Daily
Rochester
Thursday, January 29th, 2026
Good morning, Rochester. Here's your local news at a glance for Thursday, the 29th of January.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Teams of 4 will race to finish pizza, beverages & a 300-piece puzzle at Pizza, Puzzle's & Guzzle's on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Autumn Woods Campground; the social starts at 5pm and the competition begins at 6pm with proceeds benefiting the Rochester Area Shrine Club. KROC-AM
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ John Hardy’s Bar-B-Q suffered heavy fire damage on Jan. 14 at its North location and remains closed while the South location continues to serve customers; the owners said they will reopen soon. KROC-AM
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ The Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council is inviting arts leaders and supporters from Fillmore, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona counties to join its board this spring—appointed members will serve up to two three-year terms with a $100 stipend per meeting as the council prepares for its 50th anniversary. KIMT
ECONOMY NEWS
- ➤ According to WalletHub’s report (data from Oct. 2025), Minnesota residents lead the nation in financial health with an average credit score of 723 compared to the national average (702). KROC-AM
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Superintendent Kent Pekel said that rising absences in Rochester—over 530 extra students on average daily since early January—are linked to increased federal immigration enforcement. He stressed that schools remain open and will work to support students amid growing community concerns. KIMT
FINANCE NEWS
- ➤ Rochester’s First Alliance Credit Union celebrated two members on Tuesday morning when Jeremiah Halloran won $5,000 and Jeff Luerman won $1,000 through the WINcentive Savings program+ Luerman donated a portion of his prize and the next drawing is on Feb. 10. KIMT
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Rochester Public Utilities issued energy conservation alerts during Winter Storm Fern that brought extreme cold and outages. The utility ran fuel oil generation for 49 hours and officials said it will keep reliable power as it transitions toward 100% net renewable energy by 2030. KTTC
LIFESTYLE NEWS
- ➤ Indigo Acaci Bowl is joining Experience Rochester’s Restaurant Week by offering two bowl sizes with a canned beverage; a breakfast combo is $11 while lunch & dinner cost $13. The local eatery is one of nearly 30 restaurants featuring special menus across town. KTTC
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ The Golden Gophers will host seven games in 2026, opening with Eastern Illinois on Sept. 3 and including contests against Mississippi State, Michigan, Iowa, and Northwestern (senior day) in Minneapolis. They will also travel for key matchups in Washington, at Penn State, and for Paul Bunyan’s Axe at Wisconsin. KROC-AM
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Monster X Tour
7:30-9:30 p.m. — Mayo Civic Center — Tickets starting at $20.50 — Experience thrilling monster truck action and freestyle motocross in an adrenaline-pumping event.
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Social Ice Festival 2026
4-10 p.m. — Peace Plaza — Free entry — Experience a vibrant winter oasis with themed bars, ice sculptures, and live DJ entertainment.
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The Sound Of Fate
7:30 p.m. — Mayo Civic Center — Ticketed event — Experience Tchaikovsky's epic showdown with fate through his Symphony No. 5 and Rossini's spirited Overture to Semiramide.
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A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
7:00 p.m. (Thu, Fri, Sat), 2:00 p.m. (Sun) — Rochester Civic Theatre — Ticket prices varied — A low-born man's chase for love and an earldom takes a comedic and murderous twist.
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Junior Gold Qualifier at Colonial Lanes
Multiple time slots available — Colonial Lanes — Participation fee required — Compete in a thrilling Junior Gold qualifier with exciting scholarship opportunities.
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Spanish Conversation Meetup
6:30-7:30 p.m. — Rochester Public Library — Free entry — Practice your Spanish speaking skills in a friendly group setting.
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Next Stop Comedy Show
7:00-8:30 p.m. — LC's Venue — Check website for ticket info — Enjoy a fresh lineup of stand-up comedians at this local favorite.
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Kubernetes Administration Training
Feb 23–25 — Huntington Learning Center Rochester — $2490 — Learn Kubernetes to manage containerized applications and prepare for the CKA exam.
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Rend Collective Concert
7-10 p.m. — Mayo Civic Center — Tickets required — Experience a joyous evening of folk-infused worship music with Rend Collective from Northern Ireland.
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