Wisconsin prep
Basketball (boys): Galesville Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau Red Hawks 70, Westby Norsemen 66
Basketball (boys): Arcadia Raiders 70, Black River Falls Tigers 59
Basketball (girls): Whitehall Norse 75, Alma Center Lincoln Hornets 63
Basketball (girls): Eleva-Strum Cardinals 74, Cochrane-Fountain City Pirates 36
Basketball (girls): Independence Indees 74, Osseo-Fairchild Thunder 34
Passenger dies in I-90 deer collision
AUSTIN, Minn. — An Iowa man died in a two-vehicle crash blamed on a deer on Interstate 90 between Austin and Rochester. Kent Joel Shultz, 61, of Osage, was declared dead at the scene. The accident was about 8:55 p.m. near the Browndale and Rose Creek exit. Mower County deputies said a 2025 Suburu Outback driven by Sarah Jean Shultz, 60, of Osage, struck the deer and stalled. A second vehicle, also headed west, struck the Schultz vehicle. The second driver, Amanda Rebecca Dunlap, 35, of Austin, in a 2010 Nissan Pathfinder, was unhurt. Injuries to Sarah Shultz appeared non-ife threatening. She was taken sjx miles to the Austin hospital.
Flawed online chatter faulted for school panic
PLAINVIEW, Minn. — A lot of bad information that flooded social media lWednesday evenjng tled o a precautionary closing of Plainview schools . Police Chief Jason Timm said there never was a threat against the schools. He said online chatter about a fight at a school became conflated with entirely separate bravado bullying. The four schools in the Plainview-Elgin-Millville District will be back in session Friday, said Superintendent Courtney Frie.
Springsteen plants self firmly on Trump hate list
MINNEAPOLIS — Now that Donald Trump has taken over the over the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington and renamed it in his own honor, don’t expect that blue-colla rlyricist Bruce Springsteen to be invited. Nor that Springsteen = would accept. The blue-collar folk hero since the 1970s, has posted his most direct protest song in a long career of activism: “On the Streets of Minneapolis.” The anti-Trunp piece was posted on YouTube. Next Springsteen plans a benefit concert Friday in Minneapolis. Proceeds go to the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who both swere hot dead by Trump occupation agents in street protests. The convert title “Defend Minnesota.”
Lyrics: “On the Streets of Minneapolis.”
“Through the winter’s ice and cold / Down Nicollet Avenue / A city aflame fought fire and ice / ’Neath an occupier’s boots / King Trump’s private army from the DHS / Guns belted to their coats / Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law / Or so their story goes / Against smoke and rubber bullets / By the dawn’s early light / Citizens stood for justice / Their voices ringing through the night
“And there were bloody footprints / Where mercy should have stood / And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets / Alex Pretti and Renee Good / Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice / Singing through the bloody mist / We’ll take our stand for this land / And the stranger in our midst / Here in our home they killed and roamed / n the winter of ’26
“We’ll remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis / Trump’s federal thugs beat up on / His face and his chest / Then we heard the gunshots / And Alex Pretti lay in the snow, dead / Their claim was self defense, sir / Just don’t believe your eyes / It’s our blood and bones / And these whistles and phones / Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies
” Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice / Crying through the bloody mist / We’ll remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis /Now they say they’re here to uphold the law / But they trample on our rights
“If your skin is black or brown my friend / You can be questioned or deported on sight / In chants of ICE out now / Our city’s heart and soul persists / Through broken glass and bloody tearsOn the streets of Minneapolis
“Oh our Minneapolis, I hear your voice / Singing through the bloody mist / Here in our home they killed and roamed / In the winter of ’26 / We’ll take our stand for this land / And the stranger in our midst / We’ll remember the names of those who died / On the streets of Minneapolis
“We’ll remember the names of those who died / n the streets of Minneapolis.”
Activism in action. Springsteen’s debut album was “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. in 1973. Now 76 years 76of age.
Signature songs. “Born to Run” in 1974 and “Born in the U.S.A.” in 2084. Both with enduring prominence in the American musical anthology.
LaCrosse losing posh riverfront dining place
LACROSSE, Wis. —The elegant Waterfront Restaurant and Tavern will seat its last diners in mid-March. The restaurant has been a fixture for almost 20 years in the Weber insurance complex within walking distance of major hotels and LaCrosse Center arenas. It featured in-season patio seating overlooking the Mississippi. In an announcement, the Don Weber family, which owns the Waterfront, said:
“This industry isn’t for the faint of heart. Those who are in it know this all too well. It’s beautiful, brutal, exhausting, exhilarating –—and it asks everything of you. After a long run, stepping away is not easy, but it feels honest.”
