Good morning, St. Cloud.

The ROCORI Area Expo will be held on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the River Lakes Civic Arena in Richmond where over 60 businesses will offer local services, a bounce house, carnival games, and new attractions such as the ROCORI FFA Petting Zoo and Lion's Vision and Hearing Screenings; the expo is free to attend.

Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America awarded nearly $29,000 in grants to 23 farmers market organizations and up to $500 to 12 vendors in Sauk Rapids, St. Cloud and Paynesville.

The funds will support marketing, technology or educational efforts as part of the program’s seventh year—helping local markets boost their outreach.

Dr. Laurie Putnam said she was thrilled after 62% of voters approved the plan that will use $50 million for safety upgrades at Apollo, including fire suppression and secure entrances.

The school will update its science labs and redesign learning spaces for flexible career and technology programs; a planned $15 million indoor athletic facility received 54% voter support and its groundbreaking will be set later — these changes aim to benefit students and the community.

Students at Holdingford High School built a new greenhouse that triples their growing space for vegetables, herbs, and flowers—using a year-long project with FFA alumni that involved hands-on construction work.

The school will host an open house on May 3rd from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. to showcase the facility.

High school students from St. Cloud and the Twin Cities Metro area can enter the 2025 Congressional Art Competition — a contest that offers winners a display in Congress and a chance to travel to Washington D.C. — by submitting their work to Congressman Tom Emmer’s office in Otsego by 6:00 p.m. on April 23rd.

The city of St. Cloud is set to start a major road construction project on Lincoln Avenue in East St. Cloud with complete reconstruction from 7th Street Southeast to 1st Street Southeast and a mill and overlay north of 1st Street—Public Services Director Tracy Hodel said bids will be awarded in mid-May and construction will continue through late fall. Additional infrastructure work on wastewater system upgrades, the Beaver Island Trail, and Pantown neighborhood improvements will be completed over the summer.

Benton County officials invited residents to open houses for a proposed new government center that will cost nearly $30 million to replace an aging facility—these events include an open house on Wednesday at Sauk Rapids Government Center from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and additional sessions on April 16 at the Board room and on April 17 at Rice City Hall, along with tours of the current center on April 16 and May 6.

Mary Poppins Musical

7:30-11:30 p.m. — Paramount Center for the Arts — Ticket prices vary — Experience a magical performance that captivates audiences of all ages with stunning talent and visuals.

Live Music at Legends Bar & Grill

8-10 p.m. — Legends Bar and Grill — Free entry — Enjoy an evening of live music at a local favorite venue.

Easter Egg Hunt & Touch-A-Truck

10 AM – 12 PM — Sherburne History Center — Free entry — Celebrate Easter with the biggest egg hunt in Sherburne County featuring fun activities and a Touch-A-Truck event.

Earth Day Succulent Make & Take

3-6 p.m. — Crossroads Center — Free entry — Celebrate Earth Day by planting your own succulent in a fun and creative environment.

SAFe® 5.1 Lean Portfolio Management Training

9 AM – 1 AM — St. Cloud, Minnesota — $1299 early bird — Gain practical tools for implementing Lean Portfolio Management in a hands-on training course.

C. Willi Myles Comedy Show

7:30-9 p.m. — Paramount Center for the Arts — Tickets required — Experience the humor of America’s Everyday Comedian with relatable stories from life in the South to Minnesota.

Song of Wisdom: Old Turtle in Concert

The St. John's Prep Orchestra, Band, and Choir present "Song of Wisdom" based on the book "Old Turtle" and narrated by the author, Douglas Wood. This free show is Monday, May 5th at 7:00 at the Stephen B. Humphrey theater on the campus of St. John's University.

Battle of the Bands featuring Slip Twister

6:30 p.m. — Paramount Center for the Arts — Tickets available — Enjoy a night of local high school bands competing and a special performance by the legendary Slip Twister.

Magic The Gathering - Commander League

7-10:30 p.m. — Sneak Attack's Games — $10 — Compete in Commander League and earn points towards exclusive Magic The Gathering rewards.