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Happy weekend, Rochester!
In today’s happening-today edition: Mayo Clinic’s first hyperthermia cancer device, Whitney Cummings: Big Baby, and Pet & Plant Expo + events worth checking out today & tomorrow.
Today’s sponsor (Money.com) built a free comparison tool that helped me cut my car insurance premiums in half. It took about 3 minutes, and honestly… I wish I’d done it sooner. If you haven’t shopped around in a while, you can easily check the best rates here.
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📰 In the news
Boost for commuters and businesses: Rochester City Council approved a $9 million Park and Ride off North Broadway near Rochester Rec Center, to ease downtown access as Mayo’s inbound project strains parking — get all the details.
Nonprofit’s first major step: The Madeline Kingsbury Foundation has launched a project, offering an $800 grant twice a year to help domestic violence survivors find safety, stability, and healing, with applications requiring personal details — see what’s offered and required.
New avenue in oncology research: Mayo Clinic has installed the first hyperthermia cancer device in the U.S. in downtown Rochester, using magnetic nanoparticles to heat tumors. The technology is investigational and will support clinical research — learn more about the research.
Gold & silver are hot: Coming off gold’s best year since 1979, the momentum is carrying well into 2026 with silver remaining one of the most talked-about assets. Curious why they’re back in focus? American Hartford Gold has a free guide that explains what’s happening and how people are approaching it today. It’s free – and definitely worth a read.
Someone Googled you this week: Whether you’re dating again, selling something locally, or just meeting new neighbors… people are going to look you up. Like it or not, the internet has a way of surfacing past mistakes and outdated information that no longer reflects who you are. Thankfully, there’s a really easy way for you (or someone you care about) to clean up all that up – learn more here.
Highlights this week:
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🚗 Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance?
Together with our sponsor Money.com
Auto insurance premiums have been climbing across the country… and most folks won’t notice until it’s time to renew and they’re hit with a higher bill.
The frustrating part? Loyalty rarely gets rewarded. Insurers adjust prices constantly, and new customers often qualify for better rates than long-time policyholders.
I learned that the hard way. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, I saw the charges come in every month and never thought twice about them. Turns out I was paying well above the national average ($175/mo) for a single car… for years.
This free comparison tool lets you check rates from multiple insurers in just a few minutes. It costs nothing to look, and it could save you hundreds this year.
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🫶 We got your back
A mural worth a stroll: A small upgrade to any river walk, the Rochester Riverfront Mural offers big, quietly detailed panels that reset the mind between errands. Coffee in hand, a deep breath, and textured color do their work. Ten unhurried minutes can feel surprisingly restorative.
Yarn run, solved: Kasson Laser Graphics also serves as a crafty supply nook, stocking yarn alongside fabric, thread, and other sewing bits, so you can grab a couple skeins without a Twin Cities haul. Ideal for topping off a project or finally starting that cardigan you keep mentioning.
Beer, music, good vibes: Thesis Beer Project delivers a midweek lift with rotating small-batch pours and a colorful taproom built for unwinding. Best with a friend; a flight pairs nicely, and conversation, maybe your playlist, does the rest. It’s Rochester comfort with a creative streak.
An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.
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📆 Around town today & tomorrow
Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →
All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.
🥞 Pancake Breakfast and Auction Fundraiser @ Eagles Club Rochester | Saturday (3/7) at 8:30 AM – Grab a plate and your generous spirit for the Rochester Raiders pancake breakfast and auction. Stack up pancakes, sausage, OJ, and coffee, then outbid your neighbors with maple-fueled confidence. It’s $15 a head, little ones three and under ride free, bragging rights included.
🐾 Pet & Plant Expo @ Aune Hall | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – Part pet show, part plant swap, this expo corrals reptiles, birds, bugs, and plenty of leafy temptations under one roof with vendors, educators, and quirky gear. It’s like the farmers market, only the tomatoes stare back. Grown-ups pay five bucks, kids are free, curiosity required.
💐 Preserved Florals @ Art Heads Emporium | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – Preserved florals are popping up in Downtown Rochester’s Historic District, inviting you to craft an 8×8 shadow box arrangement with blooms saved by Lavender & Violas. Finally, flowers that outlast your grocery run. Bring a photo, note, or tiny keepsake, and make it personal.
❄ Winter Carnival @ Byron High School | Saturday (3/7) at 11:00 AM – Need an easy win with the kids before cabin fever mutiny sets in? The BHS crew is hosting a Winter Carnival, five bucks per child for crafts, cookies, inflatables, games, and prizes, with hot dogs and chips for sale, and zero glitter cleanup at home.
🎤 Whitney Cummings: Big Baby @ Mayo Civic Center | Saturday (3/7) at 7:00 PM – Date night needs a tune-up? Whitney Cummings brings her Big Baby tour to town with the kind of brutally funny, wildly relatable stand-up that makes you forget the group text, the to-do list, and your lower back. Sharp jokes, real talk, zero pretense.
💃 Dancing Through the Decades @ History Center of Olmsted County | Sunday (3/8) at 11:00 AM – Think your foxtrot can keep up with your disco? The History Center is hosting an Eras Tour with weekly lessons in styles from every decade, all building to a grand celebration on April 25, 2026. No partner, no pressure, just good steps and better stories.
💃 Salsa Rueda @ Historic Chateau Theatre | Sunday (3/8) at 2:00 PM – Sunday afternoons in the Historic Chateau Theatre mean live steps and fewer excuses. The Rochester salsa crew gives you a quick beginner primer, then spins into Rueda for all levels, free, fun, and social. Bring water, park at Center Street Ramp, and call it cardio.
Live music & entertainment:
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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🔥 Worth a peek
We’re always on the hunt for useful resources, deals, services, and products we think you’ll love. Here’s what caught our eye this week.
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📻 Rochester report
Weather forecast
Today – High: 45°F – Low: 35°F – Precip: 20%
Isolated rain showers before 7am, then a slight chance of rain and snow showers between 7am and 9am. Mostly sunny. High near 45, with temperatures falling to around 42 in the afternoon. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. Southwest wind 8 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
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Tomorrow – High: 63°F – Low: 46°F – Precip: 1%
Sunny, with a high near 63. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Later: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southwest wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
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This 5-bed, 5-bath home on 3.28 acres sits 7 miles from Mayo Downtown. Vaulted knotty pine crowns the kitchen and family room, opening to a wraparound maintenance-free deck. Attached and detached 2-car garages plus a workout shed provide extra space. Four bedrooms share one level, and a main-floor guest or in-law suite adds flexibility. Updates include roof, siding, and flooring.
Take a peek inside →
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