WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- The owners of a bread company in Waite Park are being honored by the St Great Harvest Bread Company's Mike and DeNae Hiltner are the chamber's 2025 Small Business Owners of the Year Mike says they have evolved quite a bit since they opened a little over 25 years ago We started out as this little neighborhood bread store.  We literally started out with making five breads and one cookie a day.  Twenty-five years later we are up to 30-40 breads at different times and our entryway is just full of different products that we have added and continue to add Great Harvest Bread Company launched a catering service in 2015 They say they've also become a popular lunch option for school sports teams They have about 12 employees throughout much of the year but get up to about 20 employees during the holiday season The Hiltners say their Honey Whole Wheat bread is their most popular staple bread They bake a range from about 36 loaves a day to hundreds of loaves in December The Hiltners were on the News @ Noon Show on WJON on Friday Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Homes has been named the Family-Owned Business of the Year have earned the Entrepreneurial Success Award Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Business Awards Luncheon is this Wednesday at 11:30 a.m The owners of a bread company in Waite Park are being honored by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce.\nRead More WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- The owners of a bread company in Waite Park are being honored by the St 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.” Preliminary autopsy results are back for a Saturday shooting in Waite Park The shooting took place at roughly 2:15 p.m Saturday in a home in the 200 block of 10th Avenue North Two officers were across the street when gunshots were heard and informed dispatch of the gunshots More: Update: Gunshots reported in Waite Park, two dead, 2 children safe, according to police Preliminary autopsy results show Janet Vercuysse of Waite Park dying from a homicide with multiple gunshot wounds according to the Waite Park Police Department Cloud died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head The autopsy was performed by the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office ran from the house and were kept safe in a squad car More: St. Cloud homicide ends aspiring rapper’s search for a new life: ‘It caught up to him’ Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office assisted the Waite Park Police Department in responding to the shooting Police in Waite Park are sharing new details in an apparent murder-suicide that occurred Saturday afternoon Around 2:12 p.m. two Waite Park police officers were responding to an unrelated incident in the 200 block of 10th Avenue North when they heard gunshots across the street After reporting the gunshots to the Stearns County Dispatch Once the children were secured in a squad car police said the officers went inside the home and found two dead adults The police department said the two were identified as 36-year-old Janet Vercruysse and 29-year-old Demico Elyea-Goss an autopsy revealed that Vercruysse had been shot multiple times while Elyea-Goss appeared to have taken his own life shooting himself in an apparent murder-suicide If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse several resources are available to offer help More than 12 million people just in the U.S are affected by domestic violence every year according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline The organizations listed above can help connect victims to resources like safe shelter The National Domestic Violence Hotline also offers tips for identifying abuse and supporting victims of abuse. CLICK HERE to see those Other organizations that can help include: Minnesota also has a list of many other resources for victims of crimes that can be found HERE 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 ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A new entrepreneur hub is opening in downtown St The Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation has announced the grand opening of StageWorks on Wednesday at 8:00 a.m It is housed in the historic Davidson Opera House on Fifth Avenue The grand opening coincides with Start.Up Connect - St which is a free bi-weekly networking event the local entrepreneur spotlights Angela Ringsmuth the Board Chair of the Independent Music Collaborative of Central Minnesota StageWorks has high-speed internet provided by Arvig a coffee bar provided by Kinder Coffee Lab and programming and education provided by ILT Academy The GSDC will remain headquartered in the 501 Building in downtown St A new entrepreneur hub is opening in downtown St. Cloud.