Deputies to Whitewater Park for disruption
ELBA. Minn.— Two campers at Whitewater State Park were cited for a ruckus that was disturbing nearby campers. Winona County deputies said they found nothing physical about what happened nor any injuries — just a lot of loud commotion. Cited were Jeffrey Lee Hagen, age 35, and Justia Jolyse Senger, 34. Deputies understood they were boyfriend and girlfriend and from the north St. Paul suburb of Blaine. This was about 8:25 p.m. Hagen also faces a probation violation related to alcohol consumption.
Study: Minnesota lakes filling with microplastics
MINNEAPOLIS — Forty Minnesota lakes have worrisome levels of non-biodegradable microplastics, according to a University of Minesota study. Contaminants were found in every sampled lake, said environmental researcher Mary Kosuth. Of the sampled lakes:
> 100% contained fibers.
> 25% contained microplastic fragments.
> 12.5% contained film.
Kosuth called the contamination serious but correctable. She recommended:
> Repealing a state statute that forbids bans on plastic bags.
> Ending public policy that allows fossil fuels-to-plastic or plastics-to-fuel.
> Ending incentivizes to create new plastics.
> Preventing of clothing from going to landfills.
> Requiring filters on washing machines.
> Keeping waterways clear of microplastics.
Standing out in the crowd
Don’t tell this maple at Winona’s Lake Park. But most of southeast Minnesota, with no hard frost so far, is still in summery green, albeit fading fast. What’s expected: A muted, late and short transition. Image: Steve Lunde
No Kings events: 11 in southeast Minnesota
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Veteran legislator Tina Liebling confirmed she will be a speaker at the No Kings Day rally on Saturday at Soldiers Field in Rochester. Liebling, a Democrat, has been in the State House of Representatives from Rochester since 2005. The rally will be preceded by a march from downtown beginning at 12:20 p.m. Organizers didn’t predict the turnout but said there had been hundreds of RSVPs. Besides speakers, there will be music, food trucks and mingling of like-minded people displeased with President Trump. Nationally 2,600 No Kings Day events have been organized in 50 states — compared to 2,100 at the last previous demonstrations over the summer. In Washington the data journalist G. Elliott Morris projected total attendance nationwide at 4 to 6 million. That would be the largest protest in American history. Morris based his projection on data from 40% of the events. The largest Minnesota rally last time was estimated by the State Patrol at 25,000 outside the state Capitol.
This the fourth
Previous rallies in the anti-Trump series:
> April: Hands Off.
> June: No Kings Day.
> July: Good Trouble.
> October: No Kings 2.
Being contrary
Trump allies have dismissed the rallies as:
> “Hate America events.”
> “It’s all the pro-Hamas wing and the antifa people.”
> “A bunch of kids being offensive.”
> “Just elderly white hippies.”
Regional roster
Besides Winona and Rochester, No Kings Day rallies have been organized in:
> Albert Lea: At New Denmark Park.
> Austin: At Fourth Avenue Northwest and 14th Street Northwest.
> Kenyon: At Cherry Grove Township.
> LaCrescent: At Highway 16 and South Third Street.
> Red Wing: Near Anderson Park.
> Rushford: At South Mill and East Jessie streets.
> St. Charles: At Highways 14 and Whitewater Avenue.
> Wabasha: At Pembroke Avenue and Hiawatha Drive.
> Zumbrota: Behind City Hall.
Rallies each has a local favor. In Wabasha it’s a potluck picnic.
Advice to rally participants
Organizers stress the rallies are intended to be peaceful and are constitutionally protected as free expression. Even so: Isolated violence has occurred in the past. Their advice to participants: De-escalate if challenged. Specific tips:
> Inform a friend not attending the protest of your location and your estimated check-in time. Arrange a backup plan in case you are unable to reach them.
> Stay with a group. If alone, find a friendly group to be with.
> If confronted by antagonists or authorities, you have the right to remain silent. You can refuse a search.
> Lock your phone with a strong PIN and disable biometric locks like Face ID.
> Use a disposable camera for photos. Carry a power bank to stay charged.
> Faced with agitators, stay calm. Do not engage. Avoid sudden movements. Step away from the situation. Alert a safety lead or event organizer.
> Avoid bringing a bag. Keep essential items in your pockets. Don’t bring anything that could be construed as a weapon.
As House 26-A race narrows, Wilson lauds Hedin
WINONA, Minn. — Legislative candidate Dan Wilson expressed best wishes to Jack Hedin, who has withdrawn his candidacy. Wilson now is the only announced Democratic candidate for Winona’s District 26-A seat in the Minnesota House. Wilson called Hedin “a tireless advocate for our community and for organic farming for the past 30 years.” Wilson commended Hedin for his service on the Winona School Board.
