Good morning, Rochester.

Construction on Next Level, a new 19,500 sqft indoor community facility near Fareway in Byron, will begin at the end of October and is set to open in spring for sports and community events—featuring basketball courts, shooting cages, an escape room and an indoor playground.

KD Fine Jewelers, a North Broadway store originally opened as Bernie’s Jewelry in 1987 and purchased by Karla Dison in 2019, will close its doors on January 1 due to ongoing construction that has limited customer access — the shop will also hold an out-of-business sale starting October 1. This decision marks the end of nearly seven years of business under the current name.

A Rochester medical dispensary—Green Goods—has started selling recreational cannabis products to adults after obtaining a new license from the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management.

Customers can now buy cannabis flowers, vapes, edibles, and accessories without needing a medical card.

Mayo High School has received the Special Olympics National Banner Award for its strong inclusive programs that offer unified classes and events — it is one of only five high schools in Minnesota to be honored as part of the National Banner Class of 2025.

Yesterday, students at the Boys & Girls Club of Rochester received free laptops, backpacks and school supplies from AT&T and Human-I-T—350 refurbished laptops were provided to help bridge the digital divide.

AT&T also donated $30,000 to support the Club’s Edmentum program to boost reading and math skills.

RCTC opened its new $1.57 million dental simulation lab at the Heintz Center Wednesday morning—renovating over 2,000 sq. ft. to add 24 state-of-the-art simulation stations.

Funding from grants by Delta Dental Foundation and Mayo Clinic is expected to boost the dental program by 25%.

Dozens of constituents rallied outside Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith's offices to urge them to safeguard civil rights and essential programs before approving a federal budget deal—activists warned that failure to act by September 30 could lead to cuts affecting healthcare and other services.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar visited PACLEAR Farm in Eyota on Sept.

24 to speak with the Pagel family about tariffs, falling corn and soybean prices, and high input costs—she also saw how the farm used smart technology to track cattle and heard concerns about a growing need for rural childcare.

Mayo Clinic researchers found that using stem cells from fat cells in a phase I trial of 21 patients showed faster healing and fewer complications with dialysis access sites—11 patients received the stem cells.

They will run larger trials to see if this treatment can help more kidney failure patients.

2025 NF Symposium

8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. — Mayo Clinic — Registration required — Engage with experts at a hybrid symposium focused on neurofibromatosis.

Champions of Wellness Healthcare Summit 2025

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. — Mayo Civic Center — Special hotel rates apply — Leaders in healthcare explore systemic well-being and clinician wellness.

October Rochester Minnesota Female Entrepreneurs Meet-Up

2:30-3:30 p.m. — Collider Foundation — Free entry — Join fellow female entrepreneurs for bookkeeping tips and valuable networking.

OpenShift Fundamentals Training

Oct 6-8 — Huntington Learning Center Rochester — Check online for pricing — Dive into the essentials of OpenShift with hands-on Linux training for software development.

World Ballet Company - The Great Gatsby

7:00-8:30 p.m. — Mayo Civic Center — Ticket prices vary — Experience the glitz and glamor of the Roaring Twenties through a Broadway-style ballet adaptation of Fitzgerald’s classic.

Blippi: Join the Band Tour

2-3:30 p.m. — Mayo Civic Center — Ticket required for entry — Experience a lively music performance with Blippi, Meekah, and friends for the whole family.

Fall Ball Family Festival

2-6 p.m. — Camp Victory — $5 per person or $25 per family — Enjoy activities like pumpkin painting, mini ziplining, and apple cider at this family-friendly festival.

Girl Named Tom Concert

7-9:30 p.m. — Mayo Civic Center — Ticket prices vary — Experience the award-winning harmony of the sibling trio who captured hearts on The Voice.

Cans for Kids

8 AM – 12 PM — Ronald McDonald House Charities Midwest MN, WI, IA — Donations accepted — Bring aluminum cans for recycling to support children and families in need.

Rochester Hot Cider Hustle

Half Marathon, 10K, & 5K — — Rochester, Minnesota — — Participate in a festive race with sweet swag and hot cider at the finish.