\nRead More ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A new entrepreneur hub is opening in downtown St The Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation has announced the grand opening of StageWorks on Wednesday at 8:00 a.m The auto dealer will sell brands including Yamaha Triton Trailers and Bad Boy Mowers at the new location the dealership will offer parts and service for powersports equipment starting on Thursday The new location is at 8805 Ridgewood Court Two people were found dead after shots were fired in a Waite Park home on Saturday The Waite Park Police Department said that at around 2 p.m. officers responded to possible gunshots in a home on the 200 block of 10th Avenue North Authorities said that two children left the home unharmed and two adults inside were pronounced dead on the scene Their identities have not been released at this time The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was called to the scene to assist there is no threat to the public at this time (This story was updated to add new information.) Two people were found dead after gunshots were fired in Waite Park Saturday The Waite Park Police Department posted on Facebook shortly after 3 p.m. writing that officers were at the scene of the incident on 10th Avenue North in Waite Park officers responded to the incident at a home in the 200 block of 10th Avenue North according to a press release from the Waite Park Police Department It also said two children exited the home unharmed The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension assisted at the site Mayo Ambulance and the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office Sartell and Cold Spring Police Departments also provided assistance A portion of 10th Avenue North in Waite Park is closed from Second Street North to Third Street North The victims' identities will be shared at a later time ALEXANDRIA (WJON News) -- A Teen was rescued after falling out of a moving boat The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says the incident happened on Saturday at about 2:00 p.m A 15-year-old boy fell out of the boat as he was accelerating.  The boy was not wearing a life vest A person on a pontoon rescued the boy and brought him to the public access where he was treated and released to his parents A dock and lift company was able to stop the boat during the rescue A Teen was rescued after falling out of a moving boat.\nRead More ALEXANDRIA (WJON News) -- A Teen was rescued after falling out of a moving boat the self-described "crazy cheesecake lady" began traveling in her van to make rounds at area businesses “I would walk into businesses with a box of cheesecakes and say All I needed was one person out of their office to buy cheesecakes from me Skoog can remember baking with her mother in her younger days and Skoog passed that along to her four children and that’s what we did for fun: we would find a recipe then we would go to the store and get the ingredients and then come home and make our dessert,” Skoog said “The next day I went into work and I still had no idea that this was something bubbling in my life,” Skoog said ‘What would you think if I started making cheesecakes for Anton’s?’” Skoog had moved her operations out of Cafe Renaissance and into Anton’s Restaurant and I would do what I needed to do for Christine’s Cheesecakes and then at 10:30 a.m I would change my shirt and then I would wait tables at Anton’s from 10:30 a.m I would do more stuff for Christine’s Cheesecakes and then I would go back to working waiting tables at Anton’s until about 9 p.m Skoog’s cheesecake business had outgrown Anton’s kitchen and the restaurant’s kitchen staff was ready for her to move out “I was busting out of the seams at Anton’s,” she said Skoog opened a storefront inside Riverwood Mall in Waite Park a scoop of cheesecake in small plastic cups I needed to come up with some way to do a variety of different flavors and this seemed to be the most efficient way to do that,” Skoog said ranging from fruit options like raspberry lemon chocolate brownie caramel and turtle — plus unique twists such as pina colada Her bestsellers are turtle and raspberry white chocolate Skoog said she was intrigued by the possibilities of dirty soda spurred by the reality TV show “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” Pepper paired with raspberry white chocolate and sweet cream She said customers can also add a scoop of cheesecake or extra caffeine shots into the dirty sodas Christine’s Cheesecakes also provides sweet treats for graduation parties and weddings The retail store also sells full 9-inch cheesecakes and other custom orders Waite Park Police are reporting a stolen license plate on the 10 block of 7th Avenue North The Waite Park Police Department is temporarily relocating police and city hall administration during construction effective Thursday May 1.  Alicia Mages from Waite Park PD and Tri-County Crime Stoppers says they will be working out of the public works facility which is located at 670 17th Avenue South.  She says they will be there for approximately 18 months until construction is complete If you have information on any unsolved crimes in the Stearns Benton or Sherburne County area please report information by calling Crimestoppers at 1-800-255-1301 online at tricountycrimestoppers.org and click on submit a tip or use the P3 mobile app and submit your information that way My conversation with Alicia Mages is available below The Waite Park Police Department is temporarily relocating police and city hall administration during construction. Alicia Mages from Waite Park PD and Tri-County Crime Stoppers says they will be working out of the public works facility which is located at 670 17th Avenue South.\nRead More WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- Waite Park police are investigating a deadly incident Waite Park Police Officers responded to possible gunshots in a home in the 200 block of 10th Avenue North in Waite Park Officers from multiple agencies responded to the scene to assist Officers entered the home and found two adult victims both were pronounced dead at the scene The MN BCA Crime Scene Team was requested to the scene to assist The victims' identities will be released at a later time The Waite Park Police Department was assisted by the Stearns County Sheriff's Office MN BCA and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz Waite Park police are investigating a deadly incident.