Bikers hurt in remote chain reaction crash
GILMANTON, Wis. Several bikers in a pack of 200 motorcycles were injured seriously in a crash in far northern Buffalo County. Taken 35 miles to an Eau Claire hospital were:
> Kevin Hanson, 60, of Onalaska.
> Jack Jenkins, 70, of La Crosse.
The accident was about 1:30 p.m. on State Highway 88 south of Gilmanton toward Praag, near Laehn Ridge Road. Deputies said Hanson lost control and went over an embankment. Michael Steinke, 42, of La Crosse, and his passenger, Trisha Edgerly, 35, of Mindoro, also crashed. Jack Jenkins, 70, of La Crosse, struck Steinke’s motorcycle and was thrown over an embankment.
Foodbanks ill-equipped for federal shutdown
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. — Foodbanks operated by Second Harvest aren’t equipped to pick up much slack when the federal nutrition program SNAP is caught up in the government shutdown that began 26 days ago. Sarah Moberg, chief executive at Second Harvest, which serves 1,000 foodbanks and meal programs in Minnesota and Wisconsin, said: “There is simply not enough food in the system.” Moberg called for donations to local foodbanks and also for volunteers to distribute food to meet an expected surge of desperate people at foodbanks. Normally recipients in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program don’t use foodbanks but shop with federal waivers at grocery stores. Nationally 42 million people use federal food assistance. This is one in eight people. They average $187 a month.
Moberg. Worries that roughly 440,000 Minnesotans with SNAP benefits will turn to foodbanks. SNAP recipients in the state include 180,000 children and 67,000 seniors.
College scores
Soccer (women): Winona State 1, UM-Duluth 1
Volleyball (women): Winona State 3, Minot State 0
Volleyball (women): St. Catherine 3, Saint Mary’s 1
Volleyball (women): St. Cloud Tech 3, Rochester Community 2
Wisconsin prep
Football: Cochrane-Fountain City Pirates 49, Wisconsin Dells Assumption Royals 7
Football: Winnebago Lutheran Vikings 42, Arcadia Raiders 26
Hospital chain’s doctors plan one-day strike
MINNEAPOLIS — The doctors’ union at the giant Minneapolis-based Allina hospital chain has called for a one-day strike in 2-1/2 weeks. In a news call with reporters, an organizer, pediatrician Nick VenOsde, said the Allina Doctors Council has reached a breaking point in negotiations over salaries, benefits and safe staffing level. The strike, scheduled for November 5, would be the first by physicians in Minnesota history. VenOsde said Allina has cut salaries around 5% for physicians, although he admits a precise number is hard to pin down due to uneven terms in physician agreements.
Allina profile
Allina Healh, a nonprofit company, operates 12 hospitals and 90 clinics throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. The flagship is 700-bed Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis. In southern Minnesota the company has hospitals in Faribault, New Ulm, Owatonna. Employees: 29,000. Operating revenue: $5.8 billion.
Union profile
Allina Doctors Council was formed in 2023 to address the broad trend of U.S. healthcare consolidation into sprawling health systems that, the union says, has led to worsening labor condition for physicians and other top-level practitioners. The union claims 600 physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners as members who object to “factory style” modern medicine.
Verbatim
Allina: “The union’s request for significant compensation increases and extreme benefits proposals are simply not realistic or sustainable,” The company cited rising costs and Trump cuts to Medicaid. About the physicians union’s one-day strike, Allina said: “The bargaining table is where a responsible path forward for all parties can be found.”
Notable journalism
Brock Bergey (KTTC, October 23, 2025): “Crime Scene Evidence Obtained by KTTC in Petersen Twins’ Tale of Deception”
Rachel Mergen (Winona Daily News, October 22, 2025): “Sippi’s Fined $2,000, Faces Potential Liquor License Suspension for Serving Underage Patrons”
Walker Orenstein (Minnesota Star Tribune, October 22, 2024): “Attempt by North Dakota, Other States to Block Power Line Plan Called ‘Economic Attack on Minnesota”
Divorce granted from man accused as assassin
GAYLORD, Minn. — The wife of a Green Isle man accused as a political assassin has been granted a divorce. Jenny Lynne Boelter sought the divorce from Vance Luther Boelter. They had been married 28 years. Sibley County Judge Amber Donley signed off on the dissolution. Vance Boelter is awaiting trial for the slaying of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband and the wounding of State Senator John Hoffmann and his wife in June.
