The Commission on Judicial Selection has announced open seats upon the retirements of Judge William Cashman and Judge Gail Kulick. The judges will be chambered in St. Cloud and Milaca.

Applications to the commission are due by 4:00 p.m. on May 21st.

Panelists will consider, among other things, a candidate’s integrity, ability, experience, judicial temperament, legal knowledge, and community service.

Prospective applicants are being offered informational interviews from judges in the Seventh District to help them prepare for the application process.

To request an application, send an email to the Office of the Governor at Judicial.Selection@state.mn.us.

The Seventh Judicial District includes Stearns, Benton, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Todd, Douglas, Wadena, Otter Tail, Becker, and Clay counties.

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Outside hitter Kenzie Foley, who graduated from SCSU, plays for Suhl, Germany.  Earlier this month, they won their first-ever German Championship in the program’s 35-year history.  Their final record across all competitions during the season was 27-4.

Foley is the first SCSU alumna to play professionally in the Coach Chad Braegelmann era.

After each match, the Most Valuable Players of both teams are awarded a VBL coin.  The MVP of the winning team receives a gold coin, and the MVP of the losing team receives a silver coin. At the end of the season, the player with the most gold coins is awarded the title of Most Valuable Player of the Bundesliga season.  Foley, who received eight medals (eight gold and zero silver), finished in the MVP race.

This was Foley’s rookie season in the German professional volleyball league.

During her time at St. Cloud State, Foley became the program’s first-ever NSIC Player of the Year, the program’s first-ever National Player of the Year, SCSU’s record holder for all-time points and kills, broke the program record for career sets played, and became the first player in program history to surpass 2,000 career kills

October 18, 1966 – April 25, 2026

A funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 8, 2026, at Discovery Church, Sauk Rapids for Lynette “Lyn” Schneidermann, age 59. Burial will be in Acacia Cemetery, Clearwater, MN.

The visitation will be from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, May 7, 2026, at the Wenner Funeral Home in Cold Spring, MN. Visitation will be from 9:30-10:45 a.m. Friday at the church.

Lyn grew up in the Clearwater area, out in the country. The oldest of 5 siblings, daughter of Gary and Arlene Resch. Lyn enjoyed spending time with family, fishing, church camp, and yes, working in the garden. She learned from her mom and dad the benefits of hard work and determination. At a young age, Lyn realized she was a sinner and “believed in the Lord Jesus Christ” and repented of her sin. Lyn enjoyed reading and studying as she went to school and graduated from St Cloud Tech High School in 1985. Lyn then attended Northwestern College in Roseville, MN, but later switched to a Tech College to pursue accounting. She graduated in 1986 because she met the man of her dreams in October of 1985, Kevin Schneidermann. They were engaged on Valentine’s Day in ‘86 and were married on August 16, 1986. They made their home in Blaine, MN, and started a family. Their firstborn daughter, Nichole, was stillborn in August 1989. Jeremy was born in October 1990. Shortly after the family moved to St Cloud, MN, and Kevin began working for Lyn’s parents’ family business. The family continued to grow with Luke arriving in February 1991, Aaron in December 1993, and Melanie in May 1995. Lyn thoroughly enjoyed her role as a Devoted Bride and incredible Mother. Lyn poured herself into raising her family, choosing to homeschool all 4 kids and being a homemaker. She performed so many roles: wife, mother, bookkeeper in the family business, talented seamstress, and let’s not forget the gardens! In 2016, Lyn was diagnosed with cancer and chose to pursue healing herself naturally. Her health journey consisted of many ups and downs, but she did her research and had been doing very well for many years. My Bride loved Jesus, spending time in His Word and in prayer. Growing in her faith and trust in Him alone. She was a godly example to her children and so many others. Lyn had many hobbies: reading, health research, sewing, cooking, scrapbooking, camping, crafts…she enjoyed life to the fullest. But her favorite pastime by far was spending time with her family! She will be greatly missed.

Lyn is survived by her husband of 39 years +, Kevin; children, Jeremy (Rebekah) Schneidermann, Luke (Charisma) Schneidermann, Aaron (Ellie) Schneidermann, Melanie Fager (husband Kelley) and nine grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her daughter Nichole and dad, Gary Resch.

November 14, 1986 – April 24, 2026

Lindsey Marie Saldana was born on November 14, 1986 in St. Cloud, MN to Larry Saldana and Linda Oltz.

Her childhood was filled with adventure, love and friends that were family. She was raised by her dad and the sweetest pup, Buddy. Lindsey was diagnosed with epilepsy at a young age and battled to keep the seizures under control most of her life. Backroad drives, 80’s music and the joy of being outside were a staple growing up. She grew up in the Rice/Royalton area and attended Royalton High School. Lindsey struggled with depression and addiction that continued throughout her adult life. She had countless attempts at sober living. She never gave up trying.

Lindsey had a very feisty, passionate nature and loved fiercely with her whole heart. She never met a stranger and once she loved you, you were forever a part of her clan. She was definitely her father’s daughter! They shared a love of music, rock picking, story-telling and a laugh that would make you smile. She took after her dad with her huge heart and deep love for people. Lindsey was such a free spirit and absolutely marched to the beat of her own drum! She loved food and her Mt. Dew. She really embraced her shortness, with humor. She was a kind soul, animal lover and a collector of agates and any other rocks she thought were beautiful. For the past 8 months Lindsey was on a journey to sobriety, forgiveness and Jesus. With the support from her MN Adult and Teen Challenge family and her church. God transformed her life. Her heart was healing and on fire for Jesus! She rededicated herself to Him over and over. Lindsey strived to be the version of herself that God had intended, especially for her children. Praise the Lord, for His patience and mercy, for His perfect timing in bringing Lindsey home.

Lindsey is survived by her fiancé and the love of her life, Cody Weitzel, her beloved children, Harley, Aidyn and Kaylee (Desiree), her mother, Linda Sigler, her sisters, Loni (Scott) Wold and Lacy Popp, her 4 nieces and 3 nephews, Codey’s parents, Mark and Lisa and many other family members and friends. She is preceded in death by her father, Larry, paternal grandparents, George and Eileen, maternal grandfather, Ernest, uncles, George, Harvey, Jim and “Uncle Jay”.

And after your season of suffering, God in all His grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. – 1 Peter 5:10

June 8, 1932 – April 29, 2026

Mary Joanne (Willette) Hughes died on April 29, 2026, at the age of 93. The daughter of a poet and a successful farmer, Mary — along with her 5 brothers — grew up on the family farm near Delavan, Minnesota. She attended a one-room schoolhouse through grade 8, graduated from Delavan HS and, in 1954, from the College of St. Benedict with a BA in Music. While at St. Ben’s she met the love of her life, St. John’s student Mark B. Hughes. They married in 1954 and then spent more than 66 years at N. 4th Avenue in Waite Park, MN in the home they designed and built.

Between 1955 and 1964, Mary and Mark had 7 children. A stay-at-home mom until 1969, Mary ran a busy household. She was known for wonderful baked goods, love of music, a deep enjoyment of prisms and their rainbows, and good conversation. She lived the Benedictine value of hospitality. Mary received the Mother Benedicta Riepp Award from the Monastery of St. Benedict in 2010.

Vatican II brought guitar music to the Catholic Church and Mary began a long self-taught relationship with the guitar so she could be an active participant in the new liturgical forms and song book. For more than 50 years, Mary led or was a member of church folk groups. Her lovely voice and musicality are gifts that many will always remember.

In 1969, Mary joined the faculty at St. Augustine’s Catholic School as a music teacher and then, a few years later, transitioned to Sts. Peter and Paul Middle School. Eventually she shifted to work with couples who were seeking to manage their family size within Church doctrine as part of the Diocesan Family Life Bureau.

An accomplished poet beginning in the late 1980s, she published three books – Quilt Pieces, Flight on New Wings and The Shadow Loom. She worked many years at the St. Cloud Hospital’s Recovery Plus program, using her poems in Flight on New Wings therapeutically with families stressed by addiction. In 2010 the National Association of Poetry Therapy presented Mary with a Public Service Award for her work at Recovery Plus. Her poetry was recognized in 1998 and 2010 by the Central Minnesota Arts Board.

She is survived by her husband, Mark; her 7 children and their spouses — Mary (Patrick Hynes), Michael (Gayle), Ellen (Bill Kain), Chris (Chris), Kathy (Barry Ross), Patrick (Margaret), and Terry (Alison); 22 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, all of whom mourn her death.