\nRead More WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- Waite Park police are investigating a deadly incident MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) -- A Waite Park non-profit has received a grant from a statewide organization The Women's Foundation of Minnesota has announced a total of $425,000 in general operating grants to 22 organizations through its Fund for Safety Twenty-seven percent of the grants are in rural or Greater Minnesota The Terebinth Refuge in Waite Park has received $20,000 to continue support for trafficked and sexually exploited women The Women's Foundation of Minnesota was founded in 1983 and it is the first statewide women's foundation in the country A Waite Park non-profit has received a grant from a statewide organization.\nRead More MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) -- A Waite Park non-profit has received a grant from a statewide organization WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- Employees and customers in an area of west Waite Park will have to detour around a train that is blocking access to and from Highway 23 at 36th Avenue South on Thursday The city of Waite Park says the train will be blocking the access until approximately 5:30 p.m Drivers will be forced to detour via Julep Road Employees and customers in an area of west Waite Park will have to detour around a train that is blocking access to and from Highway 23.\nRead More WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- Employees and customers in an area of west Waite Park will have to detour around a train that is blocking access to and from Highway 23 at 36th Avenue South on Thursday Atlas larvae are notably defensive, known to bite anything that touches them, and will fight among each other to death if food is scarce. With a life span of 12 months Photo by Chad Kirchoff on Unsplash[/caption] It's time for our next Cordes Award for 'It Matters with Kelly Cordes' on WJON weekdays from 10 to noon I've been lucky enough to meet some pretty fantastic people across central Minnesota and when you get them talking about the work they love They have been dedicated and loyal guests to my show through the years and in honor of the time they take out of their busy days to share their knowledge with us I wanted to show them how much they are appreciated (He could have been a Broadcaster had he not been so interested in mechanics.) Cloud Quick Lube and Detail Center on Division Street in St Jerel joins me for a program called 'Grinding Gears' on Mondays at 11:40 am Grinding Gears is a program where our listeners can call in to the show to get great advice on how to repair their vehicles at home and then Jerel gives his very best opinion on what they should do Jerel will let you know if you should bring it into the shop as well Jerel has such passion for anything with a motor He loves to spend time at the Brainerd Motor Speedway in 'Drifting' events loves to spend time with his perfect companion and going out of your way on busy busy days to still make time for Grinding Gears who entertained us with his expert mechanical advice for years Cloud Quick Lube and knew that he'd make a great leader and we all miss you on It Matters!  :-) Tune in to discover who just snagged the Cordes Award for community service and expert car advice on WJON's 'It Matters'.\nRead More Officers across the street on a separate matter heard the gunshots and saw the children run from the Waite Park home Saturday A young mother and a man are dead after an apparent murder-suicide in Waite Park Officers responded to gunshots at a home in the 200 block of 10th Avenue N Saturday and found two adults dead in the house according to Police Chief Anthony Reznicek The two officers were across the street from the home on a separate matter when they heard gunshots and saw two children run from the house and confirm a shooting took place The children were secured in a squad car before officers entered the house Officials on Wednesday identified the dead as Janet Vercruysse Preliminary autopsy results from the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office indicate Vercruysse’s death was a homicide by gunfire and Elyea-Goss died from a gunshot wound to his head Many local and state law enforcement agencies including the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension A friend of Vercruysse on Wednesday described her as a caring and adventurous person who loved spending time with her children She had moved to Waite Park just over a year ago “She was what everyone should be in life,” said Troy Grimler of Howard Lake If somebody walked by and made eye contact she’d smile and wave at them even if she didn’t know them.” Grimler said Vercruysse had a contagious laugh and recalled a fond memory from a motorcycle ride a few years ago “I watched her eat a mouthful of bugs when we were on the bike one day because she was laughing and her mouth was open And she was spitting them out and giggling in between,” he said “We were laughing so hard we had to stop.” worked with Vercruysse at a nursing home in Kimball She said Vercruysse loved getting dressed up in her favorite colors and patterns of purple She also loved decorating her house in a fun and feminine way ‘I have a Barbie house.’ She painted her front door pink,” Curtis said Curtis said Vercruysse was kind and saw the good in everyone: “Her heart was fearless.” The children will be cared for by their father The National Alliance on Mental Illness in Minnesota recommends these resources if you or someone you know is in crisis: 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 I spoke to Tad Hoeschen from the St. Coud Police Department on Wednesday, April 30th, 2025, about some concerns regarding the Minnesota Predatory Offender Registry. In regard to a recent post, that website, FamilyWatchdog.com did not have completely accurate information Tad told me that Minnesota has had a registry for quite some time Cloud case back in the 90s that was the catalyst that created the registry—a murder case where the Predator should have been followed and watched more closely The St Cloud Crisis Intervention team takes this registry very seriously and they monitor all of the people who have to register People also need to know that the registry includes other crimes like stalking there are four different levels of registry ranking from 'Unlevel' to 'Level 3' Level 1 offenders are the least likely to re-offend and daycares and schools are automatically notified if they request that information These are the offenders who are the mostly likely to re-offend Media release as sent out as soon as possible if someone at this level is released there was a website called www.familywatchdog.com that is put out NOT-so-Accurate information regarding offenders "So we don't want individuals being targeted for something that they didn't do The criminal justice system is there for a reason and we want to make sure that there is due process and due diligence," Tad Hoeschen Tad informed me that monitoring is done on those listed on the registry when they are released Not all information that you see on the internet is accurate Some of the information in this case was correct regarding the Level 3 But information on others was NOT."There's enough for us to worry about in this world right now and there's no need to be worrying about something that isn't true,' said Tad Hoeschen How do you make sure you are getting accurate information You can go to a number of credible sites like: If you would like to listen to the full interview Are online sources like FamilyWatchdog.com misleading the public?\nRead More I spoke to Tad Hoeschen from the St. Coud Police Department on Wednesday, April 30th, 2025, about some concerns regarding the Minnesota Predatory Offender Registry. In regard to a recent post, that website, FamilyWatchdog.com - Number of tornadoes: 3\n- Maximum tornado scale: EF2 (111-135 mph)\n- Maximum tornado length: 9.6 miles\n- Maximum tornado width: 400 feet\n- Estimated property damage: None\n- Estimated deaths: None A new restaurant and cooking supplies store opened in Waite Park this week the newest venture from Buckman-based Britz Store Equipment opened in Waite Park on Monday ahead of its grand opening event Saturday The large store, located at 79 Third St. NE sells supplies for both commercial restaurants and stores as well as individuals looking to build up their home kitchens Local markets: St. Cloud home to ethnic grocery stores from around the world "We're not just cutting ourselves off to professional equipment .. we want to have an opening to everyone who wants to have this style of cooking," co-owner Justin Cummins said Food Equipment Super Store sells large items like freezers It also offers smaller goods like frying pans cooking supplies and baking supplies are also a part of the store Britz Store Equipment serves customers across the Midwest said the area's local restaurants have "been waiting for something like this to show up again." He said the store's team hopes The Food Equipment Super Store will help the business better connect with the local community and serve the area's small businesses "We've noticed that there isn't a restaurant supply for all those small (businesses) or anything like that in the area," Cummins said 'let's take advantage of an area that doesn't have it Cummins said the team also plans to expand the variety of items it carries especially for its smaller items like utensils and cooking pans Restaurant closure: Slim Chickens closes St. Cloud fast-food restaurant Food Equipment Super Store is hosting its grand opening 9 a.m Saturday with free lunch and popcorn and prizes from Leighton Media Broadcasting In addition to the Waite Park store, Britz Store Equipment is located at 9692 Highway 25 N in Buckman Teagan King covers business and development for the St WAITE PARK — Waite Park city staff members are moving their offices as renovations to city hall soon get underway according to city administrator Shaunna Johnson which comes with a $28.8 million price tag Johnson said the project will be funded by $20 million in sales tax and the city intends to bond the remaining $8 million Waite Park voters approved a .5% sales tax in 2022 The renovation is meant to address a space need: the Waite Park Police Department staff has tripled since the last renovation in the early 2000s; the fire department has no additional room for storage equipment or vehicles; and city staff has run out of room according to a handout provided by Johnson The current city hall was one of three locations assessed by Waite Park city staff for possible renovation: Renovation at city hall comes with a price tag of $28.8 million — but lower than renovating the old public