Wildlife Refuge photo contest: “Birdwatching Magic”
Deedee Nadeau image. First place in the place in the Connecting Peeple category in the Friends of the Refuge Headwaters centennial photo contest. In all there were 57 entries in four categories. Photos were from the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, which extends 260 miles from Wabasha to Rock Island in Illinois.
Minnesota prep
Basketball (boys): St. Charles Saints 76, Alden-Cooper Knights 52
Basketball (girls): Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 59, Lanesboro Burros 45
Hockey (girls): Rochester Mayo Spartans 3, Winona Winhawks 0
Wisconsin prep
Basketball (boys): Alma Center Lincoln Hornets 57, Cochrane-Fountain City Pirates 54
Basketball (boys): Whitehall Norse 75, Eleva-Strum Cardinals 54
Basketball (boys): Alma-Pepin Eagles 68, Independence Indees 27
Basketball (boys): Galesville Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau Red Hawks 75, LaCrosse Logan Rangers 64
Basketball (girls): Cochrane-Fountain City Pirates 43, Independence Indees 31
Armed man in crisis dead: Self-inflicted gunshot
ROCHESTER, Minn. – An armed man who held police at bay four hours from a minivan van at a shopping mall died of a bullet wound that police said was self-inflicted. Whether the shot was intentional or accidental was not immediately determined, Police Chief Jimi Franklin said. In either event, the confrontation ended about 6 p.m. outside the KAAL television station and a strip mall dominated by a TJ Maxx store – just west across Highway 52 from Apache Mall. Police did not release man’s name immediately. The day was confusing. Television station KSTP in St. Paul received a call about 9:30 a.m. from a man saying he would kill himself at East Park in Rochester. Why he called a St. Paul station was unclear. There were calls to other newsrooms as the morning progressed. Police, meanwhile, found nothing at East Park. About 2 p.m., a maroon minivan pulled into the KAAL parking lot, followed by police. Police pinned in the vehicle in a blockade. The station and nearby stores were put on lockdown. Customers were told that the man in the minivan was in crisis and had threatened to kill himself and to shoot anyone who approached. Police negotiators were unable to convince the man to come out of the vehicle Several times during the afternoon the man stood up through a sunroof and pointed a gun to his head. At one point a gun was fired inside the vehicle, and the man was believed to be ingesting drugs. About 6 p.m., police fired a non-lethal flash gun toward the vehicle and launched tear gas. The man fired back twice. No officers were hit. Police then fired irritant-loaded pepperballs. The scene turned silent. Police approached the man’s van and found him dead. Police Chief Jimi Franklin ordered the site be impounded pending an investigation by the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Army Corps plans riprap, willows to cut erosion
DIAMOND BLUFF, Wis. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $374,400 contract to an Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, company, LS Marine, to save a riverside dump for dredged material from washing back into the Mississippi River. The dump, called Corps Island, is at-risk for erosion that could carry the sediment back into the main river navigation channel. The project is scheduled for fall, followed in spring with willow cuttings and other new vegetation to keep the muck confined.
Corps Island dump. One of many unsightly and controversial Corps sites that the Corps describes as “temporary.”
Winona High braces for worst after suicide alert
WINONA, Minn. – Classes began late at the Winona High School after a false alarm that a suicidal man might have shot himself at nearby Lake Winona. Students arriving for the day were met at the door and told not to linger in a central concourse but to go directly to their first-period classes and wait out the situation. Meanwhile, police searched lake parks for the man. His mother said he had texted her that he was at the lake and had shot himself and did not want to die. The man, age 33, was located about 9:25 a.m. in an apartment in the 50 block of East Fourth Street. Although in crisis, the man was safe and not injured, police said. The man never made threats toward others, police said. The precautions at the high school were out of an abundance of caution, said spokesperson John Casper.
Canadian owners pull plug in Tomah, lay off 89
Shutdown started. At 501 Williams Street on Tomah’s southside near Lake Tomah and the Tomah hospital.
