American Queen leaves Great Lakes tourist market
DULUTH, Minn. – The cruise ship company American Queen Voyages is pulling out of the Great lakes market. The plan, said company President Cindy D’Aoust, is to concentrate instead on Alaska and river cruises. D’Aoust said that harsh winters on the Great Lakes hasn’t made fiscal sense. The company had two vessels on the Lakes — the Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager. The vessels have been making calls of port, including Duluth and Thunder Bay, only for two years. There had been a hope for a 12-month schedule, but, said D’Aoust, that wasn’t feasible even on the lower Lakes. American Queen Voyage’s departure leaves four companies with Great Lakes sailings.
Showing stern to Duluth. American Queen cruise boats are ending voyages to Duluth and other Great Lakes ports.
American Queen Voyages
he company formerly went by the corporate name American Queen Steamboat Company.The company is continuing its Mississippr River calls, including Winona in the summer. The boats also sail the Lower Mississippi all year – a much more hospitable clime than the Great Lakes. The 2024 schedule has yet to be announced.
Nothing quiet about Taylor Swift crowd
MINNEAPOLIS – A friend of a friend of a friend who knows someone who worked backstage the Taylor Swift concert June 24 at U.S. Bank Stadium said the crowd registered 118 decibels. Although loud, the reading was a little less than the 120.1 roar of the crowd in 2017 when the Vikings beat the Saints in the NFL playoffs. The Taylor Swift concert ran three hurs with 44 songs, five different sets and 15 costume changes. The stadium seats 73,000 for concerts, 69,000 for football.
Tree-cutter crushed when tree breaks off
DOVER, Minn. – A Chatfield tree-cutter was critically injured when a tree came down on him outside Dover. The injuries were life-threatening, a deputy said. The man, whose name was not released immediately, was taken 23 miles to a Rochester hospital. His age was reported to be 60. The accident was shortly before 9 p.m. near the Ready-Mix plant in the 200 block of Seventh Street Northwest. No one witnessed what jappened. The man was found face-down in a ditch by a person who was aware he was cutting trees and went to check after his chainsaw went silent.
Winona High principal’s departure called “amicable”
WINONA, Minn.– The principal of Winona High School, Heather Fitzloff, who has been on leave since May, is leaving permanently. The School Board has approved an $11,000 separation agreement. There had been formal complaints in February and March, but Nancy Denser, School Board chair, declined to discuss details except that the agreement assures “a clean separation of employment in an expeditious and amicable fashion.” The agreement itself says nothing should construed be as “an admission of liability or wrongdoing by or on behalf of Fitzloff, the District or any party identified in interest with the parties.” Fitzloff, age 49, had been hired in 2021 from Prior Lake High School, where she was assistant principal.
Fitzloff. $11,000 exit settlement.
Rash of explosive hay fires in Winona County
Lone firefighter. Among smoldering hay bales that could erupt any moment from internal combustion. This in an open Quonset shed on a dry day. The danger comes from internally trapped moisture.
Expert advice: Check temps regularly, don’t tread on bales
WINONA, Minn. – Farmers need to monitor the heat that baled hay generates to prevent spontaneous combustion, the Winona County emergency management director said. In the past three weeks, said Ben Klinger, there have have been six hay barn fires in the county – thrice the number in a whole typical year. Klinger noted that even with dry conditions, hay retains moisture making it susceptible to spontaneous combustion. What to do? Klinger’s advice:
> Daily monitoring. Anything warmer than 150 degrees is dangerous. Disassemble the hay and spread it out to promote circulation.
> Four-hour monitoring. If 160 degrees, disassemble immediatey and spread.
> 175 degrees. Call the fire department. Don’t touch anything. Disassembling at 175 degrees or higher introduces oxygen that can cause spontaneous ignition.
Klinger said that haystacks can burn internally, creating hidden voids that make it dangerous to crawl or walk across. Planks should be put down. A safety line should be used. Have a second person present to assist in case of trouble.