works building (projected to cost $30 million to $33.8 million) or the BioLife site (projected to cost between $29.8 million and $33.6 million) the city went with the more cost-effective option “We came to a consensus that locating at the existing city hall was going to be the most economical (option),” Johnson said “It was going to check more of those boxes because it was also going to allow us to make improvements to the administration side and expand some of the office needs that administration had as well.” Waite Park's city hall building will be closed starting on Thursday The city will work from the public works facility The Waite Park City Council (which typically meets the first and third Monday of the month) and the Waite Park Planning Commission (which meets the second Tuesday of the month) will conduct their meetings at the St Cloud Area School District 742 offices at 1201 Second St Johnson said residents will not be able to use the city’s prescription dropbox or fingerprint scanning services during the move The renovation project is expected to take about 16 months At 3:50 p.m., Waite Park Police Department issued a brief incident report, saying officers "are on the scene of an active incident" on 10th Ave. N. "Gunshots were fired and 2 people were found deceased." The department pointed out that no officers fired their weapons and that 10th Ave. N between 2nd St. N and 3rd St. N were blocked to traffic for the investigation.  In an update later Sunday evening, police revealed that officers responded to a report of possible gunshots around 2 p.m. at a home on the 200 block of 10th Ave. N.  Two children exited the home unharmed when police arrived, and when the officers entered the home they found two adults already dead.  "At this time, there is no known threat to the public," police said.  No further information has been disclosed.  Note: The details provided in this story are based on law enforcement’s latest version of events, and may be subject to change. By Joe Nelson is the head of Minnesota and Western Wisconsin weather and sports coverage for Bring Me The News Bring Me The Sports and Bring Me The Weather saying he'd killed the mother of his child which features a swimming beach and splash pad in the venerable Farmers and and Mechanics Savings Bank building ran outside of the home immediately after shots rang out on Saturday Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- A needed repair could soon be coming to a Waite Park venue The Waite Park City Council will vote on a repair for the Ledge Amphitheater at Monday night's meeting The trench drain grates in the bowl section of the venue are failing and causing a dripping hazard The city says last year there were two different issues at The Ledge The repair will remove the drain grates in two locations and fill them with concrete and it will not affect any drainage at the amphitheater The repairs would be done in time for the Brantley Gilbert concert on May 9th City of Waite Park to vote on a needed repair at The Ledge Amphitheater\nRead More WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- A needed repair could soon be coming to a Waite Park venue Waite Park is one of the fastest growing communities both commercially and residentially over the past 30 years in Central Minnesota.  The town is named for Henry Chester Waite a former State Representative and lawyer.  The initial Waite Park settlement was on what was Henry Waite's farm To help tell the story of Waite Park I was joined by longtime residents Rick Miller and Ed Bauer.  Miller served as the Mayor of Waite Park for 23 years and was a city council person for 10 years prior to that.  Bauer owned and operator a shop on 3rd Street and 6th Avenue in Waite Park for many years before retiring.  He still owns the shop It is clear the "Waite" part of the town's name is after Henry Waite but neither Rick nor Ed knew why the "Park" portion of the name was chosen There was a Waite's Crossing which is now where 8th Street and the Sauk River is.  Before the railroad came to town the Ox Cart Trail crossed the Sauk River at Waite's Crossing Henry Waite was a lawyer from Chicago who bought more than 600 acres in Central Minnesota.  He sold 300 acres to James J Hill and the Great Northern Railroad.  Many of the early Waite Park settlers in the late 1890s worked for the railroad Waite Park established a post office in 1897.  The original settlement was located between what is now 3rd Street and Highway 23.  Miller says the original Waite Park was very small.  Bauer says the earliest settlers were largely a mix of farmers and railroad employees.  Many granite quarries operated in what is now the Waite Park city limits.  Miller says 3 quarries operated out of what is Quarry Park and there were 2 where the Ledge Amphitheater is now Miller and Bauer recall numerous eating establishments like the Hub and Kueffler's.  Waite Park also had Hunstiger's Grocery.  Waite Park also had a street car that went from Waite Park to downtown St Cloud.  Waite Park never had a traditional downtown.  Miller says residents never had a place where they say they are going downtown park their car and walk.  He says 3rd Street had some commercial properties and so did Division Street Waite Park has a population of 8,341 today.  The borders between St Cloud and Waite Park are unique.  Most of Crossroads Mall is in St Cloud but both the Food Court and Scheels are in Waite Park.  Target is in St Miller says Waite Avenue is the dividing line in some cases but not completely.  