St. Cloud

The city of St. Cloud is considering a 3.75% property tax increase, proposed by Mayor Jake Anderson, aimed at retaining essential city staff like police officers and firefighters due to rising personnel costs. If approved, this hike would combine with an existing fire department funding increase, totaling a 6.44% raise in property taxes. Residents have expressed concern over the cost increases and are demanding accountability for how the funds will be spent.

Bradley Smith, 18, was charged with felony damage to property for allegedly cutting down an automated license plate reading camera in St. Cloud on June 24. Smith admitted to investigators that he purchased a red reciprocating saw blade at Runnings and subsequently used the power tool near the device before driving away. The incident is reported as one of several acts of vandalism against plate-reading cameras across Minnesota.

An 11-year-old boy was arrested in St. Cloud after stabbing an 18-year-old stranger multiple times outside a business. The victim was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and the suspect was subdued by others before police arrived. Investigators are examining the incident, which occurred near Cooper Avenue South, but have not disclosed motives or identities.

A power outage caused by Stearns Electrical is affecting St. Cloud and Sartell, leaving approximately 1,000 people without electricity. The utility company has not provided a cause or estimated restoration time.

The city of St. Cloud has closed 9th and 10th Avenues under the Highway 23 bridge due to flooding. Residents are warned to avoid the area as water can quickly stall or carry away vehicles, with as little as 6 inches of water affecting cars.

Over 300 educators, students, and policymakers attended the third annual Thought Leaders AI Summit in St. Cloud to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence in classrooms. Participants debated AI's benefits and challenges, including student reliance on AI for homework and its use in differentiating lessons. The summit aimed to establish statewide guidelines for AI use, student privacy, and data protection, currently managed by individual school districts.