Hay fire aftermath. Wilson Township firefighters yanked smoldering and burning bales from a shed in a mid-June shed fire and spread them out along Stone Point Road to burn out. The hay fire was among the first in a rash of them this spring. Anything salvageable after burning internally and then being soaked with water to cool off? Chalk it up as a lost crop. Image: Steve Lunde
Lewiston man accused as online child sex fiend
WINONA, Minn. – After several weeks of investigation, police arrested a Lewiston man for exploitive online sexual abuse of children, mostly girls. Valentin Silva Quintana, 29, was confronted with a warrant at a work site in Lake City. The arrest was without resistance, said Mark Dungy, the chief Winona County sheriff’s investigator. Dungy said that hundreds of lewd images were traced to Silva Quintana and that more evidence was showing up on his devices. So far, Dungy said, no local children were among Sylva Quintana’s targets. Many of Silva Quintana’s communications were with overseas addresses, notably the United Kingdom. Evidence includes threats to expose children to family and friends if they didn’t continue sending images. Dungy said Silva Quintana didn’t appear to have local accomplices.
Silva Quintana. The investigation involved the regional task force against child sexual abuse.
Not a good time for all at two Iowa fairs
CRESCO, Iowa – A Texas carnival worker pleaded not guilty for an attack on June 24 at the Howard County Fair in Cresco. Terry Dale Harley Jr., 43, of Fort Worth, had been charged with a pepper-spray attack on a supervisor and an employee. Meanwhile, in nearby Mason City, Harley has been charged with punching a man in the face repeatedly. Harley had fired the man recently. This incident was June 29, five days after the carnival left Cresco. Harley was traveling with Alabama-based C&M Southern Midways with a game concession.
Harley. Carny charged in attacks at Cresco and Mason City fairs.
39 months prison for stabbing at Ostrander cafe
PRESTON, Minn. — A short-order cook was sentenced to 39 months in prison for a stabbing out behind a cafe in a jealous rage. Noah Foster, 24, of Wykoff, was credited with the 19 weeks he’s already been in the Fillmore County jail. Judge Jeremy Clinefelter issued the sentence after accepting a plea deal in which a first-degree assault charge replaced an attempted murder charge and other felony charges. The stabbing occurred during breakfast prep on a Sunday morning in November at Susie’s Roadhouse in Ostrander. The issue: The affections of a woman fried they had in common.
Earlier: Attempted murder charged in Ostrander stabbing
Earlier: Stabbing: Over fears of woman sharing favors
Earlier: Stabbing attack in Fillmore County
Details on new Owl Center home going public
HOUSTON, Minn. – The International Owl Center will unveil details on the Center’s new Trailhead Park home at a series pf events Saturday. Included are architectural drawings, presentations by the builder, and foot trips through the site. At Cross of Christ Lutheran Church is a lunch of owl-themed food and an auction of owl art created by children around the world. Events begin at 11 a.m. Donation: $75.
Current home. A storefront on Houston’s Cedar Street main drag. Next home: Trailhead Park across town on the Root River. Image: Steve Lunde
Army aviation crew to Colombia drug mission
ST.PAUL, Minn. – A Minnesota Army Guard detachment left for Colombia on a nine-month deployment with its C-12 transport plane to support a U.S. counter-drug mission. The six-member crew is from the St.Paul-based 245th Army Aviation Regiment. After a departure ceremony the detachment took off in its twin-turboprop C-12 Huron to begin operations out of Bogota. To get there is as a 3,000-mile journey. In Colombia the C-12 will transport passengers and cargo as part of the counter-drug project. For the Minnesota crew, the exercise is a high-altitude test. Bogota is 8,600 above seas level.
C-12 Huron. A modified Beech Super King. Weight: 7,800 pounds. Max speed 330 mph. Range : 1,800 miles.
Trial run on Orrin Street for South Baker water re-do
Mess on Orrin. Sinkhole at intersection with West Service Drive. Image: Steve Lunde
South Baker water project begins Monday
WINONA, Minn. – People on the West End got a peek at what’s ahead when major work will begin to replace South Baker Street water mans. That project doesn’t begin until Monday, but an emergence burst on a main a few blocks west on Orrin Street had a crew out Thursday to fill a sinkhole. The task: Dig down to the main, fix the break, fill the hole with firm aggregate, then replace the blacktop street surface. This was at Winona’s Family Restaurant, which remained open despite traffic barricades d detours. In the upcoming major project on South Baker, crews will be turning off valves and shutting down sections of aging water mains. Residents may experience temporary loss of water, discoloration, or low water pressure from Broadway to Gilmore, said city streets director Mike Biggerstaff. Detour will be from on Cummings Street to Sioux streets. The target for completion: July 24.
