Vances listen to sorrows of mass shooting victims
MJNNEAPOLIS — Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance met privately for two hours with parents of the two children killed in the attack at Annunciation Catholic school last week. They laid flowers at the church. Vance spoke on the phone with hospitalized Weston Halsne, a 10-year-old student who took a bullet fragment in his back. The vice president reported that the boy was “full of life, happy, recovering well.” Before flying back to Washington, Vance told news reporters: “All of us — Democrat, Republican, independent — want these school shootings to happen less frequently. Hopefully there’s some steps that we can take to make that happen.” His statement seemed to be backing off his record on mass shootings, which has been to blame a “mental health crisis” as the root cause. He has stridently opposed stricter gun controls. In running for the U.S. Senate in 2022, Vance sought the National Rifle Association’s endorsement by campaigning that addressing mental health issues would be more effective than gun control legislation. Asked about Governor Tim Walz’s call for stricter gun control, Vance said: “Look, I’m not going to tell the Minnesota lawmakers or the governor exactly how they should respond to this tragedy.”
Earlier: GOP slams Walz but willing to talk gun control
Earlier: Status report on Minnesota gun laws
Usha and JD Vance. Emerging from their bulletproof chauffeured government limousine to lay flowers at a memorial outside the mass shooting site at Annunciation Church.
Threats to kill Flanagan cite transgender views
MINNEAPOLIS — An Illinois man has been charged with threatening in a media post to kill Minnesota’s lieutenant governor, Peggy Flanagan. A warrant was issued for the arrest of Caden J. Sluder, 22, of Oglesby, a remote town of 3,700 people 100 miles west of Chicago. The arrest warrant was widely distributed to law enforcement agencies, but Sluder was not located immediately. The posts attacked Flanagan for recognizing that transexual people have human rights. Excerpts from the posts. as cited in the criminal complaint:
> “You should be genuinely shot and killed.”
> “You should be strung up by the neck.”
> “Children’s blood is on your hands and soon it will be coming out of your mouth and fucking throat as we beat you.”
The first threatening post was in response to Flanagan having expressed condolences to families of children who were killed and wounded in a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis last week. The shooter, who committed suicide at the scene, was transexual. The posts were on the social media platform X from a user showing as “lfoke7594.” Police asked X to suspend the user. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension meanwhile traced the address to Sluder.
Earlier: Mayor: “Let’s not lose our sense of humanity”
Flanagan. Lieutenant governor since 2019. Currently seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate. She is a former legislator and Minneapolis School Board member. She is Catholic and has one child. She supports transgender rights and gender-affirming care for transgender adults and youth
At Home padlocks Rochester furnishings, décor store
COPPELL, Texas — The At Home retail store in Rochester is closing as part of a bankruptcy reorganization of the 260-store chain. The Texas-based chain confirmed that 29 locations in all will be shuttered. The company blamed financial dislocations created by President Trump — rising interest rates, persistent inflation and increased tariffs. The Rochester store was large, 90,000 square feet. No other Minnesota stores were on the hit list. In Wisconsin the stores in Madison and Wauwatosa are closing.
In former ShopKo building. At 2820 U.S. Highway 63 South. Opened in 2022.
GOP slams Walz but willing to talk gun control
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota House speaker stands ready to consider stiffer state gun laws that Democratic Governor Tim Walz is drafting. However, Lisa Demuth, a Cold Springs Republican, said there are other issues regarding school safety that also need discussing. And she accused the Democratic governor of politicizing the issue. Said Demuth:
“As disappointing as it is that the governor is doing this in such an overtly political way, House Republicans stand ready to protect students and schools. I hope we can have a real conversation about all aspects of safety, including things like the school security funding that was denied by the DFL trifecta in 2023 and more funding for desperately needed mental health resources instead of vague demands for policies that have not stopped gun violence in other states.”
The governor has announced plans for a special session of the Legislature soon to strengthen gun laws after the mass shooting at a Minneapolis church and assassination attacks on two legislators. Walz began talking last week with Democrats in the Legislature about how to draft a passable bill and now has begun sounding out Republicans.
