st. cloud civic center

It's been 12 years in the making, and next week the expansion of the former St. Cloud Civic Center will be complete. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the new River's Edge Convention Center is set for 5:00 p.m. on Thursday.

St. Cloud City Council members will get an up close look at the Civic Center expansion when they take a tour tonight. Civic Facilities Director Lyle Mathiasen says the project is on budget and only slightly behind schedule because of winter work and rain this spring. But, he says they expect to open it yet late this fall or early winter.

More than 300 members of the 367th Engineer Battalion, which is headquartered in St. Cloud, recently returned home from active duty in Iraq and Kuwait. Saturday, the battalion was honored in a packed ceremony at the St. Cloud Civic Center.

More than 300 members of the US Army Reserve will be honored at the St. Cloud Civic Center tomorrow (Saturday) morning beginning at 9:00 a.m. The 367th Engineer Battalion returned from Iraq in early December. Additionally, any member of the armed forces who has recently returned from active duty is invited to be recognized at the celebration.

Energy efficient laundry mats, community-based wind farms, and prairie grass being used to to create heat -- these are just a few of the alternative energy sources being discussed today (Thursday) at the St. Cloud Civic Center. St. Cloud City Planner Matt Glaesman was one of the speakers yesterday (Wednesday). He says St. Cloud has been recognized as one of the leading communities in the state on the topic.

As the Minnesota Legislature deals with a $6-billion budget deficit, there are those who are hoping for a small bonding bill this year. St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis is among them.