Noem: Get ready, Minnesota, for more federal presence
MINNEAPOLIS — President Trump’s chief deportation director, Kristi Noem, swept into Minneapolis with what was seen as both as a promise and a threat: Expect more ICE agents, more arrests and more deportations. “You’ll see dozens of new agents and federal officers here doing the work to get these criminals and terrorists off of our streets,” Noem said at news conference at the heavily fortified Whipple federal building. She spoke in front of a table filled with drugs and guns that she said were all seized in the area since January. Noem was asked by a news reporter if she was in Minnesota to soften up the state for a military invasion, perhaps using state National Guard soldiers as Trump has dion in Los Angeles and other Democrat-leaning cities. Noem was evasive. That, she said, is a decision for President Trump to make. Noem is the former governor of South Dakota. She was appointed by Trump as his homeland security cabinet member in January. Noem used her Minneapolis forum to bad-mouth and uncut public support for elected leadership in the state. Her acknowledged her goal was to build partnerships with smaller towns and sheriffs for more detention space for immigrants, noting that state-level officials were refusing to cooperate:
> On Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat: “I don’t know how he sleeps at night,” said Noem, noting that Trump once called likened Trump’s ICE to Gestapo, the Adolph Hitler storm troopers in Nazi Germany. It was unstated by Noem that armed and masked ICE agents have stalked and ambushed people and taken them away, in many cases without respect for American due process.
> On Minneapolis Mayor Jacib Frey, a Democrat. He has allowed crime to grow, Noem said: “Under the leadership of Mayor Frey, under the leadership of Governor Walz, more violent crimes are being perpetuated in these communities.” Fact check: FBI statistics violent crimes in Minnesota, like homicide, assault and robbery, have been trending downward for five years.
> On St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, a Democrat. She called him soft on criminal immigrants.
Noem arrived in Minnesota with statistics. In the first 10 months of the current Trump presidency, she said, 4,300 undocumented immigrants have been either detained or deported. Of that number, she said, 3,300 had a previous criminal history. Noem seemed oblivious that her own data supported a point by Trump detractors about excessive ICE patterns. Do her math: There were 1,000 Minnesota arrests of people with only minor offenses or none at all. At the news conference, Noel spoke in front of a table full of drugs and guns that she said were seized in the state since January.
Earlier: St. Paul mayor: Our cops don’t wear masks
Earlier: Trump to Minnesota: Bow to ICE raids or else
Earlier: Walz berated as enemy of Trump deportations
Earlier: Trump takes down his sanctuary allegations
Earlier: Trump sees sanctuary sites all over Minnesota
Earlier: Walz on Trump deportation practices: They’re Gestapo
Noem. U.S. homeland security secretary since January. A Trump loyalist. Lacking experience in immigration and customs law.
Verbatim
Noem: “I’m here today to ask all of the people in Minnesota, all of the people in the Midwest and across the country, to support your law enforcement officers. Support them and protect them as they go out there and do their jobs. Each and every one of them took an oath to support and defend this country, defend their communities and to protect people. That’s what they are doing every day when they go out and enforce the law.”
Noem over extrapolates
Ahead of her Minnesota visit, Noem’s publicity office in Washington released a list of serious criminals who had been arrested by ICE agents in Minnesota. Unstated but suggested was that they were typical of 4,300 ICE detainees in recent months. Also unstated was that all had been duly prosecuted by state and local officials. Each was listed with an unflattering mug shot.
> Francisco Javier Garcia-Olivar (from Mexico), convicted of child sodomy of a child and failure to appear in court traffic offense.
> Jose Ruben Gomez Munoz (Mexico), sex assault, incest with a minor.
> Humberto Us-Juarez (Guatemala), convicted of molestation of a minor, aggravated felony sex assault.
> Jose Israel Hernandez Rivas (El Salvador), human slavery or sex trafficking.
> Manuel Betancourt-Renteria (Mexico), assault, possession of meth and marijuana, larceny, traffic offenses, driving drunk.
> Nicolas Lopez Juarez (Guatemala), aggravated assault with a weapon, driving drunk, obstructing police.
> Juan Alejo-Alejo (Mexico), homicide by reckless driving, driving drunk.
> David Antonio Gonzalez Rivas (El Salvador), drug possession, assault, theft, fleeing police.
