Recent content from Jenny Berg

Walz visits St. Cloud on statewide tour highlighting infrastructure needs
Several cities are requesting money for water and wastewater projects as part of the state's bonding bill.

Two St. Cloud schools to become full-service hubs for learning, family health
The central Minnesota school district was awarded a $2.5 million federal grant to fund full-service community schools.

St. John's University alum named Rhodes scholar, only 2nd time in school history
Jervon Sands plans to study environmental change at Oxford and then tackle the climate crisis in his native Bahamas.
Avon woman dies in rural Stearns County crash
Officials said Susan Lemke lost control of her vehicle on frost-covered roads and hit a truck head-on.

St. Cloud State president to step down amid friction over budget cuts, layoffs
Robbyn Wacker, the university's first female president, will step down in June.

St. Cloud library system tackles record number of requests to ban, move books
The board approved an updated policy after challenges over "obscene" books.

A 'moose on the loose' in central Minnesota draws thousands of fans
A Facebook group has been following the young male, hoping he would successfully make it across I-94.

Minnesota State system demands cautious approach for St. Cloud State online programs
The system will allow the university to launch three of 11 programs through a controversial for-profit company.

Twin Cities woman sentenced to probation for vandalizing St. Cloud mosque
The 26-year-old told police she and a man found a 'spooky' building and decided to go inside, court documents say.
Woman sentenced to 7 years for role in 2021 murder of central Minnesota woman
The 38-year-old was in the vehicle when 25-year-old Keisa Lange was shot and left on the side of the road.

In St. Cloud, a new take on 'A Christmas Carol' tackles addiction
"Ebenezer's Dry Goods & Pharmaceuticals" is being performed through Sunday and Nov. 17-19.
Man sentenced almost 6 years for shooting teen during gun sale in central Minnesota
The 22-year-old St. Paul man pleaded guilty to a felony charge in October.

St. Cloud school resource officers will return amid 'clarification and legal support'
The St. Cloud Police Department will resume its school resource officer program after a pause amid uncertainty over a new law.

Fargo Marathon to feature 5K in memory of late race director
Mark Knutson died in July after being hit by a vehicle while biking in Detroit Lakes.
St. Cloud nurses' book chronicles lives lost and hope found during early days of COVID-19
Nurses from St. Cloud Hospital organized stories in a book published this fall.

Authorities find meth in home of Princeton man accused of shooting five officers
Officers were executing a search warrant for drugs when five were shot on Oct. 12.

St. Cloud State enrollment ticks up slightly
Even with the increase, budget concerns persist and will likely lead to more cuts to faculty and other operational expenses, leaders say.
Buffalo man, 34, identified as victim in fatal St. Cloud shooting
The two other men shot early Sunday morning were treated and released from the hospital, officials say.

Authorities ID two officers who used force during Thursday's shootout near Princeton
Three officers shot at 64-year-old Karl Holmberg but the BCA is not publicly identifying one who works undercover.

Search warrant for meth led to the shooting of five officers in Benton County
A judge on Friday set Holmberg's bail at $6 million.

Broken rail caused central Minnesota derailment, NTSB says
A report released Monday states the train "worsened a rail head surface condition" at the Raymond elevator track switch.

U Regents approve St. Cloud medical school campus agreement, launch $50M campaign
The agreement lays out plans for the partnership with CentraCare but is contingent on final business plans, expected to be presented later this year.

New spots to eat and drink your way through downtown St. Cloud
A moody coffee shop, a swanky speakeasy and a seafood boil restaurant have sprung up in recent months; the area's first tap wall opened Friday.
Stearns County woman dies in crash near Lake Wobegon Trail
The 38-year-old crashed into trees at the end of a dead end road, according to Stearns County Sheriff's Office.

Third party will manage St. Cloud mall while foreclosure lawsuit plays out
A subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp is suing the owners of Crossroads Center for unpaid mortgage payments.