The family is deeply grateful to those who cared for Mary in these last months – the Home Instead staff, particularly Christine and DeeAnn, the St. Croix Hospice staff, especially Shari and Amy, and the staff at Quiet Oaks.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud. Reverend Jeremy Ploof, Reverend Steven Binsfeld and Reverend Vince Lieser will concelebrate. Inurnment will take place at St. John’s Abbey Cemetery Columbarium at a later date.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 4, 2026 at the Daniel Funeral Home, St. Cloud and from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service on Tuesday at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud. Parish prayers will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Monday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, friends and family may make donations in Mary’s memory to their favorite personal charities.

December 21, 1926 – April 26, 2026

Mildred “Milly” Tufte, age 99, of St. Cloud, passed away on April 26, 2026.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 1pm at the First Presbyterian Church, St. Cloud. A visitation will take place on Friday, July 10, 2026, from 5pm to 7pm at Benson Funeral Home, and one hour prior to the service at the church.

Milly was born to Harry and Hatti (Sundberg) Cobb in Owatonna, MN on December 21, 1926. Growing up, her family moved from Owatonna, to Faribault, then to Fergus Falls. Her father was a business manager for the state of Minnesota, and her mother was a teacher. Milly was the youngest of four children.

Three girls and one boy. On April 3, 1948, she married Dennis H. Tufte in Faribault. They lived in Mankato and Minneapolis. Milly and Denny had two sons, Gary, and Jon. Denny’s job brought the family to Council Bluffs, IA, Sioux City, IA, Detroit Lakes, MN, then finally, Saint Cloud, MN. The family found themselves at home on the Mississippi River in the River Haven development.

Milly was a member of the Saint Cloud Country Club for 38 years and was actively involved in her church community over the years. She enjoyed playing bridge with her friends, gardening, and crafting, making treasures her family still enjoys today.

Survivors include her son, Jon Tufte (Jack Gburzynski) of Clear Lake, MN; daughter-in-law, Connie Tufte of Grants Pass, OR, and three grandchildren, Jessica Tufte of Dublin, CA, Erin (Jim) Hughes of Clear Lake, MN, and Brian (Marcus) Tufte-Stemp of London, England.

She was preceded in death by her husband Denny in 2009, and her son, Gary in 1989.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the First Presbyterian Church or Ecumen Hospice.

The Climate Prediction Center has released its updated outlook for May.

As for temperatures, they are predicting average temperatures for much of Minnesota, with cooler-than-normal conditions in the northeastern part of the state.

The average high temperature in St. Cloud at the beginning of May is about 61 degrees, and by the end of the month, the average high is about 74 degrees.

The Weather Channel forecast has us well below normal for the first few days of May.

As for precipitation, the Climate Prediction Center is anticipating a drier-than-normal May.  St. Cloud typically averages about 3 1/2 inches of rain in May.

There’s a small chance of rain showers in the forecast for parts of the area north of I-94 for Monday afternoon-evening.

St. Cloud recorded 3.17 inches of rain in April, which is 0.66 inches above normal.  We also had 3.3 inches of snow in April, which is 1.3 inches below normal.

The latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor released on Thursday shows 35 percent of the state is abnormally dry, and nine percent is in a moderate drought.

A call came in at around 5:40 p.m. reporting that a boat was hung up under the University Bridge and one person was in the water.

Fire crews arrived to find a crew-style boat hung up on the cable barrier underneath the bridge. The person who was reported to be in the water had made their way safely to shore on their own.

The fire department’s water rescue team was able to tow the crew boat and four passengers away from the cable and to a nearby dock.

The passengers were able to exit onto the dock without incident.

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Weather is Impacting

Schmitt believes many turkey hunters chose to buy their licenses for the C or D season due to the weather not being ideal.  Based on that, he expects the number of turkeys harvested to pick up over the next couple of weeks.

Numbers

Season A ran from April 15-21 and yielded 5,995 turkeys shot in Minnesota, which is down 16% from last year.  Season B ran from April 22-28 and yielded 3,380 turkeys shot, which is up from last year’s 2,963.  Schmitt says reports from Central Minnesota were good and the number of turkeys spotted in Central Minnesota continues to be high.  Season C is underway and will continue until next Tuesday.

Fishing Opener Checklist

The Minnesota walleye fishing opener is set for Saturday May 9.  Schmitt has a checklist for anglers prior to the opener.  Make sure your boat is running correctly, check to make sure you have supplies on the boat, life jackets, lights are working on your trailer, pumps, live wells, all your batteries, and a fishing license.

Live Bait

Live bait is another item that should be on a fisherman’s checklist.  He says as we approach on opener, check with bait shops on their supply of minnows.  Schmitt believes he’ll have a better idea on the supply of live bait next Thursday.  He says shiner and rainbow minnows will be highly sought after prior to the opener.  Schmitt says fishing panfish can be a good Plan B option during opening weekend if the walleye bite isn’t good.

If you’d like to listen to my conversation with Glen Schmitt, click below.

Video footage from the University of Minnesota’s Voyagers Wolf Project has captured extremely rare evidence of cougar reproduction in the state.

The video shows a female cougar with three large kittens. It’s the first evidence of cougars reproducing in Minnesota in more than 100 years.

Researchers with the Voyagers Wolf Project placed cameras over a GPS-collared deer they suspected was killed by the cats. The video shows the kittens up close and feeding on the carcass.

Officials say the cameras have captured lone wandering males eight times since 2023, but none of the cameras have ever captured cougar kittens.

The kittens are estimated to be between seven and nine months old, suggesting they were born last fall.

The Department of Natural Resources says cougars were native to Minnesota before becoming locally extinct. There hasn’t been evidence of reproduction east of the Dakotas and Nebraska in more than 100 years, until recent reports in Michigan and now in Minnesota.

Cougars almost always avoid human contact or confrontation and are rarely seen.

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The species are protected in Minnesota with no open harvest season.

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The 62nd Teacher of the Year ceremony will take place on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at the St. Paul RiverCentre. The announcement will be made between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Facebook.

There are 10 finalists for the award, including St. Cloud Apollo biology teacher Devon Bowker and St. Cloud’s Lincoln Elementary 4th-grade teacher Paige Janorschke.

Read More: Learn About The Minnesota Teacher Of The Year Finalists From St. Cloud |

Read More: Meet The St. Cloud Teacher Of The Year Finalists |

There were 128 candidates in this year’s original field.

The Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be selected by an independent panel representing leaders in education, business, nonprofits, and government. Education Minnesota organizes the Minnesota Teacher of the Year program.

Minnesota has produced four National Teachers of the Year, more than any state except Washington and California.

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The incident happened on Highway 24 in Clear Lake at around 7:45 a.m.

The Minnesota State Patrol says a bus driven by 76-year-old Donald Cook of St. Cloud was southbound on Highway 24. Meanwhile, a car driven by 48-year-old Joleen Aguilar of Clear Lake was northbound on the highway.

The two vehicles collided, sending Aguilar to Monticello Urgent Care with non-life-threatening injuries. Cook was not hurt.

The patrol did not indicate whether any students were on the bus at the time of the crash.

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Exciting Time of Year

Trombley says commencement is why they do what they do as these students make their families proud of their accomplishment.  He says they are excited for this time of year as their students look to start their careers.

What Student Affairs Offers

Trombley says his responsibility on campus is to support the student experience.  He says they strive to create an engaging student experience which encourages involvement in clubs, activities on campus and events students go to.  Other services SCSU offers include counseling, and student accessibility services.

Recruitment and Retention

A goal of new SCSU President Dr. Greg Tomso is to recruit and retain students.  Trombley says SCSU offers emergency services through their Dean of Students.  He says an example would be if a student’s vehicle needs $700 in repairs and they don’t have the funds to cover it.  Trombley says this emergency fund can help students.  He says the money for the emergency services comes from generous donors.

Tours

Trombley says tours of campus are important in recruiting students.  He says often times the experience students have on the tour play a role in their decision.  He says it’s everyone’s job on campus to recruit students because you never know what experience tips the scales on what their decision will be.

If you’d like to listen to my conversation with Matt Trombley, click below.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation will reconstruct Highway 95 from west of Fern Street near the Rum River to east of Dellwood Street, including underground utilities and sidewalks.

The work will prompt through traffic to detour via Cypress Street and Second Avenue SW for westbound traffic and Second Avenue SW and Birch Street South for eastbound traffic.

In late July, crews will move eastward and begin phase two of this year’s work to reconstruct Highway 95 from east of Dellwood Street to west of Main Street.

The 2026 portion of this project will continue through mid-October.

In 2027, MnDOT will reconstruct Highway 95 from west of Main Street to east of Fillmore Street. The highway will also be widened in 2027 to four lanes, starting east of Birch Street to its current configuration at Emerson Street.

