First weak Kickapoo dam razed: What of others?
CASHTON, Wis. — The first of 23 at-risk dams in southwest Wisconsin, the 70-year-old Pilot Mlsna dam. has been removed. The dam, as well as others identified for demotion, are in the West Fork Kickapoo and Coon Creek watersheds. They had been deemed dangerous by the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service. The Kickapoo watershed is mostly in Vernon County but has headwaters in La Crosse and Monroe counties. The Mlsna Dam, southwest of Cashton, cost $370,000 to remove. Federal investigators found that all the dams they earmarked for removal had been built on geologically porous sandstone 50 to 70 years ago and were prone to collapse. Whether funds to remove the other dams have survived current Trump budget cuts is unknown, said Vernon County conservationist David Hettenbach. All the dams, he said, are serious safety threats. “The loss of life can be greater when you have a dam break and giant wall of water,” Hettenbach said. “With the dams gone, the water would come up slowly and go down slowly ”
Kickapoo watershed. Some 800 square miles drain into the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers.
Caledonia biker hits guardrail, rolls
CALEDONIA, Minn. — A Caledonia motorcyclist was injured when he struck a guardrail and overturned into a ditch. Jason Allen Gordon, 52, was airlifted 20 miles to a LaCrosse hospital. His injuries were believed to be non-life threatening. The accident was about 7:55 p.m. on State Highway 76 at Prairie Ridge Road between Caledonia and Houston. Gordon was not wearing a helmet, Houston County deputies said. He was northbound toward Houston on a 2015 Harley Davidson Ultra Limited. touring bike.
Identification released in trucking death
WINONA, Minn. — The driver who died jn a truck accident at the foot of Stockton hill was 68-year-old Daniel James Bambenek of Fountain City. The State Patuol had delayed reporting his name until kin could be notified. The accidet was Monday about 7:25 p.m.
Eichorn seeks to turns table in U.S. sex case
ST.PAUL, Minn. — Former State Senator Justin Eichorn claims he’s being prosecuted unfairly as a john seeking teen sex because of his political prominence. Eichorn says Bloomington police made 13 arrests at a well-known rendezvous zone one evening in April. The acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota, Lisa Kirkpatrick, decided to make federal cases of only two of the cases — his and that of a man with a history of sex arrests. Eichorn notes his criminal record is clean. The other 11 men caught in police stings that evening in Bloomington are charged under a relatively lenient state law and face only five years in prison. Because the U.S. attorney plucked his case for elevation into federal jurisdiction, Eichorn could go to prison for 10 years. He called it a “vindictive and selective” prosecution. He wants the federal case dismissed. Eichorn had been a state legislator for 11 years from Grand Rapids. After his arrest, fellow senators drummed him out of office.
Earlier: Eichorn: Not guilty in police sex sting
Earlier: Judge jails Eichorn, ending self-recognizance
Earlier: State senator now faces federal prosecution
Earlier: Minnesota Senate expunges every trace Eichorn
Earlier: Eichorn resigns State Senate seat
Eichorn. Now age 41. Living in a court-assigned halfway house as his case progresses.
Corps waives launch, swim fees for its birthday
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is waiving day-use fees at its 2,600 recreation areas nationwide in observance of the Corps birthday on Monday, and Juneteenth Day the following Thursday. The waiver covers boat launch ramps and swimming beaches. The waiver does not apply to vendor services or specialized facilities like group picnic shelters and events. To locate sites: Map.
For these oldsters, the parade came to them
Flags and clowns. For a parade for residents at Lake Winona Manor for whom a trip to the real Steamboat Days grand parade was, well, not quite possible. There was ironic amusement at the gussied up 1989 Cadillac hearse with rooftop music. Image: Annette Calteaux
Plea in Black River arson wave: Guilty
BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. — A Black River Falls man plead guilty to setting at least some of dozens of fires that began in April 2023and continued through the summer. Daniel Johnson, age 46, admitted to three of eight counts of arson. Five other counts were dismissed. So too was a count of marijuana possession. The criminal complaint said the fires ranged from a few square to 16 acres.
Earlier: Arson charges leveled for Black River wildfires
Image: Jackson County sheriff
Johnson. Sentencing due in two weeks.