Company: Market shrinking for paper-based packaging
TOMAH, Wis. – The Tomah package-manufacturing plant of Montreal-based TC Transcontinental has begun a phase-down that will eliminate all 89 jobs by early February. The plant doesn’t fit the company’s evolution away from paper into plastic and biodegradable packaging for dairy and orotein oroducts. The company’s roots go back to paper grocery bags, and the Tomah plant was designed mostly for paper-based printing and packaging. Phased lay-offs begin this week, TC plans to have consolidated Tomah-style production lines to facilities in Battle Creek Michigan; Clinton, Missouri; Elgin, Illinois; Lenexa, Kansas; and Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Verbatim
Jeff Lasley, senior vice president: “In line with our priority of optimizing the return on our assets, reducing costs and improving operational efficiency, we have made the decision to close our Tomah, Wisconsin, plant. Servicing our customers in the most competitive manner is something we are constantly evaluating and taking action on.”
Plainview teachers refuse non-contract tasks
PLAINVIEW, Minn. – Fed up being among the lowest paid teachers in the state, the Plainview-Elgin-Millville teachers union began withholding services. The union’s co-presidents, Michael Heppner and Jen Koehler, accused the School Board bad faith in contract negotiations and of harassment of high school softball coach Ben Peter. Teachers will perform contractual duties to the letter – but no more. This means teachers will not:
> Substitute for each others’ classrooms.
> Volunteer anything except normal classroom assignments.
The union said it was prepared to escalate pressure on the School Board every Friday. Teachers, however will complete all contractual duties, including coaching, the union leadership said. The union said the union expects its first wave of disruption will leave principals short-handed and force them to “place students in large group settings for supervision.”
Earlier: Plainview teachers press Board on pay, charge harassing
Union leadership
> Jen Koehler, co-president.
> Michael Heppner, co-president.
> Mike Matiash, membership chair.
> Jen Simon, secretary.
> Matt Cada, treasurer.
School Board members
> Julie LaBare, of Elgin.
> Stacy Fox, of Millville.
> Julie Hart, of Elgin.
> Roger Rahman, of Elgin.
> Rod Springer, of Millville.
> Jake Thompson, of Millville.
> Monica Sveen-Ziebell, of Elgin.
Authorities release name in suspected overdose
WINONA, Minn. – A woman who died apparently of a drug overdose on Monday was Lindsey Brianne Sommer, 39, of Winona, police confirmed. An autopsy by the the regional medical examiner in Rochester was ordered.
Wildlife Refuge photo contest: “Nature’s Garden”
Isabelle Katwa image. Third place in the place in the youth category in the Friends of the Refuge Headwaters centennial photo contest. In all there were 57 entries in four categories. Photos were from the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, which extends 260 miles from Wabasha to Rock Island in Illinois.
News summary at mid-week: November 29, 2023
SCHOOLS: Driver critically hurt in school bus crash
ENVIRONMENT: New zombie deer case in Wabasha County
CRIME: Roaming huffer makes rounds of store restrooms
CRIME: A drunken downtown brawl that just wouldn’t end
CRIME: Ellison: Derek Chauvin expected to survive
DRUGS: Woman’s death blamed tentatively on overdose
FIRE: 10 Tomah people escape upstairs apartments fire
College scores
Basketball (men): Bethany of Minnesota 68, UW-LaCrosse 67
Basketball (men): Saint John’s 90, Saint Mary’s 64
Basketball (women): Saint Benedict 74, Saint Mary’s 55
Serial huffer nabbed sixth time, called habitual violator
WINONA, Minn. – For the sixth time in three months, a Dakota man has been arrested and booked for intentionally inhaling compressed air from everyday cannisters of dust-off products. Huffing, it’s called. It gives a quick high. Alas, it can be lethal. Keith Roy Schroeder, 35, was caught twice in restrooms at the Winona Walmart – first about 12 noon and again about 2 p.m. The second time he was taken by police to the Winona hospital for a check on whether it was safe to jail him. He was cleared medically, then booked for toxic substance abuse for intoxication and for violating an earlier no-trespass order not to go into Walmart anymore. The arrest followed three huffing incidents the day before in Winona — at Burggraf’s hardware, Walmart and Target. In those cases, the huffer got away. In the latest Walmart incidents, police said that Schroeder was huffing in a women’s restroom, then left and grabbed more canisters from a shelf and wenr into a family restroon for more huffing. The pattern, said police, was to find dust-off products on store aisles, to stash containers in his clothing, and to rush to a restroom stall, and to sit and huff.
