Good morning, Mankato.

MSU Mainstage opens its season with the musical Mean Girls — a modern twist on high school roles that uses creative costume changes by local students.

The production brings fresh talent and timely themes to our community stage this season.

Persistent fall rain has delayed harvest progress in southern Minnesota as farmers work to dry crops and manage rising costs for diesel and fertilizer.

Safety net Title I payments for corn and soybean operations are expected later this month while experts urge drivers to practice road safety on rural routes.

Test scores in Mankato stayed largely unchanged in 2026 as disruptions from Operation Metro Surge impacted learning; science performance dipped slightly while reading scores, supported by the READ Act, surpassed state averages.

Local schools continued to perform differently with Mankato East improving in science over Mankato West.

Author Patty Wetterling addressed nearly 160 attendees at Taylor Library Community Read in North Mankato on Wednesday as she shared details of her personal journey and writing process; she will speak today at MSU’s Ostrander Auditorium (6 p.m.) as part of homecoming programming.

Bethany Lutheran College celebrates its centennial today with a Fall Festival and a capstone event at Mayo Clinic Health System Grand Hall expected to draw alumni while honoring founders and marking growth in programs and international enrollment + a history book on its legacy is in progress.

The CHS soybean processing plant in Mankato was fined over $11,000 by the MPCA for not notifying the agency about renovations to its aboveground storage tank on Feb.

12 — it has since applied for a permit modification.

Today, Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule protects eligible residents (those with household incomes at or below 50% of the state median) from having natural gas and electric service disconnected through April 30; customers must set up a payment plan with their provider.

Mankato’s free leaf pick-up service begins Oct.

26 and runs through Nov. 20. Residents must rake leaves to the curb before their service day and follow guidelines to ensure proper collection on streets and gutters.

Darla McAuliffe of Extended Love explains that end-of-life doulas offer non-medical care and legacy projects (like recorded interviews and keepsake books) to support families in Mankato, working alongside hospice care to ease caregiver burnout.

Mankato West remains undefeated at 4-0 as senior quarterback Osborne Lorenz leads with strong passing and running plays, driving the high school team forward today (showing his dual-threat skills).