St. Cloud State hopes an online program will boost enrollment. Critics say it's a scam.
St. Cloud State University wants to be the first in the Minnesota State system to launch 7-week online programs for nontraditional students in partnership with a for-profit company — if the system allows it.

Wisconsin investment firm buys former Electrolux site in St. Cloud
The 922,000-square-foot building has been vacant since 2019.
Man on supervised release shot by officers in Granite Falls, Minn., now listed in critical condition
The 23-year-old was shot by drug task force officers Wednesday after they say he refused to drop his weapon.

Emerald ash borer found in Benton, Mille Lacs counties
The invasive insect is now in more than half of Minnesota's counties.

After years of complaints, St. Cloud to change how it assesses residents for street projects
The proposed policy has an appraiser provide an estimated market value increase for properties in a project area.

Belated inauguration for joint CSB/SJU president celebrates 'integrated, enduring' campuses
Brian Bruess is the first in Minnesota to serve simultaneously as president of two four-year private colleges.

St. Cloud outlines plan to remake downtown — if it gets $100M from the state
Proposed projects include a new riverwalk along the Mississippi River, bridge improvements and more.
Former Mille Lacs Band police chief gets 28 years in prison for sexually assaulting child
An aggravating factor led to an upward departure from sentencing guidelines for 75-year-old Russell Bankey.

Woman sentenced to three years in prison for burning down man's Stearns County home
The woman reportedly told police she started a pile of clothes on fire with a propane torch.

Your weather app may be missing critical details. This group is trying to fix that.
In a large swath of Minnesota, radar doesn't reach below 6,000 feet where severe weather often crops up.

CentraCare adds NICU telehealth services in Monticello birth center
The health care system plans to implement the services at all its regional birth centers.
St. Cloud man dies after being rescued from water at Quarry Park
The 23-year-old was pulled from about 40 feet of water at the popular summer swimming spot.

Avon post office renamed to honor Guardsman killed in 2019 helicopter crash
Plantenberg was one of three Guardsmen who died in a crash during a routine maintenance flight in December 2019.
Minnesota man facing homicide charges after crash launched passenger into traffic
The 27-year-old Rockville, Minn., man's preliminary breath test showed a blood alcohol concentration at more than twice the legal limit.

St. Cloud schools ask state to re-examine charter school system
The district, losing students and money to St. Cloud's charter schools, is questioning whether they are living up to their promise.
Charges: 66-year-old's BAC was 3 times the legal limit in crash near St. Cloud that fatally injured man
The victim, a 65-year-old visiting his cabin, died from injuries a week later.

Memorial for slain Cold Spring officer to be dedicated Sunday
Tommy Decker was killed in the line of duty 10 years ago.

St. Cloud mayor proposes 7% budget increase with bumps to police salaries, parks
The mayor's proposed 2024 budget also includes a 30% increase in the park and recreation budget.
After Appeals Court ruled probation too lenient, central Minnesota man resentenced to 5 years in prison
The Sherburne County judge resentenced the Zimmerman man Tuesday to minimum sentence recommended under state law.
Former police chief of central Minnesota town sentenced to probation for stealing herbal substance
With no chief at the helm, the city of Emily had to deactivate its police department.

St. Cloud man gets life sentence for shooting central Minnesota woman, leaving her body on side of road
Judge also orders him to pay restitution to the woman's family from future prison earnings.

Jo McMullen-Boyer, cheerful and steadfast leader at SCSU's KVSC, dies at 54
She led the radio station, a training ground for students and a welcome connection to the community, for more than 30 years.
Man gets 30 years for trying to steal guns from pawn shop, attacking bystanders with machete
The Zimmerman, Minn., man was known to the FBI and admitted to planning a mass shooting at the Mall of America, documents state.

Squad car erupts into flames after deputy rear-ends vehicle stopped on highway
The impact pushed the car into another stopped car, injuring three others in addition to the deputy.
16-year-old Albany boy dies after 15-year-old driver crashes car
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, according to the Stearns County Sheriff's Office.