Target: Shoplifter caught in $1,000 haul
WINONA, Minn. – A LaCrosse woman was stopped stealing merchandise valued at $1.039 from the Winona Target store, a security agent told police. The itemized list of items was not available immediately. Booked at the Winona jail was Danielle Marie Chambers, 42.
Chambers. Has faced a shoplifting charge before.
Police call: A second rattlesnake
WINONA, Minn. – A rattlesnake was reported on Ridgewood Drive, a residential area on the bluffs. Police drew on their pool of local experts to remove the rattler and to relocate in the woods farm far away and hopefully not to come back another day. So far this season there have been two snake calls – one in the county. one in the city.
Earlier: Uninvited rattlesnake escorted away
Corralling snakes
What happens when police receive a snake call. Some officers ae comfortable taking a snake with a police and hook. If the city’s animal control officer is on duty, she is called. She has special state wildlife training for snakes. There also is a small pool of local snake-handlers who can be on called.
City: Most units at Rochester Towers safe to reoccupy
ROCHESTER. Minn. – A city agency cleared 82 of the 94 units of the Rochester Towers condominium for re-occcupancy. The decision, by the Community Development Department, was based on an engineering study that recommended that only 12 units remain uncertified while correctios are made in the 15-story downtown structure. The building has been vacant since June 14, when corrosion as discovered in load-bearing columns. Corrections are expected to cost $4 million. The building, a fashionable address in the Mayo neighborhood, was built 54 years ago.
Earlier: Engineers on high-rise condo: Not ready to reoccupy
Three cars pile up at difficult I-90 interchange
ROCHESTER, Minn. – A Lanesboro boy, age 11, suffered non-life threatening inuries when three vehicles heading south out of Rochester on Higheay 52 collided. The accident was at the Interstate 90 interchange, a frequent place for accidents. This was about 1:45 p.m. Olmsted County Sheriff Kevin Torgerson declined to release the names of under-18 victims. This much was known:
> 2003 Buick LeSabre: Jonathan David Rothen, 18, of Lanesboro, the driver, had three passengers, also from Lanesboro: two girls,both 16, and a boy, 11.
> 2013 Nissan Sentra: Chloe Alyssa Mart, 18, of Utica, the driver.
> 2013 Hyundai Sonata: Abigail Dawn Stafslien-Dumale, 23, of LaCrosse, the driver.
Volunteer Services turns earth for new facility
Fifty-plus years. After more than half a century of operating a food shelf and a donated clothing store and other services, the organization put everybody to work with a shovel for a new building.
Target date to open new doors: 2024
WINONA, Minn. — Winona Volunteer Services broke ground for a 22,000-square foot building where its services will be consolidated. The $4.8 million facility will be in a familiar neighborhood — on East Second Street between Laird and Chestnut. Most of the cost already has been raised from private donors. A $1.1 million. capital is under way for the rest. Burke said there will be operational savings from a single facility. Meanwhile, the organization continues to branch out to new services, including home-delivered meals.
Governor raises Wisconsin GOP ire with line vetoes
MADISON, Wis. — Governor Tony Evers signed the Wisconsin state government’s budget for the next two years, leaving the majority Republicans in the Legislature fuming at his 51 line-item vetoes. In the minds of Republicans, the Democratic governor’s most contentious veto killed their $3.6 million tax cut for the state’s 11 wealthiest taxpayers. Meanwhile, as the budget stands, individual income tax rates will drop for low-income brackets. Because of technical limits on line vetoes, Evers was unable to undo the Republicans’ $32 million cut to the University of Wisconsin. Republicans had wanted to punish the university for initiatives toward cultural diversity, equity and inclusion. The budget however, would restore funding if the university shows progress on workforce development. On the positive side, Evers said, the budget puts money into K-12 education, PFAS contamination prevention, and workforce development. The budget also shares 20% of state revenue for most municipalities.
A rural campaign attacking mailboxes
ST. CHARLES, Minn. – On a misguided lark, kids in a car loaded rural mailboxes with firecrackers and lit the fuses. The blasts blew doors off the hinges. Damage was otherwise minimal. Even so it’s a federal offense. Gee, some mamas don’t raise their kids right.