Burglary spree finale at Rochester’s Purple Goat
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Police think they’ve solved a string of cash machine thefts around Rochester. Jason Krukow, age 47, of the Goodhue community of Pine Island, did them all, police said. Krukow was arrested at home without resistance. The most spectacular incident was April 17 about 4 a.m. Police said Krukow broke into the Haley fireplace store on North Broadway Avenue and sawed through a wall into the next-door Purple Goat restaurant. There he took several thousand dollars from a cash till and tried but failed to get into pull-tab devices. When a police tactical arrived with K-9s, Krukow climbed back through his hole into Haley’s, started up a parked service van inside, and mashed out through a closed garage door, police said. He got \away. After weeks of investigation, police obtained a search warrant for Krukow’s place in Oine Island and made the arrest. Police have linked to burglaries beginning in March at:
> Whitle Binkies South.
> Zen Fusion.
> Chip Shots.
> Byron High School.
> Rochester Sand and Gravel.
Also, police said, Krukow is a person of interest in an Alerus bank crime.
At 3708 North Broadway Aveue. Upscale casual eatery, fancy drinks.
Krukow. Charges: First-degree damage to property, second -degree burglary.
Sparta apartment fire tagged o careless smoking
SPARTA, Wis. — A fire that damaged a four-unit apartment building Sunday was caused by careless use of smoking material, Fire Chief Mike Arnold said. The fire started on a second patio deck.
Chipolte spends mightily for West End site
WINONA, Minn. — A Missouri-based real real estate developer, DCM, paid $900,000 for a pair of houses on the far west end of Gilmore Avenue for a build-your-own-burrito Chipolte restaurant. The houses are being relocated to clear the way for Chipolte and also a drive-through auto-lube shop. The addresses:
1545 Gilmore Avenue: a $475,000 deal.
1537 Gilmore Avenue: $425,000.
The Winona Chipolte is part of an aggressive global expansion of the San Francsico chain to have 7,000 units.The company has 3,000 already. The nearest are in Rochester and LaCrosse. There are 22 in the Twin Cities.
$900,000 for site. Behind Altra Credit Union.
Chipotle factoid
Avocado secret: Restaurants have automated machines, the Autocado, which peel, pit, cut and smash large batches in less than 30 seconds. It operates unattended.
Winona driver to hospital after rollover
HOMER, Minn. — A Winona driver was injured in a one-car rollover south of Winona on U.S. Highway 61. Rochelle Susannah Greene, age 22, was taken 30 miles to a LaCrosse hospital with sustainable injuries. The accident was about 8 a.m. Greene was heading into Winona when her 2006 Toyota Camry left the roadway and overturned. Winona County deputies said her airbag didn’t deploy.
Driver killed when dump truck overturns
WINONA, Minn. — A truck coming out of Gilmore Valley crossed two lanes of U.S. Highway 14 at the base of Stockton Hill and overturned, killing driver. The State Patrol said the driver was a 68-year-old man from Fountain City. News media agreed not to release the driver’s name until the Patrol confirmed the family had been informed. The accident was about 7:25 p.m. The truck, a 2023 Freightliner, had just come up a slight incline onto U.S. 14 between Saint Mary’s University and River Bluff Church, across from Knopp Valley. There was no traffic on U.S. 14, which had barricaded in the morning for a six-month reconstruction project over Stockton Hill.
Earlier: Stockton Hill upgrade begins Monday
Legislature kills MinnCare for unpapered aliens
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Legislature voted to delete adults living in the country illegally from the MinnCare health care program. This strips an estimated 17,000 people from state-subsidized medical coverage. The program, for low-income people, will continue to cover children. The passage was a major step toward balancing the state budget for the coming biennium. The vote:
> Senate: 37-30.
> House: 68-65.
The bill had come to the floor from Governor Tim Walz and legislative leaders as a bipartisan compromise to balance the state budget for the next biennium. Almost four hours of rigorous debate dominated the opening day of the Legislature’s special session. A rule for the special session was not to allow amendments to the compromise package — just debate. In general Republicans favored the MinnCare cuts, claiming a $600 million in saving over the next four years. “This is about being fiscally responsible,” said Jeff Backer, a Republican from Browns Valley. “Taxpayers shouldn’t have to subsidize health care for people who aren’t in the country legally.” He seemed to ignore that immigrants also pay taxes. He noted that immigrants can still buy health insurance on the private market regardless of their alien status. Democratic Majority Leader Erin Murphy, of St. Paul, called the bill “a wound on the soul of Minnesota.” She voted for the bill as part of the compromise deal to balance the budget. She called it one of “the most painful votes I’ve ever taken.”