Jury to Church: Pay $4.5 million for priest’s abuse
WINONA, Minn. — A jury awarded $4.5 million to a man who claimed being abused sexually by a Catholic priest in the early 1970s. The man was 12 years old at the time. Judge Nancy Buytendorp, who presided over the trial, didn’t sign off immediately on the settlement pending further review. The victim, now in his 60s, was identified in court documents only as Doe 539. He claimed Father Eugene Hubert, now deceased, was he abuser. The jury found both the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and St. Mary’s Parish liable. The Diocese had countered that that Hubert was not employed by St. Mary’s School nor did he hold any position with the Diocese when he met the boy. Pending Judge Buytendorp’s review, the judgment incudes:
> $3.9 million in damages for past pain, disability, embarrassment, and emotional distress.
> $360,000 for future health care expenses.
> $275,000 for future pain, disability, embarrassment, and emotional distress.
Faced with numerous such so-called “choir boy cases,” the Diocese filed for bankruptcy several years ago to settle $28 million in claims by 145 survivors. About one-quarter of the total was covered by insurance carriers.
Annual study: Minnesota crime rate steady
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The frequency of violent crimes in Minnesota remained substantially stable in 2024, according to the 66-page state Public Safety Department annual report. The total last year was 14,991, compared with 15,011 the year before. The category of violent crimes ranged from relatively few cases of involuntary servitude to assaults and first-degree murder. There were 170 murders, down from 181 the year before — a reflection of declining crime rates nationally. The most frequent weapons in 2024 homicides:
> Firearm: 61.
> Handgun: 60.
> Knife or cutting tool: 17.
> Personal weapons: 15.
> Rifle. 6.
There were 48 bias-motivated crimes. The clearance rate for crimes overall was 61%. The murder clearance rate: 59%.
Cops: No reason to expect Trump troops here
WINONA, Minn. — Police have no reason to expect Trump deportation agents at the No King protest gathering Saturday at Windom Park. Jeff Mueller, chief deputy sheriff, said there has been no courtesy call from the Minneapolis outpost of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency about ICE activity planned in Winona. ICE agents and Trump-deployed military units, sometimes unannounced, have disrupted anti-Trump demonstrations in several major cities in recent weeks. The federal interventions frequently have been violent and pre-emptive.
Autumn colorama behind usual schedule
WINONA, Minn. — With no hard frost to date, the 2025 season of fall colors is running a couple weeks late. September and early October have been unusually warm and dry. As a result, according to state Natural Resource botanists, the color peak will be briefer than usual.
Earlier: Fall brilliance: Report Number 5
Notable journalism
Quinn Gorham (KKTC, April 17, 2025): “Democrat Jake Johnson Talks Hopes, Motivations for CD-1 Race”
Gabriel Hathaway (Winona Post, October 3, 2025): “Winona Begins $340,000 Final Design of Riverfront Trail”
Patrick Marek (Winona Post, October 15, 2025): “Kampus Kings: From Boy Band to Music Industry Institution”
Police focus for Windom rally: Traffic control
WINONA, Minn. — Police will be in the Windom Park area for the noon No King Day 2 rally Saturday but expect to be needed only perhaps to manage traffic. Earlier rallies organized by the Winona Indivisible organization have attracted hundreds of demonstrators — an estimated 1,400 in July. There are no plans to have officers specifically in the crowd, a police spokesperson said. Crowds at the three previous rallies against Trump have been peaceful, despite taunts from belligerents in a white pickup who circled the park and honked to disrupt speakers and music. The new rally is the first of new semester at Winona State University three blocks down Huff Street.
Dad accused of choking children
WINONA, Minn. — A Winona father was charged with excessive discipline of his 8-year-old and 6-year-old children. The excesses included choking the children for being too loud and playing with each other’s toys, police said. Seppe Steyvers, age 27, was arrested about 8:15 a.m. at an apartment at 602 Mankato Avenue. The charge: Felony abuse. The arrest followed an investigation in which the children said they were pressed up against a wall nd strangledand couldn’t breathe and were scared. Both children said they also were hit and spanked.
Steyvers. Faces six years in prison if convicted and $10,000 in fines.
WSU makes grade as a “green college”
WINONA, Minn. — For the 15th year Winona State has been recognized by Princeton Review for providing “a healthy and sustainable campus experience” that prepares students for careers in the clean-energy economy. In announcing they were being included in the Princeton list, the university noted that its clean energy commitment is marked by:
> An electric vehicle infrastructure.
