Attorney general issues alert on college loans
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Companies that have dangled settlement services for borrowers with college debts are the subject of a new inquiry, Attorney General Keith Ellison said the inquiry involves 52 companies. Most all are based in California and at least some are niot registered to do business in Minnesota, Ellison said. The crackdown comes after interest on student loans began accruing again this week after a pause for CoVid. Many people with college loans suddenly have looking for relief with a new lender. Ellison believes the companies violated consumer protection laws by misrepresenting fees and services and falsely promised student loan forgiveness. “Only the federal government can offer such forgiveness,” he said. Subject to inquiry:
> ABS (A Better Solution) Student Loans
> Allied Enrollment Centers
> Allied Financial Services
> Alum Financial, a.k.a. Grads Financial
> Alumni Help Center
> Alumni Support Center
> American Doc Pre
American Processing Support
Amerifed Doc Prep
> Certified Enrollment Center
> Client Processing Services
> Cornerstone Doc Pre
> Criner Financial Group
> Debt Relief Assistance Plus
> Documents Done Right
>Docupros, aka United Specialists
> Education Financial
>ENM Consulting Services
> Fed Pro, a..ka. Fed Help
> Federal Document Assistance Center
> Federal Document Preparation Services
> Federal Student Loan Doc Prep
> Financial Student Services
> First Fidelity Services, a.k.a. Mabak Enterprises
> Freedom Financial Aid
> Graduate Doc Center
> Liberty Student Loan Forgiveness
> Loan Forgiveness Enrollment Center
> Marketing Services
> National Budget Planners of South Florida
> National Debt Education Relief
> National Debt Relief
> National Student Loan Relief, a.k.a. My Payment Help Center
> Network 46
> Processing Direct, a.k.a. Student Loan Processing Direct
> Riverwalk Financial Corporation
> Skyway Financial Group
> SL Finance
> Student Advisors
> Student Loan & Savings, a.k.a. CT Financial Services
> Student Loan Doc
> Student Loan Financial Assistance, a.k.a. NextStep Financial Debt Settlement
> Student Prep Center, a.k.a. Common Key
> Student Renew
> Students Service Center
> Unified Document Services
> United Students of America
> US Debt Relief
> U.S. Financial, aka Graduate Resource Network
> US Processing Solutions, a.k.a. TWZII
> USA Student Debt Relief
College scores
Soccer (women): Winona State 0, Truman State 0 (draw)
Soccer (women): Saint Mary’s and UW-Stevens Point, postponed
Soccer (women): UW-LaCrosse 3, Dominican of Illinois 2
First fear: Anyone trapped inside?
ROCHESTER, Minn. — The occupants of a mobile home escaped without injury when fired broke out and caused significant damage. The fire was at Oak Terrace Estates at 1681 Marion Road South. The situation was touch and go for s while because the neighbor who called 911 hadn’t seen anyone come out. Firefighters determined wasn’t anyone still was inside.

Trailer house fire. Repairs in Rochester fire to run $5,000, according to an estimate. Image: Rochester Fire Department
R.I.P.: Joyce Hamernik
WINONA, Minn. – Joyce V. Hamernik, 93, an attendant in the 1949 Queen of Snows pageant for the Winona Winter Carnival, died at Benedictine-Saint Anne. At Winona High School she was active in the student council and participated in several school plays.
Details: Fawcett-Junker Funeral Home

1929-2023
Breath test: Driver’s blood at 0.17% alcohol
WINONA Minn. — A Coon Rapids man was arrested as drunk at the wheel near Winona State campus about 3 a.m. Police sad that Janel Phineas Karn, 19, was unsteady on his feet and had bloodshot and watery eyes. He also failed sobriety tests during the stop and tested for 0.17% blood-alcohol content, more than twice the limit. The stop was at Main and Sanborn streets.
R.I.P.: Barbara Hennnessy
WINONA, Minn. – Barbara (Grover) Hennessy, 85, of Winona, whose career was mostly as a dietary director in nursing facilities, died at Watkins Manor. Her dietary work was at St. Anne’s of Winona, Good Shepherd of Rushford, and Chosen Valley of Chatfield. She graduated from Gale-Ettrick High School in 1956. She earned a degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She taught briefly in Whitehall, Wisconsin. She was a foster parent for infants placed in adoption through Catholic Charities. She volunteered with the Winona County Historical Society, Winona Community Warming Center for homelessness, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, and Winona Volunteer Services.
Detail: Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home

1938-2023
Police chase ends badly for teen-age Blair driver
PIGEON FALLS, Wis., — A 125 mph police chase ended when a teen-ager fleeing south from Osseo hit a guardrail on the gentle curve at Torpen Road and crashed down an embankment. Zachary Nitek,18, of Blair, suffered minor injuries. He was taken into custody at the guardrail. The chase began in Osseo about 12:40 a.m. when Nitek almost hit an officer’s patrol car. Several police agencies joined the pursuit, which ended about six miles of Osseo. Nitek apparently was heading 25 miles home to Blair.

