Recent content from Jenny Berg
Three St. Cloud-area districts will ask voters to support projects early next year
St. Cloud school district will hold a special election April 8 asking for $65M in upgrades at Apollo High School and for a year-round recreation complex. Two neighboring districts will hold special elections in February.
Stearns County mom gets 22 years in prison for silencing child's oxygen alarm
Elise C. Nelson of Paynesville was convicted of second-degree murder for the death of her 13-year-old daughter, Kylie, in 2020.
St. Cloud mayor-elect Jake Anderson exits council before January installation
The St. Cloud City Council is seeking applicants to fill Anderson's seat representing Ward 3.
65-year-old Fargo man shot by police is ID'd
Sgt. Lucas Mock and officer Princeton Harris fired their weapons when the man exited his house, allegedly holding a handgun, police say.
Amazon Data Services buys site slated for data center near Sherco in Becker
The Seattle-based company bought the 348-acre parcel for $73 million.
Fargo police shoot and kill 65-year-old man who allegedly had gun
Officers answered a medical call for a suicidal man who later exited a house with a handgun, police say.
St. Cloud-area community school student taken into custody after gun found in locker
The principal at Kennedy Community School in St. Joseph found the unloaded gun, but no ammunition, in a student's locker on Friday.
Sherburne County will pay for legislative recount, while state will cover the cost in Scott County contest
The results of the two tight legislative battles could determine which party leads the House for the next two years.
Previously uncounted absentee ballots widen DFLer's lead in St. Cloud House race
The updated 191-vote difference in the St. Cloud-area race is outside the threshold for an automatic recount — but the GOP is calling for a state-funded one.
St. Cloud-area voters OK new sales tax for jail, tax increase for new fire station
Voters in St. Cloud also approved moving municipal elections to odd years.
St. Cloud voters elect Jake Anderson as mayor, three newcomers for City Council
Two Somali American candidates fell short of getting elected to St. Cloud City Council.
Three questions St. Cloud-area voters will see on the ballot next week
Voters will decide how to fund a new Stearns County jail, whether to build a new fire station and whether to move St. Cloud city elections to odd years.
Residents sue mobile home park, claiming sewage leaks, fraudulent practices
Four residents of Sartell Mobile Home Park filed a class-action lawsuit against the current and former owners.
St. Cloud superintendent gets top state honor
Laurie Putnam has been named 2025 Minnesota Superintendent of the Year and will be a candidate for the national title, as well.
Ex-hospital custodian gets jail after recording co-workers changing clothes
He must also attend a sex offender treatment program after admitting he videotaped staff at Alomere Health in Alexandria, using a phone and a pen camera.
Meet the candidates for St. Cloud school board
Four incumbents, a former member and two new faces are vying for four seats this November.
Trump campaign misses deadline to pay St. Cloud for rally
The central Minnesota city billed the former president's re-election campaign about $209K for costs related to Trump's July 27 rally at St. Cloud State University.
Boy, 13, dies after he's run over at haunted hay ride
Alexander Mick, 13, was pronounced dead at Harvest of Horror Haunted Hayride in St. Augusta, Minnesota, after he was run over by a hay wagon.
St. Cloud has new choices for mayor. Here's how to tell them apart
Meet the candidates vying to replace the retiring Dave Kleis, who has served as mayor for two decades.
The Molly Burkstrand effect: How Minnesota's leading soccer scorer ignited change at St. Cloud Tech
Tigers senior Molly Burkstrand is four goals away from 100 in her career. And even if she doesn't score another goal this season, her total puts her at No. 4 for the career top scorers in a season. So what's fueling this recent streak of success?
CentraCare to purchase Monticello hospital
The St. Cloud-based health care system has run the hospital for the past decade.
St. Cloud YMCA manager harassed female employees, lawsuit claims
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued in federal court this week.
House candidates look to flip seats in St. Cloud area
Incumbents Bernie Perryman, a Republican in District 14A, and Dan Wolgamott, a Democrat in 14B, are being challenged by Abdi Daisane and Sue Ek, respectively.
St. Cloud man gets life in prison for fatally shooting co-worker he became 'infatuated with'
A jury found Michael J. Carpenter guilty on two felony counts of murder in August.
