SAUK RAPIDS — The Sauk Rapids-Rice boys and the St Cloud Cathedral girls came away with first-place finishes at the 32nd annual Mega Meet on Saturday the Storm boys won the 4x100 and 4x800 relays SRR's Evan Hardy took first in the 100 (10.98 seconds) and the 200 (22.43 seconds) SAUK RAPIDS (WJON News) -- Middle school students can enroll in a cooking camp this summer The Culinary Studio is hosting a three-day summer camp in June to teach the students The Culinary Crew: Middle School Edition will be held June 16th - 18th from 9:00 a.m The camp is open to students entering grades six through eight Campers will learn how to safely use kitchen tools and explore everything from smoothies and wraps to scratch-made baked goods The final day includes a friendly 'bake-off' challenge that encourages teamwork and creativity Contact the Culinary Studio at contact@culinarystudiomn.com Middle school students can enroll in a cooking camp this summer.\nRead More SAUK RAPIDS (WJON News) -- Middle school students can enroll in a cooking camp this summer The Culinary Studio is hosting a three-day summer camp in June to teach the students ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- The Local Education and Activities Foundation - or LEAF - has announced a plan to cover the activity fees for all participating District 742 middle schoolers over the next two years They've committed $100,000 toward the project "LEAF's generosity means we will be able to waive all activity fees for every middle schooler who wants to join a sport or activity It will give more students more opportunities to learn and grow." Over $30,000 has already been raised toward waiving activity fees for the upcoming school year Since it began the granting process in 1997 LEAF has awarded over $3 million to the schools Gallery Credit: Brown and Riley, "Cyclone Views: Pictures Sauk Rapids Cyclone" (1886). University and Other Publications. 1. The Local Education and Activities Foundation - or LEAF - has announced a plan to cover the activity fees for all participating District 742 middle schoolers over the next two years.\nRead More ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- The Local Education and Activities Foundation - or LEAF - has announced a plan to cover the activity fees for all participating District 742 middle schoolers over the next two years SAUK RAPIDS — The Litchfield track and field team saw its boys take fourth and its girls fifth at the 32nd Annual Mega Meet on Saturday Sauk Rapids was the winner for the boys’ competition at 196 which beat Sartell’s 120 and Sauk Rapids’ 114 Litchfield’s girls had three event winners Elise Carlson won the 300-meter hurdles in 49.40 seconds Chloe Kowalczyk was victorious in the discus throw at 123 feet The Dragons’ 4x100 relay team also won in 51.41 but saw its highest placing come from Izrael Jimenez in the shot put The Dragons compete in the Glencoe-Silver Lake Invitational at 4 p.m Jensen was placed on unpaid leave in December following the accusations A Sauk Rapids police officer is on unpaid leave following accusations he sexually assaulted a child nearly two decades ago Cloud was hired by the Sauk Rapids Police Department in December 2023 and was placed on leave this past December Jensen was charged in Morrison County District Court with one felony count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct law enforcement late last year received a report of abuse that occurred in Morrison County between 2007 and 2008 Special agents with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension met with the victim who said she was sexually assaulted by Jensen when she was about 6 or 7 years old and Jensen was about 16 or 17 The complaint states Jensen admitted abusing the girl “multiple times … over a time period of six months to a year.” Jensen’s next court hearing is scheduled for May 19 To get the latest news from St. Cloud and central Minnesota in your inbox, sign up for the free St. Cloud Today newsletter. Jenny Berg covers St. Cloud for the Star Tribune. She can be reached on the encrypted messaging app Signal at bergjenny.01. Sign up for the daily St. Cloud Today newsletter at www.startribune.com/stcloudtoday. Outdoor Activities The state’s “Big 10″ account for nearly half of the annual harvest Robert Kaiser’s attorneys argued the state’s case was built on “a pile of maybes.” Nurseries and garden clubs across Minnesota are offering a variety of flower at Legacy Place Assisted Living in Sauk Rapids He was drafted into the Army in February of 1962 and was discharged in February of 1964 Stephen for over 50 years and worked and retired from Ferche Millwork in Rice The family wishes to give special thanks to the staff at Legacy Place and Moments Hospice for the great care they gave to Benny A Celebration of Life for Benedict E. Peternell will be at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in St. Stephen.\nRead More WAITE PARK — Two Central Minnesota law firms announced a merger but also our values,” Revermann said in the release “We believe in meeting clients where they are — with empathy and a commitment to making the law more accessible Revermann was raised in Melrose and started her firm a decade ago Revermann Lund Ross will specialize in estate planning “This partnership allows us to broaden our reach and deepen our support,” Lund Ross said “While we are joining forces under a new name our commitment to our clients and our community remains unwavering.” Cloud coffee shop Kinder Coffee Lab has purchased Rock Creek Coffeehouse in Sauk Rapids Rock Creek Coffeehouse will become Kinder Coffee's second location and will reopen under the Kinder Coffee name on May 6 The coffeeshop will be closed from Wednesday until next Monday to give the business time to adjust and streamline its operations and menu items St. Cloud sips: Spice of Life Tea Shop brings mix of teas and tea accessories to community "We want it to continue to be a place where Sauk Rapids meets and feels comfortable and feels at home," he said The team plans to incorporate Kinder Coffee staples while keeping Rock Creek favorites on its menu when it reopens The purchase of Rock Creek had been in the works for about two months after Kinder Coffee had approached the business looking for ways to expand Mary and Matt Buhs opened Rock Creek in 2014 the shop has become a favorite for local coffee and community events "We've watched families grow, friendships blossom and countless stories unfold within these walls," Rock Creek said in a Facebook post about the sale "Your loyalty has allowed us to not only pursue our passion for great coffee and delicious treats but also to create jobs and contribute to the unique character of our neighborhood." Upcoming specials: St. Cloud Area Restaurant Week returns in May with specials, deals Magno said the Kinder Coffee team is thankful for the Buhs family's work in building a strong local business He does not plan to change too much about Rock Creek The team will be focused on maintaining the coffee shop's connection to the community when it reopens as Kinder Coffee "They're deeply loved by so many people in the Sauk Rapids community and beyond in the Central Minnesota community," Magno said is just to take that love and affection that so many people have for it and just work on on growing that." Teagan King covers business and development for the St A new Mexican restaurant has opened in Sauk Rapids the newest eatery in a building that has seen many businesses come and go Los Mariachis Mexican Grill opened April 12 at 415 N. Benton Drive, replacing Giovanni's Italian Ristorante The restaurant is under new ownership and serves a completely different menu steak options like the Philly cheese steak burrito and Texas cheese steak have proven very popular The restaurant also offers an extensive seafood menu with dishes such as molcajete playita it's the seafood (that's most popular) because it's