Porta-potty blown to smithereens
WINONA, Minn. – If you gotta go, really go, you don’t want to be over at the Bud King Ice Arena on East Front Street. Some joker blew up the porta-potty outside. Police Chief Tom Williams said the tool of destruction appeared to be fireworks. Not much was left but melted plastic – a loss estimated at $2,000. A passerby ran across the meltdown about 7:40 a.m.
Serious injuries averted in Money Creek wreck
MONEY CREEK, Wis. – Airbags may have saved everyone in two vehicles that collided , one of them coming off curvy and steep Vinegar Hill into Money Creek. Houston County Sheriff Brian Swedberg declined to release the names of the people in the vehicles immediately. The accident occurred about 7:15 a.m. at Highway 76 and County Road 26. A 2015 Chrysler Town and Country van southbound, a 2011 Chevrolet Traverse eastbound. The Chrysler was driven by a 40-year-old woman from Houston. A passenger was a 7-year-old girl. The Chevrolet was driven by a 16-year-old girl. A passenger was a 14-year-old girl.
Emergency, fire crews make 51 calls
WINONA, Minn. – The Fire Department reported 34 emergency medical calls plus 17 fire calls in recent days:
> Tuesday, July 4: 8 medical calls plus 5 fire calls.
> Monday, July 3: 4 medical calls plus 1 fire call.
> Sunday, July 2: 10 medical calls plus 1 fire calls.
> Saturday, July 1: 2 medical calls plus 2 fire calls.
> Friday, June 30: 2 medical calls plus 2 fire calls.
> Thursday, June 29: 2 medical calls plus 3 fire calls.
> Wednesday, June 28: 6 medical calls plus 3 fire calls.
Earlier: Emergency, fire crews 43 calls
Searchers recover three bodies near swim site
RED WING, Minn. – Divers using sonar located three bodies in the Mississippi River near Diamond Island. Presumably these were the two adults and a teen-ager who went under while swimming two days earlier. Sheriff Matty Kelly declined to release the victims’ names until the regional medical examiner could complete a positive identification. The families of the missing swimmers, however, had been informed of the recovery. Two bodies were found about 6:50 a.m., the third found about 7:05 a.m. All three bodies were in the search area where the Vermillion and Cannon rivers empty into the Mississippi. The island, popular for day-camping, has no formal swimming area or supervision.
Earlier: Underwater drop-off blamed in swimmers’ disappearance
R.I.P.: Barbara Dolan
DOVER, Minn. – Barbara Anne Dolan, of Dover, an Avon home sales representative, died peacefully at age 93. She was raised in Danvers and graduated from Benson High School in 1947. She studied nursing studies in Kansas City, Missouri. She lived 17 years in Rochester, then moved to their farm south of Dover in 1980. She was active in farming, housekeeping, cake decorating, bee keeping.
Details: Hoff Funeral Home
1930-2023
R.I.P.: Jimmy Johnson
WABASHA, Minn. — Jimmy Johnson, 88, of Wabasha, who had a life-long passion for horses and kepr a ranch at Little Squaw Valley, died at St. Elizabeth’s hospital. He graduated from St. Felix High School in 1954 and studied carpentry at Dunwoody Institute. He was a US Army reservist. His family recalled that he made the first down payment on his ranchm at age 14 to have a home for the many horses he would acquire over the years.
Details: Fawcett-Junker Funeral Home
1935-2023
A get-acquainted reception – or is it a re-acquaintance
WINONA. Minn. – A get-acquainted reception for new Winona School Superintendent Brad Berzinski will be Tuesday at Peter’s Biergarten downtown on Third Street. It’s a homecoming of sorts for Berzinski. He is a graduate of Winona High School and Winona State University. In Winona schools he was an athletic director, principal and teacher. Most recently he was the high school principal in St. Charles in western Winona County The reception: 5 to 8 p.m. Free appetizers from Blooming Grounds and centerpieces from Green Thumb Artistry.
Earlier: New Winona schools chief inks contract
Earlier: St. Charles principal to take helm at Winona schools
Berzinski. Back to the halls at Winona Schools, this time as superintendent.
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