My Life

The long 4th of July weekend kept those working in the Stearns County Sheriff's Office busy. Sheriff Steve Soyka joined me on WJON. He says they saw an increase in calls over the long weekend but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle or too major.

The amount of people on the roads accelerates on 4th of July weekend in Minnesota. State Trooper Sargent Jesse Grabow joined me on WJON. He has some tips for motorists.

Minnesota offers many great options to watch fireworks in 2024. Jake Juliot from Explore Minnesota highlights some spots to celebrate America.

The Waite Park Police Department is offering home alone safety classes for kids ages 9-12 July 23-24 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Two sessions to choose from. The cost is $20 for each child.

Former St. Cloud State basketball player Forrest Witt is offering basketball camps in the St. Cloud area including one at Whitney Recreation Center July 16-18. Witt is the current Alexandria High School basketball coach who led the Cardinals to the State Tournament in 2023 and advanced to the State Tournament last month.

The St. Cloud Police Department are reporting a stolen vehicle on the 800 block of 17th Avenue South where a 2012 black Kia Optima with heavy front passenger side damage from a previous accident, was taken.

The cost of goods and services have been on the steady increase. St. Cloud State University Economist King Banaian joined me on WJON. He says wages are catching up with inflation but that also carries consequences. Banaian believes if wages go up too much it will cause interest rates to stay higher for longer because the Federal Reserve will feel like inflation hasn't made enough progress and they won't cut rates.

Freeport is a small town in Central Stearns County in Oak Township with a population of 632. Freeport's water tower with a smiley face greets travelers along I-94 daily. Freeport wasn't always called Freeport.

Like rainbow sprinkles on a cold scoop of vanilla, Minnesota’s small towns are both abundant and delightful. From well-known small towns like Ely, Pipestone and Nisswa, to the truly tiny towns highlighted below, there’s nothing quite like exploring a small Minnesota town with family, friends or even solo.

Southern and northern Minnesota have each dealt with quite a bit of rain in the past couple weeks. Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON. He says many areas south of the Twin Cities and north of the arrowhead are flooded.