Weber, who built a fortune servicing government insurance contracts, is a major LaCrosse philanthropist who dabbled in sidelines. At age 77 he is stepping back. In December he sold the classy Charmant Hotel. Earlier he shuttered one of his imaginative ventures — a quirky retro-styled meat shop called Schuby’s Neighborhood Butcher. This year he also e sold his Weber Springs lodge across the river near LaCrescent for $10 million, the largest residential transaction in Winona County history.
Waterfront Restaurant and Tavern. At 128 Front Street. Near the Weber Center for the Performing Arts, home of the LaCrosse Community Theater.
Weber. Largesse includes the nearby Weber theater for live performance.
Strong, brave souls gather for ice ascents
Morning kickoff for Winona Ice Fest. Dozens of folks prepare for early hikes to the base of ice-encased cliffs that are there for scaling. Their reward: Bluff-top panoramas from 500 feet high. Image: Kevin O’Reilly
Need tips? Need gear? The place to be
WINONA, Minn.— The Winona Ice Fest began at the base below the Sugar Loaf landmark and the three-year-old municipal ice park for climbers. The event continues through the weekend. Included are mini-lessons on climbing, rental gear, and a DJ dance party at the illuminated park. Registered participants qualify for complimentary food and drink downtown.
Klobuchar declares for Minnesota governorship
MINNEAPOLIS — No ifs, ands or buts, her hat is in the ring. Amy Klobuchar, a four-term U.S. senator, announced her candidacy. Her announcement appeared first on the online platform X:
“Minnesotans, we’ve been through a lot. And I believe this moment calls for grit, resilience, and faith in each other. I believe we must stand up for what’s right. And fix what’s wrong.”
Klobuchar. age 64, is putting her 28 years in elected office on the line for the Democratic nomination to succeed fellow Democrat Tim Walz as governor. She has no serious rivals for the nomination. Klobuchar’s announcement was expected. Last week she filed documents with Minnesota’s secretary of state to create a campaign finance committee. The committee allowsed her to begin accepting contributions and expending htem.
Earlier: Klobuchar pauses launch of governor bid
Earlier: Madel slams ICE excesses, ends governor bid
Earlier: Who’d they kill this time: A Minneapolis nurse
Trump lie: Ignorance on Omar attack
WASHINGTON — Asked about the vinegar attack on Ilhan Omar at a Minneapolis townhall, President Trump feigned that he hadn’t heard about it. White House observers were dubious about Trump’s answer:
> The attack had been national news since the night before.
> Trump is an inveterate television news addict.
> He contradicted his “no knowledge” response and elaborated without evidence, that he believed the attack was staged.
Omar has been a target of Trump hatred for years. He has called for her to be deported “back to Africa.” Fact: Omar is a U.S. citizen and elected from the MN-5 Congressional District. In recent weeks Trump has ramped p his attacks and tried without evidence to link Omar to a Minnesota fraud scandal. Also without evidence he has claimed she’s worth $44 million from ill-gotten gains and called for the U.S. Justice Department to investigate. Fact: Businesses partly owned by Omar’s husband, a Washington political consultant, have been valued at $30 million — far less than Trump’s concocted $44 million but also not Omar’s personal wealth. About the townhall attack on Omar in Minneapolis, Trump added without sympathy: “I don’t think about her. I think she’s a fraud,”
Earlier: Attacker on Omar a Trump devotee
Earlier: Omar targeted in vinegar attack at townhall
A snooze in the sun
The rays feel good..Even with the cold spell, the golden retriever Holly knows how to nap. She has a heavy coat, warmed by the sun. Image: Kevin O’Reilly
News summary at mid-week: January 28, 2026
GOVERNANCE: Farewell, Bovino: Not so nice knowing you
GOVERNANCE: Corporate brass late, mealy on historic crisis
CRIME: Who’d they kill this time: A Minneapolis nurse
CRIME: Winona cops: ICE doesn’t tell us much
CRIME: Galesville school locked down in police call
CRIME: Mystery threat closes Plainview schools
CRIME: Arrest report: First drunk at work, then at wheel
POLITICS: Madel slams ICE excesses, ends governor bid
POLITICS: Attacker on Omar a Trump devotee
POLITICS: Klobuchar pauses launch of governor bid
FARMING: Lewiston OKs new federal farm service structure
SEASONS: Frigid morn at Winona’s favorite bakery
College scores
Basketball (men): Carleton 83, Saint Mary’s. 75
Basketball (men): UW-LaCrosse 78, UW-River Falls
Lewiston OKs new federal farm service structure
LEWISTON, Minn. — The Lewiston City Council approved a federal plan to relocate its one-stop-for-all offices for agricultural services. Tho plan is for a new $700,000 building at 222 West Main Street in Lewiston, which is the central-most community in largely rural Winona County. Construction can begin this summer, City Administrator Ragini Varma told Council members.