The $18-million project will be completed in the fall of 2027.

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St. John’s Prep in Collegeville has had a partnership with Melk, Austria, for 60 years.

The first group of students from St. John’s Prep left for Austria on September 1st, 1966.

The first year was 16.  I was over with a group of 18.  The largest group we had was 24.  In the beginning, it was very attractive for the students here to travel to Europe.

Retired teacher Emmy Sack says they’ve had nearly 500 students from St. John’s spend an entire academic year in Austria over the past 60 years. Students from Melk also come to Collegeville every year.

They were a little bit smaller at the very beginning, and now it’s actually the opposite.  Now, we have a larger group from Austria coming in than what we send over there.

The Austrians only stay for one semester in the fall. The students from St. John’s live with host families while they are in Austria. The Austrian students stay in the boarding facility while they are at St. John’s Prep.

St. John’s Prep currently has three students studying at Stift Melk: Abigail Malikowski of St. Cloud, Isabelle Boyce of St. Joseph, and Ryan Mahowald of Sartell. Abigail and Ryan are juniors, and Isabelle is a sophomore.

Ryan is a third-generation Melk student. His grandfather, Bob Mahowald, was part of the first cohort. His dad, also Bob Maholwald, studied in Melk in 1994. Ryan’s sister, Megan, also studied in Melk in 2023.

Sack says he’s hopeful the tradition will continue for many years to come.

Hopefully we’ll continue for many years to come, because it is really a great thing for our students, and also for the Austrians when they come here, to experience a different culture, learn the language, see how everything works in a country, economy, politics, and so on.

Sack says several American students enrolled in the program have married Austrians over the years.

A 60th anniversary reunion is being planned for this June in Melk, Austria. They get together every five years, with the 65th anniversary planned for St. John’s.

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The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened at about 3:30 p.m. on Highway 169 in Livonia Township near Zimmerman.  A vehicle driven by 39-year-old Ashley Vance of St. Cloud was going east on County Road 25, turning to go north on Highway 169.  A second vehicle, driven by 38-year-old Lisa Way of Mahtomedi, was going south on Highway 169.  They collided in the intersection.

Way was taken to Mercy Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  Vance and her passenger, 15-year-old Christina Vance of St. Cloud, both had non-life-threatening injuries.  The State Patrol report did not list a health care facility.

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The Minnesota State Lottery says we had a winning ticket worth $1 million.  The ticket was sold at a Kwik Trip store in Vadnais Heights.

The jackpot was won by two tickets, one sold in Indiana and one sold in Kansas. They’ll split a prize worth an estimated $143 million.

A stunning 27 tickets won a $2 million prize, and 62 tickets won a $1 million prize, in Wednesday night’s drawing

The jackpot now resets to $20 million for the next drawing on Saturday.

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October 23, 1931 – April 26, 2026

Memorial services for Gerald (Jerry) Butkowski, 94, of St. Cloud, will be held at 5:00 p.m. Friday, May 8, 2026, at the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in St. Cloud. Visitation will take place from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home, with Rev. Scott Pogatchnik officiating. Entombment will take place at a later date at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Little Falls. Jerry passed away Sunday, April 26, 2026, at Quiet Oaks Hospice House in St. Augusta. The family wishes to thank the staff at the St. Cloud Hospital and Quiet Oaks Hospice House for the care Jerry received prior to his passing.

Jerry was born October 23, 1931 in St. Cloud to Frank & Elizabeth (Lang) Butkowski. He graduated from Tech High School where he enjoyed working on the printing press. After graduating, he served his country in the United States Air Force. While on temporary duty at the U.S. Pentagon, Jerry met Ruth Flood. Jerry and Ruth were married on June 13, 1953 in Montrose, IL. As a couple they returned to St. Cloud where Jerry worked for Gopher Lumber and Supply for many years. He was a member of St. John Cantius Catholic Church and a member of the Eagles Aerie # 622 in St. Cloud. He enjoyed spending time golfing, camping, woodworking at Whitney, spending time with family and friends at Lake Edward, and watching the Minnesota Twins. Jerry loved being a father, grandfather, and great grandfather, often attending sporting events, giving advice on home or auto maintenance, or getting ice cream from the local Dairy Queen.

He is survived by his wife Ruth of St. Cloud; children, Karen Kloeppner of St. Cloud; Steven (Kim) Butkowski of St. Cloud; Brad (Patty) Butkowski of St. Michael; sister, Clara Vreeland of Sartell; 8 grandchildren (Kristin, Kelly, Julie, Brandon, Kyle, Jeff, Katie, and Jason) and 6 great grandchildren (Elise, Madison, Ridley, Piper, Bennett, and Maxwell).

He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Sylvester, Ervin, Clarence, and Andy; sisters, Viola Lane and Lorraine Smith.

April 25, 1933 – April 28, 2026

Theresa A. Schreur, age 93 of Princeton, MN, passed away on April 28, 2026, at Elim Meadows Health Care Center in Milaca. Funeral Services will be on Monday, May 4, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Princeton. Pastor Mark Brouwer will officiate. Visitation will be on hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at the Pease Cemetery in Pease.

Theresa Alice was the first born of seven to Steven and Bertha (Dykstra) Visser on April 25, 1933, in Ogilvie. The family moved several times in her younger years but eventually resided in the Brooten/Belgrade area where she completed the 8th grade. As a young adult Theresa and her sister, Arlene, worked as nursing assistants in Minneapolis. After a short time, Theresa returned to Brooten and worked at the Paynesville hospital. Theresa married Melvin Schreur on June 13, 1958. Together they were blessed with six children and raised them on the Schreur family farm near Pease. She did all she could to help with farm chores and caring for the family. They attended Pease Christian Reformed Church until 1994 when they moved to Princeton, then they switched to Bethel Christian Reformed Church. She was involved in the Christian program for the developmentally disabled. Theresa enjoyed gardening, baking, knitting, reading, bird watching, traveling, and putting together puzzles. She especially loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Theresa will be greatly missed as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to all who knew her.

Theresa is survived by her children, Kevin (Rena) Schreur of Milaca, Karen Schreur of Milaca, Tim Schreur of Milaca, Randall Schreur of Princeton, Bryan Schreur of Tyler, TX and Troy Schreur of Waite Park; six grandchildren, Malakai (Mariah) Schreur, Makana Schreur, Coral (TJ) Hobbs, Pearl (Anthony) Moede, Chris (Nila) Pederson, and Jake (Crystal) Pederson; 15 great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Melvin; and siblings, George, Arlene, Kenneth, Richard, Stanley, and Moris.

SARTELL SABRES 5 ST. CLOUD CRUSH 4

The Sabres out-hit the Crush nine to seven, including a home run, two doubles, and a sacrifice fly. The starting pitcher for the Sabres was Nolan Hemker; he threw 5 1/3 innings to earn the win. He gave five hits, four runs, two walks, and he recorded seven strikeouts.

The Sabres’ offense was led by Keaton Landowski, who went 1-3 with a double for two RBIs. Trevor Schlangen went 2-3 with a home run for an RBI, was hit by a pitch, and scored two runs. Mateo Segura went 1-2 with a sacrifice fly for two RBIs, and he scored a run. Brody Thompson went 1-3 with a walk, a stolen base, and he scored a run. Miles Simonsen went 2-4 with a double, Jackson Knot went 1-1, he was hit by a pitch, had a stolen base, and scored a run, and Parker Smith went 1-3.

The Crush starting pitcher was Brett Pankonin. He threw four innings, he gave up seven hits, five runs, one walk, and he recorded three strikeouts. Amihai Preisley threw two innings, gave up two hits, and recorded one strikeout.

The Crush offense was led by Orion Preisley, who went 1-3 with a double for an RBI, and Everett Stine had a sacrifice fly for an RBI, a walk, and he scored a run. Gerad Hanle went 1-3 for an RBI, a walk, and he had a pair of stolen bases, and Jackson Stuber scored a run. Jared Laudenbach and Addison Dobowey both went 1-4.

SAUK RAPIDS-RICE STORM 6 ZIMMERMAN THUNDER 3

The Storm out-hit the Thunder seven to five, including a big double, and they took advantage of seven walks. Konner Gullette started on the mound for the Storm. He threw four innings to earn the win. He gave up three hits, two runs, three walks, and recorded three strikeouts. Casey Schinkle threw two innings; he gave up two hits, one run, and recorded one strikeout. Alex Zimmer threw one inning.

