Community Corner

🌱 How you can still help Mankato’s Holiday Sharing Tree this week

Spotted on the Mankato calendar: Cub Liquor, Mankato MN — Chankaska Creek Ranch, Winery & Distillery

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Thursday December 11th Patch AM
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Hello Mankato! Here's our latest buzz. Let's get into it. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How you can still help Mankato’s Holiday Sharing Tree this week
  • Why some Mankato students feel less cared for than their peers
  • How a soil health champion inspired a packed crowd in Mankato

Also on today's calendar: Pay What You Can Restorative Flow and 4 more events.

Find out what's happening in Mankatofor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did one tuna say to the other after getting caught stealing files from work? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Find out what's happening in Mankatofor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Cloudy, cold; p.m. snow, 3-6", with a high of 19 and low of 13 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
  • Friday: Colder; morning flurries, temps: high: 18, low: -6.
  • Saturday: A little snow in the morning, with a high of -2 and low of -17 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Crunch time for the Holiday Sharing Tree (mankatofreepress.com) — Mankato residents still have a few days to grab or return Holiday Sharing Tree gift cards, with a drop-off deadline of 5 p.m. Sunday. Cards are available at several Mankato and North Mankato locations, and donations can also be made online or by mail to support hundreds of local families in Blue Earth and Nicollet counties.
   

• Mankato schools see mixed results in state's Student Survey (mankatofreepress.com) — Mankato Area Public Schools are digesting new Minnesota Student Survey results that show students generally feel safer than in 2022, but not yet back to pre-COVID levels. Local data also highlight widening gaps in feeling cared for and safe among Black, Hispanic, and transgender students, which district leaders say they’re using to guide support and equity efforts.
   

• Minnesota's Leopold Conservation award winner Tom Cotter dedicates the honor to his community (agweek.com) — Mankato recently hosted the Premier Soil Health Event where Austin farmer Tom Cotter accepted Minnesota’s 2025 Leopold Conservation Award and credited a supportive statewide farming community. Cotter, known for regenerative practices and organic production, shared how decades of experimentation, mentorship, and local networking helped transform his family farm and now guide younger farmers toward soil health and conservation-focused operations.
   

📸 Around Mankato

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Mankato

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📣 Mankato Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Had someone Almost ready to be hired But then unexpected issue happened and they can no longer' take the position anymore.
    Back to the drawing board and needing to look again (since one of my staff is going to be gone for the holidays since they can't stay at the dorms… (Nextdoor Lincoln Park)
  • Brrr...
    it's cold out there! While the temperatures might be icy cold, we've been preparing for them all year. Hear from Stan, Chrissy and Tim on how they’ve… (Nextdoor )
  • ServiceMASTER Clean posted a job opening for Floor Tech - Part Time - Night and Weekends in Mankato. Apply here.
  • Culvers Restaurant posted a job opening for Full Time Porter-Morning Maintenance in Mankato. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Mankato here.

🗞 Nearby News

St. Peter

  • Saints explode for 60-point first half on the way to victory over Bluejays as Southworth crosses 1,000 point mark (southernminn.com)
  • Joy Day to celebrate people with disabilities, nuerodivergence (southernminn.com)
  • Betty Rogers, 90, Obituary – 12/3/2025 (delanoheraldjournal.com)

Waseca

Ok Mankato! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I could get canned for this!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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