LAKEVLLE, Minn. — A five-seat helicopter crashed in flames west of Airlake Airport. First-responders said no one survived. It was unknown immediately if anyone was on board except the pilot. The helicopter, a single-engine Robinson R66, had departed the Sky Park Airport in the southwest Minneapolis suburb of Lydia, an eight-minutes fromLakeville. If fully fueled, the helicopter would have carried 73 gallons. The crash was about 2:25 p.m. R66s are widely used for pilot training, for light cargo transport, and for law enforcement and the military missions. Since 2010 some 1,500 R66s have been manufactured.

Wreckage on rail spur. Impact jarred a railroad car off rhe rails on industrial siding next to airport.

WASHINGTON — A Minnesota member of Congress, Angie Craig, called on President Trump’s choice to head federal health policy to resign immediately. Craig called Robert F. Kennedy Jr. an incompetent who was a menace to the nation’s well-being. This was after Kennedy stumbled badly in a Congressional hearing. Kennedy dodged questions and couldn’t even say how Americans died in the greatest health crisis of the century — the 2020-2023 Co-Vid pandemic. Craig told Kennedy to his face: “For the sake of our country, resign.” Kennedy lied at the hearing about limiting the availability of certain vaccines although he had just done so. He deferred on questions about his firing veteran scientists at the agency for challenging his unproven, unscientific and quack notions against vaccines, many in use for decades.

DULUTH, Minn. — A Duluth man has been blamed for careless burning that sparked the giant Camp House wildfire. The fire destroyed 150 structures. Parker John Wilson, 27, of Duluth, was issued a misdemeanor charge for failing to extinguish a fire. The Camp House fire was among several major blazes in northern Minnesota forests in May. The citation was filed by St. Louis County prosecutor Kimberly Maki. The charge could mean 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Earlier: Crews corral nasty Arrowhead wildfires

Earlier: What caused Arrowhead’s wildfires? Mostly us

Earlier: One of three Up Norh wildfires contained

Earlier: Evacuation ordered from Up North wildfires

MINNEISKA, Minn. — Deputies were called to Dam 5 about a failed attempt during the night to break into a vending machine — only to learn a little later that a gang had been raiding machines up and down the Mississippi River from LaCrosse to Red Wing. The call to Dam 5 was about 6:30 a.m. Then other reports kept coming in. At last count: Break-ins were reported at Altura, Bass Camp, Hokah, LaCrescent, LaCrosse, Lake City and Red Wing. Surveillance video at some locations showed four persons, sometimes five, using a nail and an angle grinder to break the locks. Some attempts were at coin laundries. Police believed they have identified some of thieves.

WINONA, Minn. — A LaCrosse driver exhibiting signs of intoxication was arrested and charged tentatively with drunken driving. This was about 12:05 a.m. on the East Side at Wabasha and Kansas streets. The arresting deputy said Christoher Lawrence Matthews, age 27, had balance issues; blood-shot and watery eyes; and slurred speech. Matthews wouldn’t consent to a breath test for a blood-alcohol reading so a blood sample was taken for lab testing. The traffic stop originated because of expired car plates, the deputy said.

LAMOILLE, Minn. — A Wisconsin driver was taken 11 miles to the Winona hospital with injuries from a two-vehicle accident on four-lane U.S. Highway 61 along the Mississippi River. Injuries to Erek Joseph Wodele, 35, of Holmen, were non-life threatening. Wodele was by himself in a 2021 Hyundai Elantra. Uninjured in the other vehicle, a 2012 Cadillac Escalade, were:

> Edward William Smith, 80, of St. Charles.

> Addison Taylor Smith, 18, of St. Charles.

Winona County deputies said both vehicles were southbound toward LaCrosse. This was about 1:50 p.m. near Spillway Drive.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Online death threats to Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan were discovered August 27 by a criminal intelligence analyst at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. This was the day of the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. The analyst advised the Capitol’s security detail. A state trooper then made telephone contact with Caden J. Sluder, 22, of Oglesby, Illinois, who admitted to being the perpetrator. Based on internet tracking tools and Sluder’s admission, an arrest warrant was issued. According to court documents supporting the warrant, the trooper said Sluder called the threats a joke. He said he merely was expressing his freedom of speech. He told the trooper he had no intention of acting on the threats. He noted he lives far away. Oglesby, in mid-state Illinois west of Chicago, is 335 miles from the Minnesota’s capital city of St. Paul. Sluder told the trooper he was “pissed off” that Christians were killed and that Flanagan previously wore a “trans shirt” in public. Sluder apparently was motivated by the fact the Annunciation Church shooter was transgender and that Flanagan’s human rights creed includes transgender people. Sluder was quoted as telling the trooper: “It doesn’t fucking help when trans are killing people like that. Flanagan’s wearing a shirt like that, it’s just not cool.” Even so, Sluder apologized repeatedly, the trooper said. Meanwhile, a manhunt for Sluder has been unsuccessful.

Earlier: Threats to kill Flanagan cite transgender views

Legal consequence

Minnesota law explicitly forbids threats against public officials. Penalties are severe, including five years in prison and fines of $10,000. Threats also can lead to federal prosecution.

ZUMBRO FALLS, Minn. — A Lake City man was injured when two cars, both headed toward Rochester, collided on U.S. Highway 63 south of Zumbro Falls. An ambulance took Brendan Cory Vagt, 23, to a Rochester hospital 20 miles away. His injuries were sustainable, said Wabasha County deputies. Vagt was in a 2013 Chevrolet Impala and driving alone. In the other car, a 2007 Buick Lacrosse, neither hurt, were:

> Leo Alfred Heitman, 80, of Zumbro Falls.

> Scott Patrick Heitman, 57, of Zumbro Falls.

