Morning Newswatch with Jay Caldwell

Valentines Day is just around the corner. Jake Juliot from Explore Minnesota has some ways to celebrate it in Minnesota.

The city of St. Cloud has an agreement with a party to purchase the cleared former District 742 Media Services property. St. Cloud Community Development Director Matt Glaesman joined me on WJON. He indicates that project is advancing and describes it as a "great commercial use" for the property.

Failing to stop for a school bus stop arm is illegal, dangerous and could be tragic. Alicia Mages from Tri-County Crimestoppers joined me on WJON and indicates these violations are on the rise in the community.

St. Cloud Cathedral is hosting the St. Cloud Crush tonight but this will be more than just any other game. It will be Cancer Awareness and youth basketball night. The two teams will be honoring former youth basketball coach and Cathedral parent, Jeff Voit.

Both St. Joseph and Clearwater are growing communities within District 742 schools. St. Cloud School Superintendent Laurie Putnam joined me on WJON and weighed in on why both St. Joseph and Clearwater don't have their own High School's yet.

Public schools in Minnesota are dependent on state funding. St. Cloud School Superintendent Laurie Putnam joined me on WJON. She says the current base formula is $7,138 per student. Putnam says they also get different pockets of compensatory money from the State depending on the amount of students who qualify.

Foley is a town of 2,603 people located where Highways 23 and 25 intersect in Benton County. Mary Ostby is the Executive Director of the Benton County Historical Society. She and Mayor Elect Jack Brosh joined me on WJON to talk about Foley.

Watkins is a town of 962 people located in northern Meeker County along Highway 55 west of Kimball and east of Eden Valley. It was established in the 1870s and has had a post office since 1887.

The city of St. Cloud has made it a priority to revitalize the downtown. St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis joined me on WJON. He says this process is underway but says this type of thing doesn't happen overnight. Kleis says every downtown development expert says downtowns that thrive have a significant housing component.

David Fremo has been on the job for approximately a month as the new President of the St. Cloud Catholic Community Schools. Fremo is a Sartell native, St. John's graduate, a longtime teacher and describes himself as someone who has always loved education.