LOCAL 10: School Starts, Public Meeting and September Plans
A true highlight for local residents, registration for the 2027 Music + Markets season will open in February 2027. Photo by Ashley Media.
School schedules shift, a major Hastings development moves into public comment, an online auction opens and the first days of September bring several useful local opportunities.
Weather + On This Date
Weather + On This Date by HastingsNow.com
Tuesday should stay warm and dry through the daytime in Hastings, with increasing clouds, a high near 89°F and a light west wind. Showers and thunderstorms become likely overnight, with the best rain chance after midnight.
For the full forecast and today's three local-history moments, read Hastings, MN Weather + On This Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
September starts with a change in routine for a lot of Hastings households.
Some students head back to class today, residents have a chance this week to learn more about the Pleasant Valley Farms proposal, and several organizations are opening registrations, hiring or beginning September programs.
Here are 10 local updates worth knowing Tuesday, September 1.
Local 10 infographic by HastingsNow.com
TOP 3 TODAY
1. Hastings School Start Continues Tuesday for Grades 6–8 and 10–12
Tuesday, September 1 is the first day of school for Hastings students in grades 6–8 and 10–12.
Raider Set Go also continues Tuesday for K–4 families. The first regular school day for K–4 students is Wednesday, September 2.
Families should use Hastings Public Schools for district information and their own school schedules. Raider Set Go is a scheduled school-family process rather than a public event.
2. Pleasant Valley Farms Public Meeting Is Thursday; Comments Close September 10
The City of Hastings will hold a Pleasant Valley Farms neighborhood public meeting Thursday, September 3 from 5:30–7:30 PM in Hastings.
Residents interested in the proposal can find the current meeting information on the City of Hastings event page.
A separate Environmental Assessment Worksheet public-comment period remains open through Thursday, September 10. The City has instructions and background information on its Pleasant Valley Farms EAW public-comment page.
One detail we're intentionally leaving out: current City pages contain conflicting figures for the proposed number of homes, so LOCAL 10 is not publishing a unit count until that discrepancy is clarified.
3. Carpenter Nature Center's Online Auction Opens Tuesday Morning
Bidding for Carpenter Nature Center's Autumn in the Valley online auction opens at 9 AM Tuesday, September 1 and continues through 7:30 PM Sunday, September 13.
Residents can browse the details through Carpenter Nature Center's Autumn in the Valley page.
You do not need to attend the September 13 gala to participate in the online auction. The live auction, however, is reserved for people attending the gala on site.
QUICK HITS
4. Chamber Advantage Offers Free Wednesday Morning Business Orientation
The Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce will hold Chamber Advantage on Wednesday, October 7 from 8:30–9:30 AM at the Chamber office, 200 Second St. W., Suite 100.
The free session is designed to help business owners understand Chamber resources, programs and membership opportunities. It may also be useful for businesses considering membership; the listing does not state that attendance is restricted to existing members.
Businesses can review the details and registration option on the Chamber Advantage event page.
5. Hastings Community Education Is Hiring School-Age Care Staff
Hastings Community Education is looking for additional School Age Care team members, including opportunities connected with McAuliffe and Pinecrest for the 2026–27 school year.
Hours, wages, age requirements and locations vary by position, so job seekers should use the district's current Hastings Public Schools employment listings for the specifics rather than relying on older summaries.
6. September 1 Cinnamon Tradition Gets a Hastings Spin
Krystalline Sky is beginning September with a local look at the practice sometimes called the “first-of-the-month cinnamon blow.”
The original Krystalline Sky Facebook post describes it as a folk and spiritual tradition in which ground cinnamon is blown through a home's doorway as a symbolic fresh start for a new month.
That's the important distinction: we're sharing this as a tradition described by Krystalline Sky, not as an established way to produce prosperity, luck or other outcomes.
The Hastings-based post also directs shoppers to products available through Pure Serenity Wellness Center and the Krystalline Sky online store.
7. LeDuc History Book Group Meets Thursday Evening
The LeDuc History Book Group meets Thursday, September 3 from 6:30–7:30 PM at the LeDuc Historic Estate, 1629 Vermillion St.
The current listing says the gathering is free. September's book title is not identified on the current event page, so we're leaving that detail out.
Readers can find the available information on the LeDuc History Book Group event page.
8. September ECFE Registration Is Open for Hastings Families
Hastings Community Education says September Early Childhood Family Education classes are approaching, with fall 2026 registration open for local parents and caregivers of babies and young children.
Schedules, age ranges, availability and fees vary by class.
Families can start with the Hastings ECFE information page and use the Community Education registration system to see current offerings.
9. Allina Posts Labor Day Closures for Its Hastings Clinics
Allina Health currently lists both its Hastings Clinic on North Frontage Road and its Hastings Nininger Road Clinic as closed on Monday, September 7 for Labor Day.
Patients planning routine care around the holiday can check the individual location pages for the North Frontage Road clinic and the Nininger Road clinic.
Those listings apply to these specific Hastings clinics and should not be read as a closure notice for every Allina service or emergency-care location.
10. Dakota County Publishes Its Fall/Winter 2026 Newsletter
Dakota County published its Fall/Winter 2026 resident newsletter on Monday, August 31.
Residents can find the new issue through the County's official newsletter page.
The County page confirms the new edition and was updated August 31. Because the embedded newsletter itself was not available during our review, we're not summarizing individual items from inside the issue here.
IF YOU ONLY CLICK ONE
For families affected by today's changing school schedule, start with Hastings Public Schools.
September 1 is an actual transition day for several grade levels, so the district remains the best source for school-specific information families may need today.
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