Minnesota prep
Basketball girls): Houston Hurricanes 56, St Charles Saints 40
Basketball (boys): Houston Hurricanes 86, LeRoy-Ostrander Cardinals 57
Wisconsin prep
Basketball (boys): Cochrane-Fountain City Pirates 85, Eau Claire Immanuel Lancers 46
Basketball (girls): Cochrane-Fountain City Pirates 0, Augusta Beavers 0 (half)
Czechville collision claims teen’s life
FOUNTAIN CITY, Wis. – A 16-year-old driver was killed in a two-car collisiom 3-1/2 miles north of Fountain Cjit at the Highway 88 exit at Czechville to Waumaundee and Mondovi. Without explanation, Buffalo County Sheriff Michael Osmond said he would not release the victim’s name. The usual professional policing practice is to withhold names only until family is notified but never delaying more than 24 hours. The other driver was taken 14 miles to the Winona hospital with minor injuries. The sheriff said he would not release the other driver’s name either. The accident was about 6:30 p.m. near the Cochrane-Fountain City school. Thus much is known: A 2008 Chevrolet Impala lost control southbound on State Highway 35, crossed the centerline, and struck an oncoming 2012 G9rd Escape. The 16-year-old, in the Impala, was dead in the wreckage.
Scary find in Northfield garage: Hand grenades
NORTHFIELD. Minn. – The St. Paul police bomb squad safely removed a collection of World War II hand grenades that had been stored in a home garage. The grenades will be destroyed, said Northfield Police Chief Jeff Schroepfer. He had called in the bomb squad from 40 miles away. The grenades, of Japan manufacture, were discovered by a family cleaning out the garage. They were thought to have been souvenirs of a family member, now deceased, who had Pacific Theater duty.
Japanese war relics. Crude 80-year-old reminders of close combat. Image: Northfield police
Principals shifts due in Winona schools in fall
WINONA, Minn. – School Superintendent Brad Berzinski has lined up principals for the Winona district’s reconfigured elementary schools in the fall. The appointments reflect the School Board’s decision. December to house all kindergarteners at the Goodview school and Grades 1 to 4 at the Jefferson and Washington-Kosciusko schools. The appointments:
Emily Cassellius. To be principal at Jefferson. Has been principal at Goodview since the 2018. Also served as principal at the Winona Area Learning Center.
Justin Hanson. To be principal at Washington-Kosciusko. Has been the principal at the school since 2022.
Jay Woller. To be principal at Goodview in addition to additional district-level responsibilities. Currently the principal at Jefferson a role he has held since 2022. Seventeen nyears experience in Winona as a principal.
The district has created a webpage with additional information about the reconfiguration.
Former MN-1 candidate tapped for theater post
ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Rochester Civic Theater Board elected lawyer Rachel Bohman as interim managing director. The position had been vacated by Misha Johnson who left for a theater in Hawaii. Bohman ran for the MN-1 Congressional seat in 2024 but lost to Brad Finstad. Applications for the theater position long term are being accepted through the month.
Bohman. A veteran Rochester arts supporter. Also a seamstress for Civic Theater productions.
Silliness in St. Paul: Beaver on your plate
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Senator Steve Green, R- Fosston, introduced a bill to legalize hunting for beaver. Beaver meat he called “nature’s chicken nuggets.”
Fastenal co-founder Bob Kierlin dead at 85
WINONA, Minn. – Multi-millionaire Winona philanthropist Bob Kierlin died at age 85. He was legendary in Winona.
Fastenal in his veins
With buddies from Cotter High School, Kierlin founded Fastenal with the innovation of delivering screws, threaded rods and nuts directly to construction job sites. It was a new supply chain concept in 1967. Contractors loved the efficiency of going to a Fastenal trailer on-site for bits and pieces. Fastenal grew rapidly and became Winona’s largest employer with global annual revenues of $7.3 billion. As a publicly traded company, Fastenal is listed on the Fortune 500. Worldwide it has 23,200 employees. Kierlin was Fastenal’s chief executive from 1968 to 2002. he was on its board of directors until 2014 when he reached the mandatory 75 retirement age. He continued on in an advisory role.
Public service
1939-2025. Died at Winona hospital.
Kierlin was elected to represent southeast Minnesota in the state Senate in 1998 and re-elected in 2002. He broke with fellow Republicans to legalize marijuana as a medicinal tool to relieve pain. This was after his first wife, Stephanie Valencia, a Venezuelan ballerina, died of cancer at age 49. Kierlin’s views on medicinal marijuana did not succeed politically at the time. Kierlin chose not to seek a third term in the Senate, saying privately that he was disillusioned with the pettiness and disingenuousness he experienced in the legislative process.
