Good morning, St. Cloud.

The new Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial Garden opened at Heritage Regional Park on Wednesday evening as pet owners hung collars on the bridge to remember their animals; future work focuses on improving accessibility + adding park benches soon.

The 2nd Annual Disability Pride Celebration will be held tomorrow at Atonement Lutheran Church (1144 29th Avenue North) from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The free event will include an open house, rally and activities to celebrate abilities and bring the community together.

A study tracking nearly 8 million McDonald’s checks from Oct.

2020 to July shows Minnesota restaurants have reliable shake machines – they are down only 11.5 percent of the time, giving local customers better odds for treats. National Ice Cream Day will be held on July 19.

Mongo’s Grill reopened in St. Cloud after the City Council approved its liquor license transfer.

The restaurant now opens daily from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 3701 West Division Street under local owner Jim Howard, who said outstanding gift cards are being addressed.

Minnesota residents can submit original artwork for a new State Parks and Trails specialty plate as part of the state's first contest in 10 years.

The contest (AI-generated art is not allowed) accepts online entries from Sept. 15 to Oct. 31.

Researchers say Minnesota's state bird, the common loon, is closer to penguins than ducks.

The genetic study (using taxonomic analysis) shows the birds share an ancestor from 40 to 50 million years ago and both have dense bones for diving.

Luke Langner of St. Cloud Public Services said that the Mississippi River, which supplies the city's drinking water, is below normal because of drought near Bemidji - the agency urges residents to conserve water while several infrastructure projects continue toward completion this fall.

The Saint Cloud Area Planning Organization has formed a Citizens’ Transportation Advisory Committee to gather input on how residents walk, bike, drive, or take the bus around town.

Community members can join the discussion to help shape regional transportation planning.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has upgraded the air quality alert to maroon for central Minnesota because of dense wildfire smoke that brings hazardous conditions.

Residents, especially those with lung or heart issues (including children and older adults), should stay indoors until cleaner air arrives by Friday morning.

Rising 90-degree temps and warm waters have driven local anglers to start early, switching from minnows to leeches and nightcrawlers for walleye.

Fisherman Glen Schmitt advises targeting bluegills and bass in lakes near Central Minnesota as fires near Ely affect tourism.

The Pearl Lake Lakers beat the Cold Spring Rockies 8-3 today, with Austin Lenzmeier hitting a home run and a double that drove in key runs.

The game energized local baseball fans and showcased strong offense at the Pearl Lake field.

The Rox dropped a 2-0 decision to the MoonDogs Wednesday night in Southern Minnesota as starter Emerson McKnight struck out nine in 5.1 innings & recorded only three hits.

They will host the LaCrosse Loggers at Joe Faber Field on Tuesday.

Jim Gaffigan Live Performance

7:30-10:30 p.m. — The Ledge Amphitheater — Get your tickets today — Jim Gaffigan brings his comedic flair to Waite Park for an entertaining night.