Alternate-side parking tally at 419
WINONA, Minn. – Police issued 81 citations overnight for violations of the city’s winter ordinance for alternate-side parking. The running tally:
> November 20: 81
> November 19: 101
> November 18: 139
> November 17: 108
Notable journalism
Quinn Gorham (KEYC, November 14, 2025): “New Law on Hemp-Driven THC Products Could Send Budding Minnesota Industry Crashing Down”
Madison McVan (Minnesota Reformer, November 19, 2025): “Deportee Passing Through MSP: ‘We Has No Idea Where We Were Going’”
Taff Roberts (Plattsburgh College Foundation, February 6, 2012): “Rockwell Kent in Winona: A Centennial Celebration”
News summary at mid-week: November 19, 2025
GOVERNANCE: What now? City nixes plan for homeless shelter
GOVERNANCE: How they voted: On pedophile documents /2
GOVERNANCE: How they voted: On pedophile documents /1
GOVERNANCE: Minnesota’s hemp-infused industry at risk?
GOVERNANCE: Hub-feeder flights resume at LSE, RST
GOVERNANCE: Schimel to U.S. attorney post in Milwaukee
GOVERNANCE: Rochester plans 2-1/2 miles more trails
GOVERNANCE: Official now: Democrats retain Senate edge
SCHOOLS: Major projects pondered for Rushford schools
CRIME: Briarscombe mystery: Urban exploration escapade?
CRIME: Mauston man sought for threats to Tech teacher
CRIME: Woman: He acted out violently over politics
CRIME: Mom, sister hurt as teen brothers brawl
POLICING: Alternate-side parking tally at 348
HEALTH: Researchers: Autism-Tylenol link is quackery
ACCIDENT: Woman dies in rolling vehicle near Taylor
COMMERCE: Allegiant Air to add LaCrosse flights
SEASONS: Dreaming for the slopes? Not likely soon
Cops: Arrest follows unruly music, unruly woman
WINONA, Minn. — Police responding to a loud music complaint from a Mankato Avenue apartment could hear it from afar. This was about 11 p.m. Police said they asked the tenant to lower the volume, at which point she charged down the hall and banged and shouted obscenities at a neighbor’s door. apparently in the belief the neighbor had called the cops. Officers said they ordered her several times to go back to her unit but she refused. Lynnette Ruiz-Jones, age 29, was taken to the jailhouse, charged with disturbing the peace, and released. The rest of the night was quiet in the 600 block of Mankato Avenue.
College scores
Basketball (men): Concordia of St. Paul 83, Winona State 58
Basketball (men): St. Francis of Illinois 83, Viterbo 79
Basketball (women): Saint Mary’s 80, Crown 36
Basketball (women): UW-LaCrosse 73, Loras 42
Basketball (women): St. Francis of Illinois 82, Viterbo 52
Not a food fight: Rather a fight over food
WINONA, Minn. — Police arrested a Winona woman whose boyfriend said she thunked him on the back of the head as he was leaving her apartment. Both told police the same story: About dinnertime she complained that he was free-loading on her food, which she told him she had a hard time affording. One thing led to another. Angered, the boyfriend ripped a decoration off a wall and began leaving. Halfway out the door, she struck him with a closed fist. Police said the man, age 42, had a small cut on his neck, perhaps from a vaping device that the woman was holding. He didn’t want medical attention, police said. Emily Elizabeth Scott, 28, was charged with intentional assault intended to inflict harm. This was in the 700 block of East Belleview Street
MinnState board OKs faculty salaries
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The MinnState governing board gave final approval of a two-year contract with university faculty. The contract includes a 1.4% pay increase effective in December and 2.4%in July.
St. Charles school idled for specious gun report
ST. CHARLES, Minn. — The St. Charles High School went into a brief lockdow after a gun was reported in a student locker. No gun was found, police said. This was just as the class day was getting started. ,The school, with Grades 7 through 12, has 480 students mostly from western Winona County.