Philanthropy
Kierlin’s philanthropic instincts and religious inclinations showed in the late 1990s when he donated hundreds of desktop computers to budget-strapped Catholic schools in southeast Minnesota. Critics said, somewhat unfairly, that he was buying votes for his pending campaign for the state Senate from Fillmore, Houston and Winona counties. The fact, however, is that his generosity continued to grow. After the College of St. Teresa ran out of money and folded in 1989, Kierlin and his fellow Cotter buddies who founded Fastenal gave millions of dollars to Cotter to buy most of the shuttered CST campus and relocate.
Legacy in culture, also bricks and mortar
Other Kierlin projects have left Winona better place:
> Signatures. With his wife, Mary Burrichter, Kierlin rescued the long-floudering Winona Country Club and established the world-class restaurant Signatures. The décor included Burrichter’s collection of guitars signed by Stephen Stills, Arlo Guthrie, Joe Cocker and two dozen other A-list performers. Their goal was to help the country club into self-sustainability. Gradually they weaned off their sponsorship but continued to dine there with celery in the iced water, hors d’oeuvre, muse-bouche and a palate cleanser.
> Minnesota Marine Art Museum. On riverfront Drive they built the museum in 2006 as both showcase for their personal collection and as an enhancement for Winona’s reputation as an arts and cultural center. They hung their own print of Emanuel Leutze’s “Crossing the Delaware.” In 2016 as the Kierlins were shifting the museum to be on its own financially, they sold sold the print or $45 million.
> Main Square. Kierlin was a major backer of a project to buy a whole block downtown and build a for a stylish four-story complex in 2018. Called Majn Square, the complex included 60 amenities-laden luxury apartments, as well market-price units; retail and office space; and a Montessori school. In 2o24 he began a matching complex, also four stories, on an adjoining block.
> Fastenal office building. Although no longer on the Fastenal board in 2021, Kierlin was in on planning the new 95,000-square boot Fastenal corporate office building overlooking the Mississippi River from Second Street. Like many later Kierlin projects, the building replaced mostly junky and dilapidated structures that had surrounded the downtown outskirts.
> Masterpiece Hall. The Kierlin opus is the $35 million concert hall due to open in late 2025 on Fifth Street next to the neo0clasial Winona library. The hall will include art galleries as well as a 700-seat auditorium for significant concerts and performances. “World class,” he called it.
Tributes
Verbatim
Scott Pollock, director, Minnesota Marine Art Mueum: “His generosity and vision helped shape the museum and push MMAM into the national spotlight. He was a supporter of the Winona community and of the arts. There would not be a Minnesota Marine Art Museum without his generosity and support.”
Verbatim
Scott Sherman, Winona mayor: “The city of Winona as a whole is extremely saddened by the passing of Bob Kierlin,” said Winona Mayor Scott Sherman. “Bob was a generational figure within Winona in terms of his philanthropy, his foresight into economic development within our community, and then also a strong supporter of the arts and culture segment within our community. We’ll forever be thankful for the opportunity to have been able to have Bob in Winona and his legacy will live on for many years to come.”
Details: Fawcett FuneralHome
Winona driver hurt in U.S. 61 rollover
MINNEISKA, Minn. – A Winona driver was injured when his vehicle left U.S. Highway 61 and rolled into a tree. Eliezer Hernandez Santiago, 31, was taken 16 miles to the Wabasha hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The accident was about 10:10 p.m. just inside the Wabasha County line. Santiago was in a 2008 Mazda 6 heading south toward Winona.
A thematic shoplifting case at Walmart
WINONA, Minn. – A Winona man was issued a shoplifting citation regarding a bunch if aromatic personal care items from Walmart — body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash, and KY-branded jellied petroleum with the label “delicious premium personal lubricant strawberry oral flavored.” Cited was Matthew Ryan Nguyen, 40, of Winona. Walmart told police the theft was January 22 but not realized until a later inventory. There was no attempt to recover the items.
