Retro-check of store video shows bed theft
WINONA, Minn. – From surveillance video police recognized the man carrying a $350 bed out of the Walmart megastore without paying. The theft, police said, was August 4 but delayed in being reported. A citation was mailed to Michael Thomas Breza, 32, of Minnesota City.
Bad weather cancels Luke Bryan’s Eyota show
EYOTA, Minn. – Because of pending thunderstorms, a mega-concert by country singer Luke Bryan was cancelled. The show was scheduled for 6 p.m. at the giant Gar-Lin airy farm just outside Eyota. Last year Bryan’s concert dew 26,000 people to Eyota. Bryan’s staff issued this statement: “We are having to make the tough decision to cancel the show. The safety of each of you is our first concern, and we do not want to jeopardize that in any way.”. Refunds would be available at original poinst of purchase, the statement said.
Earlier: Eyota again on Luke Bryan’s radar
How to rescue a cat that won’t come out
WINONA, Minn. – Firefighters were called to help with a cat that refused to come out from under a parked car. By the time that firefighters arrive, the kitty was up in the engine. They opened the hood, but the kitty, understandably frightened by all these strage people suited in bulky and weird, shiny fire gear, wouldn’t budge. The firefighters used pressurized water extinguisher to coax the kitty out. It worked.
Lindell loses appeal on cellphone confiscation
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – A federal appeals court denied MyPillow founder Mike Lindell’s appeal over the seizure of his cell phone by the FBI, Lindell claimed his civil rights were violated. His claim earlier was denied by a federal judge in Minnesota. Lindell appealed to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court, whuch concurred with the Minnesota judge that the phone was a legitimate part of an FBI investigation into attempts to seize data from voting machines in 2020. Lindell is an ardent Donald Trump supporter, a leader of the Stop the Steal movemen,. and an outspoken conspiratorist alleging but never proving 2020 election irregularities,
Autumn colors coming early, may linger longer
WINONA, Minn. – The Winona bluffs have begun their early fall shift to yellow even before any frost. And it’s er early. A state environmental biologist, Pete Boulay, said the early change is due partly to drought. The good news, he said, is that progress through the yellow-bronze-red spectrum may be elongated. “Not all leaves are going to change at once,” he said. “Some trees are driven by temperature, some trees are driven by light.” Boulay noted that this is Minnesota’s fourth consecutive year with below normal precipitation levels.
Autumn dropping southward. The latest autumn color mapping. Dots represent state parks. Image: Minnesota Natural Resources Department
Sun dawning through morning mist.
After a squall Winona-bound commuters shaded their eyes climbing Stockton Hill after heavy albeit scattered showers. Every drop was welcome, alas insufficient to reverse the drought in southeast Minnesota. Image: Steve Lunde
R.I.P.: Bob Dulek
WINONA, Minn. – Robert Paul Dulek, 76, of Winona, a custodial supervisor at St. Mary’s University, died at Gundersen hospital in LaCrosse. He worked also as an over-the-road and local trucker. He graduated from Cotter High School.
Details: Hoff Funeral Home
1947-2023
Car in ditch: Deputies cite youth as drunk minor
ALTURA, Minn. – Police cited an Elba man who had been reported waving for help beside his car in a ditch. This was about 3:30 a.m. west of Altura on County Road 26 just off County Road 248. Deputies had been called by a passing driver who said the man waving for help appeared intoxicated. When deputies arrived, the vehicle was being towed out. Then two men in another vehicle arrived. The passenger matched the description of the driver whose vehicle had been in the ditch, although, deputies said, he denied it. Deputies were convinced, however, that he been boozing and cited him as a minor consuming alcohol.
R.I.P.: Helene Dreas
WINONA, Minn. — Helene Blanche (Wanek) Dreas, 90, of Winona, an active volunteer at St. Mary’s church and school and later at Cotter High School, died at St. Anne’s Extended Care. She helped found for the Cotter Silent Auction in 1980 and received school’s St. Joseph Award. At St. Stan’s church she was a member of the Harvest House service program. For more than two decades She was a friendly face sharing food samples at the Winona Mall and later at Midtown Foods downtown. She attended St. Stanislaus Grade School and graduated from Cathedral High School in 1951. She worked at Merchants Bank in bookkeeping and transit. At home in her Polska kuchnia was called the “Cookie Grandma.”