He states Olive Garden is in Waite Park Cloud.  Miller says the western  and southern boundaries of Waite Park are the Sauk River and Interstate 94 If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Rick Miller and Ed Bauer Waite Park is one of the fastest growing communities both commercially and residentially over the past 30 years in Central Minnesota. The town is named for Henry Chester Waite, a former State Representative and lawyer.\nRead More Kansas and Jefferson Starship will perform at the Waite Park concert venue Sept Two iconic classic rock bands will be visiting The Ledge Amphitheater this year The band is known for hits like "Carry on Wayward Son," "Point of Know Return" and "Dust in the Wind." The Ledge concert: Christian musicians Maverick City Music, Anne Wilson to perform at The Ledge The band most recently released its album "The Absence of Presence" in 2020 and live album "Point of Know Return Live & Beyond" in 2021 Kansas will be joined by arena rock band Jefferson Starship with popular songs like "Jane" and "Miracles." The California group which focuses on a sense of adventure and camaraderie in its music is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary with its "Runaway Again Tour." State fair concert: Folk groups Avett Brothers, Milk Carton Kids to play Minnesota State Fair Tickets for the other shows are already on sale and the tickets for Kansas' concert will go on a venue presale from 10 a.m A new vintage store has come to Waite Park often greeting customers with a record playing in the background or a movie on the old box TV The Key to Vintage opened in its own storefront in late January after previously operating out of Elizabeth’s Storage Bin Boutique in St The new location has helped expand The Key to Vintage's inventory More: PT Rocks and Gems opens in Crossroads Center Mall He said he was excited to open in the new location at 2220 Frontage Road S because it has more space for items and vendors while also putting The Key to Vintage closer to other similar businesses so if I got something that fits their niche more than mine if they hear that someone's got something that's not really their niche So it's just nice to have that community of different businesses in the area," he said The Key to Vintage sells a variety of secondhand or collectible items including VHS movies and DVDs for shows like "Friends" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." The store also sells T-shirts with retro designs or old music groups plushies of Pokemon and other popular characters and glass pieces and I want it to be a place that a lot more people can come and enjoy looking around and finding stuff that maybe they haven't seen in forever or something they never thought they needed," Merritt said Danique: Beauty & the Beans coffee and soap shop to open in downtown St. Cloud this summer Much of the shop is stocked by Merritt's own collection but he is working with small vendors local to central Minnesota to help stock the store as he likes incorporating other vendors' expertise in areas he may be less familiar with Merritt plans to continue expanding his inventory with new vendors to help fill the store and expand offerings of items like CDs or I know different people in the area who might take stuff.. we've each got our own kind of thing," he said Though The Key to Vintage is still relatively new Merritt said he hopes it will become a destination for customers interested in collectibles and secondhand shopping More: St. Cloud home to ethnic grocery stores from around the world The shop also has a large parking lot out front which Merritt said he may use for events or outdoor vendors during warmer weather "(I'm) just looking forward to seeing what the future holds and hoping that I get a lot of people in a space that I want people to enjoy coming into," he said Wednesday through Saturday at 2220 Frontage Road S A new tattoo shop has opened in Waite Park Cloud-area residents a new tattooing experience Owner Lexus Latzka Illies dreamed of opening her own shop somewhere in the St. Cloud area, so in early March, she opened The Ink Social in Waite Park Latzka Illies started in the tattoo industry five years ago renting booths out of other locations in the St the idea popped into her head of opening her own shop "I'm the type of person that's always like "I just had a thought pop in my head that I should do it After touring what became her Waite Park space Latzka Illies knew she wanted to open Ink Social there She worked with the building owners on a quick renovation of the space Barber school: New barbershop school to open in St. Cloud's Crossroads Center Mall this spring Latzka Illies specializes in permanent makeup and fine line tattoos which she offers at Ink Social alongside an apprentice and fellow artist Mia Truelove The tattoo shop offers both bookings and walk-in appointments The team also offers permanent eyebrow makeup They may also add permanent lip blushing and eyeliner services in the future Latzka Illies said her clients were predominantly women and she often ended up providing the services other tattoo artists wanted to avoid she gravitated toward trying to create a more upscale which she has carried over into her new business so if anybody is scared about getting a tattoo or had a bad experience Medspa move: ‘Personal hands-on touch’: Simply Serene medspa expands with new Sauk Rapids location Latzka Illies said she is looking forward to getting involved in the community through