Schroeder. Linked to five store restroom benders in two days, plus multiple other incidents.
Driver critically hurt in school bus crash
STOCKTON, Minn. – A Winona woman was critically injured when her car and a school bus collided on snow-covered and icy U.S. 14 while cresting Stockton Hill. Robin Rae Thelen, 62, was airlifted 36 miles to Gundersen hospital in LaCrosse with life-threatening injuries. Two adults and a 10-year old child on the bus were less seriously and were taken eight miles to the Winona hospital. Thelen was alone in her car, a 2006 Buick Lucerne. She was driving east toward Winona. The bus was driven by Theresa Ann Fedie, 64, of Winona. On board were Sara Jean Fenner, 46, of Winona, an aide, and a 10-year-old girl from Goodview, whose name was not released by the State Patrol. The bus was west-bound toward Stockton. The accident blocked U.S 14 for three hours, backing up Winona-bound commuters for a mile before police could block off trafffic at the foot of the bill at State Highway 23 in Stockton and, on the other side, at U.S. Highway 61 in Winona. Drivers already on the hill were guided to back down. The Patrol said the adults on both vehicles were belted. The school girl was not.
Fire damages abandoned house on West Side
Fire of unknown origin. Winona firefighters responded about 10:25 a.m. to a fire in an abandoned house on the 600 block of Olmstead Street. The fire originated on the first floor and spread upstairs before anybody noticed and called it in. No injuries were reported. Image: Winona Fire Department
UM-Duluth football dies of heart disorder
DULUTH, Minn. – A leading University of Minnesota-Duluth football player, defensive lineman Reed Ryan, died of bcardiac arrest. He was 22. The death occurred November 21 but was not reported by the university for several days, Coach Curt Wiese said the university’s athletic staff and players were devastated. Ryan was a part of a UM-Duluth defensive unit that allowed a low Northern Sun conference average of 293.9 yards per game. Ryan earned one sack against Northern State on September 9 and posted a collegiate career-best three tackles at Minot State on October 21. Earlier he played at North Dakota State. He did high school in Waunakee, Wisconsin, and had seven tackles and assisted another for a total of eight tackles in nine games.
Ryan. Was finishing his studies in business and marketing.
Rescue helicopter dispatched to Stockton Hill
STOCKTON, Minn. – Police confirmed there were injuries in a multiple-vehicle crash on U.S. Highwayn14 at the top of Stockton Hill. A medevac helicopter was called. The crash was near Ridge View Road, a dirt farm road south off Highway 14.
Murder update: Owner ends Bowman townhouse lease
ROCHESTER, Minn. – Even if Connor Bowman posts $5 million bail in the poisoning death of his wife, he wouldn’t have a home to go to. The owner of Cascade Townhomes, where the Bowmans lived, has gone to court to terminate to lease on the southeast Rochester unit. Bowman has been in jail since October 20 for murder.
Earlier: New detail: A trial run for poisoning death?
Emergency, fire crews make 14 calls
WINONA, Minn. – The Fire Department reported 11 emergency medical calls plus 3 fire calls in recent days:
> Tuesday, November 28: 7 medical calls plus 1 fire call.
> Monday, November 27: 4 medical calls plus 2 fire calls.
> Sunday, November 26: No medical calls plus no fire calls.
> Saturday, November 25: No medical calls plus no fire calls.
> Friday, November 24: M=No medical calls plus no calls.
> Thursday, November 23: Np medical calls plus np fire calls.