Former Hubbard County official, who was a school bus driver, gets six-year sentence for sex crimes against students
Daniel J. Stacey pleaded guilty to four felony counts as part of a plea deal.
What happened to St. Cloud State University?
The college has struggled to find its footing after years of steep enrollment declines, big projects that didn't always pay off and turnover among leadership.
St. Cloud mayor interviews his potential replacement for all to see
Dave Kleis recorded interviews with candidates for mayor and St. Cloud City Council — 21 in all — ahead of the primary and posted them to the city website.
Central Minnesota man gets 3.5 years in prison for crash that launched passenger into traffic
Aler L. Gomez-Lucas pleaded guilty to one felony count of criminal vehicular homicide in March.
Gustavus Adolphus teammate charged with reckless driving in crash that killed hockey player
Gianna K. Gasparini was reportedly speeding and missed a stop sign before the Grace Township crash that killed goaltender Jori Jones.
Mother won't be charged after investigators ID baby girl left in box in Sherburne County in 1989
Authorities said Thursday the case is now closed.
Man who held hostages at a St. Cloud bank sentenced to 6.5 years in federal prison
Ray Reco McNeary, who was arrested following a nine-hour standoff at a Wells Fargo, pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery earlier this year.
St. Cloud City Council members Jake Anderson, Mike Conway to face off in November mayor race
Six of the 16 council candidates moving on to November include incumbent George Hontos and two Somali Americans: Hudda Ibrahim and Omar Abdullahi Podi.
Charges: DFL House candidate from Alexandria and wife stole hundreds of yard signs
Judd and Wendy Hoff are facing felony charges after officers found more than 240 signs at their Alexandria house.
Meet the candidates running for St. Cloud City Council
The pool of 16 candidates — the most in half a century — will be narrowed to six in the Aug. 13 primary.
Where is the real Lake Wobegon?
Garrison Keillor's famous fictional town took inspiration from central Minnesota — including some businesses that remain open today.
Meet the candidates vying to be St. Cloud mayor
Here's your voters' guide ahead of the Aug. 13 primary, when six mayoral candidates vie to replace longtime mayor Dave Kleis.
St. Cloud repeals 'No Mow May' ordinance after tall grass wreaks havoc
The ordinance, enacted by St. Cloud City Council last year, was meant to protect pollinators in the spring.
Melrose cleans up after tornado crumples buildings, scatters debris
No one was hurt, but several buildings were damaged as a supercell thunderstorm moved through Stearns County on Saturday night.
Jury finds St. Cloud man guilty for fatally shooting co-worker who rebuffed advances
Michael J. Carpenter will be sentenced in September for the murder of Nicole M. Hammond of St. Cloud.
At central Minnesota diner, JD Vance says the state is 'ready to turn red'
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's running mate ate breakfast with his family in Waite Park a day after a rally in St. Cloud.
Donald Trump, JD Vance go after Harris for capacity crowd at first joint rally in Minnesota
More than 8,000 supporters packed the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center; hundreds more didn't get in.
Safety 'top priority' for Saturday's Trump campaign rally in St. Cloud
Republican Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance plan a rally Saturday in central Minnesota, just two weeks after the assassination attempt on the former president. Security is at top of mind.
Sartell man dies after being pinned under crane
Dylan Barthel, 38, was crushed by a section of the machinery at a Waite Park business.
18-year-old driver dies, passenger injured in rural Stearns County crash
Ellie Wittstruck of Sartell died at the scene and Gracie Grams was airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital with life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
'Educated participation': St. Cloud will ask voters to move city elections to odd years
The city is recommending moving municipal elections away from even years, when they are overshadowed by national and statewide races.
Family of man who died by suicide in Sherburne County jail reaches $1.5M settlement
Justice L. White, 23, hanged himself inside the same cell where another inmate died by suicide three years earlier.
St. Cloud man gets 16 years for role in May 2022 homicide
Paul Coleman and Alphonso Cotto were charged following the death of Michael Batsche.
Interim SCSU president starts term with eye to razing several buildings, revamping campus
Larry Dietz says St. Cloud State University's future is "very bright" as long as the institution lives within its means.
