Lanesboro: Holiday spirit alive and well
LANESBORO, Minn. – A fund drive by townspeople organizing a new holiday lights display at the showcase Sylvan Park has passed its $10,000 goal with $1,800 from the Drake Memorial Foundation. A lighting ceremony will be Saturday. Anne Happle, an orgnizer, said different groups have taken a different picnic shelter as its special project. The display committee spent the past year traveling to nearby cities to learn possibilities for the Lanesboro project. The display will be up into the new year, Happle said.
Sylvan Park profile
Sylvan Park was established uptown in 1881 and has become home to signature Lanesboro events — Buffalo Bill Days, Art in the Park, and the Rhubarb Festival. This is not to mention concerts, weddings, birthdays and graduations. The Lanesboro farmers market is there in season. The 11 acres has two trout stocked ponds, playground equipment, shelters, and a campground. There are tennis, basketball and sand volleyball courts.
Ahead of first snowfall. Putting together the pieces for Lanesboro’s first holiday lights display.
Midway from the tundra to Chesapeake
The view from Brownsville. Arctic tundra swans gather Thanksgiving Day in Mississippi River backwaters in extreme southeast Minnesota. The food is plentiful before continuing their fall migration to Chesapeake Bay. With November’s cold and the Mississippi starting to freeze up, they won’t be here much longer. Soon they will take off en masse as their journey continues. Images: Andy Frank
If you forget to bring your binoculars, a public telescope at the Brownsville overlook provides a closer look.
Windshield greetings: 600 alt-side tickets
WINONA, Minn. – With Winona’s alternate-side parking ordinance in effect since mid-November, more than 600 tickets have been placed under windshield wipers overnight. A gradual day-to-day decline suggests a learning curve, albeit slow. The $25 alt-side toll to date:
> November 18 (Monday): 151
>November 19 (Tuesday): 107
> November 20 (Wednesday): 107
> November 21 (Thursday):72
> November 25 (Monday): 97
> November 26 (Tuesday): 79
> Total so far: 613
Each ticket means a $25 fine. Violations turn expensive, really expensive, when serious winter storms arrive. That’s when tag-and-tow provisions also apply. There are additional charges to tow, store and retrieve vehicles. The fees, charged by the city’s contract towing company Borkowski, begin about $180. There also is the hassle of producing documents that you indeed are the owner, that you are licensed, and that you are insured – not to mention the hassle of trekking out to suburban Goodview to Borkowski’s storage yard to claim the car.
Stabbing victim dumped at Tomah hospital door
TOMAH, Wis. – A woman was dropped off at the Tomah hospital with life-threatening stab wounds about 10:10 p.m. She then was transferred to a LaCrosse trauma center and listed in serious condition. Police Chief Scott Holum said that the stabbing apparently occurred at 605 Kilbourn Avenue in Tomah. It was unclear whether anyone at the hospital was aware who dropped the woman off at the emergency door.
Help for displaced equestrian family exceeds goal
WINONA. Minn. — Well-wishers have donated $27,000 for a family who lost their house in the wind-whipped fire at the Minnesota Equestrian Center last week. Proceeds from the gofundme campaign are for Jose and Bethany Mota and their two pre-school children. Since the fire they have been living at one of the Winona hotels owned by Mike Rivers, whose daughter Jessica owns the equestrian center. Jessica set up the gofundme site with an original goal of $25,000 but upped the goal to $30,000 after an outpouring of sympathy for the Motas. A separate gofundme site, for the Mark and Melissa Baus family, who operated a horse training and trading business at the center, raised $12,800 before its deadline for donations expired.
Earlier: Wilson horse arena fire: The view from Winona
Earlier: How Equestrian Center fire went from bad to worse
Rivers. Owner of devastated horse arena. Established the Mota gofundme site.
Exuberance of LaCrosse Oktoberfest to Chicago
Chilly kneecaps. A busload of 60 polka enthusiasts from LaCrosse fast-stepped, sang and hollered through the Chicago Loop with their hometown Oktoberfest parade float. LaCrosse festmaster Mike Bakalars called it a Bavarian representation from Wisconsin in the three-hour Chicago Thanksgiving parade. It was chilly. Yes, der herrs were in lederhosen and the fraus in dirndl.
Thank you, Canada: Wintry feel arrives
WINONA, Minn. — A wintery blast from Canada gripped Minnesota on Thanksgiving Day, the damp cold penetrating to the bone for anyone still venturing out in loose-weave between-the-seasons attire. Yes, winter had arrived. Temperatures in southeast Minnesota and adjoining Iowa and Wisconsin counties were expected to remain cold through the weekend. Winds of 15 to 20 mph were forecast to drop the real feel into single digits and teens overnight.