something new for people," Hurcado said The restaurant serves other Tex-Mex favorites like enchiladas as well as some vegetarian options like a veggie taco salad and vegetable quesadilla Los Mariachis' margaritas have also been some of the restaurant's most popular items so far New clothing shop: Vintage, antique store O'Brien's Dry Goods opening on Wednesday in downtown St. Cloud The spacious restaurant offers room for both small and large groups as well as people looking to enjoy drinks at the bar It also features a large space for hosting birthday parties and Saldana said he may work on expanding the restaurant's events it hosts in the future Los Mariachis has another location in Alexandria Saldana wanted to open an additional location in Sauk Rapids after encouragement from his family and his previous experience working in restaurants More: Holdingford's Art in Motion reopens for the season, celebrating art, biking He also hopes the restaurant's location along Benton Drive will encourage more interest in the business "I think that (people) need to give us a try and we will take care of them," Saldana said Coffee shop expanding: Kinder Coffee Lab expands to Sauk Rapids with Rock Creek Coffeehouse purchase Saldana said Los Mariachis will host a grand opening event which will feature a mariachi band playing live music SAUK RAPIDS (WJON News) -- The Sauk Rapids-Rice school district is facing more cuts in the next year Superintendent Brad Bergstrom says they are still in the process of putting together the budget for the 2025-2026 school year but he knows they are going to have to make $700,000 in adjustments Each of these decisions that we have to make when we are adjusting our budget has an impact on our ability to do the best job we can to educate students.  It's a continual challenge for us whether it be unfunded mandates or the lack of funding from the legislature they'll determine what those cuts are going to be He says that with 80 percent of their expenses having to do with people Bergstrom says state funding has not been keeping up with inflation over the past several years The difference in that for us as a district just at the rate of inflation for the last 20-plus years that dollar amount for us would be over $6 million.  It would make a significant difference in terms of where we're at Bergstrom says the other challenge facing all school districts is the number of unfunded mandates Last year, Sauk Rapids-Rice had to cut $2.4 million Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz The Sauk Rapids-Rice school district is facing more cuts in the next year.\nRead More SAUK RAPIDS (WJON News) -- The Sauk Rapids-Rice school district is facing more cuts in the next year Last year, Sauk Rapids-Rice had to cut $2.4 million JOSEPH — It was some helpful advice from her father that provided the nudge Justus Floren needed to take a serious look at the College of Saint Benedict "Then (CSB head coach) Robin (Balder-Lanoue) reached out to me and my dad was actually the one who encouraged me to meet with her," she continued "He told me that if a coach took the time to hand write a letter of interest I at least owed it to (her) to show up and hear what (she) had to say." She has gone on to become one of the top multi-event competitors the program has ever had recording seven All-MIAC or All-MIAC honorable mention performances in the indoor pentathlon and the outdoor heptathlon she won the MIAC heptathlon (4,409 points) advanced to the Division III indoor national meet in the pentathlon finishing 17th overall at the same competition where then-teammate Fiona Smith won both the 3 and 5-kilometer races to bring home the first national championships in CSB history it was incredibly inspiring to see the best (NCAA) Division III track and field athletes in the country all in one place," she recalled "I had to keep reminding myself that I was one of them I qualified last-minute at (an NCAA qualifier) in Iowa so my mindset going in was just to give it everything I had and take in the moment It really shifted my perspective and raised the bar for what I believed I was capable of moving forward." Floren's achievements are even more impressive when you consider that she didn't even know what the pentathlon and heptathlon (which are not high school events in Minnesota) were before arriving at CSB "Robin introduced the idea (of becoming a multi-event specialist) to me and I was immediately intrigued," said Floren gymnastics and track and field at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School — even adding soccer her senior year because of the way volleyball was scheduled during the COVID-19 pandemic "She mentioned events like hurdles and shot put — both of which I'd always wanted to try in high school but never had the chance to," Floren said "I was totally on board until she said it ended with an 800 but no thanks.' She laughed and reassured me we'd train for it and I was strong enough to handle it She saw the potential in me as a multi before I even understood what that meant and I'm so grateful for her support and belief in me throughout this journey." Balder-Lanoue said the combination of determination and athletic ability Floren possesses made her an ideal candidate for multi-event success "I was always hoping she'd want to become a multi because I knew she had the personality for it," Balder-Lanoue said so it was clear she had great power and speed But you also have to have the ability to let it go when something doesn't go well You can't hold on to any disappointment over a bad performance because the next event in the competition comes up so quickly Floren had to draw on that positive approach last season when a combination of injuries and the demands of clinicals in the nursing major kept her from having the season she was hoping for coming off her national meet performance the year before "I missed almost the entire indoor season due to a concussion and was only cleared to compete a few days before the MIAC indoor championships," said Floren who still ended up finishing fourth overall in the pentathlon I'd been dealing with chronic ankle pain which we later found out was tendonitis but even more so mentally – feeling like I couldn't perform at the level I knew I was capable of but it pushed me to develop discipline and time management skills I never knew I had Track gave me structure and my roommates gave me so much support Another — who is a nutrition major — made sure I was staying fueled and taking care of my mental health I honestly couldn't have made it through the season without them." Floren said going through all that wound up being valuable to her personal growth "I truly believe I needed those challenges to push myself to the next level." Her performances this season seem to indicate she's gotten there Floren finished second in the pentathlon at the MIAC indoor meet with a score of 3,281 — seven points shy of her personal-best score of 3,288 in 2023 At the at CSB/SJU Easter Meet on April 17-18 she recorded a career-best score of 4,429 to finish second in the heptathlon It was the third-best performance in the event in school history and helped earn her MIAC women's track-and-field athlete of the week honors "I've been nothing short of grateful this season," she said "I'm having so much fun and I'm doing my best to stay present and soak in every moment — whether it's competing traveling on the bus or just spending time with my teammates I'm really happy with how my indoor season went and it's made me even more excited for what's ahead in outdoor." As much pride as Floren takes in her own performances Balder-Lanoue said she might be even more excited to see others on the team perform well "She finds absolute joy in her teammates' success," Balder-Lanoue said "That's such a big part of her personality." she took part in a short-term study abroad program in Zambia with a group of fellow nursing majors She's