Detail: Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home
1933-2023
Kwik Trip marches west into South Dakota
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Wisconsin-based Kwik Trip chain has planted its flag in South Dakota. The company opened its first South Dakota convenience store in a Sioux Falls suburb just over the Minnesota birder. Soon there will be five more around town. The new store is Number 1,021 on the company roster, although it carries the alternate corprate name Kwik Star. Actually, too, the number of stores is nearer 800. The numbering system maintains stores that have been rebuilt or relocated. The new store is 9,000 square feet. Still, it’s a lot of karuba.
Earlier: USA Today poll: Kwik Trip tops again
Sense of humor, anyone? Kwik Trip posted this map to help people know the states where it operates and where the brand name is Kwik Trip and where it’s Kwik Star. Could Ohio be next?
College scores
Soccer (women): Northern State of South Dakota 2, Winona State 1
Volleyball (women): Gustavus Adolphus 3, Saint Mary’s 0
Volleyball (women): Edgewood 3, UW-LaCrosse 1
Volleyball (women): UW-LaCrosse 3, Cornell of Iowa 2
Minnesota prep
Football: West St. Paul St. Ctoix Lutheran Crusaders 22, Winona Winhawks 21
Football: Winona Cotter Ramblers 22, Wabasha-Kellogg Falcons 14
Football: St. Charles Saints 27, Dover-Eyota Eagles 25
(Football: Stewartville Tigers 35, Plainview-Elgin-Millville Bulldogs 0
Football: Harmony Fillmore Central Falcons 12, Rushford-Peterson Trojans 6
Wisconsin prep
Football: West Salem Panthers 27, Galesville-Ettrick-Trempealeau Red Hawks 20
Football: Eleva-Strum Cardinals 30, Whitehall Norse 14
Football: Black River Falls Tigers 14, Arcadia Raiders 12
Football: Cochrane-Fountain City Pirates 41, Augusta Beavers 6
Football: Melrose-Mindoro Mustangs 28, Independence Indees 9
Football: Alma-Pepin Eagles 56, Blair-Taylor Wildcats 24
Backpacks full of stuff missing from West Side car
WINONA, Minn. – Two backpacks were reported stolen overnight from an unlocked vehicle on West Wabasha Street. In the backpacks, police were told, were a laptop, swim gear, a flute, AirPods, and school supplies. The theft was reported about 6:55 p.m.
Lindell loses appeal on cellphone confiscation
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – A federal appeals court denied MyPillow founder Mike Lindell’s appeal over the seizure of his cell phone by the FBI, Lindel. claimed his civil rights were violated. His claim earlier was denied earlier by a federal udge in Minnesota. Lindell appealed to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court, concurred with the Minnesota judge that the phone was a legitimate part of an FBI investigation into attempts to seize data from voting machines in 2020. Lindell is an ardent Donald Trump supporter, a leader of the Stop the Steal movement. and an outspoken conspiratorialist alleging but never proving 2020 election irregularities,
Drivers hurt when milk truck, pickup collide
UTICA, Minn. – Two drivers — one from Winona, the other from Hokah — were injured seriously in a traffic accident near Utica and taken 31 miles to a Rochesster hospital. The State Patrol said a milk tanker truck crossing U.S. Highway 14 and a pickup truck collided about 5:40 a.m. The Patrol said the milk truck was driven by Anthony Joseph Vonarx, 68, of Hokah. The pickup was driven by Manuel Estrada Salazar, 37, of Winona. Officers said the milk truck, a 2010 Freightliner, was going north, crossing from County Road 18, which serves several central Winona County farms, to County Road 33, which leads to Altura. The county roads cross U.S. 14 about 1-1/2 miles east of Utica. The Salazar’s 1993 Nissan pickup was headed west toward Utica on U.S. 14.
Walz to lawmakers: Clarify School policing limits
ST PAUL, Minn. — Governor Tim Walz is hopeful for an interim solution to police concerns over new legal restraints on school policing. Although expressing optimism after meeting with law enforcement agencies and legislators, Walz was unspecific about what form an interim solution might take. Police agencies already have ceased staffing in 40 school districts. The question regards the level of force that officers can use to maintain order. Walz said he will ask the 2024 Legislature to clarify the law, which was created this spring.. But the Legislature doesn’t convene for another 3-1/2 months. Walz noted that Attorney General Keith Ellison has issued a binding interpretation of the law that, the governor said, allows school resource officers to do their jobs effectively. Even so, law enforcement agencies still see the law as vague and can be read to mean that any restraint of a disruptive student is prohibited. To the law agencies, Ellison interpretation that allows “reasonable force” is vague.
