Good morning, Rochester.

United Way of Southeast Minnesota holds its second annual spring fundraiser for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, with one week left to raise $34,000 by April 30 to fund free books for local children—last year more than 42,000 books reached 3,500 children.

United Way will host a free family event on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in its Services Building parking lot.

Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester said Mass for the late Pope on Thursday evening at the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Church.

Parking was recommended at the Mayo West parking lot (which opened at 5:30 p.m.) for attendees.

A Rochester man pleaded guilty to a third-degree drug possession charge and a felony count of discharge of a dangerous weapon for a Christmas Eve shooting at a residence on the 6100 block of Shetland Drive Northwest on December 24th, 2024, and he is set to be sentenced in June (he was removed from the Rochester Charter Commission before the incident).

A Rochester man is charged with several felonies for allegedly raping a teenage girl multiple times from June through December last year—he faces counts of first-degree and third-degree criminal sexual conduct as well as charges for child solicitation and electronic communication, with bail set at $100,000 and a court date next month.

Today, the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in southern Minnesota serves over 136,000 Catholics in 99 parishes/missions across 20 counties, and the Vatican reports more than 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide while Pew Research shows 20% of U.S. adults identify as Catholic + census data supports these numbers.

An Enhanced Risk for severe weather was issued Thursday for southeast Minnesota and north Iowa, marking the first Day 5 forecast of its kind and warning of rising temperatures and surging Gulf moisture.

Meteorologists say a cold front will trigger storms on Monday that may cause damaging winds, large hail, or tornadoes—residents should review their emergency plans this weekend.

The City of Rochester invites residents to join its 2026-2027 budgeting process as a City Council Study Session will start on Monday to review the city’s financial outlook.

Further sessions in June, August, September, and December will cover audits, capital plans, and tax levy limits+ all aimed at stretching taxpayer dollars while maintaining services.

Unleash the SHE Run 2025 Rochester

All day — Little Thistle Brewing — Cost varies — Participate in a community-focused 5K, 10K, and family-friendly events supporting ovarian cancer awareness.

11th Annual TIMMAY 5k Fun RUN/ WALK

Fun Walk/ Run to Promote Organ Donor Awareness. Proceeds support The Gift Of Life Transplant House.

Python for Scientists Training Class

Apr 28 - May 2 — Hawthorne Education Center — $2090 — Enhance your skills with hands-on Python training tailored for scientific applications.

DJ Bingo Night

7-8:30 p.m. — The Workshop Food Hall & Bar — Free entry — Test your musical knowledge with a fun twist on bingo as you match song clips on the TVs.

May Rochester Minnesota Female Entrepreneurs Meet-Up

2:30-3:30 p.m. — Collider Foundation — Free entry — Connect with fellow female entrepreneurs in a structured networking format for meaningful conversations.

Charlie Parr Concert

6-7 p.m. — Historic Chateau Theatre — $25 adv. // $35 dos — Experience the heartfelt melodies of Minnesota's folk troubadour, Charlie Parr, as he brings his deep-rooted musical tradition to life.

Gran Jaripeo, Mexican Rodeo

2:00 PM to 12:00 AM — Graham Park — $60 — Experience the vibrant culture of the Mexican rodeo with music, food, and thrilling rodeo events.

Gold Rush Antiques Show

All day — Graham Park — Free admission with wristband — Explore unique antiques and vintage finds from across the U.S. at this 53rd annual treasure hunter's paradise.

Anastasia - ASL Interpreted Performance

7-11 p.m. — Rochester Civic Theatre — Ticket prices vary — Experience a magical performance of Anastasia with ASL interpretation and audio description.

Ryan Sullivan Live Performance

6-9 p.m. — Forager Brewery — Free entry — Enjoy an evening of acoustic tunes with Ryan Sullivan, a talented solo guitarist and singer-songwriter.