Fravel /59: Jury enters deliberations
Empty Mankato courtroom. After the jury was excused to beign deliberations. The trial has been heard in Mankato in an attempt to avoid bias against Fravel in Winona.
Judge to jury: Take the the time you need
MANKATO, Minn. — The Blue Earth County jury for the Adam Fravel murder trial heard closing arguments and went into deliberations. At stake is a possible life imprisonment for the 2023 death of Maddi Kingsbury. As the prosecution sees it, Kingsbury was killed in the Winona townhouse that she shared with Fravel. Fravel’s attorneys have countered that the evidence is circumstantial at best and full of holes. Judge Nancy Buytentdorp, of Winona, told jurors they would be sequestered at a local Mankato hotel if they haven’t settled on a verdict by 9:30 p.m. The sequester would continue long as the jury needs, the judge said. For the prosecution and defense closing arguments, every seat in the courtroom was taken — mostly by Kingsbury kin and her Winona supporters.
Earlier: Fravel trial /56: He won’t testify
All copasetic at Winona voting places
WINONA, Minn. – None of the election judges at Winona County polling places reported any untoward activity to police on Election Day. The county and city combined have 39 polling sites.
Emergency, fire crews make 51 calls
WINONA, Minn. – The Fire Department reported 27 emergency medical calls plus 24 fire calls in recent days:
> Tuesday, November 5: 2 medical calls plus 2 fire call.
> Monday, November 4: 6 medical calls plus 2 fire calls.
> Sunday, November 3: 3 medical calls plus 5 fire calls.
> Saturday, November 2: 5 medical calls plus 2 fire calls.
> Friday, November 1: 5 medical calls plus 5 fire call.
> Thursday, October 31: 5 medical calls plus 5 fire call.
> Wednesday, October 30: 1 medical call plus 3 fire call.
Earlier: Emergency, fire crews make 46 calls
R.I.P.: Bill Schuth
WINONA, Minn. – Bill Schuth, of Winona, who taught business at Winona High School, died peacefully at age 88. He was a 1954 Winona High Schoo graduatel.He was in the U.S. Navy with two years in the Pacific on the U.S.S. Bayfield. He held two degrees from Winona State University. After graduation he taught at West Salem in Wisconsin and coached the Panthers basketball team. He was a commander at American Legion Post 9 and also a member of the American Legion’s honor guard.
Detail: Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home
1936-2024
R.I.P.: Douglas Falch
WINONA, Minn. — Douglas J. Falch, age 79, of Winona, died at home. There were complications from the chronic autoimmune disease Sjogren’s Syndrome.
1944-2024
R.I.P.: Wilfred Schossow
RUSHFORD Minn.– Wilfred C. Schossow, 95, of rural Rushford, a dedicated farmer, died at Riverside Transitional Care Center in La Crosse.He was a graduate of Winona High School. He was in the U.S. Army stationed in Kentucky and Colorado. He took pride in cultivating the land and raising crops and livestock and milking cows.
Detail: Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home
1928-2024
Southeast College stages career look-see
WINONA, Minn. — Teens from seven high schools will convene at Minnesota State College Southeast on Thursday to explore career possibilities in the trades, technology and transportation. Joanne Thompson, the organizer, said there will be one-hour hands-on experiences in auto body repair, precision machining, computer-aided design and other fields. Seventy high-schoolers were expected, she said.
Winona lagged in reporting election numbers
WINONA, Minn. – A glitch of some sort left Winona County among the last to feed data into the state vote compilation machinery in St. Paul. Chelsi Wilbright, who runs Winona elections as the county auditor-treasurer, was not available immediately to explain what went wrong. Tallies to St. Paul were more than two hours late. Polls at 39 voting sites in the county closed at 8 p.m.
Lewiston school funding wins in second round
LEWISTON, Minn. — The second time around, the Lewiston-Altura School Board got its wish. Voters approved a pair of tax increases for renovations, expansion and operating expenses.There were two questions:
> To raise per student spending to $800 per year. This was scaled back $19 million from the 2023 proposal that was rejected. The new vote in favor: 1,245 to 1,032 (54% to 45%).
> To raise $19.9 million to fix infrastructure like plumbing, windows and tuckpointig and to add new gym bleachers and update science, art and locker rooms. The vote in favor: 1,178 to 1,097 (52% to 47%);
District Superintendent Gwen Carman said renovations can begin this summer. The faculty and staff already are involved in design processes, she said. The district has 550 students in two schools.
Slick-paper booklet. Citizens were mailed a 16-page and two-staple bound booklet laying out the case for new funding. The theme: “You spoke. We listened.”
Voters to Harmony schools: Tighten belts
HARMONY, Minn; — Taxpayers in the Fillmore Central School District, which serves Harmony, Fountain and Preston, rejected a proposed 10-year budget plan to keep the district operating at current levels. The margin was almost 3-2 — 1,478 against and 1,053 for. The result will be larger classes, fewer programs and less convenient bus routes, according to referendum advocates. If approved, the referendum would have replaced the current $500 er student budget cap with a $1,250 cap.
$53 million boost for LaCrosse school mergers
LACROSSE, Wis. –Voters approved $53 million to consolidate LaCrosse schools. The vote: 61% to 39%. The plans is to merge Emerson and Spence elementary schools with a new building on the Hogan Administrative Center site and also to merge Hintgen Elementary and State Road Elementary with a building addition. The move was driven by a 29% drop in enrollment since the 1990s, which has dwindle state financial support.