also taken a mission trip to the Dominican Republic and a trip to Greece to visit her roommates who were studying abroad she and her friends spent two days hiking and camping just outside Zion National Park in Utah "Traveling is such a meaningful and eye-opening experience and I hope to continue exploring the world for years to come," she said Immediately ahead in her future is graduation next month she begins working as a registered nurse at the VA while also picking up shifts at the St "I guess it's the multi-event athlete in me," said Floren who will be focused on mental health nursing "I couldn't just choose one job to start with." there remains a final track and field season to complete "I just need to keep trusting the process," she said my coaches and the training I've put in over the last four years DETROIT LAKES — Sauk Rapids-Rice's Riley Turck hit a solo home run in the first inning and the rout was on in the Storm's 18-4 five-inning shellacking of Detroit Lakes in a Central Lakes Conference game on Tuesday The Lakers committed three of their eight errors in the third inning and Sauk Rapids-Rice capitalized on the mistakes 3-7 overall) added three more runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 17-2 Turck threw all five innings for the Storm to get the win She allowed four runs on six hits and struck out nine batters ALBANY — The Class 2A sixth-ranked Crusaders stayed undefeated at 10-0 with a come-from-behind Granite Ridge Conference win over the Huskies After trailing 4-3 going into top of the seventh the Crusaders erupted for four runs to take the lead for good Liz Bell went 3-for-3 with three RBI for CHS Keira Alexander had three hits (including a double and triple) and drove in two and Kyah Koenig had two hits Berkley Mathiasen earned the win on the mound Mathiasen gave up one hit and struck out five FERGUS FALLS — The Spartans had little trouble with the Ottters in a Central Lakes Conference doubleheader sweep triple and two RBI for the Spartans (4-2 CLC Jessica Boos threw all five innings to get the win She struck out eight and walked one while giving up two hits Hess went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two doubles Jordyn Illies scored four times and had two RBI Boos went 2-for-2 with three RBI and a double Abby Storms went 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI Hailey Salzbrun went 2-for-3 with three RBI and Hailey Hennen went 2-for-2 with a double and three RBI Hailey Hennen threw a one-hit shutout to earn the win She struck out eight and didn't walk anyone The Spartans are host to Detroit Lakes for a doubleheader at 4 p.m HOLDINGFORD — The Cubs improved to 11-0 on the season with a Central Minnesota Conference sweep of the Huskers The Cubs' Claire Maus threw a one-hit shutout in the first game Annaliese Odden had the lone hit for Holdingford Kimball's Riley Fischer threw a five-inning no-hitter to earn the Game 2 win She struck out eight and didn't walk anybody in throwing a perfect game Holdingford is at BBE for a doubleheader on Thursday FOLEY — The Patriots swept a Granite Ridge Conference doubleheader from the Falcons Georgia James went 2-4 with two doubles and an RBI for the Patriots in their 6-3 Game 1 win Lydia Allen earned her first varsity win for the Patriots gave up no runs on six hits and walked two in relief —The Brainerd Dispatch and Detroit Lakes Tribune contributed to this report SAUK RAPIDS — A 16-year-old Rice boy was injured Saturday when his friend drove over him during a game of "Nerf wars." according to a Sauk Rapids Police Department report high school-aged juveniles were involved in the Nerf game "in what has become an annual occurrence." The 16-year-old was hiding on the ground next to the vehicle that he had arrived in when his friend drove the vehicle over him by accident Police and Mayo Ambulance were called to the accident The victim was treated at the scene by passersby Cloud Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries "The Sauk Rapids Police were concerned about injuries and accidents that have and could occur during these Nerf wars and wish to advise parents to encourage their children to cease and desist before there is a fatality," police said in the report "Some of the activities in the Nerf wars could be considered at minimum a crime of disorderly conduct." An independent audit of the Sauk Rapids Police Department's body camera use and policies came back with flying colors found the department in compliance of every category under review ranging from data retention to public comment Sauk Rapids was found in compliance of keeping body camera footage for at least 90 days the independent auditor verified this compliance by selecting reports and comparing when the file was created and deleted Sauk Rapids police response: 16-year-old boy run over by car during Nerf war the auditor said the police department provides proper access to body camera data is only provided to employees who need to view data to perform their job responsibilities Roles and permissions are granted by the department's assistant chief of police and a sergeant The Sauk Rapids City Council was found in compliance of holding a public hearing when making decisions about body cameras The governing body discussed implementing a body camera policy in early 2020 Sauk Rapids officials held a public open house on the proposals on Jan 2020 and a city council public hearing on Feb The audit report was sent to the city on March 30 according to the Sauk Rapids City Council packet Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St Giovanni's Italian Ristorante is now open in Sauk Rapids adding a new Italian restaurant option to the area The business is located in the former El Loro Mexican Restaurant location at 15 N. Benton Dr. and opened its doors on Sunday according to a Facebook post from the restaurant St. Cloud restaurants: Discover these top St. Cloud dining spots offering a range of cuisines Giovanni's serves a traditional Italian menu It will also offer appetizers like calamari and burrata the restaurant's main chef Joel Santos said He added that nearly everything is made from scratch The Sauk Rapids spot is the business' first location outside of Wisconsin where it operates another Giovanni's in Hudson Santos said he thought the Sauk Rapids area could benefit from another Italian restaurant option More: 4 Sauk Rapids area upscale restaurants to try Gomez hopes the new restaurant could help revive the space to open up another Italian restaurant," he said we could split all of the personnel that is in Hudson and try to spread all around between Wisconsin and Minnesota." Music venue: Nonprofit to buy downtown St. Cloud coffee shop for new music venue Sunday was Giovanni's first day in business and Santos said they already had a steady flow of customers excited to try the new restaurant the restaurant also plans to add rotating specials to its menu with a new special dish every night The space was also remodeled from the previous restaurant and now includes a large room available for reservations for corporate events BEMIDJI – Few people at the Bemidji High School softball field thought the ball off Karley LaZella’s bat would sail over the fence in the bottom of the seventh inning “I knew it had enough juice,” head coach Brad Takkunen said,” I just didn’t know if it had enough carry.” LaZella said: “It didn’t feel like a home run That’s a pop up.’ Then I saw it go over and thought knowing that I’m the underdog on the field.” the BHS starting pitcher who hits third in the lineup doesn't have much of an argument to be an “underdog.” But considering she’s a sophomore playing in her first varsity season like the one she was in to give the Lumberjacks a 7-6 walk-off win over Sauk Rapids-Rice Her at-bat to lead off the seventh inning was amplified after the Storm tied the game in the top of the frame Sauk Rapids-Rice put its first three runners on base with an error Brooklyn Diskerud tied the game with a two-RBI single before the Jacks recorded an out She struck out the next three batters before hitting the game-winning home run to notch Bemidji’s first Section 8-4A win this season She did it after falling down 0-2 at the plate “It’s something that can take you to a place where you say “You have an opportunity to get on base and it’s 0-2 and you find a pitch that you can drive like that Sauk Rapids-Rice struck first with a two-run first inning Julia Skog singled in a run before Diskerud brought her home with an RBI triple The Lumberjacks have allowed runs in the first inning in each of their six games this season they’ve been excellent at responding with runs of their own Emma Greiner reached base with a single before Sammy Nistler got on via an error LaZella sliced the deficit in half before bringing home Greiner with a single Olivia Birt gave Bemidji the lead with a two-run single before Ridley Hadrava made it 4-2 with another RBI single Bemidji scored two more runs in the bottom of the second inning thanks to Nistler’s fielder’s choice and Maya Schmidt’s bases-loaded walk LaZella went 3 for 4 at the plate with three RBIs while Jordan Pemberton laced a double in a 2 for 3 day when we struck out as many times as we did we had to refocus to get our bat on the ball more against a different pitcher – when it came to barreling those balls up If you can get nine or 10 hits with our pitching and out defense three earned runs and three walks with five strikeouts She got some helping hands from her defenders behind her including Hadrava and Pemberton’s outfield catches to take away extra-base hits from the Strom in the middle innings and I feel like we have a connection there between a pitcher and a fielder,” LaZella said Jordan just knows what she’s doing out there I feel confident that they can make plays when the ball is hit to them.” Bemidji (4-2) went 2-8 against Section 8-4A teams The Lumberjacks are 1-0 against potential postseason opponents through six games after taking down Sauk Rapids-Rice (2-6) despite nearly blowing a four-run lead after the second inning especially when you’re up 6-2,” Takkunen said “The reality is that it gives a team confidence we can continue to play hard and continue to play like we know we can That tone can be everything for a team that’s trying to be more consistent and be that team that pays everyone tough.” A Sauk Rapids staple for Mexican cuisine will be closing next week Hernandez Burrito announced it will be closing for good on March 29 in a Facebook post the restaurant shared Tuesday The restaurant has been operating out of its lime-green storefront in Sauk Rapids since 2021 after originally opening a few blocks away in 2020 Best Mexican restaurant: Vote for your favorite St. Cloud spot for Mexican cuisine Owner Alex Sanchez said current economic conditions and rising prices of items needed for the restaurant contributed to the closure especially as he has been hearing disappointment from customers The restaurant's Facebook post announcing the closure has been flooded with comments from customers expressing their shock and sadness and many have been stopping in to say goodbye Sanchez said he is thankful for the customer support over the years "Thank you to the customers for supporting (me) for the last five years," Sanchez said through an employee Three decades of literature: Books Revisited’s journey in downtown St. Cloud Hernandez Burrito has served a menu of traditional tacos nachos and platters "born of Honduran family favorites," according to the restaurant's website Sanchez said he plans to take some time off from the restaurant industry but he has also not ruled out the possibility of opening a different restaurant in the future A 16-year-old Rice boy was run over by a car Saturday afternoon The Sauk Rapids Police Department and Mayo Ambulance were sent to the accident shortly before 3 p.m More: Gunshots reported in Waite Park, two dead, 2 children safe, according to police High school-aged youth were playing "Nerf wars" when the boy was reportedly run over He was allegedly hiding on the ground next to the vehicle in question when his friend accidentally drove over him Local government: St. Cloud officials delay roadway construction vote in light of public feedback the Sauk Rapids Police Department advises parents to encourage children to stop Nerf wars "Some of the activities in the Nerf wars could be considered at minimum a crime of disorderly conduct," the Sauk Rapids Police Department wrote in a report The Sauk Rapids-Rice School District is moving forward with a new early childhood center and an outdoor activity complex after voters approved two referendum questions Tuesday night Sauk Rapid-Rice School District's two referendum questions total roughly $55 million The first question for $37.2 million in bonds to construct a new early childhood center was approved with roughly 59% of the vote Tuesday's 59% approval is higher than what the district expected. In a survey sent out this past summer approximately 55% of respondents supported the childhood center High-speed police chase: 61-year-old St. Cloud man tries to flee police, stopped by snowbank accessibility issues and failing heating and cooling systems Sauk Rapid-Rice School District's new building is expected to be 60,000 square feet with an improved safety and accessibility approach There will also be age-appropriate playground equipment SCSU: St. Cloud State University's recruitment efforts bring positive results despite challenges Voters also approved bonding for a $17.7 million outdoor activity complex The facility is expected to include a multipurpose turf field for several sports in addition to locations for physical education classes and marching band The bond is expected to cover updates to ticketing Tuesday's "yes" vote for both questions is a step toward constructing the early childhood center on a new site behind the high school alongside an outdoor activity complex at the high school The school district will work alongside a design firm in the coming months with construction set to begin in May 2026 for a fall 2027 opening “This result is a testament to our communities’ commitment to the success of our students and schools,” Superintendent Bradley Bergstrom wrote in a statement we now have the opportunity to address the growing demand for early learning programming and move forward with phase two of the high school plan which includes an outdoor activity complex Both projects will serve as a lasting legacy benefiting our community for generations to come.” SAUK RAPIDS (WJON News) -- A longtime former mayor has been named this year's Sauk Rapids Citizen of the Year Kurt Hunstiger was surprised with the announcement Tuesday at the Sauk Rapids Government Center Current mayor Jason Ellering nominated Hunstiger for the award "Kurt's service to Sauk Rapids began in 1994 when he was appointed to the Planning Commission Kurt's contributions to the city of Sauk Rapids are numerous and far-reaching One of his most significant achievements was his involvement in the Mississippi River bridge crossing project." The official presentation to Hunstiger as the 2025 Sauk Rapids Citizen of the Year will be on Monday A longtime former mayor has been named this year's Sauk Rapids Citizen of the Year.