Cause under investigation. At 929 Frontage Road off Highway 52 Northwest. Image: Rochester Fire Department

Last customer had just left, crew also

ROCHESTER, Minn. — One of the two locally famous John Hardy’s barbeque restaurants suffered heavy smoke damage overnight. Eleven fire units responded about 9:20 p.m. to the Northwest Side location. No one was injured. The place had closed at 9. A passerby reported smoke at the rear, near the kitchen. Firefighters attacked the fire from outside, then forced their way inside. Flames were extinguished quickly, followed by major ventilation.

ALTURA, Minn. — Deputies were called to a possible drug overdose in a car near Whitewater State Park. A 65-year-old Rochester woman was found in need of medical assistance. Shee was transported 36 miles to a Rochester hospital. This was about 8:20 p.m. on State Highway 74 out of Altura.

MINNEAPOLIS — A Trump deportation agent shot a Venezuelan immigrant in one leg during an arrest in north Minneapolis. The injury was non-life-threatening, according to the federal agency that is running a massive armed presence in the Twin Cities. Although a large crowd quickly assembled at the scene, this was after the shooting. The only account of what happened was issued by the Trump agency that was running the operation, which clouds is veracity, but the account was all that mews reporters had to go

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Republicans in the Mnnesota House have drafted articles of impeachment to remove two-term Democratic Governor from office. A primary author, Representative Mike Wiener, a Republican from Long Prairie in Todd County, unveiled the draft to select news reporters.  It was not immediately clear the role of President Trump of in orchestrating the impeachment plan. For months Trump has escalated a campaign to bdenigrate, harrass and embarrass Walz, including assigning 2,000 federal agehts to Minnesota to pre-empt local policing authorities. The state Republican leadership has welcomed the Trump attacks  to help them end Democratic control ofn the state’s governance. The allegations, verbatim, in the impeachment draft:

> Permitting the concealment of widespread fraud in state-administered programs, despite repeated warnings audits.

Wiener. Elected to Minnseota House in 2023.

> Failed to promptly direct executive agencies to Cooperation with audits and investigations and  permitting tolerated resistance to legislative oversight.

> Placing political consideration above lawful administration and thus breaching public trust.

> Faiing to  complied with anti-fraud and accountability programs.

TROY Minn. —A motor vehicle and a horse-drawn buggy collided on County Road 6, which connects Lewiston and extreme southwest Winona County. Deputies responded about 3:25 p.m. There were no immediate reports on injuries filed back at the sheriff ’s office 28 miles away in Winona. The area, south of St. Charles, is home to numerous Amish families.  County Road 6 is two lanes and paved.

WINONA, Minn. – The Fire Department reported 39 emergency medical calls plus 9 fire calls in recent days:

> Tuesday, January 13: 6 medical calls plus 1 fire call.

> Monday, January 12: 8 medical calls plus 3 fire call.

> Sunday, January 11: 6 medical calls plus 1 fire call.

> Saturday, January 10: 10 medical calls plus 2 fire call.

> Friday, January 9: 3 medical calls plus 1 fire calls

> Thursday, January 8: 3 medical calls plus no fire calls.

> Wednesday, January 7: 3 medical calls plus 1fire call.

Earlier: Emergency, fire crews make 56 calls

WINONA, Minn. — As a nurse helped a new patient into a hospital gown, a baggie fell out of his trousers. Inside, police later confirmed, was 31 grams of cocaine. Eric John Cory, age 47, of Winona, was arrested but left in the hospital for medical treatment. This was about 12:55 a.m. in the Winona Health intensive care unit.

WINONA, Minn. — Citizens have been invited to become video-trackers and whistle-bowers against any incursion by ICE deportation agents into Winona County. The invitation was issued online on the site maintained by Winona Indivisible. Organizers are keeping a low profile and screening volunteers. “We need to be vigilant about how we grow this space to prevent trolls from joining and disrupting our efforts,” the announcement said. So far President Trump has deployed 2,100 ICE and other federal agents to Minnesota in an immigration crackdown. Agents have been reckless in detaining individuals, confirming suspicions that their targeting has been racist and xenophobic consistent with Trump’s racist rhetoric. Agents have been brutal in suppressing opposition. Last week a Minneapolis woman was shot three times in the face and killed inside her automobile. Citizen groups have formed nationwide to respond quickly to ICE sightings and video-record abuses on video and blow whistles to peacefully alert people to stay inside and lock doors. Nearest to Winona County have been ICE arrests in Rochester, where the ICE focus has been dark-skin persons of Hispanic or African descent.