> Pedro Cortez Soriano (Mexico), criminal vehicular homicide, driving drunk.
Winona driver dead in car-truck collision
WINONA, Minn. — A Winona woman was injured fatally when her compact car and a Peterbilt semi rig collided on State Highway 43 near the southwest city limits. Ruth Ann Brockert Marshall, age 88, died a mile away at the Winona hospital. The trucker, Jeffery Allen Warner, 40, of Tomah, Wisconsin, was unhurt. The accident was about 2:10 p.m. Deputies said Marshall was pulling out of the Brookview Drive residential area. She was driving a 2016 Toyota Prius. Warner’s 2006 Peterbilt was northbound into Winona.
Minnesota prep
Volleyball (girls): Winona Cotter Ramblers 3, Plainview-Elgin-Millville Bulldogs 0
Volleyball (girls): Lewiston-Altura Cardinals 3, Lanesboro Burros 0
Wisconsin prep
Volleyball (girls): LaCrosse Aquinas Blugolds 3, Adams-Friendship Green Devils 0
Volleyball (girls): Cochrane-Fountain City Pirates 3, Independence/Gilmanton 0
Troubles at Target: HQ staff trimmed by 1,800
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota-based Target retail chain confirmed persistent rumors of a pending major downsizing. Some 1,800 positions will be eliminated at corporate headquarters, the company said. Target has been losing market share to Walmart, Amazon and Costco. A factor also has been backlash for removing Pride merchandise from the shelves and for backing off diversity, equity and inclusion policies as pressure mounted from President Trump to do so. In announcing the cutbacks, new Target chief executive Michael Fiddelke said:
“The complexity we’ve created over time has been holding us back. Too many layers and overlapping work have slowed decisions, making it harder to bring ideas to life.”
The Target cutback comes amid a slowing national economy triggered by Trump’s global tariff war. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported unemployment climbed in August. Since then, the agency has been ordered by Trump not to release any more negative data. As a result, the monthly update for September has been locked up.
Evidence now out in 2023 Amish buggy deaths
PRESTON, Minn. – Originally sealed evidence in the cases against two twins in a fatal 2023 Amish buggy crash has been released. The evidence had been cited earlier in police and court documents but not available to the public in full form until after both Samantha and Sarah Petersen were sentenced. After reviewing the evidence, KTTC anchor Brock Bergey played a police recording of the twins conniving to switch roles to conceal who was driving. On the tape, recorded accidentally by police, was this exchange:
“There’s no way they would ever know the difference between the two of us, so they can’t tell. Everybody just thinks you and me are the same person.”
The driver was Samantha Petersen, who was high on meth when she drove into the buggy, killing two school children and injuring two others seriously. Her identical twin Sarah arrived at the scene ahead of police, then told officers that she was the driver. In his report to KTTC viewers, Bergey showed police images that the twins hastily changed clothes at the scene to aid in the switcheroo:
8:37 a.m. September 25, 2023
8:42 a.m. September 25, 2023
Bergey told KTTC viewers he was continuing to review evidence and expected to be making further reports.
Earier: Petersen twin to prison for fatal Amish crash
Earlier: Twins: Evidence flawed in Amish buggy deaths
Earlier: Attorney seeks all documents in fatal buggy crash
Earlier: Felony lies: Second twin accused in Amish wreck
Wreck blocks major Winona to I-90 route
WILSON, Minn. — A two-vehicle collision, reportedly with serious injuries, closed State Highway 43 for almost the entire 10 miles from Winona to the Interstate 90 interchange at Wilson. The accident was about 2:45 p.m. State troopers hoped the heavily traveled commuter route could be reopened by 6:30 p.m. Meanwhile, outgoing traffic from the Winona East End was detoured to the narrow, steep and curvy Garvin Heights climb up the bluffs from Lake Winona. Traffic the other direction was diverted at the Stone Point Road and Garvin Valley Road crossing near Wilson.
Red is barricaded State Highway 43 . Blue is a circuitous detour until wreckage cleared. Image: State Transportation Department
United adds premium RST-ORD seating
ROCHESTER, Minn. — United Airlines announced that larger regional jets will be assigned to three daily flights between Rochester and Chicago O’Hare. This begins in 2026. The aircraft, Bombardier CJR-550s, are being configured for 50 passengers — 10 first-class seats, 20 economy-plus, and 20 standard economy.
