Minnesota prep
Basketball (boys): Rochester Marshall Rockets 78, Apple Valley Eagles 53
An avian delight up East Burns Valley
A flock of juncos. Gathering at a birdfeeder during a lull in the storm. In a bush nearby, a bright red cardinal watches from the wings. Image: Andy Frank
Jack-knifing semis block snow-packed I-90
Tracks show rig’spath. Trucks out of control with gusts to 55 mph. Image: Minnesota Transportation Department
Heavy winds expected through roughly 4 p.m.
ST. CHARLES, Minn. – A jack-knifed truck and semi-trailer blocked one set of lanes on Interstate 90 west of St. Charles during heavy snow. Said trucker David Long: “The wind was pushing my trailer out of my lane a few times. Not a good feeling.” Other jack-knife wrecks on I-90 occurred near near:
> The Marion exit to Chatfield and Rochester.
> The Dexter exit to Grand Meadow.
> The Petron-Oakland exit west of Austin.
Pre-teen sex case draws 10 years prison
SPARTA, Wis. – A Sparta man accused of sexually assaulting a child was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Oscar A. Fabian, 39, had pleaded guilty in November. Judge Richard Radclifffe also specified 15 years of post-prison supervision. The assault had been in 2022. At the time of his arrest, in January 2023, Fabian was free on a signature bond.
Fabian. Also had a long record of brushes with the law and several warrants for bail-jumping.
State senator now faces federal prosecution
MNNEAPOLIS — Federal agents took charge of State Senator Justin Eickhorn after his arrest in a suburban police sex sting. Originally Eichorn was booked at the Bloomington jail, but the local prosector turned him over on superseding federal charges. He was transferred to the Hennepin County jail in Minneapolis. Bail was set at $75,000
Verbatim
Lisa Kirkpatrick, acting U.S. attorney, expressed “no tolerance for public officials who violate federal law — particularly those laws meant to protect children. Also: “I am grateful to all law enforcement officers who use undercover operations to identify and arrest child sex predators to prevent them from abusing real children.”
The take-down
As condensed from the criminal complaint: Undercover officers began receiving messages from Eichorn: “I saw your post and “any chance you are still available tonight?” Later: “What’s a guy gota do to get with the hottest girl online tonight.” Over the course of messaging over several days, the undercover officer repeatedly said that “she” was not 18 years old but 17. Even so, Eichorn proceeded to ask about pricing for various sex acts and arranged an in-person meet-up. Eichorn also requested that the “girl” him a “naughty pic”’ including one with a “ lot less clothes.” Eichorn arrived at the agreed-upon location to find police waiting. In his car, among other things, police found $129 cash and a condom.
Blizzard shuts down north Iowa airport
MASON CITY, Iowa – The Mason City Municipal Airport closed its runways at 10:48 a.m. with deteriorating conditions due to snow and blizzard. David Sims, airport manager, said United Express flights Chicago and Fort Dodge were cancelled. Sims advised people to stay off the roads, including the six west from the city to the airport. The airport has two runways, 6,500 and 5,50 feet, for both airline and general aviation service.
Mid-March storm leaves heavy wet blanket
At a cabin. On Peterson Creek near Farmers Park in central Winona County. Image: Steve Lunde
Capitol messages after sex arrest: Quit, quit now
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Fellow Republican senators came down hard on their colleague, Justin Eichorn of Grand Rapids, after his arrest being pimped by a police decoy in suburban Bloomington. A statement issued by Senate Republican leadership said: “We are shocked. This alleged conduct demands an immediate resignation.” The caucus did add a sympathetic note: “Justin has a difficult road ahead and he needs to focus on his family.” House Lisa Demuth, also a Republican, called for Eichorn to resign: “While he is entitled to due process, we must hold legislators to a higher standard.” Democrats were in the chorus too. Said the Minnesota DFL executive director Heidi Kraus Kaplan: “No one who solicits children belongs anywhere near public office or the State Capitol.” She called Eichorn “an immediate danger to the public.”