Alternate-side parking tally at 348
WINONA, Minn. – Police issued 101 citations overnight for violations of the city’s winter ordinance for alternate-side parking. The running tally:
> November 19: 101
> November 18: 139
> November 17: 108
Emergency, fire crews make 58 calls
WINONA, Minn. – The Fire Department reported 46 emergency medical calls plus 12 fire calls in recent days:
> Tuesday, November 18: 7 medical calls plus no fire calsl.
> Monday, November 17: 7 medical calls plus 3 fire calls.
> Sunday, November 16: no medical calls plus 2 fire call.
> Saturday, November 15: 7 medical calls plus 1 fire call.
>Friday, November 14: 8 medical calls plus 1 fire call.
> Thursday, Novembe 13: 13 medical calls plus 4 fire calls.
> Wednesday,November 12: 4 medical calls plus 1 fire call.
Earlier: Emergency, fire crews make 48 calls
Head-on crash seriously injures driver
INDEPENDENCE, Wis. — First-responders rescued a driver who was trapped inside his wrecked car after a head-on collision with a truck and semi-trailer on U.S. Highway 93 between Independence and Eleva. The driver, seriously hurt, was taken to a hospital. The trucker was unhurt. Without explanation, Trempealeau County Sheriff Brett Semingson declined to release names. The accident was about 2:50 a.m. Deputies said the car was southbound toward Independence and crossed the centerline on the sweeping curve near Linberg Road. U.S. 93, a trunk route linking LaCrosse and Eau Caire, was blocked several hours.
College scores
Basketball (men): Bethany 103, Saint Mary’s 74
Basketball (women): Winona State 78, Upper Iowa 45
Minnesota prep
Hockey (girls): Winona Winhawks 5, Faribault South Central 0
Hockey (girls): Rochester Mayo Spartans 9, Austin Packers 2
Wisconsin prep
Basketball (girls): Blair-Taylor Wildcats 54, Osseo-Fairchild Thunder 32
Basketball (girls): Eleva-Strum Cardinals 46, Independence Indees 40
How they voted: On pedophile documents /2
WASHNGTON — The U.S. Senate agreed unanimously and swiftly to endorse a House bill to release U.S. Justice Department and FBI files regarding the disgraced sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The Senate vote was within three hours of the House action. The Sente vote was by “unanimous consent,” a parliamentary device that conceals who would have voted how and who didn’t vote and who wasn’t present. Last week Trump ended months of adamantly opposing release of the government’s Epstein files, which are known to name him as close to Epstein, although here has been no direct evidence that he was among hundreds of Epstein friends and clients for pedophiliac engagement. Public demand for the files had grown to a point that Trump had no choice but to relent. What next? The House-Sente bill still needs Trump’s signature to release the files. Political analysts say, however, that Trump may have a Plan B to suppress the files. He could arrange for the Justice Department and FBI to investigate claims, not proven, that Epstein clients included former Obama Administration officials and JP Morgan and Deutsch Bank bankers. That would shift all the Epstein files under a legal category as “under investigation” and keep them concealed further from the public. In Congress these are the Minnesota and Wisconsin senators:
Our delegations
In Congress these are the Minnesota and Wisconsin senators:
> Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin.
> Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin*
> Amy Klobchar, D-Minesota.
> Tina Smith, D-Minnesota.
* Earlier aligned with Trump against release
Mom, sister hurt as teen brothers brawl
WINONA, Minn. — Two teen-age brothers got into a drag-down fight at home, their mother and sister then being injured when they intervened to break it up. Such was what police decided had happened after arriving about 4:10 p.m. Officers said the mother, age 39, and the sister, 14, had been punched. Neither asked for medical assistance. This was in the 200 block of West Sarnia Street. The boys, 17 and 15, were arrested and charged with domestic assault. The 15-year-old had a minor face cut, police said.
