Good morning, St. Cloud.

The YMCA's Promenade returns on Thursday, Oct.

1 at Harvester Square Event Center (above Iron Street Distillery on East St. Germain) showcasing wine, craft beer, food and carnival vibes to support community programs. Early bird tickets are on sale until Labor Day, Sept. 7.

Local fans suggest opening physical ticket outlets from 8 — 10 a.m. before online sales begin at 10 a.m. to secure face value tickets and curb reselling; they say a short in-person window could level the playing field for upcoming concerts and sporting events.

Leighton Events will host St. Cloud Craft Bev & Ciderfest at Dick Putz Field on Sept.

12. Thirty breweries, cideries, wineries and distilleries will serve drinks in an Oktoberfest theme with VIP entry at 1:00 p.m. at 5001 Veterans Drive and closing at 5:00 p.m., adults only event supports United Way.

Diesel fuel hit a record high today at $5.65 a gallon after a 15 cent overnight spike, causing rising costs for farmers, local governments & school districts that rely on diesel-powered vehicles.

Experts say the fuel surge may eventually push consumer prices higher at local stores.

In Minnesota, nearly 9,000 children remain on the waitlist for childcare assistance as families work and attend classes.

In-home health aide Deaira Gresham received a parenting student grant this fall & expects the support to ease her financial challenges.

St. Cloud's new Inspiration Space Port will soon show the Shuttle Inspiration mock-up with a 175-ft dome, STEM exhibits, and a mobile Shuttle Bus (designed for interactive learning).

More than half of Minnesota is in severe drought after the extreme drought footprint grew to 4.57% as of Tuesday, Sept.

1, state data showed. St. Cloud draws its drinking water from the Mississippi River, so officials are urging residents to cut back on water use indoors and out.

Herb Brooks National Hockey Center at SCSU is nearly finished with new upgrades including a replacement chiller and a smaller standard ice sheet.

Final tweaks are expected today and tomorrow and fans can attend Night with the Huskies fundraiser at Atwood Memorial Center on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Drought conditions are expected to affect waterfowl hunting as early teal season runs from Saturday, Sept.

5 to Wednesday, Sept. 9 and Canada goose season continues until Sept. 20, with hunters advised to check their usual boat launch spots beforehand.

Seven St. Cloud teams and 11 local umpires will compete in the final weekend of the Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament, with Class A, B and C games scheduled Saturday and championships set for Sunday and Monday in Chaska, New Prague, Jordan and Shakopee.