KVSC News Director Amelia Rowland has the AUDIO STORY.

Donations can be dropped off at the Wick Science Building on the campus of SCSU, however they will be picked up this Friday afternoon.  Examples of items that can be donated are cases of water, Gatorade, baby wipes, pet food and diapers. 

Drivers travelling on Highway 15 near County Road 120 in Sartell will encounter lower speed limits, lane shifts and improved access as the Highway 15 intersection opens on Thursday, May 23rd [today].

Drivers can expect both lanes of southbound Highway 15 shifted to temporary bypass lanes and the posted speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph. The ramp from northbound Highway 15 to eastbound County Road 120 and the ramp from westbound County Road 120  to northbound Highway 15 will open. All ramps between Highway 15 and County Road 120 will remain open.

The opening of these ramps was scheduled to happen on Tuesday but was delayed due to rain. All of the traffic changes are a part of the Highway 15 Diverging Diamond Interchange project.

According to Sheriff John Sanner, a man driving a mid-1990’s black Dodge Ram pumped over 150 dollars in gasoline at Rockville Bait and Gas on Tuesday and drove off without paying. He says the single cab truck also has chrome step bars and bed rails, but the bottom portions of them have been spray-painted black. The truck also has a large sticker in the back window.

Sanner also reports that a similar vehicle has been used in other drive offs in the area.

Few details of the driver were, given but the sheriff says he is in his early twenties.

If anyone see’s this vehicle, the sheriff is asking for them to record the license plate number, the vehicle description, and driver description and then report the information to the local police.

The St. Cloud Police Department and the Minnesota Department of Corrections will hold a Community Notification Meeting on Monday, May 28th for 55-year-old predatory offender Randy Duane Strunk.

The meeting will be held to inform the public that a level III predatory offender will move into the St. Cloud area beginning on Monday, June 3rd.

Strunk is not wanted by the police and has served the sentence imposed on him by the court. Strunk will reside in the 900 block of 13th Avenue South in St. Cloud.

The meeting will be held at City Hall in Council Chambers at 6 p.m.. The meeting will also be televised live on local cable access channel 19.

The University of Minnesota Extension program in Stearns County and 4-H has opened registration for the Great American Road Trip summer camp to everyone, including non 4-H members.

The three day camp takes place in mid-June for students finishing grades 3 through 8. The three day camp will take students to the Sand Dunes State Forest and the Big Lake, Zimmerman area. Stearns County officials say the camp will be visited by the U of M Raptor Center. Registration form must be turned into the Extension by May 29. 

4-H is also offering multiple day camps for students finishing Kindergarten to fifth grade. The first day camp is on June 26. The complete list of day camps is available on the Registration form.

Non 4-H members must turn in a completed short term enrollment application with their registration.

The 16 year veteran to Metro Bus, Ken Rakke, has competed at the international level five times and has worked his way to the international roadeo by winning top honors at both local and state competitions.

On Thursday, May 23rd Fixed Route and Dial-a-Ride drivers will compete in the local Metro Bus Roadeo. The Roadeo is a chance for drivers in both divisions to show off their driving skills.  Top finishers from each division qualify to compete in the Minnesota Bus Roadeo in July.  If they win first place at the state level they are eligible to compete at the National Roadeo competition.

The local competition will be held at the SCSU K-lot starting at 1 p.m.

Once again, the Metro Bus U-Go Free Summer Youth Pass is available for kids 17 and under.

The goal of this program is to help families with kids have affordable summer transportation using the metro bus.

The youth pass is good seven days a week on any fixed route from June 1st to the end of August, and can be picked up by a parent or guardian at the temporary Metro Bus Transit Center, located at the corner of 1st street South and 6th avenue South in downtown, Saint Cloud.

Classes are available for kids to learn how to ride and parents are encouraged to attend as well. The classes are on Monday, June 10, Tuesday June 11 and Wednesday June 12th.

Registration is required, but the event is free to attend. To register call 320-529-4497 or email them at info@stcloudmtc.com by May 31st.

All lanes are expected to re-open by Friday.

Motorists are advised to slow down, be prepared to stop and navigate the work zone with care as crews complete their work.

Continuing road work on Highway 15 in Sartell is changing speed limits and ramp openings in the area. According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, starting Tuesday the speed limit near the intersection of Highway 15 and County Road 120 will be lowered to 45 miles per hour.

The lower speed limit will only be in the northbound lane. In addition to the lowered speed limit, the on and off ramps connecting the two roads will open. MnDot also says the northbound lane of Highway 15 will shift to temporary lanes that bypass construction.

According to MnDot, drivers can get to westbound County Road 120 at the intersection of Highway 15 and 23 Street South.

The traffic changes are due to the Diverging Diamond Interchange project in the area. MnDot says the project is expected to finish this fall.

According to the police report, while a bus stopped to unload passengers, the bus was struck from behind by a juvenile man driving a vehicle. After hitting the bus, the vehicle continued into the ditch where it hit a tree.

The driver of the vehicle was airlifted to North Memorial Hospital. The driver of the bus, 45-year-old Rachelle Bayer of Big Lake, and a juvenile student who was on the bus were taken by ambulance to the CentraCare Hospital in Monticello for minor injuries.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Late Saturday night, police received a call about hearing and seeing shots being fired in the area by Short Stop Restaurant in St. Cloud near Crossroads Mall.

According to the police report, the suspect(s) left the scene before officers arrived. The vehicle was described as a red or maroon colored PT Cruiser with a sunroof and tinted windows. Officers confirmed that a firearm had been left at the scene. No injuries were reported.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police at 251-1200.