> Plans for a DC fast-charger station to halve charging time.
> Assignment of two Level 2 chargers exclusively for free student use.
> The largest solar energy system in the Minnesota State system
> Proposed construction of a classroom building with net-zero energy consumption.
Parking in the shade. The campus parking lot at Huff and Mark streets is topped by solar panels. The panels produce 1.4 million watts.
About Princeton Review
Princeton Review is a New York-based commercial entity with no connection to Princeton University. The company publishes guides for college-bound students and solicits advertising from the colleges. The company’s current green guide lists 511 colleges.
College scores
Volleyball (women): MSU-Mankato 3, Winona State 0
Minnesota prep
Volleyball (girls): Caledonia Warriors 3, Byron Bears 0
LaCrosse County marijuana fine now $1
LACROSSE, Wis. — The La Crosse County Board voted 18-11 to lower the fine to $1 for small amounts of marijuana. But beware: More than 25 grams, you will be in trouble. Some Board members called the $1 silly and trivial. Sheriff John Siegel expressed no disapproval with a $1 fine.
Teen reports knife-point robbery on East End
WINONA, Minn. – A 16-year-old boy called police that he had been robbed at knife-point on the Far East End. The assailant, he said, took an Xbox video gaming device. This was about 8:30 p.m. Police shortly apprehended a 15-year-old downtown with the Xbox and arrested him on multiple charges:
> Aggravated robbery.
> A violent threat.
> Theft.
Because the Winona jail isn’t certified for juvenile detention, the boy was transferred to a jail in another county pending a court appearance. The victim said he had posted his Xbox for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $220. He told police he drove to an agreed-upon address to complete the deal. But, he said, the other boy asked for a ride to a Kwik Trip for an ATM withdrawal. At the Kwik Trip the other boy came out said the ATM wouldn’t accept his debit card, please, could he be driven to another address for an ATM he knew would work. In the 950 block of East Fifth Street, the “buyer” exited the vehicle, walked around to the driver’s door, claimed to have a knife, and demanded the Xbox be turned over. All this was according to the victim. Police stopped the other boy downtown and recovered the Xbox. They found no knife. Xboxes retail new for $430 t0 $730.
LaCrosse Queen berth OK’d 10 years
LACROSSE, Wis. – The City Park Board voted to renew the riverfront docking privileges of the LaCrosse Queen paddlewheel excursion boat. The renewal is for 10 years.
Sightseeing cruises. From Riverfront Park. Range from $10 to $20.
Petersen twin to prison for fatal Amish crash
PRESTON, Minn. — A driver who smashed into a horse-drawn Amish buggy while high on meth, killing two children on their way to school, will spend four years in prison. The sentence was imposed on Samantha Petersen by Fillmore County Judge Jeremy Clinefelter. The sentence was consistent with a plea agreement that prosecutors and Petersen’s attorney worked out. Petersen, age 37, was ordered also to pay $50,000 restitution to the Amish family. Four children were in the buggy in the October 2023 crash. The children who died were 11 and 7 years old. Samantha Petersen was taken away from the courtroom in handcuffs for the 135-mile trip to the 600-inmate Shakopee state women’s prison. Samantha’s twin sister Sarah was sentenced earlier for lying to cover for sister’s role as an impaired driver. Sarah already has served her time.
Shakopee prison. On 67 acres enclosed by 12-foot fence.
Farmer or not, Finstad sticks with Trump
NEW ULM, Minn — Critics of southern Minnesota’s representative in Congress, Brad Finstad, say he’s caught Potomac Fever. Although a farmer himself, Finstad is standing by the Trump trade war that has killed U.S. soybean exports to China. Since at least 2017 he has been a stalwart Trump loyalist. This loyalty, say critics, has blinded Finstad to constituent needs, including farmers in financial straits created by the chaotic Trump use of tariffs as a geopolitical weapon. So what do Minnesota farmers do? They grow 7.4 million acres of soybeans a year with China their largest export market — until now. Finstad, a Republican whose U.S. House committee assignments include agriculture, has avoided discussing the issue. When pressed he blames farmers for relying too much on sales to China. Farmers need to work their own way out of the predicament he says they created:
“We can’t put our head in the sand and say we’re content with having all our eggs in China’s basket. We have to diversify our trade partners.”
Once other markets become interested in U.S farm commodities, he said, the Chinese will learn they’re not the only game in town. Finstad said he favors a $10 billion bailout that Trump is toying with to offset U.S. farmer losses. Where will the bailout money come from? Trump has the notion — incorrect, say economists — that higher tariffs enhance the government’s general fund. That, however, is not how tariffs work. Tariffs are not paid to the government but to importers who recover their higher costs bv charging more for the imported goods.