Winona’s white winter mantle in the morning
A view from Garvin Heights. Over Lake Winona looking all the way to Wisconsin. The snow was expected to stick. Afternoon highs were forecast only into the teens. Image: Steve Lunde
R.I.P: Gary Grob
WINONA, Minn. – Gary Grob, 87, who twice went to the NAIA World Series as a student and then coached baseball at university, died at home. Grob was at Winona State 44 years as a student, teacher and coach. As a student he was a standout hitter. His .354 career batting average still ranks in the university’s top 25. He graduated in 1961 and took a teaching jib in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Two years later he returned to Winona to for a master’s degree and was hired as assistant baseball coach under Luther McCown. Grob was named head coach in 1965 and led the Warriors for 35 seasons. His only break came in 1975 when he took a sabbatical to earn a doctorate at University of Utah. Grob led the Warriors to a 1,020-563-10 record. The record includes 31 consecutive seasons with 20 or more victories and 17 Northern Sun conference titles. After participating in the NAIA World Series as a player, As coach he made it back to the NAUA World Series three times, in 1972, 1988 and 1992. He was a15-time NAIA District 13 Coach of the Year, Grob coached 158 all-conference performers and 16 of his players signed professional baseball contracts. Grob was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, the NAIA Hall of Fame, and the NSIC Hall of Fame.
Details: Watkski Funeral Home
1937-2025
Iowa GOP leaders double down on Decorah sheriff
DES KOINES, Iowa – Governor Kim Reynolds stepped up pressure on Sheriff Dan Marx in Decorah to get with President Trump’s program to arrest and deport anyone suspected being an undocumented immigrant. The governor directed the state attorney general, Brenna Bird, also a Republican, to investigate what’s going on Decorah and Winneshiek County. Bird confirmed the investigation following a threat by Reynolds, a Trump acolyte, t to suspend state funding to the county. Reynolds and Bird ganged up on Sheriff Marx for expressing doubt about the legality of the mass Trump-directed roundups, which supposedly to deport criminals but which actually, say critics, are part of a slightly veiled pogrom against brown-skin people.
Earlier: Ruling: No to Minnesota jails for ICE raid detainees
Verbatim
Bird: “Iowa law is clear: counties and cities must comply with Iowa Code Chapter 27A, which specifically requires law enforcement to comply with ICE detainers or risk loss of state funding. We have received the governor’s complaint against Winneshiek County and have opened an investigation.” The constitutionality of the Iowa statute hasn’t been tested in the coourts. In Minnesota the attorney general has ruled it’s unconstitutional for federal immigration agents to force county sheriff’s to house detainees from raids in local jails.
Summary at week’s end: February 8, 2025
COMMERCE: Developer eyes Winona site for Chipolte
SPORTS: Minnesota to rule: Gonads not factor for prep sports
GOVERNANCE: Boycott update: House leaders agree to share power
GOVERNANCE: Ruling: No Minnesota jails for ICE raid detainees
GOVERNANCE: Iowa governor: I’ll yank funds to Decorah if…
POLITICS: Walz to seek third term? His war chest overfloweth
ART: Art world buzz: Is Minnetonka find really Van Gogh’s?
CRIME: Dad accused of gross disciplinary excesses
CRIME: Police: Probe still open in TV anchor case
SCHOOLS: School bus rear-ended; no injuries
RESCUE: Quick-thinking cop saves Kwik Trip
RESCUE: Smoke fills apartments in subdivided Winona house
INFERNO: 4,000 hogs lost in Brownsdale barn fire
INFERNO: No injuries in Buffalo County trailer blaze
JOURNALISM: Hackers put Lee news outlets on the fritz
First snow since the Holidays
On a patio deck. Up East Burns Valley. Images; Andy Frank.
College scores
Basketball (men): Winona State 66, Southwest Minnesota State 59
Basketball (men): Saint Mary’s 80, Macalester 55 Winona State 54
Basketball (women): Saint Mary’s 71, St. Scholastica 62
Hockey (men): Saint Mary’s 4, Bethel of S. Paul 1
Hockey (men): Saint Mary’s 3, Bethel of S. Paul 1
Minnesota prep
Hockey (boys): Winona Winhawks 8, Faribailt Falcons 1
Hockey (girls): Kasson Dodge County Wildcats 1, Winona Winhawks 0
Wisconsin prep
Basketball (boys): Alma Center Lincoln Hornets 61, Whitehall Norse 50
Basketball (boys): Independence Indees 66, Eleva-Strum Cardinals 45
Developer eyes Winona site for Chipolte
WINONA, Minn. – Does Winona need yet another Mexican restaurant? Yes, says a Colorado development firm. Documents filed with the city signage-control agency list a Chipolte build-your-own burrito shop at 1545 Gilmore and also an automotive quick-lube station next door. The site is on Gilmore Avenue just west of the Hy-Vee grocery. Separate entry and exit lanes off Gilmore would flank the shop. Two houses at the address would be razed, as allowed under a zoning change already approved by the city. The nearest Chipoltes are in LaCrosse and Rochester. Winona’s existing Mexican restaurants:
> El Patron, 1415 West Service Drive.