The Storm offense was led by Nolan Black, who went 1-2 with a double for three RBIs, two walks, and scored a run. Owen Sales went 1-2 for an RBI and two walks, and Griffin Rothstein went 1-4 for an RBI. Tavin Remer went 1-4 for an RBI, and he scored a run. Payton Remer went 1-4 for an RBI, and he scored a run. Brody Sabin went 1-3 with a walk, and he scored a run. Gavin Peterson went 1-4, and he scored a run. Parker Moslier had two walks, a stolen base, and scored two runs.

The Thunder starting pitcher was H. Olson. He threw two innings, gave up five hits, five runs, one walk, and recorded two strikeouts. B. Zahler threw five innings; he gave up two hits, one run, and six walks.

The Thunder offense was led by H. Olson, who went 1-4 for an RBI, and A. Coons went 1-2 with a walk, and he scored two runs. B. Zahler was credited with an RBI, and J. Grubs went 2-2 with a walk, and he scored a run. Matt Holm went 1-3, and K. Wark had a walk.

ROYALTON ROYALS 12 ROCKFORD ROCKETS 11

The Royals out-hit the Rockets sixteen to fifteen, including five doubles and a sacrifice fly, and were aided by ten walks. Jacob Albright started on the mound for the Royals. He threw four innings, he gave up ten hits, nine runs, one walk, and he recorded four strikeouts. Trace Ratke threw six innings to earn the win. He gave up five hits, two runs, three walks, and recorded four strikeouts. The Royals’ offense was led by Jaden Albright, who went 4-6 with a double for three RBIs, and Ryan Swenson, who went 3-6 with a double for two RBIs. Spencer Schmidtbauer went 2-4 with a double for an RBI, two walks, and he scored two runs. Kirk Yourczek went 1-6 with a sacrifice fly for two RBIs, and he scored a run, and Colton Burggraff went 2-6 with a walk. Keaton Nelson went 2-3 with two doubles, a walk, and scored a run, and Jacob Albright went 1-5 with a walk and scored a run. Matt Quinlan went 1-2 for an RBI. He was hit by a pitch, had a walk, and scored a run. Reagon Elliot had two walks and scored two runs, and Gonner Petron had a walk.

The Rockets’ starting pitcher was Billy Bombers. He threw 3 2/3 innings, he gave up eight hits, five runs, four walks, and he had a strikeout. Four pitchers combined for six innings; they gave up eight hits, seven runs, six walks, and recorded four strikeouts. The Rockets’ offense was led by Owen Schuster, who went 3-3 with a sacrifice fly for five RBIs, was hit by a pitch, had a stolen base, and scored a run. Billy Boombers went 2-6 for two RBIs and a stolen base, and Zach Wallen went 1-6 for an RBI, and he scored a run. Chaz Doughty went 2-3; he was hit twice by a pitch, had a walk, two stolen bases, and scored four runs. Trey Cody went 2-4 with a walk, and he scored two runs. Brad Graunke went 2-5, was hit by a pitch, had two stolen bases, and scored two runs. Charley Smith went 2-4 with a walk, and Noah Torborg went 1-6, and he scored a run.

PAYNESVILLE BULLDOGS 14 ACGC FALCONS 3

The Bulldogs out-hit the Falcons fifteen to seven, including four doubles, and they took advantage of eight walks. Reed Johnson started for the Bulldogs. He threw five innings to earn the win. He gave up seven hits, three runs, two walks, and recorded seven strikeouts.

The Bulldogs offense was led by Reed Johnson, who went 3-4 for three RBIs and scored a run, and Matt Hemmingson went 3-4 with a double for an RBI, and he scored a run. Brayden Vanderbeek went 2-4 with a double for an RBI, and he scored a run. Esau Nelson went 1-3 with a double for an RBI, and he scored a run. Eric Paulson went 2-3 with a double for an RBI, and he scored three runs. Nick Utsch went 2-2 for an RBI, a stolen base, and he scored

three runs. Gavin Bulthuis went 1-3 for two RBIs, and he scored two runs. Destin Reiter was credited with two RBIs, and he had a stolen base. Shane Pauls went 1-3 for an RBI, and he scored a run.

The Falcons’ starting pitcher, Jacirel Cardenas, threw four innings. He gave up fifteen hits, four runs, eight walks, and had a pair of strikeouts. The Falcons’ offense was led by Braydon Johnson, who went 2-3 with two doubles for an RBI, and he scored a run; Rowan Molinaro went 1-3. Gage Segner went 1-3 with a double for an RBI, and Scott Saue went 1-2. Reagan Elton went 2-3, and he scored a run, and Brody Straumann scored a run.

BECKER BULLDOGS 13 CAMBRIDGE-ISANTI BLUEJACKETS 0

The Bulldogs out-hit the Bluejackets ten to zero, including four doubles. Hunter Pietrowski started on the mound for the Bulldogs. He threw five innings to earn the win, he gave up two walks, and he recorded eight strikeouts.

The Bulldogs offense was led by Hunter Pietrowski, who went 1-2 for three RBIs, a walk, and he scored a run, and Isaac Guck went 1-3 with a double for an RBI. Cody Deters went 2-3 with a double for two RBIs, and he scored two runs. Nathan Repke went 1-3 for an RBI, he had a stolen base, and he scored two runs. Cayden Denne went 1-2 with a double for an RBI, he was hit by a pitch, and he scored a pair of runs. Riley Girard went 2-4 for an RBI, and he scored a run. Ethan Obermoller went 1-4 with a double, and he scored a pair of runs. Austin Rimmer had a walk, a stolen base, and he scored two runs. Jack Fischer was hit by a pitch, stole a base, and scored a run.

The starting pitcher for the Bluejackets was Blake Wotachek. He threw 3 1/3 innings, he gave up five hits, nine runs, one walk, and he recorded three strikeouts. No. 13 threw 2/3 of an inning; he gave up two hits, two runs, one walk, and one strikeout, and No. 14 threw one inning; he gave up two hits, one run, and he had a strikeout. Their offense included Marcus Hubbard and Bennett Begloff both had a walk and Marcus Hubbard had a walk.

EDEN VALLEY-WATKINS EAGLES 12 BBE JAGUARS 2

The Eagles out-hit the Jaguars sixteen to four, including four doubles and a home run. Their starting pitcher was John Weis. He threw 5 2/3 innings, he gave up four hits, two runs, two walks, and he recorded eight strikeouts, and Nick Becker threw 1/3 of an inning. The Eagles’ offense was led by Torii Berg, who went 3-5 with two doubles for two RBIs, and he scored three runs. Bryce Neiman went 3-4 with a double for three RBIs, two stolen bases, and he scored two runs. Nick Becker went 1-3 with a home run for two RBIs, and Brayden Becker went 1-3, and he was hit by a pitch. Jack Maile went 1-2 with a double for three RBIs and a walk, and Matt Heuring went 2-4 with a stolen base and scored two runs. Blake Glenz went 3-5 for an RBI, and he scored two runs. Jacob Caron went 1-3 for an RBI, a walk, two stolen bases, and he scored a run, and Max Torborg went 1-3 with a walk, a stolen base, and he scored a run.

The Jaguars’ starting pitcher was Noah Jensen. He threw 1 1/3 innings, he gave up six hits, five runs, one walk, and he had one strikeout. Walker Winter threw six innings; he gave up ten hits, seven runs, two walks, and recorded three strikeouts.

The Jaguars’ offense was led by Noah Jensen, who went 1-3 with a double for an RBI, and he scored a run; Aiden Mueller went 1-3 and scored a run. Lance Rademacher went 1-2 with a double, and he had a walk. Tyler Myers went 1-2, and Jace Mueller was hit by a pitch.

BBE JAGUARS 1 KMS FIGHTING SAINTS 0

The Jaguars were out-hit by the Fighting Saints six to five; they did collect a triple and a double. Aiden Mueller started on the mound for the Jaguars. He threw a complete game to earn the win. He gave up six hits, two runs, one walk, and he recorded ten strikeouts.

The Jaguars’ offense was led by Lance Rademacher, who went 1-3 for three RBIs, a stolen base, and he scored a run. S. Loe was credited with an RBI, he was hit by a pitch, he had a stolen base, a walk, and he scored one run. B. Breitbach went 2-3 with a double for two RBIs, a walk, and he scored two runs, and Walker Winter had a stolen base. Aiden Mueller went 1-4 with a triple, a stolen base, and he scored three runs. Tyler Meyers went 1-3 with a walk, and he scored two runs. Noah Jensen was credited with an RBI; he had a stolen base, a walk, and he scored a run.