The accident was about 9:25 a.m. on a straight stretch near 605th Street.

Football: Minnesota. North-Vermillion 64, Rochester Community 0

WINONA, Minn. — Police arrested a Winona man after finding a baggie of crystallized powder his car during a traffic stop. Tracy Allyn Benson, age, 54, was charged with possessing illicit drugs. He was stopped about 9:50 p.m. by an officer who knew his driving license had been cancelled. This was in the 1000 block of East Fifth Street. The officer spotted the baggie in a door pocket and checked it out. Inside was 1.8 grams that tested as a mix of meth and fentanyl.

Benson. Also charged with disabling a court-ordered ignition block intended to keep him from diving.

WINONA, Minn. — Two city-licensed liquor establishments failed spot checks for serving under-age customer. Nine other establishments passed.  The checks, starting about 9:30 p.m., were the first of the new school year at local colleges.

Forewarned

Police alert colleges about pending compliance checks ahead of time. In turn the colleges warn students. The alerts so far this fall were announced for September 4, a Thursday; September 9, a Tuesday; and possibly September 18, a Thursday.

Sippi’s

This is relative new on the downtown bar scene. It opened in October 2024 and become an upscale magnet for under-age drinkers. Ten under-age drinkers, ages 18 to 20, were found partying last March.

Gabby’s

Police rotate their targets for compliance checks. Not on the police list for Thursday’s compliance checks was Gabby’s Bar & Lounge, 179 Third Street. In the past year Gabby’s has been nicked for under-age service, not to mention arrests for fights and rowdyism.

Earlier: Too young to sip legally but were at Sippi’s anyway

Earlier: Gabby’ deeper into snubbing liquor license rules

Earlier: Another police call to Gabby’s bar

Earlier: Six under-age boozers nicked at Gabby’s

Earlier: Perfect score on new police check on bar compliance

Earlier:  Police sting catches more illegal booze service

Earlier: Police decoy finds under-age liquor service

Earlier: School call for all Winona bartenders, bouncers

WINONA, Minn. —  A Winona woman went to jail based on home video of her holding down her boyfriend and choking in an argument over a video game. Megan Ann Louise Bowe, age 26, was charged with domestic assault. The video shows the boyfriend pinned to the floor and screaming for help. This was at their place in the 600 block of Kerry Lane on the Far West End. The arrest was about 7 p.m., but the incident was the night before, police said. It was not the boyfriend who called police but a friend with whom he had shared the video. When police saw the videos— there were two — they decided to go to the address for a welfare check. The couple confirmed being into a head-set video game when they got into an argument. The boyfriend told police he didn’t suffer injuries requiring medical attention.

Bowe. Charged with domestic assault.

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — A gun shop owner confirmed that Robin Westman was in his suburban shop and purchased a handgun the weekend before her mass shooting at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis. The handgun, however, was not one of the three weapons that Westman used in her attack. Even so, her purchase at Frontiersman Sports, in St. Louis Park showed a calm demeanor that portended nothing of a mass shooting, said owner Kory Westman. She browsed about 40 minutes, before making her purchase. Krause wasn’t on duty at the time, but surveillance video showed Westman handling several guns and chatting casually off and on with three veteran clerks and other shoppers. Nothing in Westman’s conduct raised any concerns among his staffers, who Krause said are trained to watch for warning signs. He said Westman already had passed required background checks and had a valid permit to purchase the gun. Investigators said Westman’s weapons at the church — a semiautomatic assault-style rifle, a shotgun and a handgun were all purchased legally albeit elsewhere.

Westman. At checkout counter at suburban gun shop a few days before the church shooting. Just a normal if not somewhat chatty customer, say clerks.  Image: Kory Krause

Earlier: Shooter took lives of 10- and 8-year-old

Earlier: Church school shooter ID’d as 23 years old

Earlier: Two school children shot dead at worship service

Down in field. Short of the 4,000-foot foot asphalt runway two miles southwest of Cambridge. The plane Beech Bonanza K-35 is a popular craft. Introduced in 1945. Still manioactured. Total sold: 18,500.

Question: Engine fire in flight? On impact?

CAMBRIDGE, Minn. — The pilot of a light plane was killed coming into the Cambridge airport. The crash was about 11:25 a.m. The plane, a single-engine Beech Bonanza, was crumpled on the ground and appeared to have had an engine fire. The pilot was the only person kon board.Without explanation, Isanti County Sheriff Wayne Beiberlich didn’t release the pilot’s name. It was known, however, the plane was registered to a 41-year-old man from the north St. Paul suburb of Shoreview and had off from the Blaine airport for a 30-mile flight north to Cambridge.

SARTELL, Minn. — A body found in a car submerged 20 feet deep in the Mississippi River has been identified as a St. Cloud appliance repair business owner who disappeared some 60 years ago. Roy George Benn, age 69, had last been seen having breakfast in September 1967 at Kings Supper Club in Sartell. Police kept their investigation open until 1975 when Benn was declared legally dead. The car with the remains inside was found August 9, but the medical examination was difficult because of decomposition. DNA finally established the identification. There had been reports, never proven, that Benn, a widower, was carrying several hundred dollars cash when he disappeared. It was his habit, not unusual at the time, to pay cash for everything. His car, a blue 1963 Buick Electra sedan. was mostly buried in sediment when a fisherman’s walleye sonar picked up unusual signals. The vehicle was recovered the next day. This was at Little Rock Lake, which is backed up behind Champion n Dam at Sartell. The dam is five miles upriver from St. Cloud.

Hoisting from lake bottom. Benton County deputies coordinated the recovery on August 10.

Soccer (men): Ripon 4, Saint Mary’s 1

Tennis (girls): Rochester Century Panthers 7, Farmington Siberian Tigers 0