Authorities ID 17-year-old who drowned after jumping off cliff near St. Cloud
Emmanuel Seward of Brooklyn Center jumped off a 10-foot cliff at Quarry Park and never resurfaced.
17-year-old drowns after jumping from rock cliff near St. Cloud
It's the third drowning at Quarry Park in recent years.
Motorcyclist killed in collision with other bike in St. Cloud
19-year-old Kaden Johnson of Waite Park was declared dead at the scene.
Minnesota's Redhead Creamery is now in the liquor business
The popular cheesemaker makes araga, a spirit that's incredibly rare because its key ingredient, whey, isn't available to many distillers.
A decade after his death, a St. Cloud exchange student is still fostering connections
Alex Voigt died in a fiery plane crash shortly before he was to return to Germany — but not before he left an indelible mark on those around him.
St. Cloud man identified as victim in grass fire death investigation
Police say there was no foul play.
Sartell school board approves employee contracts — but not without a fight
The board had one last chance Friday to approve the contracts before they expired and the employees lost their jobs.
Sartell school contracts still in limbo after 3 board members are no-shows
If the board doesn't approve 21 contracts by July 1, the employees will be out of a job, the superintendent says.
Very oversized load: Space shuttle replica touches down in St. Cloud
A weeklong trek carried the 25-ton fuselage from the replica "Inspiration" from Florida to Minnesota.
Superintendent: A vendetta against one employee threatens 21 other jobs in Sartell
After months of bickering, the Sartell-St. Stephen school board will meet again Tuesday to consider approving contracts for several employees.
St. Cloud AI summit calls for changes to curriculum, state standards
Local and national educators, business leaders and lawmakers gathered Monday to talk about how to best prepare students for a rapidly changing world.
Stearns County officials finally pin down site for new justice center — sort of
Just five months before a sales tax question goes to voters, commissioners voted to move the jail out of downtown St. Cloud to an undetermined site.
Charges: St. Cloud man poured rubbing alcohol on woman's car, lit it on fire
James Lund randomly targeted a vehicle in the Walgreens pharmacy drive-thru, court documents state.
Two new 'COP Houses' to open in St. Cloud
"We've talked about replicating it in all neighborhoods," said St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis.
Man accused of attacking woman walking on Cedar Lake trail and raping her at knifepoint
Minneapolis man was arrested after a search near a rest stop on Interstate 94 in Otter Tail County.
St. Cloud State expands online cannabis training
Three new courses are designed to give students job-specific skills in cultivation, retail and extraction.
St. Cloud State guts music department as cuts finalized
Acting President Larry Lee on Tuesday approved the reduction of 42 majors, including physics, economics and sociology.
St. Cloud aims to revitalize downtown by 'copying what Fargo did'
The North Dakota city doubled its downtown housing stock over 25 years in a "lesson in persistence" that could be a model for revitalizing St. Cloud's city center.
St. Cloud sees largest City Council candidate pool in decades
Six people filed to fill the seat left vacant by Mayor Dave Kleis, who is not running again, and 16 people are vying for three at-large seats on the council.
St. Cloud man sentenced to 4 years for raping girl in high school bathroom
A Stearns County judge also ordered Robert S. Epps Jr. to register as a predatory offender.
Suit: For 5 hours before death, Stearns County Jail inmate complained he couldn't breathe
Court documents claim a Stearns County corrections officer conducted a well-being check eight minutes after Norberg died and didn't notice he was dead.
St. Cloud man charged with rape of 14-year-old girl he met near park
Austin N. Ouellette, 26, faces two felony counts of criminal sexual conduct in Stearns County court.
Police seize 32 lbs of illegal THC gummies from St. Cloud smoke shop
Some products had 120 times the legal limit per serving.
More turmoil at St. Cloud State as acting president resigns
Larry Lee, who was named acting president when Robbyn Wacker abruptly left in early May, is leaving to become president at another college.
Fort Ripley man gets four years for backing vehicle into wife, leaving her to die
Tony McClelland's attorney said he accidentally killed his wife while he was extremely intoxicated.
'Lilac labyrinth' near Cold Spring open to the public
In the past three years, guests have traveled from across the state and Midwest to experience the maze of fragrant purple flowers.