Mystery threat closes Plainview schools
Sprawling rural district. The consolidated Plainview-Elgin-Millville School District has 1,460 students in four buildings. The district spans parts of Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona counties.
Police tracking rumor chain to find source
PLAINVIEW, Minn. — Students at Plainview schools reported hearing about a threat, prompting Superintendent Courtney Frie to call off classes for Thursday. Frie said she learned of the threat about 7:10 p.m. and called police. She declined to discuss specifics of the threat. Police began canvassing students who heard about the threat second-hand and third-hand.
Frigid morn at Winona’s favorite bakery
You have not visited Winona until you have waited in line at Bloedow’s. You are a true Winonan if you have waited in line at 9 below zero. Image: Kevin O’Reilly
Emergency, fire crews make 59 calls
WINONA, Minn. – The Fire Department reported 38 emergency medical calls plus 21 fire calls in recent days:
> Tuesday, January 27: 3 medical calls plus 2 fire calls.
> Monday, January 26: 3 medical calls plus 5 fire calls.
> Sunday, January 25: 7 medical calls plus 3 fire call.
> Saturday, January 24: 7 medical calls plus 4 fire call.
> Friday, January 23: 5 medical calls plus 2 fire calls.
> Thursday, January 22: 10 medical calls plus 4 fire calls.
> Wednesday, January 21: 3 medical calls plus 1 fire call.
Earlier: Emergency, fire crews make 49 calls
Attacker on Omar a Trump devotee
MINNEAPOLIS — Police identified the man who attacked U.S. House member Ilhan Omar as 55-year-old Anthony J. Kazmierczak. He was booked into jail on suspicion of assault. He has an online record as a supporter of President Trump. For months Trump has vilified Omar repeatedly, calling her garbage that should be shipped backed to Somalia. Kazmierczak has a police rap sheet. He was convicted of felony auto theft in 1989. He has been arrested several times for drunken driving. There are numerous traffic citations. The record, which includes two bankruptcy filings, suggests a malignant social disaffection.
Kazmierczak. Charged with townhall assault on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. The weapon: A vinegary liquid.
Arrest report: First drunk at work, then at wheel
WINONA, Minn. — A Winona man was reported drunk at work in Goodview and driving off in his car. A deputy stopped the vehicle on U.S. Highway 61 near \Altra Credit Union. This was about 1 a.m. The driver, Chad Michael Levinski, age 45, denied drinking. A breath test however, found his blood at 0.13% alcohol, half again as much as allowed. Also, said the deputy, his eyes were bloodshot and watery and his speech slurred. Field sobriety exercises didn’t go well.
United Airlines restarts LaCrosse service
LACROSSE, Wis. — The number of air travelers in and out of LaCrosse is doubling. United Airlines announced plans to add four roundtrip flights a day to its Chicago hub beginning in May. Assigned to the service are CJR-200s and CJR-500s. The planes each have 50 seats in a 2-2 configuration. United didn’t announce fares immediately. The airline had abandoned many reginal routes, including LSE, during the CoVid economic slowdown. The new LaCrosse flights are part of United’s expanded regional service that also includes Bloomington, Champaign/Urbana, Kalamazoo and Lansing. Meanwhile, American is continuing its thrice-daily LaCrosse-Chicago flights.
Earlier: Interim LSE airport director now in charge
Earlier: LaCrosse air service still in doldrums
Earlier: Allegiant Air to add LaCrosse flights
Earlier: Might Sun Country Airlines add LSE service?
College scores
Volleyball (men): Clarke 3, Viterbo 2
Minnesota prep
Basketball (boys): Albert Lea Tigers 87, Winona Winhawks 58
Basketball (boys): Rushford-Peterson Trojans 70, Winona Cotter/Winona Hope 52
Basketball (boys): Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 79, Dover-Eyota Eagles 70
Basketball (girls): Dover-Eyota Eagles 60, Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 48
Basketball (girls): Winona Winhawks 66, Albert Lea Tigers 33
Basketball (girls): Chatfield Gophers 66, St. Charles Saints 49
Basketball (girls): Rushford-Peterson Trojans 70, Winona Cotter /Winona Hope 65
B Hockey (girls): Austin Packers 3, Winona Winhawks 2
Wisconsin prep
Basketball (boys):Elk Mound Mounders 74, Arcadia Raiders 64
Basketball (boys): Cochrane-Fountain City Pirates 71, Gilmanton Panthers 52
Basketball (girls): Cashton Eagles 57, Galesville Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau Red Hawks 54
Basketball (girls): Onalaska Luther Knights 57, Arcadia Raiders 29
Basketball (girls): Melrose-Mindoro Mustangs 56, Whitehall Norse 40
Omar targeted in vinegar attack at townhall
MINNEAPOLIS — A man lunged at Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota delegate to Congress, and sprayed her with vinegar at a townhall meeting. Omar was unhurt. The attacker was tackled to the floor by a security aide. It appeared the man squirted the vinegar at Omar’s face but missed and hit her shirt. She stepped back as the man lunged. Omar took a 10-minute break, then nonplussed resumed dialogue with her north Minneapolis constituent. The attacker’s motive was not immediately known. Omar, a Democrat, has been savaged for months by President Trump. The president has called Omar garbage. He has lumped her with all 70,000 Somali immigrants that he’s targeted for deportation to Africa.