Ethnic profiles

The 2020 census found these ethnic groups:

Fillmore County (Preston – county seat): Hispanic or Latin, 4%; black, 1%; mixed race, 1.6%.

Goodhue County (Red Wing): 4.5% Hispanic, 4.5%; black, 2%, mixed race, 2.5%.

Houston County (Caledonia): 4.5% Hispanic 4.5%; mixed, 2.5%.

Olmsted County (Rochester): Hispanic, 8%; black, 7.5%; mixed, 4%.

Wabasha County (Wabasha): Hispanic, 3.1%; black, 1%; mixed, 2%.

Winona County (Winona): Hispanic 6.3%; black, 3.2%; mixed race 2.5%.

In Wisconsin:

Buffalo County (Alma): Hispanic, 4.2%; black, 1.5%; mixed [, 1.5%.

Jackson County (Black River Falls): Hispanic, 5.5%; black, 1.5%; mixed, 2.5%.

Trempealeau County (Whitehall): Hispanic, 4.2%; black, 1.1%; mixed, 1.1%.

WINONA, Minn. — A woman told police she woke up at home to a man rubbing her buttocks. She said she knew the man but hadn’t seen him in weeks. This was about 9:30 p.m. in the 200 block Chatfield Street on the Far East End. Doorbell video confirmed the man had entered an unlocked door, police said.  The woman, age 43, said the man left after she awoke and confronted him.  Arrested a few blocks away, at an address on the 400 block of Mankato Avenue, was Terry Carlton Ross, age 48, of Winona.

Ross: Charges: Burglary, sexual misconduct.

ST. CHARLES, Minn. — A St. Charles school bus carrying 10 children home from school crashed just northeast of town at a low bridge over the South Fork of the Whitewater River. No one was injured. Winona County deputies notified state authorities for a commercial vehicle inspection. The accident was about 3:25 p.m. on Equine Drive near the Richland Drive intersection.

WINONA, Minn. — A 14-year-old boy was found with cannabis at the Winona Middle School. Police were called to the principal’s office. The boy was cited for illegal drug possession

MINNESOTA CITY, Minn. —  A Hidden Valley woman was charged with domestic abuse after a report involving a boyfriend. Deputies received the call to a physical altercation about 5:25 a.m. Arrested was Carley Elizabeth Huss, age 43. This was at Trailer Lot 276.

WINONA, Minn. – A traffic stop yielded a small arsenal in a car traveling north on U.S. Highway 61 along Lake Winona. One gun had a round in the chamber, police said. The driver also tested as drunk. Arrested was John Paul Hennessey III, age 34, of the Pepin County village of Arkansaw in Wisconsin. In a backpack in the backseat, police found a Sig P320 Flux Raider handgun with five magazines. In the glove box was a Glok 48 in a holster with two magazines with one round in the chamber. Empty beer cans littered vehicle’s cabin, police said. A series of blood-alcohol tests showed a range of 0.13% to 0.15% contamination. At 0.08% state law considers a person too intoxicated to drive. The stop was about 9:50 p.m. The arresting officer reported Hennessey riding the fog line on U.S. 61 near Huff Street. and almost striking a guardrail. The officer activated his flashers, but the driver continued slowly the better part of a mile. Meanwhile the officer learned that Hennessey’s vehicle had illegal tags and that a warrant was out for his arrest from Rock Island, Illinois. The stop itself was on U. S. 61 near the Hy-Vee grocery intersection.

Hennessey. Charges: Driving drunk, driving drunk with firearms, possessing a firearm without a permit.

Sig P320 Flux Raider. Retails about $400.

Glok 48. Retails about $500.