Good morning, St. Cloud.

Avivo, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit, opened its new 48-unit homeless shelter at 3100 First Street South on Friday, Oct.

2. Residents are set to begin moving in the week of Oct. 19.

The Downtown Art Crawl will run from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday in downtown St. Cloud with a new mural debut on the Stihl Wolf building.

Attendees can meet artist Megan McDowell and explore art displays across various indoor and outdoor venues + scan QR codes for maps.

Stearns History Museum in St. Cloud is raising funds to update its 18,000 sqft Collections Facility in Heritage Park before winter arrives — the campaign has reached $140,000 of a $300,000 goal so the HVAC system updates can begin.

As of August, the area lost 650 jobs compared to last year as retirements and relocations shrank the labor force, economist King Banaian said.

His report noted that local growth has lagged behind national trends driven by data centers and AI while retail and hospitality remain steady.

St. Cloud's fall colors are expected to peak around Oct.

16 as shifts in temperature and daylight length delay the display from the late September norm (state climatologists explain the trend).

The Minnesota DNR launched a new electronic deer license system in June and urges hunters to purchase licenses early before firearms season opens Saturday, Nov.

7 (assistance will be available for transferring old records).

A recent WalletHub study ranked Minnesota as the seventh-safest state by noting its low vehicle fatalities and strong workplace safety.

It highlighted that Minnesota has the second-fewest road fatalities — trailing only Massachusetts.

Local fall colors have transformed overnight with bright yellows, oranges and reds that may vanish within a week if winds pick up.

Residents are encouraged to savor the scenery with a walk or drive in the neighborhood before nature changes the palette — a fleeting Minnesota moment.

Two developers pitched visions for the 3.27-acre former Tech High School site: one plan offers 116 market apartments and the other proposes 71 units + retail space.

The Economic Development Authority will review the proposals at a meeting Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. with construction expected to begin early 2027.