> Mango’s, 408 U.S. Highway 14.
> Qdoba, 950 Frontenac Drive.
> Rubio’s, 652 Washington Street.
> Taco Bell, 1455 Gilmore Avenue.
> Taco John’s, 12113 Gilmore Avenue.
Chipolte. The chain opened its 3,000th location in Phoenix in 2022. The corporate goal is 7,000 with new locations mostly in towns of 40,000 or less.
The plan. As laid out by Halifax Development of Denver, which has a Chipolte corporate contract that includes the Winona site.
1545 Gilmore. One of two houses to be demolished in the rezoning for commercial purposes. Image: Steve Lunde
Ice under bridge thinner than driver realized
Up from down under. The 2005 Chevrolet Equinox had crashed through thin ice under Hatch Bridge on Fountain Lake in Albert Lea. Two occupants scrambled safely from sinking vehicle. This was about 3:30 p.m Not until dark could a heavy-duty recovery crew attach to the vehicle and hoist it to shore. Image: T&W Towing
Rochester house fire claims family pet
Damage mostly from smoke. Except for a family dog, everyone escaped from a burning house in northwest Rochester. Firefighters were unable to revive the dog even with their animal resuscitation equipment. The fire heavily damaged the house at 21-1/2 Avenue Northwest. This was about 1:15 p.m. Heavy smoke was pouring from the house and flames from the roof when fire crews arrived. Image: Rochester Fire
I-90 ice blamed for Austin wreck, injuries
AUSTIN, Minn. – A Wisconsin driver and two children, one age 2, the other an infant, were injured when their car skidded on icy Interstate 90 and struck a tree. Taken five miles to the Austin hospital were:
> Andreah Brenae Jimenez, 20, of LaCrosse.
> > Josua Vandawt Thang, 2, of LaCrosse.
> Kahliana Iang Jimenez Thang, not yet 1, of LaCrosse.
The injuries were decribed as non-life threatening. They were westbound toward Albert Lea in a 2020 Subaru Outback. All were belted, said first-responders from Hayward. The crash was about 12:35 p.m.
Ruling: No to Minnesota jails for ICE raid detainees
Loading the cargo bin. ICE agents march cuffed and shackled detainees from mass arrests into a military cargo plane for immediate deportation. All of them violent criminals? Any? Who knows. There have been shortcuts in legal procedures designed to protect individuals from unwarranted arrest.
Attorney general to sheriffs: Don’t be bullied
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Attorney General Keith Ellison told county sheriffs they cannot provide interim jailing for people rounded up in Trump raids to catch illegal aliens. Ellison noted that Trump agents have arrested dozens of brown-skin people who are in the country legally – brazen violations of constitutional rights. ICE agents have taken more detainees than they have space to hold them. Although none of these ICE sweeps have been in Minnesota so far, the agency has hounded county sheriffs to stand by to hold detainees. In an eight-page legal opinion Ellison said:
“Minnesota law does not authorize state and local officials to hold or arrest someone based on an immigration detainer. Nor does federal law grant such authority.”
Ellison noted that ICE has used so-called “detention writs” to make arrests. These writs, said Ellison, are designed a as tool in civil law and never were intended for criminal procedures. Critics have seen a white supremacist thrust in the Trump-authorized mass arrests. A brown skin tone has been a criterion for arrests.
Ellison. According to Minnesota law, he rules, local jails can’t be used as federal holding facilities for detainees arrested in mass raids without a judge-authorized arrest warrant. The detention writs used by ICE agents don’t cut it, he said.
Notable journalism
Briana Bierschbach (Minnesota Star Tribune, February 4, 2025): “Tim Walz Banks $1 Million Heading into Possible Third Campaign for Minnesota Governor”
Rachel Mergen (Winona Daily News, January 31, 2025): “Winona’s Best Cheerleader’ Pat Mutter to Retire after 22 Years at Visit Winona”
Steve Rundio (LaCrosse Tribune, February 7, 20250: “Blanchard’s Cricket Frog Struggles to Maintain Wisconsin Numbers”
Driver’s blood being tested for alcohol
WINONA, Minn. – A Winona driver was stopped for a stop sign violation and then, appearing alcohol-impaired, was taken to the jailhouse for a blood draw. A charge against Steven Charles McKinley, 59, hinge on testing of the blood sample by the state crime lab, police said. The arresting officer said McKinley had bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech and balance difficulties in roadside sobriety exercises. This was about 11:10 p.m. on Market Street just off the downtown bar district.
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