Higher school budget cap rejected in Eyota
EYOTA, Minn. — Voters in the Dover-Eyota School District overwhelmingly rejected an operating referendum. The proposed tax levy increase would have generated an additional $950 in per pupil spending. The vote was 1,635 to 917 – 64% to 36%.
Elgin fire station expansion fails
ELGIN, Minn. — A referendum to raise $4.5 million for a new emergency services facility failed 350 to 314. The proposal was to expand the six-bay fire hall, which also houses ambulance services. The current facilty has only one bedroom for volunteers who spend nights to be available for emergencies.
Byron voters: No to school tax increase
BYRON, Minn. – Voters turned down a School Board request to increase general education revenue by $800 per pupil. The vote was overwhelming: 3,100 to 2,200 — 58% to 42%. Had it been approved, the referendum would have raised $1.9 million. The district has 2,300 students in four schools. The district already has cut its budget $1.5 million this school year.
$8.9 million approved for Kingsland school upkeep
SPRING VALEY, Minn. – Voters split on a pair of school maintenance and upgrade proposals that together would have cost $20.4 million. Approved was $8.9 million for maintenance. Rejected was $11.5 million for additional space for physical education, community education, and flexible multipurpose programming.
Conservation-friendly Minnesota amendment OK’d
ST.PAUL, Minn. – Minnesotans voted to amend the state’s constitution to channel lottery revenues to environmental and natural resources. The amendment passed by 77.5%.
Paying for new jail: Voters OK sales tax hike
WINONA, Minn. – Voters approved shifting the cost of the new $28 million Winona County jail to a sales tax. This means that purchases on taxable items will go up .025% — a quarter if a penny – until the debt for the jail’s construction is paid off. The shift was approved 13,600 to 12,200 – or, put another way, 53% to 47%. The County Board hd encouraged the shift to help balance the county’s budget without hiking property taxes.
Showcase detention center. Adjacent to courthouse. Dark in background is jail’s former home in the shared city-county Law Enforcement Center.
Rochester voters shift, OK new school funds
ROCHESTER, Minn. – The second time around worked for the Rochester School Board. Voters approved $200 million in new spending over the next 10 years. Last year a levy failed for construction, also for $200 million. The new levy passed 57% to 43%. The levy was promoted as the “Ignite Student Learning” referendum.
Verbatim
Kent Pekel, superintendent: “The approval will enable us to avoid closing schools, raising class sizes, and making major cuts to positions and prograss. It will provide the financial stability we need to continue implementing our ambitious strategic plan and to remain focused on our academic mission.”
2024 election: U.S. presidency
ST. PAUL, Minn. — President Kamala Harris and former President Trump sought to be the 47th president of the United States.
Popular vote nationally
> Trump (Republican): 69,809, 220 (50.1%).
> Harris (Democrat): 64,716,113 (47.4%).
Electoral College nationally
. > Trump; 270, TO WIN: 270.
Minnesota popular vote (84 of 87 counties).
>Harris (Democrat): 1,650,253 (50.94%.
> Trump (Republican): 11,508,829 (46.57%).
Wisconsin popular vote (78% of precincts).
> Trump (Republican): 1,631,711 (50.9%).
> Harris (Democrat): 1,623, 551 (47.5%).
2024 election: U.S. Senate from Minnesota
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Incumbent Amy Klobuchar, a former attorney for Hennepin County, sought re-election to a fourth term. Her challenger was Royce White, a former professional basketball player
> Klobuchar (Democrat): 1,078,858 (56.37%), 60.5% of precincts.
> White (Republican): 772,566 (40.37%).
2024 election: U.S. Senate from Wisconsin
MADISON Wis. –Incumbent Tammy Baldwin, of Madison, a lawyer and former state legislator, sought re-election to a term. Her challoenger was Eric Hovde, a banker.
> Baldwin (Democrat): 1,628,428 (4.4%), 82% of precincts.
> Hovde (Republican): 1,599,659 (48.5%).
2024 election: Congressional District MN-1
WINONA, Minn. — New Ulm farmer Brad Finstad sought a second term in the U.S. House from southern Minnesota. His challenger was Democrat Rachel Bohman, of Rochester, a former assistant attorney for Olmsted County.
> Finstad (Republican): 144,528 (61.48%), 69% of precincts reporting.
> Bohman (Democrat): 90.345 (38.43%).
2024 election: Congressional District WI-3
MADISON, Wis. – Retired Nay combat specialist Derrick Van Orden, of Prairie du Chien, sought a second term in the U.S. House from western Wisconsin. His challenger was Rachel Cooke, of Eau Claire, a small business operator and organizer of women’s causes.
> Derrick Van Orden (Republican): 184,185 (61.2%), 90% of precincts. YOO CLOSE TO CALL
> Rachel Cooke (Democrat): 174,499 (48.6%).
2024 election: Minnesota House District 26-A
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Winona native Sarah Kruger, a political activist for voting voting rights, and Aaron Repinski, also a Winona native and a first-term Winona City Council member. sought to succeed veteran legislator Gene Pelowski, who retired.
> Aaron Repinski (Republican): 11,982 (53.43%), 97% of precincts.
> Sarah Kruger (Democrat): 10.393 (46.35%%).
2024 election: Minnesota House District 20-B
ST, PAUL, Minn. – First-term incumbent Steve Jacob, of Elba, who earlier was a Winona County Board member, sought re-election. He was challenged by Michael Hutchinson, of Zumbrota, an operations manager for an environmental testing company.
> Jacob (Republican):4,9,857 (60.09%), 71% of precincts.
> Hutchinson (Democrat): 4,603 (31.8-%)
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