Nitek Pending charges: Fleeing an officer, reckless driving and intoxicated driving.
A gun in road rage confrontation? Who knows
WINONA, Minn. — A motorist told police he was threatened with a gun in a post-midnight road rage incident. Police found the suspect vehicle and indeed the driver had a gun, but he had a permit and denied pulling the gun. Without evidence to corroborate the accusation, police chose not to make a charge. The incident started abut 1:30 a.m. in the 1600 block of West Fifth street. The driver who called police said a gray vehicle passed him dangerously on the right and somebody yelled an insult at him. A few blocks away at Fifth and Orin, the man spotted the gray vehicle parked. A man got out, pointed a gun, and drove off, the man told police. Officers found and stopped the gray vehicle. The driver denied pointing his gun. Case closed.
Week’s summary: Ending September 9, 2023
SCHOOLS: Fifth-grader with knife: “I’ll stab him to death”
SCHOOLS: More buses than drivers: Shortage continues
SHIPWRECK: 140-some years later, schooner found at lake bottom
POLITICS: State won’t keep Trump off Minnesota ballot
POLITICS: Former LaCrosse County exec runs for Congress
POLITICS: Three years prison for Minnesota teen sex procurer
CRIME: Manhunt ends in arrest for Third Street attack
CRIME: Pistol-packing drunk arrested at West Side bar
CRIME: Prison guards fault management for inmate protest
FIRE: First fire crew locked out at Miller scrapyard
POLICING: Ever thought about going to jail? Now your chance
WEALTH: Minnesota billionaires: Familiar names, fluctuating sums
CUISINE: At Brew ‘n Que: Not your grandma’s Twinkies
Driver wobbly on his feet, tested as drunk
WINONA, Minn. — A Wisconsin driver was charged with driving drunk at Riverview Drive and Theurer Boulevard on the far West End. David Lee Neuchwander, 36, of Hayward, tested for blood-alcohol at 0.14%, close to double the state definition of impairment. The test confirmed the wobbliness that the arresting deputy said he observed as well as bloodshot, watery eyes. The stop was about 11:55 p.m.
Time for end-of-summer Latsch Island cleanup
Association asked for volunteers to help Sunday with the annual Latsch Island cleanup. The target: Debris on beaches, trails, woods and Aghaming Park. Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with assembly at the Old Wagon Bridge. Please bring your own gloves and insect repellent. The association is providing trash bags.

A.K.A. This is 1,100 acres that early trappers called Wolf Spider Island,
Home to Aghaming Park. The view from upriver with Dick’s Marina in the foregriond. On the island across the main Mississippi River navigation channel from downtown Winona is Aghaming Park and a nature preserve with a pristine bottomland forest stand.
College scores
Football: Winona State 33, Concordia of St. Paul 8
Football: Hardin-Simmons 28, UW-LaCrosse 21
Minnesota prep
Volleyball (girls): Winona Cotter Ramblers 2, Little Falls Flyers 0
Volleyball (girls): Winona Cotter Ramblers 2, Dodge Center Triton Cobras 0
Volleyball (girls): LaCrescent-Hokah Lancers 2, Winona Cotter Ramblers 0
Volleyball (girls): Plainview-Elgin-Millville Bulldogs 2, Winona Cotter Ramblers 1
Volleyball (girls): Winona Cotter Ramblers 2, Houston Hurricanes 0
Volleyball (girls): LaCrescent-Hokah Lancers 2, Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 0
Volleyball (girls): Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 2, Plainview-Elgin-Millville Bulldogs 1
Volleyball (girls): LaCrescent-Hokah Lancers 2, Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 1
Volleyball (girls): Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 2, Rochester Schaeffer Lions 0
Volleyball (girls): Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 2, Rochester Lourdes Eagles 0
Wisconsin prep
Football: Eau Claire Regis Raiders 37, Durand-Arkansaw Panthers 0
Boozed-up biker survives crash, gets up, drives on
ST. CHARLES, Minn. — A motorist saw a biker whiz by on Interstate 90 and go into the borrow pit, then right the bike and drive on. The motorist called 911 with the motorcycle license plate. Winona County deputies went to the register owner’s address and found him staggering drunk. His blood-alcohol tested at 0.19%, roughly 2-1/2 times the allowable max. Donald Dean Littlefield, 66, was cited for driving while intoxicated. This was about 5:55 p.m.

