🌱 Body Found At Homeless Encampment + New Start Times For Schools

Good morning, Rochester-Mason City! I'm back with your new edition of the Rochester-Mason City Patch newsletter. Keep reading for everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Times of clouds and sun. High: 81 Low: 62.
• Saturday: A shower and thunderstorm. High: 79 Low: 57.

From our sponsor:

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Here are the top three stories in Rochester-Mason City today:

1. Rochester city officials are taking a closer look at how to address the city's homeless population after a body was discovered on Wednesday when workers were clearing an encampment. The city has cleared out around 20 encampments so far this year, leaving people experiencing homelessness without their belongings and in need of a new place to stay. Director of the Rochester Parks and Recreation Department Paul Widman said the issue is, "extremely complex," and city officials are set to discuss possible solutions with local nonprofit organizations at an upcoming meeting on Jun. 12. (KAALTV)
2. New school start times were approved on Tuesday night and will begin with the 2024-2025 school year. Under the new schedule, high school students will start at 8:50 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m., which reduces school hours by about 30 minutes. Elementary students will see the biggest change, and will now start 90 minutes earlier at 7:55 a.m. and will end at 2:15 p.m. Middle school students at RPS will start at 8:35 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m. The school board will have until the end of the year to approve an updated transportation system. (106.9 KROC)
3. The Mayo Clinic in Rochester has proven to be a leader in imaging technology. Sharing medical images electronically without discs is a rapidly advancing approach to information that has been shown beneficial to patients and professionals. Wireless access and cloud technology are saving astronomical amounts of money for medical institutions. An image sharing network, created by RNSA, is now in use at the Mayo Clinic and elsewhere. (AuntMinnie)

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Today and tomorrow in Rochester-Mason City:

Friday, June 9

• Sidewalk Sessions At Peace Plaza (12:30 PM)

Saturday, June 10

• Fresh Air Fitness: Zumba At Peace Plaza (10:00 AM)
• Live Music: Nancy Tobiason-Kramer At Kinney Creek Brewery (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Safe City Night is coming to George Gibbs Elementary on Tuesday, Jun. 13. This event will run from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. and will include free food and activities. (City of Rochester, MN Government via Facebook)
• It's almost time for Thursdays Downtown! Starting on Jun. 15 from 11:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m., Downtown Rochester will host weekly events that include art, food, music, and vendors in a block party-style event. This series will run through Aug. 10, click here for more information. (Experience Rochester, MN via Facebook)
• The Rochester Police Department shared some recent activity from its Cops & Kids Community Bike Program. The department received five bicycles from Wal-Mart that weren't able to be sold, so they fixed the bikes up and donated them to Doc's Recovery House. (City of Rochester, MN Police Department via Facebook)

You're officially in the loop for today. See you all soon for another update!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.