Vinegar-loaded syringe. Question is whether attack was motivated Trump’s racist and xenophobic white nationalism
Corporate brass late, mealy on historic crisis
MINNEAPOLIS — Sixty major Minnesota corporate leaders posted a letter on the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce website for ending tensions over3,500 battle-ready federal agents in the state. The letter step-toed to avoid blaming President Trump for the crisis, which he instigated by ordering 3,500 federal agents uninvited into the state supposedly to restore order when there was no disorder. The corporate letter was partly a reaction to a Minnesota Puhic Radio essay that shamed the state’s corporate leaders for silence as the Trump crisis swelled out of control. The essay, by financial columnist Chris Farrell, noted that a new generation of profit-obsessed Minesota corporate leaders had forsaken their forebearers’ exemplary commitment to bettering the state’s multi-cultural richness and prosperity-for-all climate.
Verbatim
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce: “With yesterday’s tragic news, we are calling for an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions.” Signatories included:
> Corie Barry, Best Buy.
> William Brown, of 3M.
> Jeff Ettinger, Hormel.
> Michael Fiddelke, Target.
> Linda Findley, Sleep Number.
> Bob Frenzel, Xcel Energy.
> Allison Gettings, Red Wing Shoes.
> Jeff Harmening, General Mills.
> Stephen Helmsley, United Health.
> Gunjan Kedia, U.S. Bancorp.
> Geoff Martha, Medtronic.
Verbatim
ChrisFarrell, Minnesota Public Radio: Minnesota likes to think of itself as a place where big companies don’t just coin money — they make a difference in local society and culture. The embrace of capitalism with a conscience has had an unusually large impact since Minnesota is home to a large number of brand name headquarters, especially considering its small size. For decades, executives at these firms have been part of the state’s civic backbone — serving on nonprofit boards, weighing in on workforce issues, joining task forces focused on solving major social issues and tapping into their corporate foundations and personal pockets to financially support community initiatives. Corporate leadership, at least here, made a difference. Which is why the quiet right now is so striking.”
Sex alleged on sleeping Viola woman
VIROQUA, Wis.— A rural Vernon County man was arrested for a rape of a Viola woman who was unconscious. The man was booked for second-degree sexual assault. Because there are other men in the area with the same name, the Winona Journal has delayed reporting the name pending clarification from Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson. The criminal complaint alleged that the man sneaked into the woman’s place. The complaint quotes a witness. Reportedly the incident was September 20 in the far eastern Vernon County town of Viola.
Galesville school locked down in police call
GALESVILLE, Wis. — Police ordered a lockdown at the Galesville elementary school while they set up a perimeter at a nearby apartment building. A man armed with an AR-style military weapon and a handgun had been reported in a domestic disturbance. Eventually the man came out and tried to drive away but was stopped. He was taken 25 miles to the Trempealeau County jail in Whitehall. Sheriff Erica Koxlien said the man was booked for recklessly endangering safety, false imprisonment, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. The sheriff declined to release the prisoner’s name. Her department has a history of turning away news media inquiries despite the usual policing practice of transparency and public accountability.
On an earlier fall day. The whole Galesville elementary school turned out for a scrapbook photograph. Pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
WELCOME
The worthiest goal of journalism is to promote intelligent citizen involvement. Such is our goal with Winona Journal. We focus on local issues so you can go about your daily activities with confidence that you can be a genuine and valued part of informed public dialogue on the kind of community we’re building.
Although Winona-centric, we are attentive also to regional issues. Our community doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
You will find opinion here. We quote and paraphrase with attribution so you know the source and can assess ideas and thoughts. Sometimes you will find our commentary but always clearly labeled.
As journalists we are committed to accuracy but not perfect. Please let us know if you spot an error, whether substantive or even just a dumb typo. We’ll get errors squared away promptly.
We’re glad you’re with us.