Good morning, Mankato.

Mankato P.E.O.'s Home for the Holidays will run 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Nov.

8 at three homes, including a mid-century St. Clair house featuring more than 200 nativity sets (from Elizabeth Wolf’s estate and Pam Serdar) that will be sold to raise scholarships for Mankato East students Madison Bomstad and Aubrey Britz.

Mankato Area Zero Waste will host a Pumpkin Smash 1-3 p.m. at Sibley Park to turn natural pumpkins into hog feed and compost; St. Peter will hold Pumpkin Smash & Fall Fest 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Nov.

7 at 1441 Civic Way with games and environmental displays.

On Wednesday, Oct. 28, MSU assistant professor Dr. Trish Arnold won the Golden Apple Award for her work training future educators (Teaching and Learning Department), and her lessons are expected to shape generations of teachers.

Minnesota State will not renew printmaking professor Edson Rosas's fixed-term contract at the end of the academic year, a decision tied to FY2028 budget changes that included 17 layoffs.

The university says printmaking courses will continue in FY2028, though staffing plans have not been finalized.

Mankato Area Public Schools announced Wednesday that Amanda Kozitza, a seventh-grade U.S. studies teacher at Prairie Winds Middle School, was named the Mankato Teachers Association Teacher of the Year for her dedication, creative teaching, and leadership & her work with AVID and the Where Everybody Belongs program.

St. James Area girls tennis beat Foley in the semifinals Wednesday morning and lost to Breck 4-3 in the Class A championship, finishing as runner-up.

Mankato East beat St. Peter 3-1 in the Section 2AAA playoff match on Wednesday at Mankato East, and the Cougars will face top-seeded Marshall on Friday.

Mankato West beat Worthington 3-1 in a Section 2AAA playoff match on Wednesday at West, advancing the Scarlets to the next round of the playoffs.