Ink Social and will be hosting a grand opening event May 3 The event will give people the chance to view the space and enjoy snacks as well as giveaways and one-night-only discounts for appointments booked that day Ink Social may continue to expand its services and she is continuing to look for more tattoo artists to add to her team Latzka Illies also plans to host other community events in the space such as flash events that will fundraise for local charities and a tattoo event for those struggling with addiction to celebrate succeeding with sobriety "I am just hoping that this shop can give people a positive and unintimidating tattoo experience," she said "A lot of people go to shops and they get intimidated.. we just want people to feel like they have more of a say here and feel comfortable getting a tattoo," she said Ink Social is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 248 Second Ave. S. in Waite Park. Waite Park voters have chosen current city council member Kenneth Schmitt to be their next mayor Schmitt ran against fellow council member Mike Linquist The current mayor Rick Miller decided not to seek reelection Schmitt was first appointed to city council in 2019 He also served as a member of the planning commission for two years and a Waite Park Parks Board member for over 17 years Linquist has spent 24 years on the city council and previously served on the park board and planning commission He also worked with the police department and rescue squad for 21 years Voters also elected current planning commission member Vic Schulz and civil service board member Sarah Starling to the city council The two did not face any other rivals in the race as of 2023 there were a little more than 8,300 residents in Waite Park WAITE PARK — Police say the causes of death for two people found in a Waite Park home Saturday Waite Park Police identified the victims as Janet Vercruysse Vercruysse's death was ruled a homicide by multiple gunshot wounds according to preliminary autopsy results from the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office Elyea-Goss' death was ruled suicide by a gunshot wound to the head The release did not specify the nature of their relationship Waite Park Police responded at about 2 p.m Saturday to the sound of gunshots in a home in the 200 block of 10th Avenue North in Waite Park Two officers were across the street on a separate matter and heard the gunshots ran from the house and confirmed a shooting took place who were later identified as Vercruysse and Elyea-Goss The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Crime Scene Team assisted Waite Park Police were also assisted by the Stearns County Sheriff's Office Minnesota BCA and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office announced it will be closing its doors next month The gift and decor shop announced the closure Dec 2 after several factors led to the decision Former owner Robert Gartner died in December 2023 after owning four central Minnesota Hallmark stores for 49 years his wife Marilyn Gartner has run the store and is now ready to retire The shop's lease will also expire at the end of February offering the owner a good time to wind down so basically the two things combined," Weiss said Weiss said many customers have been stopping in and expressing their sadness over the closure After all of the area's other Hallmark locations closed Cloud store became the go-to Hallmark store for the region The store sees customers from towns like Bemidji but the next-closest option for shoppers will now be the Christine's Hallmark Shop in Elk River so we've had customers break down and cry when we've said we're closing," Weiss said Gartner's Hallmark Shop first opened in Waite Park more than 40 years ago who worked at multiple Gartner's Hallmark stores for 32 years said the store is thankful for the community support it has received throughout the decades "We do want to thank everybody for all the business they've given us through the years.. The store currently plans to close the last week of February to provide extra time to clear out the inventory it is currently offering 40% off its items New dining, shopping spots: St. Cloud area adds wave of new restaurants, businesses in 2024 The rest of the week it is open from 9 a.m Hallmark's corporate headquarters are in Kansas City WAITE PARK — Two people were found dead in a Waite Park home on Saturday The incident occurred in the 200 block of 10th Avenue North in Waite Park according to a news release from the Waite Park PD and there is no known threat to the public Waite Park Police officers responded to a report of possible gunshots at about 2 p.m Officers entered the home and found two adult victims The identity of the victims will be released at a later time The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Crime Scene Team was requested to the scene to assist WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- Waite Park will potentially be making an upgrade to the city's splash pad At Monday night's city council meeting the council will vote on approving the purchase of a UV Light system for the splash pad's disinfection system The UV system will solve the ongoing combined chlorine problem the county inspector has brought up during inspections It will also work as a backup disinfection method to safeguard against waterborne illnesses that chlorine may not remove the city would purchase a new chemical feeder system for the pad as the current one is at the end of its lifespan and requires replacement The total cost for the UV Light system and chemical feeder is $23,000 and the money would come from the Parkland Fund which has a large enough balance to cover the purchase Waite Park City Council to vote on UV Light system upgrade for the city's splash pad\nRead More WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- Waite Park will potentially be making an upgrade to the city's splash pad WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- Waite Park's new mayor has been busy getting ready for his new job Ken Schmitt says he's been meeting with department heads and the city administration I sat down with them before the election to get their ideas.  