\nRead More SAUK RAPIDS (WJON News) -- A longtime former mayor has been named this year's Sauk Rapids Citizen of the Year. Kurt Hunstiger was surprised with the announcement Tuesday at the Sauk Rapids Government Center. Current mayor Jason Ellering nominated Hunstiger for the award. In his nomination letter, Ellering writes, "Kurt's service to Sauk Rapids began in 1994 when he was appointed to the Planning Commission. Kurt's contributions to the city of Sauk Rapids are numerous and far-reaching. One of his most significant achievements was his involvement in the Mississippi River bridge crossing project." The official presentation to Hunstiger as the 2025 Sauk Rapids Citizen of the Year will be on Monday, May 12th, at the City Council meeting at 5:00 p.m. A high school student in Blaine holds their Nerf blaster of choice for Nerf Wars a game played with other students outside of school A 16-year-old boy was injured while playing the game in Sauk Rapids over the weekend.Caroline Yang for MPR News filePlayListenTeen run over injured while playing 'Nerf Wars' in Sauk RapidsGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories Police in Sauk Rapids say the teen from Rice was hiding on the ground next to a vehicle in Southside Park when his friend accidentally drove over him The teen’s injuries were not life-threatening The Nerf Wars game, in which high school students wage public battles using foam dart guns, has raised safety concerns across Minnesota for years Sauk Rapids Police Chief Perry Beise said the incident “could have been horrific.” He said his department gets complaints every year about Nerf Wars MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all “It’s calls like (reporting) suspicious activity People are worried they’re getting attacked.” Beise said parents should pay attention to their kids’ activities “And for the young people — actions have consequences This young man is going to recover from this Saturday In 2015, two Lakeville South students died in a crash that authorities said was linked to a Nerf Wars game Beise said authorities are not pursuing criminal charges in the Sauk Rapids incident One of his officers reached out to the parents of the teen who organized this year’s Nerf Wars The teen agreed to cancel the game and return or donate the money collected “We’re just happy that they’ve stopped this year so that nobody gets hurt in the future,” Beise said.Use the audio player above to listen to a conversation with Sauk Rapids police chief Perry Beise and Minnesota Now host Nina Moini This conversation was produced by Ellen Finn The 6-foot-2 senior wing has missed time recently due to injury but Brainerd’s leading scorer was ready to play when the postseason bell rang Equipped with an ankle brace — and a knack for nailing key 3-pointers — Korde Roseman’s 26 points spearheaded No 5 seed Brainerd’s 18-point second-half comeback in a 71-66 win over No “I think just the energy we brought to the game I think was the main thing,” Roseman said of the rally “I think we played really good defense down the stretch averaging 16.8 points per game entering the night hit four threes in the first half to keep the Warriors afloat early on They got out to a 7-0 and 10-2 start before SRR reeled off nine straight Hanson had 16 of his 21 points in the opening 18 minutes The home team’s talent and size were leading to turnovers fast-break points and buckets in the paint The Storm's leading scorer — 6-foot-8 Minnesota-Crookston recruit Spencer Swenson — had 11 points at the half despite dealing with foul trouble Senior 6-foot-6 forward Hudson Omoke’s talents are taking him to Bemidji State next fall for football The second half turned into the Izayah Cook show A silver lining amidst a second straight first-round playoff exit for Sauk Rapids-Rice is that it can build around the 6-foot-5 sophomore forward who also appears destined to play at the next level Cook tallied the Storm’s first 13 points of the half No other Storm player scored in the second stanza until Swenson sank a pair of free throws at the 10:41 mark It didn’t matter that Brainerd locked down 80% of SRR’s lineup The Storm’s’ apex came midway through the second half at 63-45 It was aided by Swenson battling foul trouble His fifth foul with under four minutes to go forced his departure Brainerd’s 6-foot-6 senior forward went to work scoring seven straight points that pulled the Warriors within five at 64-59 A Roseman layup with 1:29 to go tied it for the first time since the scoreboard read zeroes Eli Tautges carved to the basket like Roseman His layup gave Brainerd its first lead since the opening minutes It was one the Warriors wouldn’t relinquish Brainerd came up with a pair of critical stops A potential game-tying three on a clean look by Hanson bounced out with under 30 seconds remaining Brainerd made half of its four double-bonus free throws down the stretch to seal the win it wasn't for a lack of effort or a lack of toughness that we lost,” SRR head coach Jason Allen said And that's tough for this group because they worked hard.” Brainerd head coach Charlie Schoeck liked his team’s chances going into the section tournament that's oozing with depth if not one clear cut favorite to qualify for state Brainerd ended the regular season with a 5-5 mark against section foes He preached patience to his team as they traversed an 18-point mountain “We talked before the game about just having a present-moment focus," Schoeck said Just stay consistent in the moment all game long.” Gilbert was Brainerd’s second-leading scorer with 17 The Warriors hit 10-of-21 threes with seven makes in the first half “Roseman was the difference in the game for them,” Allen said I didn’t want to go to zone because we had been leading and they got shooters out there SRR's season comes to an end with a 21-6 record Brainerd moved to 14-13 ahead of its semifinal matchup at 2 p.m The Knights advanced with an 80-51 win over No The Storm graduate an eight-man senior class that helped secure a co-Central Lakes Conference championship But a strong season came to an end with another first-round playoff exit “Our seniors gave us everything the last two years,” Allen said “Even going through some hiccups last season Michael-Albertville in Section 8-4A Semifinal 2 p.m SAUK RAPIDS — On most Saturday afternoons in the fall Hayden Brown would watch University of Iowa football with his dad John was a proud alumnus of Iowa and played in the Hawkeye Marching Band when he was a student in Iowa City That meant he spent a lot of Saturdays playing trombone and watching the Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium Hayden knows his dad had a big influence on him wanting to play football something which he excelled at as a two-year starting guard for the Storm's offensive line whether it was fishing or golfing," Hayden said "I was into youth hockey and he supported me there he very much wanted to help out in any way he could said his cause of death "was a blood clot in his artery and a severe narrowing of the arteries John was there one minute and gone the next Sara was working that day at her job as an administrative and communications assistant at Foley's City Hall when Police Chief Katie McMillin approached her is a police officer in Sartell and I was worried about her Katie took me by the shoulders and said 'John was playing golf They tried to bring him back and they couldn't 'Is this for real?' When I got the call from the Benton County deputy sheriff Emma found out from her police chief in Sartell And that's when I knew I had to go tell Hayden." John and Hayden talked about their plans for that night Hayden was helping the Storm prep for their homecoming game against St Francis and he was going to head to the Powderpuff girls flag football game that night to help coach one of the teams They made plans to watch the Hawkeyes that Saturday went back home and then went golfing because he took the day off to play with his friend," Hayden said Hayden and his Storm teammates were headed out for a Wednesday practice when Sara caught SRR head coach Phillip Klaphake just as he was headed to the field She asked Klaphake to join her in a room to break the news to Hayden "That was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life," Sara said He and his entire coaching staff were phenomenal I know him being there would be good for Hayden in that moment." Hayden had the option of staying home from school the next day he didn't necessarily want to be