Morning Newswatch with Jay Caldwell

The Albany girls basketball team puts their 29-1 record on the line when they play Minnehaha Academy at 8 p.m. tonight in the Class 2-A State Tournament Semifinals at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

The Department of Natural Resources and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe have set a catch-and-release fishing season from May 11th through August 15th. The plan is to begin allowing one walleye between 21-23 inches or one over 28 inches on August 16.

St. Cloud Tech will meet Alexandria in the Section 8-3-A boys basketball final for a 3rd straight year Thursday night in Willmar. The Tigers edged Alexandria 71-69 in 2022 and the Cardinals got their revenge on Tech in 2023 winning 56-44.

The lack of snow and rain this winter has put Central Minnesota in an unusual situation in March. St. Cloud Public Services Director Tracy Hodel joined me on WJON. She explains typically March-May is when they see the highest flow/production from the Mississippi River but right now they are at 20% below average for this time of year.

Minnesota loves St. Patrick's Day and this weekend Jake Juliot from Explore Minnesota has a list of many of the state's celebrations on Saturday and Sunday.

The Vikings moved on from Kirk Cousins as the soon to be 36-year old signed a 4-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons. The Vikings agreed to a 1-year $10 Million contract with quarterback Sam Darnold.

The Sartell Police Department are reporting a theft from vehicle complaint on the 1700 block of Amber Avenue South. Alicia Mages from Tri-County Crimestoppers says someone went through a vehicle and stole some coins and a pair of Beats headphones.

The Albany girls basketball team has had a memorable season and could cap it with a state title this week. The Huskies won the Section 6-2-A title Friday night at St. Cloud State's Halenbeck Hall 76-50 over Holdingford.

The annual Catholic Charities Pack the Porches food and fundraiser will take place Friday March 22. The two locations for the event from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. will be at Pioneer Place on 5th Avenue in downtown St. Cloud and St. Cloud Financial Credit Union in Sartell.

St. Cloud State students will be looking to solve 5 problems from Thermo-Tech Premium Windows and Doors in Sauk Rapids later this month. The event is an extra-curricular opportunity for SCSU students called "Huskies Invent".