Officials: Fargo gunman searched online for 'kill fast' and 'mass shooting events'
Mohamed Barakat had an "absolute arsenal" including guns and homemade bombs, officials said.
Fargo assailant who shot officers planning 'pretty horrific acts,' officials say
Mohamad Barakat was found with 1,800 rounds, multiple guns and a hand grenade in his vehicle.
Man sentenced to 270 days in jail for I-94 road rage shooting
A Michigan man shot a handgun at the vehicle driven by a man from Avon, Minn., injuring the driver.
St. Cloud police investigate possible murder-suicide after couple found dead in home
Both individuals appeared to have died from gunshot wounds, police say.

Lawsuit: St. Cloud mall owners haven't paid loan in nearly three years, owe $84 million
A subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp initiated foreclosure proceedings against the owners of Crossroads Center mall.

St. Cloud-based CentraCare selling 3 senior living facilities to Ecumen
CentraCare's president said the sale allows the organization to focus more on primary and specialty care at its hospitals and clinics.
Charges: Husband of Fort Ripley woman hit her with car, left her on road to die
Data from the vehicle shows it stopped, reversed to the location McClelland's body was found and then sped off, court documents state.

Police chief: Video shows Fargo Marathon director lose control of bike, fall into traffic
Mark Knutson died Sunday after being hit by a pickup towing a boat in Detroit Lakes.
Sauk Centre man sentenced to 210 days in jail for fatal ATV crash on Wobegon Trail
A 50-year-old man died after being struck by the ATV on the trail, which doesn't allow motorized vehicles.
Stearns County man charged in tubing incident that injured two boys, one critically
He admitted to drinking before driving a water scooter and pulling two 9-year-olds on a tube; the boys hit a neighbor's dock.

Fargo Marathon director dies after being struck by vehicle while biking
Mark Knutson, an avid outdoorsman and well-known recreation director, died Sunday after being struck by a vehicle while bicycling in Detroit Lakes.

Rooftop fire at St. Cloud's convention center causes at least $200,000 in damage
Although fireworks debris was found on the roof, officials haven't yet determined the cause of the fire.

Popular Albert Lea restaurant closing at end of July, and more restaurant updates
Plus: Justin Sutherland food at MSP, restaurant openings and rebrandings and more.

CentraCare to request $13 million from state for St. Cloud medical school campus
The money would go toward an $18 million project to repurpose a building for a planned U of M campus.
Former Mille Lacs Band police chief convicted of sexually assaulting a child
Russell J. Bankey also worked for the Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office.

St. Cloud to ask Legislature for $100 million to jump-start downtown redevelopment
St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis says the public investment should help spur over $1 billion in private dollars.

Former Sherburne Co. commissioner accused of embezzling nearly $800K
Dolan also faces criminal charges for reportedly taking thousands of photos of his ex without her permission.

St. Cloud specialty clinic says CentraCare trying to strongarm them out of business
Until January, St. Cloud Orthopedics had provided on-call trauma care at St. Cloud Hospital for decades.
Buffalo man gets probation for providing heroin in death of South Haven 18-year-old
The sentence is a downward departure from sentencing guidelines.

St. Cloud City Council votes against highest bidder — a gas station — near City Hall
"I don't know that it's the smartest long-term goal, especially when we are working to reinvent our downtown."
St. Cloud woman pleads guilty in two homicide cases
The 35-year-old also pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution from behind bars.

Historic Leech Lake resort gets new owners
A Miami-based investment firm sold to local owners for $5.7 million.

Rogers man sentenced to 180 days in jail for vandalizing St. Cloud mosque
His lawyer said the break-in was fueled by "the fog of drugs and immature narcissism," and not hatred of Muslims.
Sherburne County must resentence Zimmerman man following Appeals Court decision
The Appeals Court ruled the lower court erred when it sentenced Eric Haskins to probation instead of prison time.
Sartell to reopen historic bridge as walkway
City officials will celebrate the bridge's reopening Jun 9 during its Summerfest festival.