> Wednesday, November 22: No medical calls plus no fire calls.
Earlier: Emergency, fire crews 49 calls
Commute-time wreck blocks Stockton Hill
STOCKTON, Minn.—A wreck on Stockton Hill closed the main east-west route in and out of Winona about 6:45 a.m. Motorists were diverted to alternate routes, either to Interstate 90 or to Minnesota City. Heavily traveled U.S. Highway 14 crosses Stockton Hill at 1,200 feet A pair of near-horseshoe curves flank the summit. The curvy two-lane route climbs 580 feet out of Winona and 480 out of Stockton, all in less than seven miles.
Wildlife Refuge photo contest: “Autumn Wonderland”
Isabelle Katwa image. Second place in the youth category in the Friends of the Refuge Headwaters centennial photo contest. In all there were 57 entries in four categories. Photos were from the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, which extends 260 miles from Wabasha to Rock Island in Illinois.
Earlier: Wildlife Refuge photo contest: “Grass Grove Visitor”
Roaming huffer makes rounds of store restrooms
WINONA, Minn. – A man apparently hooked on canned-air inhalants went store to store, took cannisters from store shelves, and went on a huffing binge in store restroom stalls. At Target, police found 11 depleted cannisters. Police said they knew the man and were looking for him. The huffing odyssey began late Tuesday afternoon:
> 4:20 p.m.: A man was discovered huffing at Burggraf’s Ace Hardware, 320 West Second Street. Police were called. They decided not to issue a citation – huffing being only a misdemeanor. The man was sent on his way.
> 6 p.m.: Police were called to Walmart, 955 Frontenac Drive, that a man had been puffing in the men’s rom. He was gone. Surveillance video suggested it was the same guy as at Burggraf’s.
> 11:30 p.m.: Burglar alarms drew police to the Target department store, 860 Mankato Avenue. Police found an exit door had been breached, which set off alarms. So did motion detectors that had been turned o when the store closed at 10 p.m. Video showed the man in the same clothes as a Burggraf’s and Walmart. He emerged after hiurs from the bathroom, walked around thendark store, and put merchandise in his pockets. He was gone when police and store security staff arrived. In the store restroom officers found 11 exhausted cannisters of the product Dust-Off.
Huffing profile
Huffing with canned air or Dust-Off involves inhaling the compressed gas, which can cause feelings of excitement, lightheadedness, and a temporary high. Huffing dangerous and can cause serious health problems, such as damage to the brain, lungs, liver, and other organs.
Minnesota prep
Basketball (girls): Winona Cotter Ramblers 49, Rushford-Peterson Trojans 47
Basketball (girls): Chatfield Gophers 66, Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 53
Basketball (girls): Plainview-Elgin-Millville Bulldogs 82, St. Charles Saints 14
Hockey (boys): Winona Winhawks 4, Onalaska Hilltoppers 2
Wisconsin prep
Hockey (boys): Winona Winhawks 4, Onalaska Hilltoppers 2
Hockey (girls): LaCrescen-Hokah Lancers 7, Black River Falls Tigers 4
Basketball (girls): Cochrane-Fountain City-Pirates 58, Alma Center Lincoln Hornets 45
Basketball (girls): Arcadia Tigers 43, Black River Falls Tigers 31
Basketball (girls): Bangor Cardinals 59, Galesville Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau Red Hawls 14
Basketball (boys): Cochrane-Fountain City-Pirates 63, Ellsworth Panthers 41
Basketball (boys): Galesville Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau Red Hawks 74, Bangor Cardinals 57
Basketball (girls): Whitehall Norse 75, Eleva-Strum Cardinals 46
Basketball (girls): Independence Indees 55 Alma-Pepin Eagles 42
Plan: Close three Rochester schools to save costs
ROCHESTER, Minn.—To meet a budget shortfall, Rochester Schools Superintendent Kent Pekel proposed closing three elementary schools. The district has 48 schools. The School Board will make the final decision. The change would mean drawing attendance boundaries and ending family choice to send children to any school.
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