90-minute flight. United touts flights as “Super Premium Service” with self-serve snack bar.
Pancakes brouhaha leads to assault arrest
WINONA, Minn. — A Winona man was arrested after his girlfriend reported he was displeased with how she was grilling pancakes and punched her in the face. Police arrived at their apartment after a neighbor called about a loud argument and banging. This was about 12:50 p.m. in the 1750 block of West Wabasha Street. At the apartment the officers said that Rico Devon Long, age 29, confirmed there had been an argument over pancakes, that nothing physical occurred, and that his girlfriend was now out for a walk. Officers located the girlfriend nearby. She said Long had complained she was making pancakes too hot and threw hot batter on one of her legs, then threatened her with a kitchen utensil, cornered her, and punched her in the face with a closed fist. Based on injuries that confirmed her account, Long was arrested.
Long. A domestic assault charge of instilling fear and causing harm.
Cattle herding operation goes bad: Man dies
ROLLINGSTONE, Minn. —A man herding cattle into a trailer died after the cattle, apparently spooked, forced him to back out. He was pressed against a sturdy fence and collapsed to the ground. It was unclear whether he died of the pressure or a medical condition, Winona County deputies said. The man was 87 years old. An autopsy was ordered. This was about 10:40. a.m. on White Avenue on the ridge between Rollingstone Creek and Garvin Brook just off County Road 25 between Rollingstone and Lewiston.
Auditor hopeful creates stir with fraud charge
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. — A state legisltor who enjoys being cast as a new generation of politicians – the Xers – hit the ground running in a bid to be elected state auditor. Elliot Engen, age 27, coupled the announcement of his candidacy with a call to investigate fellow GOP legislator Ron Kresha for fraud. At age 55, Kresha is no Generation Xer. Engen’s tactic was seen to set himself apart in a widening field of candidates for auditor by claiming aggressive bona fides against corruption. As auditor, Engen said, he would expand the office and increase accountability. The auditor position is being vacated by Julie Blaha, a Democrat who herself expanded the office and widened accountability. Since Blaha announced her retirement, five others besides Engen have jumped into the race:
> Nate George, mayor of Braham in Isanti County.
> Adam Jennings, mayor of Tonka Bay, a west Minneapolis suburb.
> Zack Filipovich, a financial adviser in Duluth.
> Ben Schierer, former mayor of Fergus Falls in Otter Tail County,
> Dan Wolgamott, a six-term Democrat state representative from St. Cloud
The auditorship has been held by Democrats nearly 20 years.
Engen. Politiacal roots as a Trump Republican.
Engen electoral record
> 2020: Won House seat 39-B with 50.1%
> 2022: Won with 51.4% (District renjnbered as 36-A
> 2024: Won with 54.1%.
Generation gaps
Demographers identify population cohorts by evolution in values: Lost generation: Grew up in Great Depression. Greatest Generation: Coming of age in World War II. Silent Generation: 1950s. Baby Boomers: Born 1946 to 1964. Generation X: Post-Vietnam war. Generation Y / Millenials: Born 1965 to 1980. Generation Z / Zoomers: Born 1997 to 2012.
Winona driver suicidal when crashed on I-90
WINONA, Minn. — A Winona woman who died in a 70-mph crash into a concrete barrier had been threatening suicide while at the wheel and talking with police. Jasmine Katherine Brown, age 27, died apparently on impact. This was at 7:57 p.m. on Interstate 90 in Mower County about 70 miles after she had left Winona. In a morning news briefing, police gave this account:
> Several alarmed callers notified the Winona police dispatcher about 6:40 p.m. that Brown was live on Facebook and threatening suicide.
> Police pinged the location of her vehicle, made phone contact, and confirmed Brown was suicidal. Then she hung up.
> Over the county line, an Olmsted County deputy located Brown on I-90 near Stewartville, 55 from Winona.
> The deputy attempted to pull Brown to the shoulder. She sped away. Concerned about possibly jeopardizing safety, the deputy gave up the chase.
> At 7:56 p.m. Brown crashed straight into a concrete overpass abutment, apparently dying on impact. This was 70 miles from Winona and an hour after the frantic calls about her well-being to the Winona police dispatcher.