Verbatim
Walz: “I am committed to further addressing this issue next legislative session and eager to see school resource officers return to schools as soon as possible.”
Discussants
Meeting with Walz to seek a solution:
> Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.
> Minnesota Sheriff’s Association.
> League of Minnesota Cities.
> Legislative leaders.
> Lawyers representing the attorney general.
Flamingos blown off course to Lake Michigan
Displaced and stressed. The mini-flock, three pink adults and two grayish youngsters.
A rare Wisconsin visit
PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. – Five flamingos, apparently blown of course by Hurricane Idalia, have taken up residence, at least temporarily, wading just off shore in Lake Michigan. Spectators showed to see the birds – the first flamingo visit ever recorded as far north as Wisconsin. Jerry Lorenz, an avian researcher, speculated that the birds were flying between Cuba and the Yucatan and were diverted by the hurricane and became confused. Lorenz urged people to give the flamingos lots of space. “These birds are stressed right now,” he said. “They just went through a terrible ordeal.”
Why pink?
Flamingos get their pink color from their food. On the Gulf Coast and Caribbean they eat a brine shrimp that feeds on carotenoid-rich algae. Carotenoid are what turns carrots orange and tomatoes red. The algae and brine shrimp metabolize and turn flamingo feathers pink. Flamingos hatch gray.
Corps replacing vales on Hastings lock
HASTINGS, Minn. — The Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $1.5 million contract to Missouri Fabricators of Fulton, Missouri, to build four replacement Tainter valves to control water flows for the lock on the Mississippi River at Hastings. The current valves have been in operation since the 1940s. The installation will be in August 2026 without any impact to navigation, the Corps said.
Why speeding? To get back to hotel to sleep
WINONA, Minn. – A St. Cloud man, Kevin Jarmaine Christians, 42, was arrested after a traffic stop in which police said he displayed signs of drunkenness. The officer said the man’s finger dexterity was obviously impaired: He fumbled in trying to retrieve his driver license from his wallet. Also, said the officer, he had bloodshot eyes, smelled drunk, and failed two field sobriety tests. He refused a third test, the “walk ‘n turn,” because he was “uncomfortable.” Police said Christians admitted to a beer half an hour before the stop but later said it actually was two drinks and a shot. The stop was for speeding on Riverview Drive and sliding through a stop sign. Police said he explained he was needing to hurry back to his hotel and sleep The was about 1:40 a.m. at Fifth Street and Pelzer.
Appliance buying group applauds Volkmanns
Forty-one years later. The only remaining stand-alone appliance store in Winona, Volkmann Appliance, was named the leading regional Brand Source dealer. Owners Debbie and David accepted the honor at the buying group’s annual convention. The store has been operating since 1982. Brand Source supplies 500 dealers nationally.
Stuck door traps tenant in bedroom
WINONA, Minn. – A person found himself trapped in a bedroom at a rental house in the 200 block of West Fourth Street. A housemate removed the door knob in attempt to open the door. That didn’t work. Firefighters arrived and tried to budge the hinges. Didn’t work either. They then used a screwdriver and pried the door open. This was about 10:35 p.m. The tenants were advised to notify their landlord to bring in a handyman to repair the damaged knob and hinges and door and jam.
College scores
Volleyball (women): Winona State 3, Augustana 1
Minnesota prep
Football: Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 52, Faribault Bethlehem Cardinals 8
Volleyball (girls): Winona Winhawks 3, Owatonna Huskies 1
Volleyball (girls): Chatfield Gophers 3, Winona Cotter Ramblers 1
Volleyball (girls): Plainview-Elgin-Millville Bulldogs 3, St. Charles Saints 0
Volleyball (girls): Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 3, Rochester Lourdes Eagles 0
Volleyball (girls): Harmony Fillmore Central Falcons 3, Dover-Eyota Eagles 1
Volleyball (girls): Caledonia Warriors 2, Rushford-Peterson Trojans 1
Wisconsin prep
Football: Mondovi Buffaloes 24, Eau Claire Regis Ramblers 20
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