Driver hurt in wild crash through pasture
STRUM, Wis. – A driver was injured when his car ran off a county road, struck a utility pole guide, then a pasture fence, and proceeded 50 yards into an embankment. The driver was taken to a hospital with sustainable injuries. His name was withheld from the public without explanation by Trempealeau County Sheriff Brett Seminson. The sheriff confirmed, however, that the driver was cited for drunken driving. The accident was about 4 a.m. on County Road D near Hotchkiss Road. The gray Ford Fusion was badly damaged.
Multi-county study seeks transportation options
CHATFIELD, Minn. – A Chatfield organization received a $350,000 state grant to analyze how southeast Minnesota transportation should look in the future. Joel Young, the project manager, said issues include often-overlooked people who don’t have a car. The goal, Young said, is not sosuch much to establish a shuttle service as to identify broad issues and recommend long-term solutions. The study covers 11 counties — Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha and Winona. A result could be what’s called a Transportation Management Organization to run an effective and efficient system, Young said. The state Transportation Department, which issued the grant, looks to a report from Chatfield in June.
Gifts sought: $5 a night for a warming shelter bed
ROCHESTER, Minn. – Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota is seeking sponsoring for a bed at its warming center for homeless people. Donations cover the cost of a bed — $5 a night. The $5 also overs meals and support services. Besides its overnight shelter in Rochester, Catholic Charities has warming centers in Albert Lea, Mankato and Winona. Donate.
Winona County polls fully staffed for election
WINONA, Minn. – A shortage of election judges reported around country on Election Day didn’t happen here. Chelsi Wilbright, the county auditor-treasurer, who’s in charge of elections, said she didn’t hear of any shortages — although it is municipalities that hire judges. “Occasionally, mostly in August and vacation season, clerks will reach out and ask if I can help them find more judges,” Wilbright said. “That didn’t happen this time.” The county has 39 voting places, each required by law to have four judges for general elections.
Disruption threat
Leading up to the November 5 election, candidate Donald Trump warned of election-related violence. The warning was taken seriously because Trump people in 2020 had harassed and threatened poll workers. As a result many of these volunteer judges decided to sit out the 2024 election, which created poll staffing crises in some places.
Why driver all over road? Cop: 0.19% blood-alcohol
WINONA, Minn. – The police officer’s suspicions started being confirmed when a driver in a traffic stop fumbled and fumbled and fumbled to fetch his driver license from his wallet. “Poor dexterity,” the officer said. Then came other evidence of impairment – bloodshot and watery eyes and heavily slurred speech. The driver, Jason Michael Schultz, 19, of Onalaska, was taken on to jail where his breath was tested and showed his blood was 0.19% alcohol – 2-1/2 times what’s allowed. The traffic stop was about 1:50 a.m. at Highway 61 and Mankato.
Schultz. A motorist had called 911 that Schultz was failing to maintain his lane a mile or so back near Bundy Boulevard.
Free Big Macs, all trimmings to emergency crews
ONALASKA, Wis. – For the ninth year the Wisconsin-based Courtesy Corporation, which operates 64 McDonald’s restaurants, is offering free combo meals to police officers, emergency medical technicians, military members, and firefighters. The offer is next week on what the company calls “Thankful Tuesday.” Courtesy has locations in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. This includes two in Winona. “Just show your badge for a sandwich, entree, fries, and a beverage.” Courtesy said.
A peek inside Christmas at historic Winona homes
WINONA, Minn. –The Winona Historical Society has chosen six historic places for its 35th annual Holiday House Tour fundraiser. The tour is December 8, a Sunday, from 3 to 8 p.m. Be prepared to slip off your shoes at the door. The $18 and $20 tickets include booties. Greeters will be at each location to share stories about the homes:
> Market Street corner craftsman, 177 East Fifth Street.
> The Gerts home, 678 Main Street.
> Ortega’s Cape Cod, 152 Mill Street.
> Hygge house, 669 Johnson Street.
> The Smith house, 1227 West Howard Street.
> St. Martin’s Church, 328 East Broadway Street.
Our Thanksgivng greeting
A time to reflect on your richest memories and to ponder about harvesting more for the months ahead. Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at the Winona Journal.
News summary at md-week: November 27, 2024
POLITICS: Winona’s voter turnout impressively high again
POLITICS: Minnesotan Ken Martin as U.S. Democratic chief?
