Good morning, Mankato.

Six anonymous donors have pledged to match $30K for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Drive, and the campaign needs extra bell ringers by Saturday amid lower donations due to cold weather.

Captain Andy Wheeler said community support will help boost the drive’s impact.

Bravo Zulu House is preparing to open a women's veterans sober living facility in Mankato in April 2027, with groundbreaking set for September (or earlier if funds allow) to support 10 residents through trauma care, counseling and animal therapy following its men's facility success.

Steve Jameson will leave The Free Press on Jan.

2 to become president and CEO of the Illinois Press Association in Springfield on Jan. 5 + he spent nine years as publisher and 20 years in journalism.

Mankato's Eagle Lake Elementary will convert two classrooms to day care centers to meet community childcare needs (costing $1.8 million).

Mankato Area Public Schools says the project supports economic development and may attract new families although no start date has been set.

In St. Peter, visitors enjoyed recorded classical holiday music and fresh-baked cookies at a new one-story home at 2103 Lunden St on Tuesday as part of a Community Land Trust program offering affordable homes with a $217,000 cap, with more than a dozen houses scheduled by the end of 2027.

On Tuesday, Dec. 16, Mankato West hosted Mankato East in a boys basketball game and East won 69-59 with a strong second half performance.

International hockey arrived in Mankato Tuesday night when teams from Denmark, Switzerland and Canada gathered at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center for the 50th-anniversary pre-tournament series of the World Junior Hockey Championship as the Mavericks took on Team Switzerland.

IIHF World Junior Championship: Denmark vs Canada

7:00-8:30 p.m. — Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center — Tickets available — Witness Denmark face off against Canada in this exciting pre-tournament match.

New Year's Eve Celebration at The Venue

7:30 p.m. — The Venue — Check ticket price — Celebrate the New Year with a festive night in Mankato.

January 2026 League Challenge

All day — The Dork Den — $10 entry — Compete in the first League Challenge of 2026 and claim your Pokémon Play Pack and prizes.