Now it's a matter of sitting down again with each one of them.  Go through and put ideas together.  I also want to meet their staff.  I want to get to know everybody employed in Waite Park Schmitt says he's also been having one-on-one meetings with the city council members He says his top priority is better community awareness We are starting a program to make more awareness in the city with the citizens on an e-mail alert system.  We will also have a monthly e-mail newsletter and do some highlights on the wonderful amenities we have in our city Schmitt says the systems are in place and those items should be ready to roll out here in the first quarter of the year He also wants to form a focus group to discuss marketing and future development of Waite Park Schmitt says he's been semi-retired for the past couple of years and at the end of March he will be fully retired which will allow him to focus more on his role as mayor Schmitt will be sworn in as Waite Park's new mayor at the city council meeting on Monday Waite Park's new mayor has been busy getting ready for his new job.\nRead More WAITE PARK (WJON News) -- Waite Park's new mayor has been busy getting ready for his new job WAITE PARK — Back Shed Brewing will host a "Minnesota Goodbye," event on Saturday as it prepares to close its doors for good The company ultimately decided on the latter The last day of operations is set for March 1 and will feature a food truck Back Shed Brewing was started by brothers Scott and Jason Schlecht in August 2021 The family owned the adjacent Crafts Direct building since the 1990s Waite Park Police are reporting a stolen license plate off a vehicle in a parking lot along Park Meadows Drive.  Alicia Mages from Tri-County Crime Stoppers cautions residents to always be on the lookout for suspicious activity Waite Park Police are hosting an event on Saturday May 17 where they will be doing medication take back and document shredding.  The medication drug take back is for anyone while the document shredding opportunity is for Waite Park residents only.  This event will take place from 10am - 2pm.  Learn more here. Waite Park Police are reporting a stolen license plate off a vehicle in a parking lot along Park Meadows Drive. Alicia Mages from Tri-County Crime Stoppers cautions residents to always be on the lookout for suspicious activity.\nRead More Waite Park Police are hosting an event on Saturday May 17 where they will be doing medication take back and document shredding.  The medication drug take back is for anyone while the document shredding opportunity is for Waite Park residents only.  This event will take place from 10am - 2pm.  Learn more here. Waite Park Police are reporting a package theft from an apartment building entry way near the mailboxes on the 10 block of 15th Avenue North Waite Park Police are also reporting a stolen vehicle on the 400 block of Park Meadows Drive.  The vehicle was a Hyundai Sonata with license plate RPW 621.  Alicia Mages from Tri County Crime Stoppers says it was parked in the parking lot with a flat tire on a jack The Stearns County Sheriff's Department are reporting a theft of a fish house off Grand Lake in Rockville.  Mages says it is a white 2019 Pike Angler fish house with a black door.  The last 3 numbers of the MN DNR number are 372.  That number is above the door My conversation with Alicia Mages is available below Waite Park Police are reporting a package theft from an apartment building entry way near the mailboxes on the 10 block of 15th Avenue North.\nRead More Cloud State Wrestling Awards Banquet set for April 253/25/2025 2:16:00 PM | Wrestling Annual awards banquet scheduled for Friday Tri-County Crime Stoppers have been notified of suspicious activity happening on the northside of Waite Park in the early morning hours of Saturday January 11.  Alicia Mages from Tri-County Crime Stoppers says video evidence showed 3 to 4 individuals  going door to door checking residences and car doors.  There is no evidence these individuals were successful in gaining entry Tri-County Crime Stoppers posted on their facebook page Saturday that residents in the area should check their video footage and if they were missing any items from their homes of vehicles.  She says those with information about this should contact the Waite Park Police Department Tri-County Crime Stoppers have been notified of suspicious activity happening on the northside of Waite Park in the early morning hours of Saturday January 11. Alicia Mages from Tri-County Crime Stoppers says video evidence showed 3 to 4 individuals going door to door checking residences and car doors.\nRead More Their products run the gamut for commercial kitchens including silverware and cookware Food Equipment Super Store will officially open at 9 a.m Food Equipment Super Store's regular hours will be 9 a.m