🌱 School Volunteer Dies After Emergency + Downtown Task Force On Move

Morning, neighbors. I'm here with your weekend edition of the Rochester-Mason City Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out all the most important things happening in our community, including updates on these three stories.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Periods of rain. High: 50 Low: 25.
• Saturday: Colder; a bit of morning snow. High: 37 Low: 27.

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

1. Mary Ellen Trueman, a volunteer at Washington Elementary School in Rochester, has died following a medical emergency. Trueman was a former elementary school teacher and volunteered with primary grade students, always ready with a joke of the day for staff. Rochester Public Schools expressed their condolences to her friends and family and acknowledged her passion for teaching and students. (KTTC)
2. New research is suggesting that extra attention should be given to those in high-contact sports like football for their blood pressure in Rochester and cities across the nation. A connection between head injuries like concussions and high blood pressure has been found, which is already recognized as a silent killer. In Olmstead County, high blood pressure and heart health are already a concern as 24 percent of adults in the county suffer from high blood pressure, and 14.1 percent smoke. (Herald Review)
3. The Downtown Rochester Task Force is collaborating with the community to set up work sessions to work through challenges they are experiencing, four themes were established in the initial meeting. The Tuesday meeting gave the Task Force the themes to focus on and share with the community so feedback can be provided and plans can be made going into phase two. Working sessions are scheduled to begin in April for immediate and short-term actions, and the goal is to have a true action plan by mid-May 2023. (Rochester Post Bulletin)

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Today and tomorrow in Rochester-Mason City:

Friday, March 31

• Open Studio - Rochester Art Center (12:00 PM)
• Nancy And Dan - The Redwood Room (7:00 PM)

Saturday, April 1

• Fool's Getaway - Beetle's Bar & Grill (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Spring break is officially underway for the Rochester Public Schools system. School is out of session from Mar. 31 until Apr. 9. (Rochester Public Schools via Facebook)
• The Rochester Police Department made a visit to Sunset Terrace Elementary this week for a lesson on bike safety. This was a part of "Books, Bikes, and Braids," an event focused on learning life skills. (City of Rochester, MN Police Department via Facebook)
• The River City Sculptures on Parade is a walking tour of a little less than two miles through downtown Mason City showcasing sculptures loaned by artists for a year. You can pick up free maps at the Mason City Visitor Center and begin adventuring as the weather warms up. (Visit Mason City Iowa via Facebook)
• A recent study by BeenVerified found Minnesota had the ninth-highest rate of catalytic converter thefts per 100,000 automobiles in 2022. However, both Minnesota and Iowa saw an overall decrease in incidents between 2021 and 2022. Visit the link for more statistics on catalytic converter thefts in Minnesota, Iowa, and across the United States. (BeenVerified)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday off right! 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.