Goose sauce, gander sauce
Eichorn’s record shows a hypocrisy. When Democratic Senator Nicole Mitchell was charged with burglary a ear ago, Eichorn was unequivocal “Senator. Mitchell’s premeditated actions are disturbing. They do not align with the values Minnesotans expect of their elected leaders.” The case has been made by legal scholars that the allegation against Mitchell was a “crime against property,” which was mitigatd by difficult famiy circumstances. The allegation aganst Eicchrn is at a whole different level — a “crime against a person.” who, all he worse, he thought was under age.
Eichorn. Neither Eichorn nor his office at the Capitol has responded to news media queries.
Quom survives nuisance recall petition
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Democrat-inspired recall petition against an eight-term Republican legislator from Byron, Duane Quom, has been thrown out by the state Supreme Court. The petition was flawed, said Chief Justice Natalie Hudson. Nothing unlawful or wrongful was demonstrated, she said. The petition, launched by IndivisibleRochester MN, accused Quom of conducting legislative business at the Capitol when here was no quorum. This was during the three-week Democratic boycott that denied Republicans a legal quorum to conduct business. About the recall Quom said that all he did was show up in House chambers every day to do the work that his constituents elected him to do. Why Quom was was singled out by IndivisibleRochester was never clear. All 67 Republicans convened every day during the boycott to try to conduct business. Everything they did was later nullified in the courts anyway.
Quom. First elected 2010. His House Distruct 24-A includes parts of Rochester, Dodge County and Olmsted County.
Emergency, fire crews make 55 calls
WINONA, Minn. – The Fire Department reported 35 emergency medical calls plus 20 fire calls in recent days:
> Tuesday, March 18: 6 medical calls plus 1 fire call.
> Monday, March 17: 5 medical calls plus 5 fire calle.
> Sunday, March 16: 5 medical calls plus 2 fire calls.
> Saturday, March 15: 5 medical calls plus 2 fire calls.
> Friday, March 14: 1 medical call plus 6 fire calls.
> Thursday, March 13: 5 medical calls plus 1 fire call.
> Wednesday, March 12: 8 medical call plus 1 fire call.
Earlier: Emergency, fire crews make 40 calls
Notable journalism
Chandler Brindley (WXOW, March 18, 2025): “Representative Van Orden Doesn’t Show Up to Townhall in Viroqua”
Emma Nelson (Minnesota Star Tribune, March 14, 2025): “Minnesota’s Job Market Is Frozen, Showing Even Employers Have Economic Worries”
Victor Stefanesco (Minnesota Star Tribune, March 14, 2024): “What Minnesotans Need to Know About Bird Flu Risks”
West Broadway closing for tree removal
WINONA, Minn. – Street crews plan to close the long block of busy West Broadway Street between Jackson and South Baker streets to remove the overgrown tree canopy. This is the block with the Canadian Pacific rail crossing. The closure will be Monday and Tuesday. Traffic will be detoured on Fifth Street.
College scores
Baseball: Winona State 9, Augsburg 5
Baseball: UW-LaCrosse 19, Illinois Tech 0
Minnesota prep
Basketball (boys): Caledonia Warriors 72, Minneapolis Minnehaha RedHawks 56
Basketball (boys): St. Paul Cretin-Denham Hall Raiders 69, Rochester Marshall Rockets 57
Van Orden follows GOP playbook, skips townhall
The void speaks. A chair for Van Orden sits empty on stage. A microphone, adjusted for his 6-foot-2 height, stand silent. Images: Concerned Citizens of Vernon County
Where was Wisconsin congressman? Why?