Where soybeans reign. Black counties in this 2023 map have the most soybean producers. White counties have none. The numbers are soybean acreage per county. Image: U.S. Agriculture Department
Finstad. Elected first to Congress from MN-1, the state’s southern counties, in 2022.
Where Finstad now
Finstad has not held a townhall meeting to field questions from MN-1 voters all year. Instead he has followed national GOP re-election counsel to avoid public forums where tough, even embarrassing questions might be asked. This GOP counsel has become increasingly important for the political survival as public support for Trump declines. Republicans like Finstad who have aligned themselves closely with Trump see themselves as vulnerable. Instead of traditional townhalls, Finstad has opted for small gatherings of screened and friendly participants with no news reporters invited.
“Potomac fever”
The term was coined in the 1860s for politicians who become isolated in the Washington culture. The term is not complementary. It bespeaks an insulation from the folks back home — contrary to the ideals of democratic accountability to voters. Roots of the term “Potomac Fever” are a disease among horses in the swamps that covered shores of the Potomac River that flows by Washington. As an equine disorder, Potomac Fever is pretty much cured.
Vehicle overturns; Spring Grove man injured
CHATFIELD, Minn. — A Spring Grove driver was injured in a one-vehicle rollover south of Chatfield. Patrick Francis Daniels, 68, of Spring Grove, was taken 28 miles to a Rochester hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A passenger, Sheila Ann Blackwell, 70, of Spring Grove, was unhurt. The accident was about 11:45 a.m. on U.S. Highway 52 near Juniper Road. Daniels was driving an Infiniti QX50 north toward Chatfield. Pavement was wet.
Applicants sought as Trempealeau sheriff
MADISON, Wis. — Governor Tony Evers put out a call for applicants to serve as interim sheriff for Trempealeau County. Incumbent Brett Semingson, in office since 2017, is retiring in December. Evers’ appointee will serve out Semingson’s unexpired term to January 2027. The county stretches 25 miles north from the Mississippi River to Osseo, Stum and Blair. The county’s 740 square milesvinclude the municipalities of Arcadia, Blair, Galesville, Independence, Osseo and the county seat of Whitehall.
Manure-hauling truck crashes, burns
Smoke and steam. Firefighters quench burning tanker rig after rollover near rural Chippewa Valley junction. Images: Buffalo County sheriff
Driver pulled to safety just in time
DURAND, Wis. — A truck and semi-trailer overtured, the cab exploding in flames, at a sharp curve on a remote Buffalo County road between Durand and Nelson. Two passing motorists rescued the driver from the cab. He was taken nine miles to the Durand hospital. The driver’s name was not released immediately by Buffalo County Sheriff Michael Osmond. The accident was about 8:30 a.m. at County Road F and County Road JJ in the extreme west of the county. The truck was hauling manure.
In southbound ditch. The drive was westbound, failed to negotiate curve.
Southeast College enrollment steady near 2,300
WINONA, Minn. — Enrollment at the dual-campus Minnesota State Southeast has stabilized after four years of sustained growth. The count reported this fall to the state for funding purposes is 2,287 — substantially the same as 2,294 a year ago. Marsha Danielson, president, called the college well positioned for the future. Since 2020, she said, enrollment has grown 14.3% .at the Winona and Red Wing campuses combined.
News summary at mid-week: October 15, 2025
GOVERNANCE: Desperate soybean farmers: “Buy U.S.”
GOVERNANCE: Walz hits road, casts blame for soybean plight
GOVERNANCE: Finstad’s wedge politics: Why be divisive?
GOVERNANCE: MSP to Trump: Take down political messaging
POLITICS: Bad-mouthing Schulz: So much right-wing baggage
FAITH: Jury to Diocese: Pay $4.5 million for priest’s abuse
COLLEGES: 36 years later, WSU fiscal exec retiring
SCHOOLS: Cotter eyes expanded early childhood program
CRIME: Probe ongoing in $650,000 rural scam
CRIME: Lewiston man’s new woes: Drugs, snub to judge
CRIME: Cooped-up suffering ducks saved; 10 dead
CRIME: Back to prison for online child fetish
CRIME: Pair nabbed in Arcadia cocaine bust
POLICING: Retirement beckons for Trempealeau sheriff
ACCIDENT: Urban explorer gravely hurt in six-floor fall
ACCIDENT: Alaska hell-skiing: Minnesota radio exec dead
COMMERCE: Polaris exits role in Indian motorcycles
COMMERCE: Top-tier Michelin rank for LaCrosse hotel
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