas, with monarch butterflies facing a shrinking migration window—insights for residents tracking seasonal wildlife.

Jake Johnson held a fundraising event Friday in Mankato, sharing his story of humble beginnings and support for Medicaid and SNAP as he challenges Rep. Brad Finstad.

Organized by former lawmaker Jack Considine with Rep. Luke Frederick and House hopeful Leah Hanson, his campaign is gaining ground.

State traffic safety officials remind parents to buckle children in age-appropriate car seats to reduce injury risk — free clinics and car seat giveaways help families install seats correctly, ensuring every local trip keeps kids safe.

The No. 8 MSU women’s soccer team defeated Sioux Falls five to zero on Saturday, Sept.

26 with Amara Smith scoring her hat trick + the Mavericks will face SMSU on Sunday.

Minnesota State women’s hockey opened its season with a 4-1 win over RPI on Friday at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center—more than 2100 local students filled the arena to help the team overcome a 1-0 deficit after the first period.