The Fighting Saints’ starting pitcher was Hunter Egnelke. He threw three innings, he gave up two hits, five runs, three walks, and he recorded seven strikeouts. Gene Carlson threw two innings; he gave up three hits, five runs, one walk, and he recorded one strikeout. Henry Luft threw one inning; he issued one walk. The Fighting Saints’ offense was led by Hunter Engelke, who went 2-4 with a double for two RBIs, and Kyler Payne went 1-4. Charlie Molenaar and Tucker Wiltz both went 1-3, and each scored a run. Colton Noble went 1-3, and Kason Helgeson had a stolen base and a walk.

ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL CRUSADERS 9 PIERZ PIONEERS 1

The Crusaders out-hit the Pioneers twelve to seven, including a pair of doubles, with eight stolen bases, and they took advantage of six walks. Jack Hamak started on the mound for the Crusaders. He threw five innings to earn the win. He gave up five hits, one run, two walks, and recorded two strikeouts. Ryan Liebrenz threw two innings; he gave up two hits.

The Crusaders’ offense was led by Jacob Oliver, who went 3-5 with a double for four RBIs and a stolen base. Sam Oliver went 3-4 for an RBI, and he scored two runs, and Charlie Dolan was credited with an RBI. Henry Schloe went 3-4 with a double, a stolen base, and he scored a run. Jake Murphy went 1-3 for an RBI, a walk, and he scored a run, and Owen Fradette had two walks, a stolen base, and he scored a run. Ryan Liebrenz went 2-4 with a walk, four stolen bases, and he scored two runs. Jack Weihrauch was hit by a pitch, and he scored a run. Nick Plante had two walks, a sacrifice bunt, a stolen base, and he scored a run.

The Pioneers’ starting pitcher was Danny Litke. He threw five innings, he gave up eight hits, five runs, one walk, and he had one strikeout. Sawyer Lochner threw two innings; he gave up four hits, four runs, and five walks.

The Pioneers’ offense was led by Danny Litke, who went 1-2 for an RBI and a walk, and Bo Woitalla went 1-3 with a double, and he scored a run. Preston Saehr went 2-3 with a walk, and Jackson Thielen went 2-3. Connor Hennessy went 1-3, and Link Toops was hit by a pitch.

LITTLE FALLS FLYERS 8 MILACA WOLVES 2

The Flyers out-hit the Wolves, seven to two; they were hit by a pitch five times. Ethan LeMieur stated on the mound, he threw five innings, he gave up one run, three walks, and he recorded thirteen strikeouts. Connor Neu closed it out with two innings of relief. He gave up two hits, one run, and he recorded four strikeouts. The Flyers offense was led by Izaak Kalis, who went 1-4 for two RBIs, and Payton Bartos, who went 1-2 for three RBIs, and he was hit by a pitch. Nolan Sams was credited with an RBI. He was hit by a pitch, had a walk, a stolen base, and scored two runs. Nick Sprang was credited with an RBI. He was hit by a pitch, had a walk, a stolen base, and scored two runs. Ethan LeMieur went 1-3, he was hit by a pitch, and he scored two runs, and Charlie Zwilling went 1-3. Preston Romaine went 2-4 with a stolen base, and Liam Thoma went 1-3; he was hit by a pitch, and he scored a run. Ben Anderson and E. Neu both scored a run.

The Wolves’ starting pitcher was Brady Ouverson. He threw 4 1/3 innings, he gave up three hits, three runs, one walk, and he recorded seven strikeouts. Mitch Hoeck threw 2/3 of an inning; he gave up two hits and three runs. Ben Mott threw one inning; he gave up two hits and two runs. M. VanDerzwaag threw one inning; he gave up a walk and had a strikeout.

The Wolves’ offense was led by Brady Ouverson, who went 1-4 and scored a run, and Isaiah Julien had a walk and scored a run. D. Hakes went 1-3, K. VanDerzwaag and Logan Cramlet both had a walk.

FOLEY FALCONS 17 KIMBALL CUBS 1

The Falcons out-hit the Cubs ten to five hits, including four doubles, a triple, and three sacrifice flies. Noah Gapinski started on the mound for the Falcons. He threw two innings, he gave up two hits, and he recorded four strikeouts. Teddy Rasmussen threw one inning; he gave up three hits, one run, and had one strikeout. Don Dahman threw one inning; he recorded two strikeouts, and Xander Bly threw one inning; he gave up a walk and recorded one strikeout.

The Falcons’ offense was led by Jared Robinson, who went 2-2 with a sacrifice fly for two RBIs, a walk, and he scored a run. Dane Wheeler went 1-2 with a triple for three RBIs, and Brody Kipka went 1-2 for three RBIs, a walk, and he scored two runs. Teddy Rasmussen went 2-3 with two doubles, a walk, and he scored three runs. Noah Gapinski went 1-1 with a double and a sacrifice fly for three RBIs, a walk, and he scored a run. Noah Braun was hit by a pitch, he had a sacrifice fly for two RBIs, two walks, and he scored two runs. Jack Abfalter was credited with an RBI. He had a walk, and he scored a run, and Jordan Lewadowski was credited with a RBI, a walk, and he scored a run. Parker Davin went 1-2 with a double, and he scored two runs. Van Murphy went 1-2 with a walk, and he scored a run. Don Dahman had a walk, and he scored a run. Xander Bly went 1-1, and he scored a run. Porter Lehrer had a walk, and he scored a run, and Owen Bemis had a sacrifice bunt.

The starting pitcher for the Cubs was Devin Gruba. He threw 3 1/3 innings, he gave up seven hits, eleven runs, eight walks, and he had a strikeout. Tanner Kuseske threw 1 1/3 innings; he gave up two hits, six runs, three walks, and recorded two strikeouts. Gavin Mesenbrink threw 1/3 of an inning; he gave up a hit, and he had a strikeout.

The Cubs’ offense was led by Devin Gruba, who went 1-3 for an RBI, and Mason Danelke went 2-2 with a walk, and he scored a run. Tate Winter went 1-2, and he was hit by a pitch. Ryder Schwieters went 1-1, and Andray Stang was hit by a pitch.

READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT

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This is a first for the Minnesota DNR FalconCam.

ACADIA HAS SURPRISED US ALL WITH EGG NUMBER FIVE!

I’ve been watching this nest daily for the past month, and wouldn’t you know, the moment I think that Acadia is done laying all her eggs, she hits us with another one.

Yesterday, I could never catch Acadia off of her eggs, so I assumed that she laid her four eggs and that she was honed in on incubation at this point. But alas! They say that peregrine falcons don’t actually start incubating their eggs until the next-to-last egg is laid.

Her behavior was odd to me, as she DID appear to be spending a bit more time on the nest after egg number 3, but then the next day, I’d find the nest empty on many occasions, with the eggs exposed; falcon parents guarding from afar.

RELATED STORIES: MN FALCON CAM UPDATE: 4 EGGS FOR ACADIA!

ACADIA IS SUDDENLY VERY ATTENTIVE TO HER NEST

This time, after egg number four, I could barely get a glimpse of what was happening, as she is very attentive, as in years past.

This afternoon, I received a notice from the Minnesota DNR that on Tuesday, April 28th, someone on staff had spotted egg number 5 sometime yesterday afternoon.

According to the MN DNR, it’s very rare for a midwestern falcon to lay 5 eggs; yet this is the year our Acadia has done it. It’s the 11th year in this nesting box for our St. Cloud-born female falcon, who is now 13 years old.

ACADIA IS IN HER 11TH YEAR OF NESTING

I was all worried that Acadia may be at the end of her egg-laying years. It seemed to me that she was late in laying the first egg; so I was honestly surprised when we ended up with three eggs in the nest. Now! I realize that Acadia is simply a Falcon Rockstar.

WHEN WILL OUR FALCON EGGS HATCH?

We now know that incubation of the eggs started on April 26th. We should expect to see hatching eggs somewhere around May 29th through May 31st. Last year, Acadia and her beau successfully raised all four of their young; three girls and a boy. Although it’s exciting to see five eggs in the nest, we can only hope that all of them will hatch and that all of them will survive.

Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Pine Grove Zoo in Little Falls opened a few weeks ago, but Hemker Park and Zoo in Freeport opens up this weekend.  It looks like a great weekend to get out and check out the new critters at both attractions.

READ MORE:  Exciting New Residents Join Hemker Park And Zoo This Season

There is still one last weekend to check out Disney’s Frozen at the Paramount Center for the Arts.  You can head down to Minneapolis to see the Wizard of Oz at the Children’s Theatre Company, too.

READ MORE:  New Surprises Await In Children’s Theatre’s Wizard Of Oz

There are always great shows at Pioneer Place on 5th, Gnarly Bard Theater, and the Red Carpet Night Club as well.  Check out the Weekender’s top picks below for some activities to get you out and about this week.

