Good morning, Mankato.

The Blue Earth County Historical Society is celebrating its 125th anniversary with The Timekeeper's Ball, a fundraiser set for 6 p.m. on Nov.

7. Executive director Jessica Potter said the event will honor local history and is expected to draw 200 attendees.

Officials issued a freeze warning ahead of winter with advice for residents in Mankato to set thermostats between 65 and 70 degrees and check appliances; Excel Energy recommended insulating water heaters (a tip that could save money) and running appliances off-peak to lower energy bills.

A ballot proposal to amend the state Constitution would raise funding from the Permanent Schools Trust to add ($250,000 a year) for Mankato Area Public Schools, increasing per-student funding from $68 to $101.

The amendment, approved by a bipartisan legislature, lets voters have a direct say without raising taxes.

Early voters braved windy conditions Friday at the Blue Earth County Historic Courthouse to cast in-person ballots amid concerns over mail voting — many stressed the need to keep Mankato’s progress on track.

Minnesota State Patrol advises drivers to use acceleration lanes and yield to traffic when entering freeways, and to signal intentions when exiting to avoid collisions.

The guide stresses adjusting speed to match the flow and keeping the ramp clear for safe merging.

South Central Minnesota EMS is using virtual reality headsets to provide emergency training for rural ambulance services with grant funds.

The program demonstrated with SimX software covers patient assessments and procedures to help volunteer teams in towns such as Kiester and Springfield.

Earlier in August, Mankato Clinic detected unauthorized access to patient records between Aug.

12 and Aug. 18 & is mailing affected individuals guidance on protecting their personal information, while noting that patient care was not impacted and there is no evidence of data misuse.

Amanda Robinson, former Odd Fellows Grand Master, raised $2,550 for NAMI Minnesota to add mental health support groups & a suicide prevention program in local high schools and community classes in Mankato.

The donation, given earlier this fall, will help meet new education requirements.

Mankato Marathon Pork Power 5K, held Friday, had over 1,000 participants from groups and individuals who enjoyed a race featuring a bacon station and themed costumes.

South Central College's Otters led with 47 runners, and families joined the fun + community spirit, including 11-year-old James Young in a power chair.

MSU soccer clinched a 5-0 shutout against MSU Moorhead in their second-to-last home game on Oct.

16 (the Mavericks showed clear dominance).