Dana Melius

Maria Bevacqua rose above the convertible's back seat to respond with love to a welcoming crowd during Saturday's Jessica Flatequal Pride Parade.

As Ross Gersten meandered through the Sunday crowd, a deepening sense of pride and amazement at how one of southern Minnesota's premier music festivals has blossomed.

Mankato East High School sophomore Brie Severson pulled off her shoes, left on her socks and stepped into the Minnesota River, assisting Minnesota State University associate professor Susan Covlin in

MANKATO — For Jim Norman, a brief family visit to celebrate an uncle's 90th birthday in Asheville, North Carolina, turned into a dangerous return home for the ages.

For Joseph Mevissen, the battle beyond the Iraq War brought the 37-year-old former helicopter mechanic back to running and the Mankato Marathon.

Happy with the inaugural Great Northern Viking Festival, founder Inga From eyed the revelry she and volunteers helped create over the weekend at the historic Jack McGowan farm.

ST. PETER — American Legion and Veterans of Foreign War posts battle the same woes that face other small town organizations: an aging and dwindling volunteer pool.

Six months after Earl “Sonny” Meyer’s long-awaited Purple Heart medal ceremony in Christ Chapel at Gustavus Adolphus College, it remains an emotional moment for the 97-year-old Korean War veteran.

ST. PETER — American Legion and Veterans of Foreign War posts battle the same woes that face other small town organizations: an aging and dwindling volunteer pool.

Bouncing from station to station, Will Coghill-Behrends was all smiles. The first-year dean of global education at Minnesota State University was truly enjoying MSU's annual International Festival.