COLLECTOR’S MARKET – ST. CLOUD

You can find lost treasures and reacquire childhood toys your parents may have tossed out on you at an annual event in St. Cloud.  The 3^rd Annual Collectormania is taking place at the Eagles Club in St. Cloud. Find all those lost memories like records, Barbie, Transformers, comics, books, games, and more. Plus, there will be a Mario Kart tournament at 4:00 p.m.  The event is also a fundraiser for the Sauk Rapids Riverside Lions Club.  Free to attend.

Saturday:  12:00 – 5:00 p.m.

PENDANT MAKING – ST. CLOUD

It is only a little over a week until Mother’s Day. Are you trying to think of that perfect or unique gift? How about making mom a one-of-a-kind pendant? The Rock & Art Shop’s Mom’s Who Rock: Pendant Bar is the perfect spot. You will choose mom’s favorite stone and then create a pendant necklace to give to mom, or maybe keep for yourself.  They will have a wide variety of stones available to choose from in different shapes and sizes, and cords and chains to pick from as well.  Or you can even bring in your own stone to use as well.  There will be some treats to have while you work, too.   Pendant making is available while supplies last. The cost is $20 to attend.

Saturday:  11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

KENTUCKY DERBY PARTIES – ST. CLOUD

Celebrate the biggest day in horse racing with two Kentucky Derby Parties in St. Cloud. First, you can hit Iron Street Distillery for their bash. You can dress up, play games, and watch the derby live. Iron Street is teaming up with Dancing with our Stars Jennifer Lamb Randolph for a fundraiser for Big Brothers, Big Sisters for this event. You can also check out Beaudreau’s for their first “Talk Derby to Me” party. There will be a Montucky Special, Mint Juleps for sale, snacks, and games with prizes.  And a meat raffle, Fancy Hat contest, and more.

Iron Street:  Saturday from 4:00 pm. – 10:00 p.m.
Beaudreau:  Saturday from 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY

Introduce your kids to a new hobby, or take one up yourself for free this weekend.  The 36^th Annual Free Comic Book Day is Saturday, and Granite City Comics and the St. Cloud Library are celebrating.  Granite City Comics will have over 50 different free comics to choose from, including the biggies Dungeon Crawler Carl, DC with Sonic the Hedgehog, and the Energon Universe Special (Transformers meets G.I. Joe), along with in-store specials, and potentially an artist signing (watch their Facebook page). The Library will have Free Comic Book Day issues from past years, activities, and challenges.  All Free Comics are on a while supplies last basis.

Granite City Comics:  Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
St. Cloud Library: Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

FRASER FESTIVAL – ST. PAUL

There is something for all kids at the free annual Fraser Festival at the St. Paul River Centre. They will have mini-golf, sticky soccer, an obstacle course, and other games. There will also be a silent disco, which is a sensory-friendly way to experience music by allowing people to control their volume and music type. Plus, therapy dogs, cats, alpacas, and bunnies to pet. And for those budding artists, there will be arts and crafts projects and gardening activities. Oh, and a rock climbing wall. There is so much to do. Fraser Festival is a sensory-friendly event for people with sensory processing differences and the whole community to provide fun interaction for all kids in a judgment-free environment.  The event is Free to attend, but donations are welcome.

Saturday:  9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT

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You have an opportunity to make sure that happens by attending the CARE Pork Chop Dinner, being held at Northern Hollow Winery in Foley on Thursday, May 14th,2026.

WHAT IS CARE?

CARE (Community Action Respecting Elders) is ensuring that our beloved family, friends, and neighbors can continue to live in the home of their choice, with help from C.A.R.E. Community volunteers.

THE PORK CHOP DINNER

The Pork Chop Dinner will take place on Thursday, May 14th, from 4 pm until 7:30 pm at:

Northern Hollow Winery
6120 105th Avenue NE
Foley, MN 56329

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW

Tickets to this event are just $18 for a Porkchop Meal ticket for adults, and kids can choose a hot dog meal for only $5. If you can’t stay for dinner, you can get Take-out if you wish.

To get your tickets, simply stop by the CARE office in Foley located at 321 6th Avenue in Foley.

INCREDIBLE SILENT AUCTION ITEMS TO BID ON

If you purchase your tickets before May 5th, you have a chance to win $50 that you can use towards the amazing silent auction. Some of the Silent Auction items include:

• 2 VIP tickets to MN Twins games on June 1st at 640 pm, with seating behind the Twins dugout, and a cozy blanket donated by Dombrovski Meats.
• $250 gift certificates towards your stay at Aurora Staples Inn in Stillwater.
• Mini Vikings Helmet signed by Will Fries #76 Guard
• Foley Fire Department Firetruck ride to or from school with a meal voucher to McDonald’s in Foley! How fun!!!!

PLANT AND BAKE SALE!

There will also be a plant and bake sale! If you don’t want to purchase the meal, you are still invited to stop by and take part in the sales and auction if you want.

WHAT ELSE DOES ‘CARE’ DO FOR SENIORS 60+?

CARE volunteers provide services free of charge that help seniors stay in their homes, where they find peace of mind and happiness. Some of the services that help them stay in place include:

• Transportation to and from doctors’ appointments
• Shopping
• Homemaking (like washing dishes, dusting, vacuuming)
• Yardwork (like raking and mowing)
• Snow Removal
• Friendly Visits and Phone Calls
• Respite Care
• Minor Home Repairs
• Health and Safety Education
• Food Programs
• Free Home Risk Assessments
• Senior Social Events
• Aging-Well Fitness Classes

NO MORE SENIOR ISOLATION

The goal is not only to assist our seniors in living where they choose but also to reduce senior isolation, and sometimes just a simple visit with someone who cares is all it takes to brighten a senior’s day.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

In honor of the seniors who make a difference in your life, consider becoming a volunteer to give back to the community that never stops supporting you. Whatever time you have available will work, and CARE tries to keep you in the same community where you live, to make it easier for you to help.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION

If you would like to learn more, please contact CAREelders.org or call 320.968.7848, or send an email to: info@CAREelders.org.

It will be the first time Grant and Winans have ever performed at Grand Casino Arena (formerly Xcel Energy Center), and Smith’s first time back since 2013. The show mixes Christmas classics along with career-defining hits to capture the joy of the holiday season.

Amy Grant has 6 Grammys and 6 No. 1 hits.

Grant says she is glad to be heading back on the road to celebrate Christmas with Smith and Winans, and what a gift it is to share the hope and wonder of the Christmas season together.

Michael W. Smith has 3 Grammys and has written 36 No. 1 songs.

Smith commented that Christmas is the most magical time of the year, and getting to tour for a second year with Grant and Winans is something he is incredibly grateful for.

CeCe Winans has 18 Grammys and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The trio has a combined 27 Grammy Awards, numerous number one hits, and decades of combined experience entertaining audiences around the world. “Christmas Together” is in its second year and has expanded to large arenas after starting out playing smaller, more intimate venues. Tickets go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Friday.

READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT

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Housing

Ellering says it is hard for developers to put the effort in to get these investments going due to the financial commitment.  He says the cost of building, land acquisition and infrastructure is so high right now.  Ellering says the only projects they’ve recently been able to more forward are high density housing (apartments).   He would like to see more single family homes developed as opposed to high density housing.  Ellering would also like to see more Townhome options for residents.

Current Sauk Rapids

Sauk Rapids currently has a population of 13,862.  Jason says a big development in city in the last 15-20 years was the revitalization of the downtown when the new bridge was constructed over the Mississippi River connecting Sauk Rapids to St. Cloud.  Ellering says the downtown is the focus of the community.  He says residents have indicated to him that they really like the downtown and would like to see it expanded.

Events That Bring the Public Together

Sauk Rapids has recently made an effort to enhance their parks with improvements to the Clearing and Lions Southside Park, along the river.  The Rock the Riverside Concert series has been a recent nice addition to the area according to Ellering.  Sauk Rapids River Days is held in late June is an event that brings the community together.  The Benton County Fair is also held in Sauk Rapids in early August every year.

Top Employers

The largest employer in Sauk Rapids is now J-Berd, with the school district coming in second. Other notable employers include Good Shepherd, Coborn’s, C&L Distributing, and Huisken Meats.

If you’d like to listen to my conversation with Jason Ellering, click below.

MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS 12 SCSU HUSKIES 1

The Mavericks out-hit the Huskies ten to five, including three doubles and two
home runs. Sam George started on the mound for the Mavericks. He threw six
innings to earn the win. He gave up four hits, one run, and recorded seven
strikeouts. Brady Nelson threw one inning to close it out. He gave up a hit, one
walk, and a strikeout.

