STOCKTON, Minn. – A Winona woman was critically injured when her car and a school bus collided on snow-covered and icy U.S. 14 while cresting Stockton Hill. Robin Rae Thelen, 62, was airlifted 36 miles to Gundersen hospital in LaCrosse with life-threatening injuries. Two adults and a 10-year old child on the bus were less seriously and were taken eight miles to the Winona hospital. Thelen was alone in her car, a 2006 Buick Lucerne. She was driving east toward Winona. The bus was driven by Theresa Ann Fedie, 64, of Winona. On board were Sara Jean Fenner, 46, of Winona, an aide, and a 10-year-old girl from Goodview, whose name was not released by the State Patrol. The bus was west-bound toward Stockton. The accident blocked U.S 14 for three hours, backing up Winona-bound commuters for a mile before police could block off trafffic at the foot of the bill at State Highway 23 in Stockton and, on the other side, at U.S. Highway 61 in Winona. Drivers already on the hill were guided to back down. The Patrol said the adults on both vehicles were belted. The school girl was not.

Earlier: Rescue helicopter dispatched to Stockton Hill

STOCKTON, Minn. – Police confirmed there were injuries in a multiple-vehicle crash on U.S. Highwayn14 at the top of Stockton Hill. A medevac helicopter was called.  The crash was near Ridge View Road, a dirt farm road south off Highway 14.

Earlier: Commute-time wreck blocks Stockton Hill

STOCKTON, Minn.—A wreck on Stockton Hill closed the main east-west route in and out of Winona about 6:45 a.m. Motorists were diverted to alternate routes, either to Interstate 90 or to Minnesota City. Heavily traveled U.S. Highway 14 crosses Stockton Hill at 1,200 feet A pair of near-horseshoe curves flank the summit. The curvy two-lane route climbs 580 feet out of Winona and 480 out of Stockton, all in less than seven miles.

WINONA, Minn. – A man apparently hooked on canned-air inhalants went store to store, took cannisters from store shelves, and went on a huffing binge in store restroom stalls. At Target, police found 11 depleted cannisters. Police said they knew the man and were looking for him. The huffing odyssey began late Tuesday afternoon:

> 4:20 p.m.: A man was discovered huffing at Burggraf’s Ace Hardware, 320 West Second Street.  Police were called. They decided not to issue a citation – huffing being only a misdemeanor. The man was sent on his way.

> 6 p.m.: Police were called to Walmart, 955 Frontenac Drive, that a man had been puffing in the men’s rom. He was gone. Surveillance video suggested it was the same guy as at Burggraf’s.

> 11:30 p.m.: Burglar alarms drew police to the Target department store, 860 Mankato Avenue. Police found an exit door had been breached, which set off alarms. So did motion detectors that had been turned o when the store closed at 10 p.m. Video showed the man in the same clothes as a Burggraf’s and Walmart. He emerged after hiurs  from the bathroom, walked around thendark store, and put merchandise in his pockets. He was gone when police and store security staff arrived. In the store restroom officers found 11 exhausted cannisters of the product Dust-Off.

Earlier: Huffer locked bathroom door, then passed out

Earlier: Duster-huffing man ticketed, then ticketed again

Huffing profile

Huffing with canned air or Dust-Off involves inhaling the compressed gas, which can cause feelings of excitement, lightheadedness, and a temporary high. Huffing dangerous and can cause serious health problems, such as damage to the brain, lungs, liver, and other organs.

ALTURA, Minn. – An autistic child left in the care of a 12-year-old brother went berserk and tore up the inside of the family’s home in Altura and tortured two pet cats. The brother called 911 in Winona, and the child, age 11, was removed 40 miles to a Rochester hospital for psychiatric evaluation. The father, a trucker, was notified and went directly to the hospital. Meanwhile, the county’s child protective service office was notified. The two badly injured cats were taken nine miles to the Lewiston veterinary clinic and euthanized. The incident, in the100 block of First Avenue Southeast in Altura, was reported about 4:30 p.m.

WINONA, Minn. – Police cited a 15-year-old Winona High School girl with assault after a hallway attack on another girl. This was about 11:30 a.m. Police were told the girl ran up behind a 16-year-old girl, punched her several times, and pulled her hair. Why? Police were told the incident was preceded by unflattering rumors posted on the online site TikTok. Police said there were no serious injuries.

Upper St. Anthony Falls. The lock closed to boat traffic in 2015. There has been ongoing concern about the effect of a structural collapse of the deteriorating lock structure on downriver  water quality and navigation.

End point: No upstream Mississippi navigation any more

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proposed giving 5.2 acres within the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam property to Owamniyomni Okhodayapi (formerly Friends of the Falls) for tribal cultural and environmental interpretive programming, tours and special events. The proposal is for a 25-year grant. The land deal would be part the evolving Corps project to deal with the abandoned lock and dam. The Corps invited public comment on the plan by December 29.

Basketball (boys): Whitehall Norse 76, Independence Indees 62

Basketball (boys): Osseo-Fairchild Thunder 74, Augusta Beavers 37

Basketball (boys):  Blair-Taylor Wildcats 65, Elmwood-Plum City Wolves 51

RED WING, Minn. – The death of a Red Wing man, who had been missing 10 days, was by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. The body of Brad Nagel, 57, was discovered down a steep embankment on his rural property outside Red Wing on Sunday. Sheriff Marty Kelly said there was no reason to suspect foul play even though many unanswered questions remained about Nagel’s disappearance. These included why Nagel’s pickup was sunk many miles away in the Wisconsin backwaters of the Mississippi River.

Earlier: Coroner called into Red Wing man’s disappearance