Official now: Democrats retain Senate edge
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Two new state senators, elected to fill vacancies, took their oaths at the Capitol. The official arrivals of Michael Holmstrom Jr., a Buffalo Republican, and Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger, a Woodbury Democrat, keeps the Democrats with a 34-33 majority.
Earlier: Democrats retain majority edge in state Senate
How they voted: On pedophile documents /1
WASHINGTOI — The U.S. House voted 427-1 to order the U.S. Justice Department to release all investigatory documents, thought to exceed 33,000 pages, in the case of pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, a friend of President Trump. Epstein ran a prostitution ring of 1,000 mostly under-age girl. Epstein, who claimed he needing two orgasms a day, died mysteriously on jail in 2019. Epstein was 66. Although Trump claimed his relationship with Epstein ended long ago, he had been adamant against releasing the documents. From leaks and other sources, however, it had become known that the Justice Department documents contained hundreds of references to Trump as well as prominent and. moneyed male guests and clients. Trump was so adamant against releasing the files that he commanded that the Justice Department not release them to the public. He also threatened his Republican loyalists in Congress that he would support their rivals for re-election unless they went along. House Speaker Mike John, a Trump minion, went so far as to order the House on a 41-day vacation prevent a vote. The recess kept a newly elected member from Arizona, Adelita Grijalva, from being sworn in because she could have been pivotal in an Epstein vote. But under intensifying public pressure to release the files, Trump recognized position was unsustainable. On November 10 he reversed himself: “We have nothing to hide.” It was not a new line for Trump on the issue but a turn-about on blocking public access.
To release pedophile records
> Angie Craig, D-Mn2 (south suburbs)
> Tom Emmer, R-MN6 (north suburbs)*
> Brad Finstad, R-Mn1 (south)*
> Michelle Fischback, R-Mn7 (rural west)*
> Betty McCollum, D-Mn4 (St. Paul)
> Kelly Morrison, D-Mn3 (west suburbs)
> Ilhan Omar, D-Mn5 (Minneapolis)
> Pete Stauber, R-Mn8 (Iron Range)*
—
> Scott Fitzgerald, R-Mn8 (Iron Range)*
> Glen Grothman, R-Wi6 (Campbellsport)*
> Gwen Moore, D-Wi4 (Milwaukee)
> Mark Pocan, D-Wi2 (Madison)
> Bryan Steil, R-Wi1 (Janesville)*
> Tom Tiffany, R-Wi7 (Hazelburst)*
> Derrick Van Orden, R-Wi3 (Prairie du Chien)*
> Tony Wied, R-Wi8 (DePere)*
* Earlier aligned with Trump against release
Against release
> Clay Higgins, R-Louisiana
Not voting
> Donald Beyer, D-Virginia
> Greg Casar, D-Texas
> Mchael Rulli, R-Ohio
> Mikie Sherill, D-New Jersey
> Steve Womack, R-Arkansas
Next parliamentary step
Approval also is required by the U. Senate, which is expected now that Trumo has reversed his opposition.
Senator: Schimel a loser, wrong for job
WASHINGTON — Three-term U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin said she wasn’t consulted by President Trump about his choice of Brad Schimel as U.S. attorney for Eastern Wisconsin. About the appointment, Baldwin said:
“Brad Schimel was soundly rejected twice by Wisconsinites because they knew he would play politics with the law, not deliver justice fairly for everyone — and he has no business being a top prosecutor in Wisconsin.”
Baldwin, a Democrat, said that it’s not only normal courtesy but wise for presidents to consult with home-state senators, regardless of party, to ensure the state has “high quality, impartial, and experienced people serving the people.”