Aggressive agenda
Left-over issues on for special session:
> MinnCare for undocumented adults
> Health and human pervices
> Commerce and consumer protection
> Human services
> Education
> Transportation
> Capitol investment
> Taxes and local aids
> Data Center
> Environment and natural resources
> Jobs, labor, economic development
> Higher education
> Energy, utilities, environment and climate
Libel fallout: MyPillow guy casts self as victim
DENVER, Colo. — Former Minnesotan Mike Lindell, of MyPillow fame for his television commercials, defended himself in court for libeling the Dominion voting machine company. Lindell told the court he merely was passing along a story he had heard that Dominion somehow had rigged 2020 presidential election against Donald Trump. Although Lindell repeated the allegation many times, it’s untrue. “So what?” Lindell argued in effect at a lobek trial in federal court.. Truth, he said, was beside the point, that his bad-mouthing of Dominion was out “of sincere concern” about rigging. Legally it’s a Hail Mary defense. In other suits Dominion has prevailed against such libels. Fox News paid $787 million for airing similar falsehoods.
Coomer as plaintiff
The current suit was not brought by a former executive. Eric Coomer claims thato conspiracy theories like Lindell’s cost him his job, his career and his mental health. Lindell had accused Coomer of “treason” in his work at Dominion. Londell’s defense on the witness stand was confusing and rambling. At one point Lindell tried to turn te table on Coomer. He said that he himself was the victim, that Coomer had sued to scare him into silence. “Lawfare,” Lindell called it. Sever al times Judge Nina Wang reminded Lindell not to head off on tangents.
Lindell as victim
To Coomer’s attorney, Lindell said: “You’re part of the biggest coverup of the biggest crime the world has ever seen.” Lindell said he was wo: h $60 million before he started speaking out about the 2020 election. Now, he said, he’s $10 million in debt :“I believe what you did to me and MyPillow was criminal.”
Lindell. Fund-raising for his legal defense at 2025 right-wing event. One of loudest 2020 election conspiracy theorists. Now reportedly living in Texas. Not much is left of his MyPillow factory in Chaska.
West End discovery: Hot boat motor, bicycle
WINONA, Minn. — Police found an outboard boat motor that had been unbolted from a boat and stolen last week. The motor, a 250-pound Yamaha, was at a house in the 750 block of West Fifth Street. While at the address, police were approached by a woman who pointed to a bicycle she said had been stolen from her son. Police said the residents of the house denied any knowledge of the stolen items.
Jewelry scammers roaming parking lots
WINONA, Minn. — A gang is roaming the Upper Midwest and begging for cash in exchange for what they claim is gold jewelry. Although shiny, the jewelry is merely gold plated, said Winona County Sheriff Ron Ganrude. The Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center issued an alert that scams have occurred in parking lots and highway rest stops, first in western Nebraska. A recent incident was in Elk River, Minnesota. Be wary, said the alert, if approached either with a sob story or a real deal. The gang was described as multi-generational and heavily accented. The alert was issued for the Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska.
Earlier: Jewelry-laden scammers may still be out there
Earlier: On-road scam scheme: Jewelry for cash
New analysis: Lansing bridge OK to cross
LANSING, Iowa — After a new round of inspections and technical analysis, Iowa highway engineers reopened the aging and decrepit Lansing bridge over the Mississippi river main channel. Although the bridge is safe enough for travel, engineers promised to keep a close eye for jarring from construction of a new side-by-side bridge. Meanwhile, for travelers wary about a 60-foot drop into the river from a collapse, a shuttle and water taxi will continue as an alternative Mondays through Thursdays.
Campers found dead on Isle Royale
GRAND PORTAGE, Minn. — Two backpackers were found dead at a remote campsite on Isle Royale in Lake Superior off Grand Portage. Park rangers hiked 11 miles overnight to reach the campground. They confirmed the deaths but did not release details immediately. The bodies were airlifted out by helicopter. The deaths had been reported the day before. The 440-square mil3 island, home to Isle Royale National Park, has 165 miles of trails and 36 campgrounds, some along the Lake Superior shore and on inland lakes and creeks.
