Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How close is Rochester transit to running out of money?

And check out Pathways to Success - Meet the Teacher on the Rochester Patch calendar

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Wednesday August 26th Patch AM
Wednesday August 26th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Hi there, Rochester! We've got your morning read ready! Read on to stay connected. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How close is Rochester transit to running out of money?
  • See what's changing at Rochester's Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
  • What court records reveal about the alleged assault at a Rochester daycare

Today's riddle: What did the wall say to the other wall. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 81 and low of 59 degrees.
  • Thursday: Plenty of sun, temps: high: 81, low: 55.
  • Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 81 and low of 64 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Rochester Public Transit Faces Financial Trouble Ahead of Change (wjon.com) — Rochester's public transit system is facing serious budget shortfalls, with reserve funds projected to run dry by 2030 unless changes are made. City Council members are reviewing options as ridership remains far below pre-pandemic levels and a new five-year operating contract with Via Transit begins this fall.
   

2. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park upgrades near completion (kttc.com) — Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Rochester is getting a $3 million upgrade, with new playground equipment, sidewalks, splash pad, and basketball courts nearly finished. Additional features like a community garden and disc golf area are planned, and the city expects to fully reopen the park to residents before next summer.
   

3. Rochester Daycare Work Accused of Slapping Two-Year-Old Boy (krocnews.com) — A Rochester daycare employee is facing criminal charges after allegedly striking a two-year-old boy in the mouth at O2B Kids on Villa Road NW, an incident captured on video and reported to police. The child's mother took him to the hospital, where no injuries were found, and the worker is scheduled for a first court appearance in November.
   

4. Weekend Highway 52 southbound detour planned for 85th Street bridge repairs north of Rochester (postbulletin.com) — Drivers using southbound Highway 52 near Rochester should prepare for a full closure and detour from the evening of Aug. 28 through the early morning of Aug. 31 while crews repair the 85th Street bridge. Traffic will be routed onto nearby Olmsted County roads, and additional lane closures at the bridge will continue into October.
   

5. Waseca Man Accused of Torturing Dog Before it Froze to Death in Rochester (wjon.com) — A Waseca man is facing felony animal torture and misdemeanor shelter-deprivation charges in connection with a dog's death during subzero conditions in Rochester this past January. Court documents describe the animal being left outside, later found frozen with signs of trauma, and say the defendant is scheduled for a first court appearance in November.
   

📸 Around Rochester

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

📣 Rochester Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Just hoping to make someone smile today.
    Meet Romeo, aka batcat or spider cat. Have a blessed day everyone (Nextdoor East Side Pioneers)
  • Moving furniture in Southeast
    Hi everyone! I'm a student at Mayo, new in Rochester. I'm looking for a little help moving some furniture about 4 blocks (0.4 miles) from one place… (Nextdoor East Side Pioneers)
  • TradeJobsWorkforce posted a job opening for American Airlines Gate Agent in Rochester. Apply here.
  • TJX Companies, Inc. posted a job opening for Part time cleaning in Rochester. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Rochester here.

Ok Rochester! 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: Meet me at the corner. (Thank you Earlene M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Rochester-Mason City