VIROQUA, Wis. – Citizens packed Temple Theatre for a townhall meeting organized by the grassroots Concerned Citizens of Vernon County for an exchange with WI-3 Congressman DerrickVan Orden. He didn’t show. Instead he followed guidance from Republican leadership in Congress to avoid constituent contacts that could turn ugly. In short: “Lay low until public doubts and anger about Trump policies soften.” For weeks the few Republican congress members who have attended townhalls have been greeted by boos when they were pressed to defend their Trump voting records. News coverage of the encounters has been unflattering to say the least. The adjective “disastrous” has been used. Attending the Viroqua session was Mark Pocan, a Democrat in Congress member from Madison. Pocan’s exchange with citizens was civil and respectful on both sides.
Verbatim
Tanja Birke, townhall organizer: “We were feeling concerned, confused, upset by a lot of the things happening in Washington lately. And as we tried to reach out to our congress person. We were getting no where. We were not getting any response from him and often we’d call and the staff wouldn’t even know where he stood on particular issues. We tried to find out when he was holding a town hall of his own so that we could attend. And we got nowhere with that. So we decided to hold a town hall of our own.”
Wintry weather wave on way; encore due too
WINONA, Minn. – With a messy, mushy storm forecast for Wednesday, many school districts in southern Minnesota cancelled classes. Overnight rain was expected to turn into snow about dawn and accumulate at an inch an hour. For Winona the National Weather predicted two to seven inches total. As much as nine inches was expected elsewhere in a band stretching from north central Iowa northeast into Wisconsin. Gusts of 45 to 55 mph could generate blizzardy conditions. The storm wasn’t expected to last more than a day. A second snow, however, was en route Sunday, forecasters said.
Three persons recovering after Lake City crash
LAKE CITY, Minn. – A two-vehicle crash sent three persons to hospitals, all with sustainable be injuries. The collision involved a norhbound 2021 Chevrolet Traverse and a southbound 2011 Toyota Sienna abut 3:50 p.m. Ths was just north of Lake City. Pavement was dry. Injured:
> Tracy Ann Kinneman, 57, of Hager City, Wisconsin, driver of the Chevrolet, to the Lake City hospital.
> Maymie Irene Hagedorn, 60, of Lake City, driver of the Toyota, to a Rochester hospital.
> Mark Davis Muenzhuber, 53, of Lake City, a passenger in the Toyota, to the Lake City hospital.
The right color to remember fallen fire chief
With polished brass. Goodview friends and neighbors and fellow firefighters pay final respets for Jason Gruett. Internment followed at Minneiska. Image: Minnesota Public Safety Department
Earlier: R.I.P.: Jason Gruett
Author at WSU to discuss cures for bullying
WINONA, Minn. – A psychologist whose expertise is bullying and bad behavior, Catherine Sanderson, is speaking Wednesday at Winona State University. Time: 7 p.m. in the Science Learning Center. Sanderson’s major book, “Why We Act: Turning Bystanders into Moral Rebels,” was the 2020 Washington Post book of the year. At Winona State it has been the year’s Common Book, an English Department project to encourage campuswide dialogue around a single title. The book is especially relevant in the Age of Trump, said an organizer. Sanderson’s focus at Winona State will be police training programs to encourage ethical policing. “Why We Act” has ben issued in several editions. In Britain the subtitle is “The Psychology of Courage and Inaction.”
Published by Belknap. An imprint of Harvard University Press.
Sanderson. On psychology faculty at Amherst University in Massachusetts
Police make arrest in fatal Kwik Trip stabbing
Lights out at 10. All Mankato Kwik Trips are closing at 10 p.m. in case the stabbing was not a single isolated incident.
Store surveillance cams led to apprehension
MANKATO, Minn. – Police arrested a Mankato man in the fatal stabbing of a Kwik Trip worker overnight. Video surveillance was a key in identifying the assailant as Michael Lee Miller, age 28, police said. The assailANt had fled after the stabbing Miller was arrested at his home without resistance. He was booked at818 a.m. for second-degree murder. Police Chief Ross Gullickson has asked the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to assist in the investigation. The chief said there was no reason to suspect any further danger to the public. In LaCrosse at Kwik Trip headquarters, the company ordered all eight of its Mankato locations to suspend operations from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. as a precaution.