ARTS: Masterpiece concert hall contours emerging
COMMERCE: Flying from Winona: Today’s thin RST and LSE options
COMMERCE: Indiana bank buys Minnesota’s Bremer
COMMERCE: Walz: This turkey is platter-bound
INFERNO: Wilson horse arena fire: The view from Winona
NFERNO: Tricky fire damages East End garage
HOLIDAY: Minnesota turkey royalty to be Peach and Blossom
CRIME: Guilty verdict for 2022 Eyota woman’s murder
CRIME: El Patron — a second Mexican eatery to be hit
CRIME: Burglar flees Mango’s just in time
CRIME: Rail traveler arrested for Winona bar theft
SCHOOLS: School bus rips up residential yards, hits house
Minnesota prep
Hockey (girls): Winona Winhawks 4, St. Paul Academy Spartans 0
Walz: This turkey is platter-bound
ST.PAUL, Minn. – Governor Tim Walz accepted a gift Thanksgiving turkey – an annual tradition — from the state turkey growers association. Walz was emphatic that he had no intention to pardon the tom, unlike at the annual White House turkey presentation. “In D.C. they make a pardon, but this turkey is not pardoned from its fate,” Walz said. “In Minnesota we know turkey is delicious.” Walz used the presentation ceremony to underscore Minnesota as the largest turkey producer in the nation. He recited numbers: Six-hundred farms, 40 million birds, 450 dedicated growers. The industry employs 46,000 people, he said.
Turkey at Capitol. En route, says Walz, to someone’s Thanksgiving table.
Budget woes beset Byron schools chief
BYRON, Minn. – A petition is making he rounds for the Byron school superintendent Mike Neubeck to resign. A petition organizer, Amber Freese, accused Neubeck of being less than transparent about the district’s dire finances. A crisis emerged last spring after a miscalculation by a former budget manager created a $2 million shortfall. The crisis solidified this month when voters rejected new taxes for a $1.9 million bailout. Major, major budget cuts now loom. At last check, Freese said she had 180 signatures. The district operates four schools with 2,300 students and 190 teachers.
Neubeck. Embattled school superintendent in budget struggle.
Barking dogs tip neighbor to burglary
WINONA, Minn. – Police discovered a burglary at a vacant West Side house after a neighbor reported her dogs were in frenzied barking during the night. Police were called about 10:10 a.m. They found an open door and called the owner. Missing, said the owner, were two air compressors valued at $200 and DeWalt tools valued at $150. This was in the 850 block of West Fifth Street.
School bus rips up residential yards, hits house
HOLMEN, Wis. – A school bus starting its morning rounds to pick up children crashed into a house west of downtown. Two people in the house suffered minor injuries. The only person on the bus was the 76-year-old driver. He climbed out through a rear emergency door and was standing in the front yard when polic arrived. The accident was about 6:20 a.m. Police said the bus had just left the school district bus depot on County Road D when it hit a curb and drove through several residential yards before rammng the house. It ended up half-embedded inside the house. The two injured persons in the house were removed by first-responders through a bedroom window. A third person in the house was unhurt. An initial police investigation found no equipment failure on the bus. The accident was attributed tentatively to driver error.
Bus Number 175. No children were yet aboard. This was at 301 State Street not far from Viking Elementary School. Image: Dan Marcou
Viking Elementary School. Accident near State and Second streets, not far from at the school on the cul de sac at the end of Wall Street. The school has 580 pupils from pre-kindergarten to Grade 5.
Thieves make off with $12,000 in copper tubing
WINONA, Minn. – Copper tubing valued at $12,000 was stolen from a Winona Heating & Ventilating warehouse overnight. Copper retails these days around $4.45 a pound. A crew discovered the loss about 9 a.m. Police were unsure how entry was gained. The theft was from the company’s auxiliary storage facility on the McConnon Drive dead-end off Fifth Street on the Far West End.
New borealis waves expected Thursday
WINONA, Minn. – Space weather scientists expect solar storms may set off faint but nonetheless visible aurora borealis displays across Minnesota and other northern states. Visibility should be most likely from 9 p.m. on Thursday to midnight Friday. Mike Bettwy, a federal meteorologist, said pictures with a smartphone camera may reveal hints of the auroras that aren’t visible to the naked eye.
Car smashes porch: Better use back door for now
AUSTIN, Minn. – A stolen car crashed into a duplex in northwest Austin about 4 a.m. No one in the duplex was injured. Police said the vehicle, a silver 2014 Hyundai Sonata, was abandoned at the scene. The driver fled. Besides rhe wrecked car, damage was limited to te front porch of the duplex, on Ninth Avenue Northwest.
Splintered orch. Driver hurt? We won’t know until know. Image: Austin police
R.I.P.: Jean Leisceter
WINONA, Minn. – Jean E. Leicester, 83, of Winona, a retired education professor a Winona State University, died at Benedictine-Saint Anne nursing home. She was on the faculty 15years.
Details: Fawcett-Junker Funeral Home
1941-2024
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