CJ led the Mavericks offense. Trask went 3-4 with a home run and a
double for three RBIs, and he scored two runs. Charlie Schau went 2-4 with a
double for two RBIs, and he scored a run. Logan Miller went 1-2 for an RBI, and
he scored a run. Brandon Vicko went 1-2 with a home run for three RBIs, he was
hit by a pitch, and had one walk. Jake Berkland went 1-3 with a sacrifice fly for
two RBIs, and Cole Yearsley went 2-4 with a double for one RBI, a walk, and he
scored three runs. Ethan Powers went 1-1 for an RBI, a walk, and he scored a run.
Eric Nono Jr. went 1-1, and he scored a run. Louis Magers had a walk and
scored a run.

The Huskies’ offense was led by Nick Ibrahim, who went 1-2 with a double, and Austin
Baumhover went 1-3 with a stolen base. Max Robinson was credited with an RBI,
Wyatt Tweet went 1-2, J. Clark went 1-1, Hayden Frank went 1-2, and he scored a
run. Hayden Konkol had a walk, and Josh McGuin had a walk.

MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS 8 SCSU HUSKIES 2

The Mavericks out-hit the Huskies nine to four, including two doubles
and two home runs. JM Crowley started on the mound for the
Mavericks, he threw seven innings to earn the win. He gave up three
hits, three walks, and he recorded ten strikeouts. N. Johnson threw
one inning; he gave up one hit, two runs, one walk, and had a
strikeout. B. Irsfeld threw one inning; he recorded one strikeout.

The Mavericks’ offense was led by CJ Trask, who went 1-4 with a home
run for three RBIs, a walk, and scored a pair of runs. Louis Magers
went 2-4 with a home run, a double, and a triple, an RBI, a walk, and he scored two runs. Jake Berkland went 3-5 with a double, two stolen bases, and he scored a pair of runs. Charlie Schau went 1-4 for an RBI, a walk, and he scored a run, and Logan Miller went 1-3 with a walk. B. Haggith went 1-2, Cole Yearsley scored two runs,
and Ethan Powers had a pair of walks.

The Huskies’ starting pitcher was Brayden Simones. He threw two
innings, he gave up six hits, six runs, and he recorded one strikeout.
Grant Marshall threw two innings; he gave up one hit, one run, and he
recorded two strikeouts. Connor Dolittle threw two innings; he gave
up one hit, one run, and four walks. Will Hess threw two innings; he
gave up one hit, one walk, and recorded two strikeouts.
The Huskies’ offense was led by Wilmis Castro, who went 2-3 with a double
for two RBIs and a walk. Eric Bello went 2-4, Austin Baumhover had
two walks, and he scored a run, Nick Ibrahim scored a run, and Max
Robinson had a walk.

NORTHWESTERN EAGLES 6 ST. JOHNS JOHNNIES 2

The Eagles out-hit the Johnnies eleven to eight. Solomon Kordell
started on the mound for the Eagles. He threw a complete game to
earn the win. He gave up eight hits, two runs, and recorded five
strikeouts.

The Eagles’ offense was led by Jeremiah Holmes, who went 2-3 for two
RBIs and a walk, and Kason Piebruzewski went 4-5 for an RBI. Jack
Burns went 2-3 with a double for an RBI, a walk, and he scored a run,
and Tony Greco went 2-3 with a double for an RBI. Davis Winter was
hit twice by a pitch, he scored a run, and he was credited with a RBI,
and Ben Nixon had a walk. Alex Klein went 1-3 with a walk, and he
scored a run. Parker Huebsch had two walks, and he scored two runs.

The Johnnies’ starting pitcher was Brady Drkula. He threw two innings, gave up two hits, one walk, and recorded two strikeouts. Ben Rudser threw one inning; he gave up one hit, one run, and recorded two strikeouts. Dylan Marciulionis threw 2 1/3 innings; he gave up four hits, four runs, five walks, and had a strikeout, and Joe Larson threw 2/3 of an inning; he gave up a hit.

The Johnnies’ offense was led by Will Koeppen, who went 2-4 with a double
for an RBI, and he scored a run; Riley Schwellenbach went 1-3 with
a stolen base, and he scored a run. Reed Marquardt went 1-3 with a
stolen base, and Mason McCurdy was hit by a pitch. Brendan Hemr
went 1-4, Alex Matchey went 1-3, and Will Wareham went 1-3.

ST. JOHNS JOHNNIES 7 NORTHWESTERN EAGLES 4

The Johnnies were out-hit by the Eagles, seven to five. The Johnnies
did collect one double, and they played solid defense. Noah Jensen
started on the mound for the Johnnies. He threw 3 2/3 innings, he
gave up six hits, four runs, one walk, and he recorded two strikeouts.
C.Theisen threw 3 2/3 innings; he gave up one hit, one walk, and he
recorded four strikeouts.

The Johnnies’ offense was led by Riley Schwellenbach, who went 1-3 for
two RBIs, and he scored a run, and Brendan Hemr went 1-4 for a
RBI. Owen Amrhein went 1-3 for an RBI, and he scored a run and
Justin Brooks was credited with two RBIs. Reed Marquardt went 2-3
With a double, he scored a pair of runs, and Mason McCurdy had
two walks, and he scored two runs. Will Wareham was credited with a
RBI and Alex Matchey and Dawson Frank both had a walk.

The Eagles’ starting pitcher was A. Luepke. He threw three innings, he
gave up one hit, two runs, three walks, and he recorded two
strikeouts. L. O’Rourke threw three innings; he gave up four hits, five
runs, one walk, and one strikeout.

The Eagles’ offense was led by Braden Storts, who went 1-4 with a home
run for an RBI, and Kason Piebruzewski went 2-4. Ben Hixon went 2-3
and he scored a run, and Jack Burns went 1-3, and he scored a run.
Tony Greco went 1-3, A. Kamel was credited with a RBI, and he scored
a run, Jeremiah Holmes was credited with an RBI, and B. Campbell had
two walks

READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT

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Healthcare Hub

Fitzthum says CentraCare Sauk Crossing, which is a new development, is already looking to expand their facility.  He says the city is excited about these developments to their medical campus.  The city of Sartell has requested $22.7 Million in state bonding dollars during this legislative session to pay for infrastructure improvements to the Sartell Medical campus area.  Fitzthum has been in talks with State Representative Tim O’Driscoll and State Senator Jeff Howe.  Fitzthum is optimistic that Sartell will receive these dollars.

Hotel in Sartell

The Wyndham Garden Inn Hotel continues to make progress in its construction off LeSauk Drive in Sartell.  Fitzthum says the roof is now on the building and he was told they expect to open in early November of this year.  He was able to tour the facility with the builders and developers recently.  Fitzthum says the crews are installing windows this week or next week.

River Crossing

The River Crossing development still has 2 openings for additional businesses to move into that development.  Fitzthum expects Panera Bread to break ground on their facility at River Crossing this spring.

Road Projects

Road construction projects in Sartell this spring and summer include the westside reconstruct completion.  Fitzthum says this project started more than a year ago.  He expects that project to be finished this summer.  Grizzly Lane is the largest road construction project of the season in Sartell.  Fitzthum says that project began this week with the road milling already underway.  He says that project will have an impact on the Wilds and Celebration neighborhoods.  Fitzthum says the Grizzly Lane project is a much needed improvement.

Events

The Walk, Bike and Roll event will take place in Sartell on May 13 at Lions Park.  Fitzthum says the event is a free education bike event with information about bike helmets and it will include free hot dogs.  Sartell Summerfest will take place this year in Sartell on June 13 with the parade set to begin at 10am.

If you’d like to listen to my conversation with Ryan Fitzthum, click below.

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) — A building that was severely damaged in a fire over a year ago is finally being torn down on St. Cloud’s east end.

A demolition crew is tearing down the building that stood at the corner of East St. Germain Street and Wilson Avenue.

Read More: Building Fire on East St. Germain Street in St. Cloud |

The fire at 424 East St. Germain Street happened on January 30th, 2025.  There were no occupants in the building, and no injuries were reported.

Through the end of the day on Friday, May 1st, traffic on Wilson Avenue Southeast will operate under a lane shift from East St. Germain Street to 1st Street Southeast, due to the building demolition.

Traffic control will be lifted when active work is not taking place and will resume the following morning when the work starts again.

Traffic will be maintained in both directions within narrowed lanes.  You are reminded to slow down and use caution when driving through the work area.  

President Robin Heinen says they’ll have about 40 vendors at the height of the season.

June through September, we have full produce, so that’s when we have the most vendors.  Before that, we probably have 25 to 30 vendors in May.

The early season vendors will offer products like baked goods, meat, and eggs.