Littlefield. After spill and just when he thought he was home safe.
Police thwart teen’s suicide threat at Levee
WINONA Minn. — A 15-year-old boy jumped out of a boat into the Mississippi River, apparently during a domestic dispute, and swam to the downtown Levee. At the Levee, as the sheriff’s drive and rescue team and a second sheriff’s water crew watched, the teen-ager threatened suicide by jumping off a ledge. A city police officer at the Levee distracted the man for a moment, and another officer grabbed him. The boy was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Motorcyclist critically hurt near Zumbro Bottoms
DUMFRIES, Minn. — A Rochester biker was injured critically when he crashed west of Dnmfries on State Highway 60 heading toward Rochester from Wabasha. Andrew Clayton Knudson, 30, of Rochester, was taken 28 miles to a Rochester hospital. His condition was described as life-threatening. The accident was about 2:35 p.m. at the County Road 13 turn-off to the Zumbro Bottoms wildlife area and campground. Knudson was riding a 2021 Kawasaki motorcycle.
Dirt-biker dies in motocross track wreck
MILLVILLE, Minn. — A dirt bike enthusiast suffered fatal injuries when he crashed at Meadow Valley Motocross Track in Millville. Austin Kristiansen, 23, of LeCenter, was airlifted 25miles to a Rochester hospttal, but it was too late. The crash was called to Wabasha County authorities about 1:10 p.m. The fatality was the second a a Wabasha County dirt bike track this year.

Kristiansen. From LeCenter 80 miles away.
Driver survives as car overturns on I-90
LEWISTON Minn. — A Rochester driver lost control of his car and overturned on Interstate 90 two miles east of the Lewiston exit. George Earl Olive, 32, was taken 38 miles to a Rochester hospital. Winona County deputies said his injuries appeared survivable. He was wearing a seat belt. The airbag didn’t deploy. The accident was about 1:30 p.m. on dry pavement. Oliver was heading toward Wisconsin in a 1999 Chevrolet Lumina.
Dog trapped in power chair recliner
WINONA, Minn. — A homeowner called for emergency help to free a pet dog trapped in the mechanism of a power reclining chair. Firefighters found the dog under the chair, its hair caught in the lead screw that raises and lowers the footrest. They tried to manipulate the screw but couldn’t, so they dismantled the chair around the dog. The dog was OK save for small skin tears around the back of its neck. This was about 10:45 a.m. in the 500 block of East King Street.
R.I.P.: Jerome Patzner
LEWISTON, Minn. – Jerome Anton Patzner, of Lewiston, vice president of his unit of the American Federation of Government Employees, died at age 90. He was a civil servant for the Government Services Administration. He was in the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft engineer and mechanic. After retiring he worked as a self-employed mechanic. He umpired and coached Little League baseball ad s coordinated girls swim team.
Details: Hoff Funeral Home
1932-2023
Cops: Cocaine-tainted bag tossed from car
WINONA, Minn. — As a driver was being pulled over, the officer saw him throw a plastic bag out the passenger window. “Me? Not me. Not mine” Luis Angel Gasca, 22, told the officer. This was about 1:05 a.m. at Huff and King streets. The officer retrieved the bag, which tested for cocaine albeit only 0.19 grams. Gasca was charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Gasca. First denied the bag was his.
Minor ticketed after passing out on sidewalk
WINONA Minn. — A Wisconsin man admitted to drinking, police said, after they found him passed out on the street in the downtown bar district. Nicholas Willem David Lips, 20, of Sun Prairie, was cited for underage drinking and given a ride to his Winona address near campus. His blood-alcohol tested at 0.21%, about 2-1/2 ties the legal limit. This was about 12:40 a.m. at Second and Market streets.
Habitat for Humanity moves ahead in St. Charles
ST. CHARLES, Minn. — The Habitat for Humanity project, which builds affordable housing for families willing to pitch in, has begun a project in St. Charles. Eleven houses are planned over six years, said spokesperson Adam Muschler: “If homeownership has felt out of reach, Habitat may be able to help.” Application deadline: November 20. Since 1994, Habitat has built more than 50 homes in the Winona area since 1994,and repaired almost 250.

Shovels in hand. The Quintana family, father Miguel and mother Fredesvinda, have made it a family affair to to build their Habitat home. In fact, the whole extended family is lending a hand. Volunteers, including construction experts, do most of the work. Families put in at least 200 hours of “sweat equity.”
College scores
Volleyball (women): Winona State 3, UW-Parkside 0
Volleyball (women): Winona State 3, Westminster of Utah 0
Volleyball (women): UW-Superior 3, Saint Mary’s 0
Volleyball (women): Lakeland 3, UW-LaCrosse 2
Volleyball (women): Gustavus Adolphus 3, UW-LaCrosse 2
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