around people He spent that Thursday in a conference room catching up on school work He also wondered what his dad would think about him playing in the Storm's football game that Friday night "I knew my dad would've told me I still had a job to do," Hayden said "Sometimes you wish the world would just stop — but it doesn't I wasn't going to let my brothers down on the field But once I got to the middle school (where the Storm plays) it was the first time John wasn't sitting next to her to watch Hayden play John was always with me," Sara said before a brief pause "I had never cried so much in my life that night of the homecoming game But all I could think about was how much John would've loved watching that game We would've had our 25th wedding anniversary last November "The hardest parts for me are big moments for our family when he isn't there." the wheels had already started turning for Hayden's college football recruitment John was more than happy when Concordia extended a game day invite to Hayden and some of his teammates Hayden was also recruited by Gustavus Adolphus and Crown College knew where his dad wanted him to go to college but he still wanted to take his time when making a decision "I didn't want to go to a school where my mom or dad didn't like the coaching staff," Hayden said "The advice my dad had given me going into it definitely helped me I know he would've been proud of me wherever I played Added Sara: "I was so emotional when he got that offer from Concordia He had already put in a lot of work with Hayden to look at schools Hayden had his visits to Concordia and Gustavus Emma asked us both if we were really going to go on the trips It was our plan and John would've wanted us to do it He wouldn't have wanted us to just pack it in He underwent surgery on a torn labrum in his right shoulder in January but expects to be cleared to do "football-related" workouts by mid-May He had been a thrower for the SRR track team but will have to miss out on that sport as well He's been focused on rehabbing the shoulder since the surgery He's also gotten to know his dad better through stories from his relatives and friends One of his favorites was 'Slap Shot.' The stories I've heard from people at the funeral you can tell how much he cared about everyone," Hayden said "He decided to work at Catholic Charities for a reason because he liked to help people "He was a mascot for the Iowa Cubs (the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) for a few summers in college He would wear the bear costume and he would tell me some stories from back then Sara is still amazed her son's resiliency since John died She remembers her senior year of high school and acknowledged she wouldn't have handled things as well as Hayden has Hayden worries about me and keeps an eye on me I know he's looking out for his mom," Sara said through some tears I don't know what I would've done if that had happened to me at 17 But we're looking forward to the rest of his senior year we're looking ahead to football at Concordia And I know he wouldn't have missed a Concordia game But we would be lying to ourselves if we didn't say it felt like somebody was missing." WILLMAR — Sauk Rapids edged the Willmar boys tennis team on Thursday earning a 4-3 victory in the Central Lakes Conference match behind a sweep of wins from its doubles teams improve to 2-0 in the conference and 4-0 overall Willmar is 0-2 in conference matches and 0-4 this spring Carter Newberg and Sam Loerzel earned singles wins for the Cardinals Miguel Garcia nearly notched Willmar's fourth point The senior lost in a tiebreaker against Liam Mick The Cardinals play a CLC match at Brainerd at 4:30 p.m Benson won all seven matches in straight sets against Yellow Medicine East at Granite Falls The closest match between the two teams came at No The Braves’ Brandon Sondag and Bence Banoczky beat Evan Christianson and Adrian Lakes Benson hosts Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd at 4:30 p.m YME hosts Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd at 4:30 p.m the Sauk Rapids-Rice boys basketball team can be overwhelming The Storm (10-3) scored a season-high 100 points in a 12-point conference win over Detroit Lakes (6-6) on Tuesday They average 81 points per game and run a dozen defenses “We out-rebound teams because we’re very long,” coach Jason Allen said after a January home win against Fergus Falls (9-3) “The things that will get us where we need to go are out-rebounding teams staying together and fighting through adversity.”  Earlier this season Sauk Rapids was ranked in the top three teams in Minnesota but recently laid an egg in its first loss against North Dakota’s Fargo Davies (7-2) on Dec Michael-Albertville (9-4) and Moorhead (10-3) between Central Lakes Conference wins Expect third Husky trip to state: After two state medals, Albany's boys basketball expectations are clear The Spuds beat the Storm 69-64 on Saturday in Sauk Rapids Moorhead was unranked by Minnesota Basketball News The Storm still lead the CLC with a 7-0 record and were coming off a 22-point road win versus section opponent and rival Sartell-St Storm players want to win the CLC and the section tournament to compete at state but the team has to find a way to make up the gap to the section’s top teams Sauk Rapids was eliminated in a one-point loss to Moorhead in the quarterfinals which seniors Keller Hanson and Spencer Swenson said still motivates the team Rogers won the tourney and Sauk Rapids already defeated the defending state qualifier this winter Allen said the team would fall into the trap of losing a few games in a row last year The only streak so far this season is a winning one — seven games to start the year — but the Storm have averaged a loss a week since Christmas Royalton girls still undefeated: Royalton looking for first girls basketball state berth behind eighth grade point guard Playing with the pressure of high postseason expectations isn’t particularly new or difficult Many of the seniors have hooped together on the varsity team for three years, including Shea Koster, all-area football player Hudson Omoke and Hanson He just scored his 1,000th career point against Moorhead and is committed to play in Division II next year at Northern Michigan Swenson has also committed to a DII program since transferring to the Storm from St Cloud Tech in 2023: he plans to play in college at Minnesota-Cookston The senior comes from a basketball family — he is cousins with Los Angeles Laker rookie Dalton Knecht Knecht was a star last year on the Elite Eight Tennessee Volunteers and averages nearly 10 points per game in the NBA Swenson is two inches taller than his cousin Allen trusts his bench to contribute reliably freshman Tylee Rudolph and freshman Isaiah Williams play long minutes Allen is also a transfer — he coached at St Cloud State basketball team and currently teaches middle school social studies at Sauk Rapids While the Storm are usually cool on the court In addition to sharing plays and positive encouragement he does not hide his displeasure with errors even when leading by a large margin Allen feels like the players react positively to high energy saying it was part of the team’s undefeated home start until Saturday the Storm beat preseason CLC favorite and Class 3A No 2024 all-area football team: ROCORI's Tylutki headlines 48 named to 2024 St. Cloud Times all-area football teams The Cardinals were missing Clemson-commit Chase Thompson and the Storm have to play Alex on the road at the end of January but they feel confident about competing against the defending Class 3A state team 27 against Champlin Park (8-3) in the Granite City Classic including section games at Buffalo and against Sartell Contact reporter Reid Glenn at rglenn@gannett.com SAUK RAPIDS — Hudson Behling might see himself as a small-town kid from Sauk Rapids but he’s about to make it on the big screen I would’ve never thought a small-town kid would get a lead role in a movie,” Hudson said “The project is described as a horror film that follows the summer of a young boy forced to grow up faster than he ever imagined,” IMDb wrote and South Dakota native January Jones (best known for her role as Betty Draper in “Mad Men”) Hudson’s work with GREAT Theatre and his affinity for Adam Sandler sparked his interest in the movie industry I really want to be an actor.’ And she didn’t expect me to do anything with it,” Hudson said OK,’ that was really my reaction,” she said His break into the industry started with a simple online search I have to go through 30 weeks of acting classes and then they’ll start giving me auditions,” he said The teen then traveled to an expo in Texas He was then paired with a Hollywood coach for another 30-week acting program via Zoom Hudson received several callbacks for “Altar” and eventually found himself on a plane to Winnipeg to film the movie I can’t even express how fun it was,” he said A24 has found success with its horror movies including “The Lighthouse,” “Hereditary,” “Midsommar,” and a trilogy of movies starring Mia Goth (“X,” “Pearl” and “MaXXXine”) the eighth-grader had to make time for schoolwork He had to study for at least one hour a day or up to three Hudson is back at Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle School “I got to go home on the earliest flight so I could go to my school and surprise my friends during lunchtime,” he said and we all fell out onto the concrete outside hunts and enjoys spending time with his friends “Altar” is set to premiere sometime next year in Los Angeles Kari Behling said the movie will also be featured at festivals A showing at the local Marcus Parkwood Theater is also expected Hudson hopes this is just the beginning of a flourishing acting career.  “I want to be in 10 movies by the time I’m 30 Funeral services will be 2:00 PM on Sunday Pastor Zach Hoffman will officiate and burial will be at 5 PM at the Motley Cemetery in Motley 2025 at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home Sauk Rapids and one hour prior to services Sunday at the church in St 1941 in Staples to Herbert and Lillian (Gilmore) Eisenlohr She grew up on a farm in Motley and attended Concordia College in St first and eight grade at Trinity Lutheran school and later at Pleasantview Elementary where she developed the Title I Reading Program She also worked as a sale associate for various places She owned and operated Midbook Telephone Directory and Christian Book and Gift Store Ruth was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church and LWML She volunteered with Support the Troops and Meals on Wheels who provided for her children and grandchildren with love Chris (Sheena) Kutzorik of Sartell; grandchildren She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Funeral services will be 2:00 PM on Sunday, April 27, 2025 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in St. Cloud for Ruth M. Zulkosky, age 83, who passed away at the St. Cloud Hospital on Sunday, April 20, 2025.\nRead More Funeral Services will be 10:00 AM Saturday 2025 at Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Waite Park for Judith R who passed away Resurrection Sunday at her home surrounded by family and friends Pastor Ross Frericks will officiate and burial will be at Assumption Cemetery in St with a time of sharing at 6:30 PM on Friday April 25 at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Sauk Rapids and one hour prior to services on Saturday at the church in Waite Park 1949 in Crosby to Robert and Shirley (Symitzek) Thompson and was raised by Carl and Shirley Brand California and Michigan and graduated from High School in Crystal Falls She worked at various hair salons in the St owned and operated Judy’s Hair Haven and finished her career at Lee and Friends Hair Design in Clearwater before retiring after 40 years in the business She truly cared for her clients and they loved her and trusted her work mother and grandmother with an infectious laugh and beautiful singing voice crossword puzzles and adult coloring books Judy loved spending time with her family and friends Nicholas Grams of Sauk Rapids; grandchildren She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Funeral Services will be 10:00 AM Saturday, April 26, 2025 at Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Waite Park for Judith R. Grams, age 76, who passed away Resurrection Sunday at her home surrounded by family and friends.\nRead More and thank you so much for everything," the restaurant said in the post Led by a Minnesota State High School League record-breaking 90-point first half "This was super fun," Alexandria senior MaCee Linow said Alexandria's 90-point first half sets a new MSHSL state record for points in a half Paul Como Park previously held the previous record of 83 and it seemed like everyone hit their shots," Alexandria head coach Wendy Kohler said The MSHSL state record for most points in a game scored by one team is 129 points Alexandria led 90-19 at halftime over Sauk Rapids-Rice on Tuesday What is likely Alexandria's best offensive showing in school history (points-wise) was led by a balanced attack 14 different Cardinals scored in Tuesday's game The Cardinals had the opportunity to give many young players more playing time in Tuesday's win who finished with nine points on the night "It was fun to see a player like Riley Beyer come off the bench and provide the energy that she did," Alexandria senior Hadley Thul said "She's just an 8th-grader and was making great plays." Junior Hope Stark also had nine points on the night "A lot of these girls have been competing against these seniors in practice for three or four years now," Kohler said "They have no chance but to improve their skills and execute against that kind of defensive unit They've gotten so much stronger and more confident We're a tight team and have a lot of toughness I've seen a lot of maturity out of this group and they're much better on the practice floor as they get older and everybody matures Alexandria made 17 three-pointers in Tuesday's win to get to 3-1 on the year who came into the night ranked fourth in the Class 3A Minnesota Basketball News poll have finished atop the Section 8-3A and Central Lakes Conference standings in recent seasons The Cardinals have won the last two Central Lakes Conference and Section 8-3A titles and finished in the top four at the MSHSL Class 3A State Tournament And because they're the team to beat in the CLC and Section 8-3A Alexandria isn't taking anyone or anything lightly "Our coaches do a great job of keeping us intertwined." "We tell them our most important game is the next one and we have such a tough schedule that they must stick to the process We work hard in practice and have a lot of high expectations for them And we're continually nailing it down to the finest details on what went well and what needs to get better I think we keep them on their toes by not letting them get complacent and having a vision for each player but after our first game (a 75-70 loss to Marshall) we feel like we have that monkey off our back A tornado -- or as it was described back in the day injured 213 and caused $400,000 worth of damage in 1886 dollars That's nearly $13.5-million dollars in today's dollars It remains Minnesota's deadliest tornado on record Cloud/Sauk Rapids/Rice tornado was an F4 on the Fujita Scale meaning it likely had winds of 207-260 miles an hour It was part of a large outbreak of tornados across America on April 14th and 15 87 people died and some 324 were injured across the country during that severe weather The bulk of the dead and injured were from Central Minnesota On April 14, 1886, a devastating \"cyclone\" tore through St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, and Rice, killing 72 people and injuring 213. It's still remembered as Minnesota's deadliest tornado.