White knuckles: Menards jet safe at home base
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — An Eau Claire-based executive jet made a safe emergency landing at the Eau Claire airport after the pilot radioed doubts whether the landing gear had locked in place. This was about 8 a.m. The pilot called about the landing gear 10 minutes out and reported 1,600 pounds of fuel on board. Fire units lined the runway as the plane came in. The landing was uneventful with the landing gear in place. No one was injured. The seven-passenger Cessna Citation, owned by the Menards home improvement superstore chain, was on a 90-minute flight from Waterloo in Iowa.
Pilot’s view. From cockpit of Cessna Citation executive jet.
Mondovi forklift accident claims life
MONDOVI, Wis. — An employee at the Symrise pet food plant was killed in a forklift accident. The victim was Shannon Beebe, age 54, who lived outside of Mondovi. The accident was about 7:30 a.m. at a loading dock. Symrise is a German-owned Bayer subsidiary that specializes in palatability enhancers in powder and liquid forms for pet food. Globally the company has 12,000 employees at 100 locations.
St. Paul mayor: Our cops don’t wear masks
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Mayor Melvin Carter cautioned citizens about the pending visit of President Trump’s homeland security secretary Kristi Noem and an entourage of deportation agents. “Though we aren’t aware of planned enforcement activity, I understand and share concerns about what this could signal,” Carter said. He listed how St. Paul citizens should respond if stopped by federal agents: “Remember you have rights.”
“As a reminder, Saint Paul police officers will always identify themselves. They wear clearly marked SPPD uniforms, display their badges, and, when relevant, produce a warrant. Our officers will help de-escalate situations when possible. And they do not wear face coverings.”
An anti-Trump demonstration was expected Friday at Fort Snelling, where Noem was scheduled to conduct a news conference.
Fastenal’s aisles of inventory, miles of conveyors
On the road. Corporate video illustrates how behind the scenes orders are processed for next-morning delivery.
Winona, original of 15 North America centers
WINONA, Minn. – In a 10-minute corporate video a distribution manager at the giant Fastenal industrial supply company, Craig Davis, narrates a tour inside the Winona distribution center. The center is one of 15 in North America that provide next-morning delivery to Fastenal branches within a 500-mile radius. Systemwide, Davis said, 200 truckloads leave distribution centers daily, unload, and turn around for the next day.
Video: Fastenal
Davis. Inside Fastenal’s state-of-art Winona operation.
No mere whistlestop: Holiday train due back
CALGARY, Alberta — The Canadian Pacific’s traditional holiday train again will bring music and cheer and raise money for food banks on the way up its Mississippi River tracks. The Winona stop will be December 12, a Saturday, at 3:45 p.m. at the Amtrak depot. Performing for the 30-minute stop from a boxcar stage will be American Authors, known for “Believer” and “Best Day of My Life,” and country singer Pynk Beard, known for “Red Dirt Diaries.” Local donations will go to Winona Volunteer Services. The 16-car train is one of two traversing the transcontinental CPKC system starting in mid-November. Stops include:
> Iowa (November 24): Lansing and New Albin.
> Wisconsin (December 11): La Crosse, Mauston, Sparta and Tomah.
> Minnesota (December 12): La Crescent, Red Wing, Wabasha and Winona.
Since 1999 the trains have raised $26 million and 5.4 million pounds of food for local food banks.
Twin trains. Red stops mostly in Canada, blue in United States.
News summary at week’s end: October 22, 2025
POLITICS: Ellison goes for third term as attorney general
POLITICS: U.S. Senate: Craig leads campaign fund-raising
POLITICS: As House 26-A race narrows, Wilson lauds Hedin
ENVIRONMENT: Study: Minnesota lakes filling with microplastics
GOVERNANCE: Booze crackdown: Sippi’s fined, license at risk
GOVERNANCE: Now cast in stone: City Council pay hikes
GOVERNANCE: No Kings update: Three dissidents left when urged
GOVERNANCE: Van Orden touts Trump as peace-maker: Uhh?
GOVERNANCE: Judge: Wabasha salary squabble had petty roots
GOVERNANCE: A Supreme Court boost for transgender rights
HEALTH Mayo milestone: Sparta’s new hospital
HEALTH: Mayo drops Owatonna birthing services
COLLEGES: Winona State again on “Best in Midwest” list
SEASONS: Fall brilliance: Report Number 6
POLICING: Annual study: Minnesota crime rate steady
CRIME: Felony charges stack up after police chase
CRIME: Dad accused of choking children
CRIME: Deputies: Stabbing threatened in our presence
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