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Don and Kathy Wilkening look for fossils in North Dakota.

Couple with Mapleton Ties to Celebrate 59 Years Together

February 25, 2026

Kathy (Roloff) and Don Wilkening, who will celebrate 59 years of marriage on March 25, were high school sweethearts since the night Don asked Kathy...

Mapleton Council Weighs Rental Rules, Community Center Lease

February 25, 2026

◆ School inquires about leasing Community Center for expanded childcare options.The Mapleton City Council faced a packed agenda Tuesday, Feb. 17, as members deliberated on...

Sewer, Fire Department Updates Lead Vernon Center Council Discussion

February 18, 2026

VERNON CENTER — Chris Larson from SEH Engineering came to the February 12 city council meeting update the Vernon Center City Council regarding projects that are near the...

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The Maple River team for the Climb 2 Feed Kids: Climb and Slide event was recognized for raising the most funds for the February 1 event, with a total of $9,181. The team who raised the second most for the event contributed $4,593. The event supports Feeding Our Community Partners (FOCP), and helps fund, “hunger-relief programs, providing food-insecure students with child-friendly meals and snacks for weekends and school breaks,” according to the FOCP website.

Maple River Celebrates Student Leadership Success, Commitment to...

February 18, 2026

2026-27 calendar approved, elementary student council formedThe Maple River School Board met on Monday, February 9, to address a full agenda,...

Appreciation cookies were featured at the Minnesota Lake Ambulance department Soup and Pie fundraiser on February 15. Photo courtesy Ruthie Francour of Aunt Ruth’s Baked Goods.

MN Lake Approves Sidewalk Repairs, Looks to Improve Downtown...

February 18, 2026

MINNESOTA LAKE — At the February 10, 2026 city council meeting the Minnesota Lake City Council continued discussion on what to do with the uneven...

Froelich Appointed New Fire Chief in Good Thunder

February 18, 2026

Council makes decisions on water system fixes, looks ahead to summer celebrationGOOD THUNDER — The Good Thunder City Council appointed a new fire chief, approved repairs to...

The Rainy Day: Building a Safety Net and Guarding the Gates

February 18, 2026

In Part 1, we established the foundation of financial health: tracking daily expenses and organizing records for tax season. However, even the most organized budget can be...

Straw Pole Caucus Results Show Kendall, Klobuchar as Local...

February 18, 2026

BLUE EARTH COUNTY — Political parties across Blue Earth County convened on Tuesday, Feb. 3, to conduct precinct caucuses, an initial step in the 2026 election cycle. The...

Mapleton Town and Country Days No Longer Sponsored by Maple River...

February 18, 2026

The president of Maple River Heritage, Inc. (MRH), Coleen Lindemann, attended the February 3 Mapleton City Council meeting to read aloud an official notice that the annual...

Amboy Pursuing Funding for $11M Water Project

February 18, 2026

AMBOY — The city of Amboy has for several years now been plagued by water purity issues, a deficiency the council and City employees have worked diligently to correct in...

Norlean Berndt and Stan Whitney have spent nearly their entire lives celebrating the New Year together with their families.
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A Forever Friendship

February 18, 2026

Berndts & Whitneys Spend Over 70 Years of Celebrating New Year, Life TogetherBY STAFFMaple River Messenger It was New Year’s Eve, 1948, and...

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In December, Pastor Kirstian Bjornstad was installed as the permanent pastor at St. John's Lutheran Church in Good Thunder. Pictured, in front from left to right, are Rev. Adam Matheny, Rev. Greg Volbrecht, Rev. Kristian Bjornstad, Rev. Rudolph Maurer, Rev. John Koopman. In back are Rev. Larry Sipe, Rev. Michael Grannis, Rev. Adam Finney.

From Mountains of India to Fields of Good Thunder

February 4, 2026

Kristian Bjornstad Installed at St. John’s LutheranThe story of Kristian Bjornstad is not a straight line from seminary to pulpit. It is a journey...

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Tabitha Barkosky, Nellie McCue, Claire Langworthy and Aaron Hull attended the honor band for at Minnesota State University (MSU) in Mankato.

Talented Maple River Students Attend Festival, Honor Band

February 4, 2026

Maple River Schools Band Director Josh Tonkin nominated three of his high school students—Aria Engesser, Avery Olson, Aaron Hull—to take a trip to...

PHOTO COURTESY USA CURLING
Aidan Oldenburg, 24-year-old lead for the 2026 USA Olympic Men’s Curling team, hails from rural Mapleton.

February 4, 2026

Maple-River native and Minnesota-based curling team hoping to sweep the OlympicsA trip to the Olympics and the chance to compete against the best...

Mapleton Continues Plans to Acquire Derelict Property

February 4, 2026

City Prepares to Hire New DeputyDuring the January 20 city council meeting, a community member was present to share that they believed the city should not parcel out the...

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