Heinen says the market is about more than just shopping.

Just trying to create an experience for people to have, not just to come buy food, but come out and enjoy the morning.  We have a seating area, so you can come and relax and get some coffee and Backwards Bread, then do your shopping as well.

They’ll have some special activities on certain Saturdays, and the Great River Children’s Museum plans to be there on a few Saturdays this summer as well.

Heinen says if you don’t have cash in your pocket, they take credit and debit cards.

If you come to the market and you don’t have cash, you can use your credit card and get tokens.  Also, for people who use Snap and EBT, you can get tokens, with bonus dollars available for using Snap and EBT at the market.

The St. Cloud Area Farmers Market runs every Saturday from May through the end of October. Their hours are 8:00 a.m. to noon in the Lady Slipper Lot in downtown St. Cloud.

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The CentraCare Foundation has donated $58,856.54 to help support Meals on Wheels, senior dining, and other nutrition programs that help older adults get healthy and reliable meals across central Minnesota.

The award will help Catholic Charities continue to invest in the health, independence, and well-being of seniors in our communities.

Catholic Charities says seniors who face food insecurity will continue to have access to nutritious food, which is a critical component of healthy aging.

Catholic Charities Senior Nutrition programs provide meals, daily wellness checks and social connections to at-risk, homebound, ill, and vulnerable adults age 60 and older.

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On Wednesday, the Rox released their full promotional schedule for the upcoming 2026 season. Here are some of the highlights!

FRIDAY, MAY 29th

HOME OPENER

Former Minnesota Twins catcher Brian Harper will be on hand to sign autographs and meet fans with a fireworks show happening after the game.

SATURDAY, MAY 30th

PIGGY BANK GIVEAWAY/QUARTER DROP

The first 300 kids receive a piggy bank at the gate. After the game, $1,000 worth of quarters will be dropped on the field for kids to collect in their piggy banks.

SATURDAY, JUNE 13th

ROX CAP GIVEAWAY

The first 500 fans will receive a Rox rope hat.

SUNDAY, JUNE 21st

FATHER’S DAY

A special ticket will get you a hat for dad and a chance to play catch on the field before the game.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24th

ZOOPERSTARS

” –>

The national entertainment act will perform throughout the game.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25th

ROX YOUTH JERSEY GIVEAWAY

The first 300 kids through the gates will receive a Rox replica jersey.

MONDAY, JUNE 29th

PICKLEBALL PADDLE GIVEAWAY

The first 400 fans will receive a Rox pickleball paddle.

THURSDAY, JULY 2nd

PINT GLASS GIVEAWAY NIGHT

The first 500 fans aged 21 and older will receive the Rox pint glass.

MONDAY, JULY 13th

JORDAN BARTH JERSEY RETIREMENT NIGHT

” –>

The Rox will retire former ROCORI and ROCORI standout Jordan Barth’s #1 jersey before the game and will offer $1 hot dogs while supplies last.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22nd

MICHAEL BUSCH BOBBLEHEAD

” –>

The first 500 fans will receive a bobblehead of former St. Cloud Rox and current Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch.

THURSDAY, JULY 23rd (DOUBLEHEADER)

TYLER’S AMAZING BALANCING ACT

” –>

Tyler will balance things on his face throughout the games.

MONDAY, JULY 27th

BASEBALL CARD SET

The Rox will give away a complete set of cards featuring the 2026 roster to the first 500 fans.

TUESDAY, JULY 28th

MINI BAT GIVEAWAY

The first 300 kids through the gates will receive a Rox mini bat.

MONDAY, AUGUST 3rd

BARK IN THE PARK

Fans can bring their canine friend to the ballpark for this special game.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5th

KICKBALL GIVEAWAY

The first 300 kids through the gates will receive a kickball.

Court records show 32-year-old Jawaanza Jones has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of threats of violence in exchange for five other charges to be dropped, including three 2nd-degree assault charges.

St. Cloud Police officers were called to the 500 block of 14th Street South on January 3rd for a report of a man with a gun. Officers met with a man who said he was inside an apartment with a woman when Jones broke down the door, racked a handgun, and pointed it at everyone. Jones is then accused of pistol-whipping the woman in the head and telling everyone to leave.

When police made contact with the victim, she would not allow the officers inside the apartment and said nothing had happened.

Two days later, the victim called the police to report domestic abuse. She told officers that Jones had been punching and hitting her over the past six months because he feared she was cheating on him.

The woman showed officers lacerations on her head and bruises and swelling around her eyes.

The victim estimated she had been pistol-whipped 20 times over the six-month time period.

Jones will be sentenced on June 25th.

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Paynesville was founded in 1857.

The Paynesville Chamber’s Executive Director, Jacob Bertram, says they are targeting tourists from all over:

“We certainly want the outreach to grow throughout the state, if not outside of state with our neighboring states, for people to know what’s going on. Of course, we’re in the beginning stages of promoting it all, so it’s one step at a time, but we hope to really market to the whole state.”

Bertram says they really want to hit the Twin Cities and other towns south of Paynesville that analytics show people like to travel north to get away.

Paynesville was founded by Edwin E. Payne.

Explore Paynesville will emphasize things like the city’s thriving resorts on Lake Koronis, craft brewery, island camping, classic movie theater, golfing, and other outdoor activities. Bertram says small towns have a lot to offer:

“You kind of get the rural setting of Minnesota and experience our lakes and our countryside, and you also get to experience many of the amenities and attractions we have, so we’re hoping to kind of grow the base, kind of get more people involved as we continue on.”

Bertram says Explore Paynesville hopes to inspire travelers to discover the town’s rich heritage, vibrant local businesses, and the enjoyment of small-town life. The chamber wants the organization’s website, ExplorePaynesville.com, to serve as a central hub for promoting all things Paynesville.

READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT

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Right now, a Princeton teacher has been nominated for America’s Favorite Teacher…and if she wins, she could win some pretty incredible prizes, including a visit to her school from Bill Nye the Science Guy!

AMERICA’S FAVORITE TEACHER COULD WIN SOME AWESOME PRIZES

One incredible teacher is going to be chosen as America’s Favorite Teacher and will win $25,000, a trip to Hawaii, an appearance in Reader’s Digest, and, as I mentioned earlier, a ‘school assembly’ with Bill Nye the Science Guy!!!! How cool is that?

What’s extra exciting about this year’s contest is that one of our own has made the Quarter Finals!

QUARTER-FINALIST MICHELLE HALLBECK OF PRINCETON COULD WIN IT ALL!

It was posted on Princeton’s Bulletin Board that Michelle Hallbeck is in the running to be America’s Favorite Teacher, and along with the major prizes that we mentioned, she also has a chance to win a $1,000 ‘Library Refresh’ from Lerner Publishing Group, and a pallet of paper from Hammermill. For any school to get these kinds of prizes, it has to help with costs!

OTHER STORIES: Support Request Timmer’s Family After Tragic Car Crash

WHY DID MICHELLE BECOME A TEACHER?

Why did Michelle become a teacher? Michelle says she had an amazing experience when she was in high school, during a course called ‘Exploring Childhood’ that was for anyone interested in a career in education. She was assigned to an elementary teacher named Ann Jorgenson, a first-grade teacher. Michelle says she witnessed Ann’s love for teaching and the excitement she felt when her students learned something new. That was the moment Michelle knew teaching is what she wanted to do. She was lucky enough to receive a teaching job at that same school many years later.

Michelle says she likes to inspire children to be themselves, know that they are cared for and loved, and encourages each one to make a difference in the world.

INSPIRING AND EDUCATING KIDS FOR 31 YEARS AND RUNNING

Michelle has dedicated her life to teaching for the past 31 years, and when asked what she would do with the $25,000, she said she would love to take her family of 12 (including kids, spouses, and grandchildren)on their FIRST family vacation, and she would invest in her grandbabies’ college savings accounts. She also wants to put some in an account that will grow interest to use to buy supplies for her classroom each year.

HOW TO VOTE FOR MICHELLE HALLBECK

To help Michelle become America’s Favorite Teacher, we need to buckle down! Cast your vote daily, and you can make an even bigger impact if you make a tax-deductible donation that will benefit the Planetary Society.

To vote for Michelle Hallbeck…click HERE now.

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The Minnesota State Patrol says the incident happened at about 5:40 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 24 and 179th Street North in Wright County.  A vehicle being driven by 21-year-old Benjamin Bieniek of Holdingford was going south on Highway 24.  A vehicle driven by 27-year-old Harlan Nohava of Kimball was going north on Highway 24, attempting to turn onto 179th Street North, when they collided.

Bieniek was taken to St. Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  Nohava was not hurt.

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