Good morning, St. Cloud.

The CPKC Holiday Train returned yesterday to central Minnesota with free concerts and food bank support as it stopped in Buffalo at 6:00 p.m., in Annandale at 7:30 p.m., and in Eden Valley at 9:00 p.m. The festively lit train featured performers Lanco and Tiera Kennedy.

The Dream Center in St. Cloud is hosting a Christmas Day Outreach Meal at noon on Thursday, Dec.

25 and is seeking volunteers, food donations (turkeys, hams) and small gifts to support guests at its 16th Avenue North location. Pastor Michael Laidlaw invites local residents to help.

Traffic on 13th Street SE from 13th to 15th Avenue SE is reduced to one-lane today due to emergency water main break repairs; no detour is provided and the closure is expected to last one day based on weather conditions.

Teams in St. Cloud are signing up for the 47th KVSC Trivia Marathon, which runs from Feb.

13 to Feb. 15. Registration is available online or in person until 3:00 p.m. on Feb. 13 (costing $60 per team, with exemptions for local students).

St. Cloud grocery stores will be closed on Christmas Day while several operate limited hours on Christmas Eve; Target is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. + Walmart runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Shoppers should check hours for holiday meal kits and supplies.

Local high school junior Henry Johnson earned a perfect 36 on his ACT exam, joining the 1% of students who achieve the top score and showing excellence in both academics and fine arts at Sartell-St. Stephen Schools.

The St. Cloud School Board will reveal the new indoor athletic facility's name from finalists APEX Athletics Center and APEX 742 Athletics Center later this week + construction will start in May 2026 and finish in April 2027.

St. Cloud State University’s nursing program acquired a $90,000 birthing simulator named MamaAnne to train students for high-risk deliveries this spring — the new machine replaces an outdated model and is funded through state equipment funds from a $7.2 million allocation.

City officials advise residents to use salt sparingly to secure walkways as winter settles in today.

They recommend using only a coffee mug’s worth for a 20-foot driveway (to reduce runoff into local lakes and rivers).

The St. Cloud City Council is using $870,000 from opioid settlement funds to hire two mental health co-responders for the police department (funding expected to last until 2029) to further reduce forced hospitalizations and improve field diagnostics.

The Minnesota State Patrol reminds drivers to keep holiday lights off their vehicles and brush off snow before driving for safer roads during the festive season.

Minnesota sports enjoyed a rare Sunday as the Timberwolves won 117 to 103 over the Kings, the Wild defeated the Bruins 6 to 2 after trading for Quinn Hughes, and the Vikings won 34 to 26 in prime time, improving their record to 6 to 8.

Tonic Sol-Fa's Final Seasonal Run

7:30-9 p.m. — Paramount Center for the Arts — Tickets required — Celebrate the festive season with Tonic Sol-fa's memorable farewell performance alongside the Shaun Johnson Big Band Experience.

Radio Nation - A Tribute to Steve Miller and The Cars

7:30-10:30 p.m. — Pioneer Place On Fifth — Ticket prices vary — Relive the magic of the 70s and 80s with iconic hits from Steve Miller and The Cars.

Karaoke Night at The Pickled Loon

10:00-11:30 p.m. — The Pickled Loon — Free entry — Unleash your inner rockstar and enjoy a night of singing your favorite tunes in a friendly atmosphere.