Miller. Held on tentative second-degree murder charge.
College scores
Baseball: Macalester 21, Winona State 20
Softball: UW-LaCrosse 14, SUNY-Cortland 13
Tennis (men): UW-LaCrosse 7, Saint Benedict 0
Senator snared as john in police trap
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — A three-term state senator was lured into a police sting in which a vice officer posed online as a sex-hungry 16-year-girl. The charge against Jason Eichorn, 40, of Grand Rapids, was soliciting a minor for prostitution. The arrest was about 6 p.m. near the 8300 block of Normandale Boulevard just off Interstate 494. Eichorn drove up in a pickup truck and was arrested without incident, police said. The arrest of Eichorn, a Republican, raised immediate questions about the narrowly divided Minnesota Senate. Democrats hold a 34-33 majority, Were Eichorn to resign, perhaps to serve a prison sentence, Democrats would be futher ahead with a 35-32 margin.
Senator profile
State senators are elected to four-year terms, They earn $52,000 plus $86 a day for away-from-home expenses in St. Paul.
Eichorn. First elected in 2016 from Senate District 6, which includes Brainerd and Grand Rapids. Age 40. Family, four children Graduate of Itacca Community, College, Concordia University. Small business owner. A Trump devotee. Image: Bloomington police
Fravel appeals first-degree-murder conviction
WINONA, Minn. – The chief state public defender filed an appeal of Adam Fravel’s conviction and life sentence for the 2023 Winona murder of Madelyn Kingsbury. Fravel, age 31, has been in the St. Cloud state prison since November. As public defender, Cathryn Middlebrook has been working on an appeal since January. State law requjires an appeal in such cases.
Winona teen arrested for scary BB incident
WINONA, Minn. – Police arrested a 17-yrear-old boy for shooting a younger girl in an eye with a BB gun Saturday night at the old Madison School playground on the West Side. The boy was hiding at a teen-age friend’s home several blocks away. The arrest was without resistance, police said. The girl, meanwhile, was recovering. An emergency room doctor said he BB creased an eyelid but didn’t puncture the eyeball. The eyeball, however, may have been bruised. The girl, age 14, was referred to an eye specialist. The boy was arrested in the 150 block East Sanborn Street. He was booked on charges of felony assault and also threats of violence, a gross misdemeanor. Because the Winona jail isn’t certified for minors, the boy was transported elsewhere. Court appearances, however, will be in Winona. Police have been stymied by some particulars: Was the shooting horseplay? Anger? Aimed on purpose? The shot was fired from two or three steps away, police were told by kids who were hanging out on the playground and saw it happen. There was no reason to believe alcohol or drugs were involved, police said. The Winona County attorney took the police report and was assessing whether to prosecute the boy as a juvenile or adult. Although jailed elsewhere, the boy will be transported back and forth for court appearances in Winona.
Madison school. Built 1932. Sold for private development in 2013. Playground equipment is maintained for little kids on a chipwood field. Also a neighborood teen gathering place.
Are Trump critics crazy? Yup, say five GOP solons
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Anyone who opposes President Trump is mentally ill, according to a bill introduced by five Republicans in the Minnesota Senate. They call it Trump Derangement syndrome. They would add it the state’s list of mental disorders. Is this tongue in cheek? Or for real? It’s hard to tell. Among sponsors is Steve Drazkowski, a Mazeppa Republican, who can be both humorless and whacky.Sponsors besides Drazkowski: Justin Eichorn of Grand Rapids, Glenn Gruenhagen of Glencoe, Eric Lucero of St. Michael, ad Nathan Wesenberg of Little Falls. The bill was assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Verbatim
Definition in in proposed statute: “Acute onset of paranoia. Symptoms may include Trump-induced general hysteria, which produces an inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences and signs of psychic pathology in President Donald J. Trump’s behavior.”
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