Remote Lake Superior park. No bridge. No roads. Accessible by ferry from Grand Portage and from Houghton on Michigan’s upper peninsula.
Highway planners retreat on cross-swamp closings
TREMPEALEAU, Wis. — State highway engineers switched gears and now plan to erect temporary bridging while new bridges are being built on the Trempealeau-Holmen route through Black River swamps. The revision replaces the original plan for a detour via Centerville – a 9-1/2 minute longer trip. The budget difference was not released by state engineers. The no-cost Centerville plan had sparked an uproar from Trempealeau-LaCrosse commuters and Trempealeau business owners.
Vehicle hits deer on I-90; passenger hurt
ST. CHARLES, Minn. — A passenger was injured when a vehicle struck a deer on Interstate 90 between the St. Charles and Lewiston exits. Isaiah Mendez Lopez.19, of Farmington, was taken 25 miles to a Rochester hospital with sustainable injuries. The accident was in westbound lanes toward Rochester about 12:30 a.m. Unhurt was the driver of the 2020 Toyota 4Runner, Christopher Morales, 26, of Farmington. Also unhurt was a second passenger, Joey Raymond Mendez, 28, of St. Paul. Everyone was wearing seat belts and airbags deployed, said Winona County deputies.
WSU mum on Lourdes sale price
WINONA, Minn. – In the administrative suites at Winona State there is great relief that the university’s ill-fated attempt to establish a West End satellite campus is over. The last of the university’s West End presence — the gargantuan Lourdes Hall with more than 400 double-occupancy dorm rooms — was sold last week to Cotter Schools. The university’s attorney, Lori Mikl, declined to discuss the sale price even though Cotter had announced its purchase. Cotter, however, didn’t release how much it paid, consistent legally with its status as a non-government owned entity. Under law Winona State’s books supposedly are public documents
Embarrassing WSU saga
As Winona State’s attorney, Mikl said this week that the university hadn’t formally signed off yet and implied there was no legal public-right-to-know. Lourdes had been acquired in 1989 from the defunct College of St. Teresa. It was part of a $5 million deal engineered by Winona State President Darrell Krueger. His vision was an academically elite satellite campus. The concept was never communicated clearly and fell apart. One by one the buildings in the Krueger package were sold for a total of $5 million to the thriving Cotter Schools, which also had relocated elsewhere to the old old St. Teresa campus. In 2021 Winona State finally gave up on Krueger’s “residential college” concept and shut down Lourdes as a dorm and looked for a buyer. The asking price was $3.3 million. At last report, the price had been slashed to $760,000. The university was desperate to unload the property, which was sucking huge sums from the university’s budget for minimal maintenance of infrastructure. It was an institutional embarrassment.
Apartment patio fire displaces tenants
Sparta firefighters extinguished a fire that seriously damaged two apartments in a four-unit building on Terry Court on the West Side. No one was injured. The building was uninhabitable due to fire in one half and smoke damage in the other half. Two cats were rescued. The fire call was about 5:45 p.m. Image: Sparta Fire Department
Notable journalism
Brock Bergey (KTTC, June 3, 2025): “FAA Responds to Staffing Shortage at RST Control Tower”
Kevin Keefe (Classic Trains magazine, Summer 2025): “Milwaukee Road’s A-Class Ultimate 4-4-2 Atlantic Type”
Rachel Mergen (Winona Daily News, May 30, 2025): “International Owl Center Raises $l,5 Million Toward $17.3 Million Goal”
Cops: Driver passed out drunk in parked car
WINONA, Minn. – A Dover teenager was arrested as a drunken driver after a Kwik Trip clerk reported her either passed out or otherwise incapacitated in the parking lot. Police roused the woman and got an unmistakable whiff of alcohol. This was about 6:30 a.m. on Cottonwood o Drive on Winona’s Far West End Ranye Marie Mancilman, 18, was tested on the spot for blood-alcohol The concentration was 0.9%, about 15% more than allowed to drive. At jail she was at 0.08%, still too high.
Update: Spanning the Mississippi at Lansing
Old v. new. Crews continue toward a 2027 target to complete a new Mississippi River bridge at Lansing. The old bridge was 21 feet wide with 10-foot driving lanes and no shoulders. The new bridge will be 40 feet wide with 12-foot driving lanes and eight-foot shoulders. Image: Iowa Transportation Department
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