\nRead More SARTELL — Sartell/Sauk Rapids improved to 2-1 on the boys lacrosse season with a dominating 10-1 win over Brainerd on Thursday The Storm'N Sabres scored three goals in the first five in the second and one each in the third and fourth CLOUD — The Spartans downed the Crush at St COLD SPRING — The Crush improved to 2-1 on the season with the win over ROCORI at Blattner Stadium BRAINERD — Brainerd's Maddie Maurer had a hat trick to lead the Warriors to a dominating win over the Storm'N Sabres PIERZ — The Albany girls golf team took third place at a Granite Ridge Conference meet at Pierz Municipal Golf Course Averie Andvik and Bella Newbauer led the Crusaders with rounds of 47 each Cloud Cathedral boys golf team took third place at the Becker Invite with a score of 316 Waconia took first with a team score of 297 Waconia's Ryder Haskins was the individual medalist with a round of 70 SARTELL — The Sartell boys golf team took first place at a CLC meet at Blackberry Ridge Golf Course The Sabres had a team score of 294 to edge Alexandria by two shots Sartell's Carson Angel was the individual medalist with a strong round of 70 WILLMAR — Sauk Rapids-Rice edged the Willmar boys tennis team on Thursday Liam Mick earned the lone singles win for SRR at No the SRR tandems of Zach Euteneuer/Shane Jansky JD Fuentes/Braxton Schmidt and Brenden Nathe/Tiashan Mehta all came away victorious WILLMAR — The Willmar softball team made a late charge to get the victory over Sauk Rapids on Tuesday at the Willmar Civic Center softball fields the Cardinals put up four runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure a 7-3 win “It took a whole team effort to keep the energy up for all seven innings,” said Cardinals head coach Breanna Tupa “I am proud of every single one of those girls and their mental resilience.” Freshman Grace Kalkbrenner pitched all seven innings for Willmar Eighth-grader Brynnlee Carroll was 2-for-4 with a triple Hannah Magnuson scored a pair of runs and drove in another in a 1-for-3 effort Morris/Chokio-Alberta’s Haley Kill struck out nine and went 3-for-3 with a pair of triples to vault the Tigers over BOLD at Morris BOLD next plays Lac qui Parle Valley at 5 p.m Melrose went off for 12 hits to secure a doubleheader sweep of Minnewaska at Melrose Haillie Schulz finished 3-for-4 with two runs two stolen bases and an RBI for the Lakers Minnewaska is host to Yellow Medicine East at 4:30 p.m Ellie Grieve tossed a six-inning two-hitter Lauren Stryhn went 1-for-2 with a triple for Minnewaska Aidan Porter hit a walk-off single to give West Central Area the Game 2 win and the sweep of host Montevideo The two teams combined for 30 hits in the nightcap Kylieann Johnson went 2-for-3 with four runs an RBI and nine stolen bases for the Thunder Hawks Montevideo has a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 4 p.m Friday against visiting Morris/Chokio-Alberta two doubles and two RBIs in West Central Area’s Game 1 win over host Montevideo Gabrielle Augeson was 1-for-4 with a double A four-run fourth inning helped Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa rally from a 2-1 deficit to beat Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City at Brooten McKenna Lieser went 3-for-4 with three doubles three runs and an RBI and winning pitcher Mya Worms was 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs for BBE walked one and allowed six hits and one earned run BBE has a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 4 p.m Kaydence Roeske went 4-for-4 with three doubles four runs and an RBI in Payneville’s victory over Eden Valley-Watkins at Eden Valley Roeske and Arianna Messer hit back-to-back homers with two outs in the sixth inning she’s reached base 20 out of 21 times with seven doubles Her lone out was a line out to left field against Milaca at Paynesville last Tuesday “I don’t think I’ve seen somebody going that many at-bats without making an out,” Paynesville head coach Zach Nelson said “But 17 runs in five games is ridiculous too.” Paynesville also got a 2-for-4 performance from Madison McNabb Messer got the pitching win and McNabb got the save Paynesville next plays a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m An 11-run first inning helped MACCRAY fend off a Dawson-Boyd comeback to complete the sweep at Raymond The Wolverines’ offense was led by Haven Osterfeld Natyah Ritter was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs for the Blackjacks MACCRAY plays Ortonville beginning at 4:30 p.m MACCRAY tallied three runs in the top of the eighth inning to best Dawson-Boyd at Raymond Sarah Seehusen and Reyna Mendoza each had three hits for the Wolverines Kadyn Perkins finished 4-for-5 with an RBI for the Blackjacks Kendyl Shelstad went 3-for-5 with a double two runs and five RBIs to help lead Lac qui Parle Valley past Renville County West in four innings at Danube The Eagles play Yellow Medicine East at 4:30 p.m Lyla Oakes went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI and Taylor Van Heuveln got the complete-game pitching victory for Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg at Hancock She allowed five hits and three earned runs in seven innings KMS next plays Tracy-Milroy-Balaton at 4:30 p.m BRAINERD — Mya Tautges allowed no runs on one hit and one walk with 14 strikeouts in seven innings in Game One as the Brainerd Warriors split a Central Lakes Conference doubleheader with the Sauk Rapids Storm Tuesday Callie Skoglund’s solo home run was one of two hits in the Warriors' 1-0 victory Sauk Rapids bettered the Warriors 10-4 in Game Two Owen ripped a double and finished with two RBIs Brainerd’s Ari Halburt finished 2-3 with a double Sophomore Maddie O’Grady allowed six runs on two hits and five walks in five innings of relief A Sauk Rapids police officer has been charged with second-degree criminal sexual misconduct with a minor began in December 2024 when law enforcement received a report of criminal sexual conduct Jensen had allegedly performed over a decade prior when Jensen’s reported victim told investigators with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension about a sexual assault that had happened in 2007 or 2008 who court documents state had a “significant relationship” with Jensen said he had assaulted her when she was 6 or 7 years old in Morrison County Jensen would have been 16 to 17 years old when the assault occured Court documents state the victim told family members in 2024 about the incident leading to family members confronting Jensen who reportedly admitted to the abuse to family members stating that it had occured over a time period of six months to a year was placed on paid administrative leave when the investigation began in December The department says that since February 2025 Jensen has been on unpaid administrative leave and his next court date is scheduled for May 19 He faces up to 25 years in prison if found guilty Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KSTP via our online form or call 651-646-5555 SAUK RAPIDS — Giovanni's Italian Ristorante in Sauk Rapids has closed Los Mariachis Mexican Grill is set to open on Friday The building was once home to Urban Lodge Brewery and Restaurant SAUK RAPIDS — Former Mayor Kurt Hunstiger has been named the 2025 Sauk Rapids Citizen of the Year He was surprised with the announcement on Tuesday morning according to a city of Sauk Rapids news release Hunstiger was nominated by Mayor Jason Ellering Ellering is in his first year as Sauk Rapids mayor who announced his retirement last year after 30 years in city government including eight as mayor and 10 on the city council "Kurt's contributions to the city of Sauk Rapids are numerous and far-reaching," Ellering wrote in his nomination letter Hunstiger played a key role in land development in infrastructure projects Hunstiger will receive the 2025 Sauk Rapids Citizen of the Year award during the Monday