Good morning, St. Cloud.

The Central Minnesota Community Foundation awarded $40,000 in grants to eight local organizations, including $30,000 for special needs programs and $10,000 for men’s health initiatives supporting services for people with disabilities and boys and men.

A memorial service for Patsy R.

Mader, who passed away January 29 in Sartell, is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 11:00 a.m. with a one-hour visitation at Atonement Lutheran Church in St. Cloud.

A heating lamp is suspected to have caused a barn fire on Wednesday morning near Avon that killed chickens and several puppies — fire crews from Albany, Melrose, Holdingford, St. Stephen, and Mayo Ambulance Service responded before the barn was lost.

This Valentine's Day, couples can try a glass-blowing workshop in Duluth, a weekend retreat in the North Woods, and new local restaurants and shows in St. Cloud (offering creative ways to celebrate), adding a fresh spin to the holiday.

St. Cloud State University’s applied behavior analysis programs earned a seven‐year accreditation from the Association for Behavior Analysis International, making its online program the only one globally with this distinction as students train at the Linda and Richard Offerdahl Autism Discovery Center (a teaching hub for practical experience).

A contest with 128 teachers will determine the 62nd Teacher of the Year at a May 3 banquet at the St. Paul River Centre.

The event honors educators from pre-kindergarten to adult education.

St. Cloud Police will add two trained mental health co-responders starting Sunday to manage crisis calls using new funding ($667,000) that supports the program for three years.

The partnership with Central Minnesota Mental Health Center will help reduce repeat calls for behavioral emergencies.

At Iron Street Distillery in St Cloud, a Galentine event for friends is set for Friday, Feb.

13 and a dinner with Michael Shynes and guests is planned for Saturday, Feb. 14 with seating at 4:30 p.m.; both events require reservations + tickets.

St. Cloud State men's hockey is set to face Miami-Ohio in a critical home series tonight at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 6 p.m. as Coach Brett Larson said the 13–13 Huskies plan to climb the standings in pursuit of an NCAA berth.

After clinching the Granite Ridge Conference with a 6-4 win over Northern Lakes, the Cathedral Crusaders have moved up to 12th in the Class A rankings; the team will play at Providence Academy Thursday night.

2026 St. Cloud Sportsmen’s Show

10 AM – 3 PM — St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center — Entry fee varies — Explore the best in outdoor gear and family-friendly activities at this beloved local event.

Snowshoeing for Beginners Class

1-2:30 p.m. — Riverside Park — Free entry — Experience winter magic with expert-guided snowshoeing and hot chocolate by the fire.

Machine Knitting Camp 2026 - February Session

10 a.m. – 6 p.m. — Rocking Horse Farm — Registration required — Engage in a knitting machine retreat for all skill levels with hands-on learning and community fellowship.