WINONA, Minn. – A police officer spotted a teen-age boy pounding at a downtown stop sign with a 2×4 plank. When the officer lit up his squad lights, the kid fled. He was caught almost immediately. This was about 1:05 a.m. at Third and Center streets. A blood-alcohol check found 0.14% — almost double the threshold for intoxication. He was charged for minor consumption and running away.

Basketball (boys): Spring Grove Lions 58, Nevis Tigers 50

Hockey (boys): Rochester Century Panthers 6, Farmington Tigers 1

Basketball (girls): Onalaska Hilltoppers 52, DeForest Norskies 50

Basketball (girls): Eau Claire Regis Ramblers 37, Durand-Arkansaw Panthers 29

Basketball (girls): Elroy Royall Panthers 65, Independence Indees 50

Basketball (girls): Cochrane-Fountain City Pirates 48, Cashton Eagles 22

Sugar Loaf trailhead. After yoga to start the day, ice-wall climbing newcomers met for a second day of demonstrations and clinics and to rent equipment. Cost: $30 registration for three0 days of Ice Fest  events and and $120 for clinics and equipment. Then the trek up the bluffs to the Winona Ice Park. Image: Steve Lunde

Basketball (men): Winona State 87, Bemidji State 81

Basketball (women): Winona State 75, Bemidji State 53

Gymnastics (women): Gustavus Adolphus 188.875, Winona State 186.800

Lacrosse (women): UW-LaCrosse 23, Augsburg 8

Softball: Winona State 6, Rockhurst 0

Softball: Washburn 9, Winona State 1

Three blocks sealed ff. Fire crews and special equipment was brought in from a 40-mile radius. Image: Tomah Fire Department

Most of Ho-Chunk museum collection salvaged

TOMAH, Wis. – Flames broke out about 6 p.m. and quickly spread through side-by-side downtown Tomah businesses, some with shared walls, and also destroyed walk-up second-floor apartments. As far as was known initially, everyone in the buildings escaped. Police closed off three blocks of the Superior Avenue main drag between Juneau and LaCrosse streets. Superior Avenue, a north-south street, connects to the Interstate Interstate 90 and Interstate 94 interchanges into Tomah. The plume was visibe from both interstates as dusk fell. Among threatened spaces was the Ho-Chunk Nation museum. A tribal official said several individuals acted quickly and removed 90% of the collection. Destroyed was a central business in the block — Sassy Girl Aroma, which sells scented waxes and candles. Firefighters were summoned from other fire departments – Black River Falls, 31 miles away; Cutler, 16 miles; Elroy, 33 miles; Hixton, 41 miles; Mauston, 28 miles; New Lisbon, 21 miles; Norwalk, 17 miles;  Oakdale, 7 miles;  Volk Field 14 miles; Warrens, 11 miles; and Wes Salem, 30 miles. Fire Chief Tim Adler said he expected crews to be on-site through the night.

WABASHA, Minn. – A high school principal two counties away in Hayfield, Grant Klenner, 39, was sentenced to probation for sex assaults back when he was a minor. He had pleaded guilty. Judge Christopher Neisen issued the sentence. Probation is for 15 years after which Klenner’s record can be expunged. He will be 54 by then. He also was ordered to pay $1,500 a year for 19 years to a charity of the victims’ choice. The victims ranged from 7 to 14 years old at the time, between1997 and 2001. Two years ago, in 2022 when the charges were filed much belatedly, Klenner was placed on administrative leave as principal of the Hayfield High School . The offenses in Klenner’s youth had occurred in Wabasha County.

Earlier: $100,000 bond for Hayfield educator on sex charges

Earlier: School principal booked on sex charges

Earlier: Long-ago sex crimes alleged agaist principal

WINONA, Minn. – A 77-year-old Winona woman was scammed out of $5,900 in an elaborate scheme that began when her home computer screen grayed out. Soon she got a call from someone posing as a Microsoft technician.  He said 6,000 corrupted files had been found and then something regarding child pornography and a pending federal investigation. He asked for personal data, which the woman provided. Then came a call from someone posing as from the woman’s Wells Fargo bank branch. He said her account would be blocked the next one to three days and that she should convert her balance to bitcoin and transfer it for safekeeping and ongoing access to an interim Wells account in Rochester. She did – the whole $5.900 balance.

WINONA, Minn. – Police arrested a Winona man with a shotgun and a loaded revolver in an alley behind a West Side bar. Erik Todd Bennick, 31, offered no resistance, police said. In fact, the weapons were on the ground at Bennick’s side and his arms in the air when officers arrived. The officers were responding to a slurred and confused 911 call about being mugged by two men who were violating the caller’s “safe space.” This was about 1:20 a.m. The officers found no trace of other men. Bennick didn’t elaborate with any detail on the robbery that was alleged in the 911 call. Police confiscated these weapons:

> A 20-gauge single-bolt action New Haven shotgun manufactured by Mossberg & Sons, which was not loaded.

> A Nagant M1895 1revolder, loaded with seven 38-caliber rounds —  an antique that once was a standard-issue sidearm for the Imperial Russian Army .

Police said Bennick had been at Fast Eddie’s bar, 500 West Fifth Street He apparently then went home, which was nearby, and fetched the weapons. Exactly from where the 911 was made was unclear, but officers said that Bennick was carrying a phone. The arrest was between Fast Eddie’s and a residence. Officers said Bennick exhibited signs of intoxication: Blood-shot and watery eyes, slurred speech and poor balance.

WINONA Minn. – A citizen out for a walk spotted an old, rusted pistol against a tree at the old Lamberton mansion on Huff Street, now a frat house for Winona State University students. This was about 12:40 a.m. Police said the weapon, a 45-caliber Tanfoglio, was loaded but without any bullets in the chamber. Tanfolgios, manufactured in Italy, range from $400 used to $1,500 new. Police were attempting to trace transactions involving the gun.

Climbers couldn’t be happier. A warm February has kept melting and refreezing the ice at the bluff-top Winona ice park. It’s deep-hard from the freeze-melt cycle and ideal for scaling the 200-foot flows. The volunteer-run park has 100 routes. Image:  Steve Lunde

WINONA, Minn. – A Walmart shopper reported that $500 cash in a bank envelope was taken from her purse, apparently, she said, while she was shopping. When woman reached into the purse for the envelope, it was there, she said, but empty. Police and store detectives began scanning surveillance video to identify who did what.