Alternate-side parking tally at 247
WINONA, Minn. – Police issued 139 citations overnight for violations of the city’s winter ordinance for alternate-side parking. The running tally:
> November 18: 139
> November 17: 108
Allegiant Air to add LaCrosse flights
LACROSSE, Wis. The Nevada-based discount airline Allegiant plans to begin flying into LaCrosse in March with non-stop ser service to Phoenix. In May there also will begin flights to Sanford, Florida, nearOrlando. Tickets currently are pegged to star at $69 one way. Allegiant didn’t announce the frequency of flights but uses a flex model based on advance bookings. Allegiant flies Aribus 19s and 320s that seat 156 to 186 passengers depending on configuration. The airline also is expanding ts fleet with Boeing 737-Max planes with 190 seats. The only current LaCrosse flights are American Eagle’s three daily departures to Chicago and back.
Woman: He acted out violently over politics
HOMER, Minn. — A disagreement over politics turned heated and then violent in a Homer household, according to what deputis were told. They arrested Lucas Aden Dodson, age 27, about 12:30 p.m. and jailed him to see a judge in the morning. The booking charge: Domestic assault. According to deputies, the victim, a 41-year-old woman, accused Dodson of throwing a can of beer that struck her in the face and then a coffee pot that shattered in her face. The woman told deputies she didn’t need medical attention. This was in the 36000 block of Old Homer Road between Homer Avenue and Madison Street.
Dodson. Accused of discourse getting out of hand
What now? City nixes plan for homeless shelter
WINONA, Minn. — The Winona City Council rejected a plan to relocate the city’s only overnight warming shelter for homeless people to the old and little-used St. Casimir Catholic Church on the West End. The proposal received a 4-3 favorable vote but a 5-2 super majority was necessary. Catholic Charities, which operates the current warming shelter, earlier won support from the city Planning Commission to move to St. Casimir. About the plan being dead-ended by the City Council, the local director of Catholic Charities, John Meyers expressed disappointment. For several years the overnight shelter was in The Edge church basement downtown, but The Edge was needful of the space for its own activities and canceled the deal for this winter. Temporarily the shelter is housed at Wesley United Methodist Church near downtown. Meyers had seen St. Casimir’s as a place to Catholic Charities’ overnight warming shelter and a day center. Except for exercise classes, St. Casimir has been abandoned as a church since May. The building could have been updated easily to accommodate people needing shelter, Meyers said.
St. Casimir. At 626 West Broadway Street. Built in 1915. Closed as a church in May because of declining worship attendance and a shortage of priests. Image: Steve Lunde
How they voted
The 4-3 majority fell short of a necessary super majority.
To facilitate rezoning
> Scott Sherman (mayor)
> Jason Dicus (at-large)
> Sam Zierden Shortridge (3rd Ward, downtown)
> Jerome Christenson (at-large)
Against
> Steve Young (1st Ward, West End)
> Jeff Hyma (2nd Ward, West Side)
> George Borzyskowski (4th Ward, East End)
Major projects pondered for Rushford schools
RUSHFORD, Minn. — The Rushford-Peterson School Board voted 5-1 to proceed with plans to ask voters to approve $24 million to accommodate steady enrollment growth. Ballot details remain to be worked out. A possibility is to present sub-projects for voters to pick and choose. Proposed projects include additional classrooms, a larger gym, and daycare improvements. Superintendent Benjamin Bernard said state funds could cover about $10 million. Some leftover disaster funds also are available, Bernard said. The district’s three schools, all in Rushford, have a student population of 600. Students mostly are from Fillmore County but there are bus routes to townships in Houston and Winona counties. The district’s last major capital project, in 2018, was for a high school that was so decrepit the ceilings were crumbling down.
Rochester plans 2-1/2 miles more trails
ROCHESTER, Minn. — The City Council voted unanimously to buy 126 acres in southeast Rochester for hiking and biking trails. The price: $1.3 million. Plans include 2-1/2 miles of trails linking Gamehaven Reservoir Park and a planned sports and retain complex on South Broadway. The Council took note that the acres include sensitive environmental areas that contribute to flood management and watershed protection.
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