Earlier: Status report on Minnesota gun laws
Legislative hurdles
With the Legislature in a near-even split between Democrats and Republicans, Walz faces a tricky challenge in finding a majority for tougher gun laws. The governor acknowledged as much in announcing a special one-topic session of the Legislature: “My intention is to call this thing and get them in there, because I don’t know where the partisanship is. This should be a bipartisan agreement.” The Senate has a one-vote Republican majority. In the House the Democrats have a one-vote majority.
Status report on Minnesota gun laws
WASHNGTON — The Gifford Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which lobbies for gun controls, gives Minnesota a mixed rating. Despite enacting several strong gun safety measures, Minnesota is still missing a number of lifesaving policies that can combat gun violence in the state, according to the center. The center’s summary:
What Minnesota does well
> Permit-to-purchase for handguns.
> Certain assault weapon restrictions.
> Certain domestic violence gun laws.
> Certain waiting period laws.
> Certain open carry regulations.
> Child access prevention laws.
> Disarming procedures.
> Partial handgun dealer regulation.
> Ammunition sale regulation.
> Extreme risk protection orders.
> Community Violence Intervention funding.
> Universal background checks for most firearms.
What Minnesota is missing
> Permit-to-purchase for long guns.
> Large capacity magazine ban.
> Lost and stolen firearm reporting.
> Prohibit armed intimidation at polling places, drop. boxes, and where votes are counted.
> Bulk firearm purchase restrictions.
> Enact a gun industry accountability law.
> Require gun owners to safely store firearms
Verbatim
Giffords Center: In 2023, Minnesota had the eighth lowest gun death rate among the states. In an average year, 527 people die from gun violence in the state — one person every 17 hours. About 71% of the deaths are suicides, and 26% are gun homicides. In Minnesota, the rate of gun deaths increased 35% from 2014 to 2023, compared to a 33% increase nationwide.
Giffords profile
The Giffords Law Center is the result of a 2016 merger of the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence with Americans for Responsible Solutions. The latter was a nonprofit gun safety organization led by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and retired astronaut Mark Kelly. The organization changed its name to Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in 2017. Giffords was shot in the head during an assassination attempt in 2011 at a constituent meeting in Tucson, Arizona. She suffered a severe brain injury that led to her resignation from Congress. The shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, killed six people and injured 12 others. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Rape trial scheduled for crochet wunderkid
LACROSSE, Wis. — The attorney for crochet-prodigy Jonah Larson told a judge that he’s seen enough 0f the evidence against Larson for his rape trial to go ahead and be scheduled. In legal terms the attorney, Chris Zachar, waived Larson’s right to a pre-trial hearing. It would be at a pre-trial hearing that Zachar could press prosecutors for more detail than is in the criminal complaint on which Larson was arrested. Judge Joe Veenstra accepted the waiver for a preliminary hearing and set trial for November 6. Larson was accused in July of assaulting a 12-year-old girl at the 24-hour Rhymes shelter for homeless youth. Larson, age 17, also was a tenant at the shelter.
State fair turnstyles: 1.9 million
FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — With perfect early fall weather, the Minnesota State Fair drew 1.9 million people over 12 days. It wasn’t quite a record but close. The record, in 2019, was 2.1 million.
Mold spores found inside Stewartville school
STEWARTVILLE, Minn. — Three classrooms at the Stewartville school for special-need pre-kindergarten pupils has been placed off-limits because of elevated mold levels. Superintendent Belinda Selfors said the infestation was not a health risk but was being power-cleaned in an abundance of caution. Professional scrubbers were called to wet-wipe surfaces, to vacuum residual spores, and to scour the air-handling system. The building, whose eight teachers serve 30 pupils. is at 526 Fifth Avenue Southwest, Affected were three of nine rooms.
Emergency, fire crews make 69 calls
WINONA, Minn. – The Fire Department reported 54 emergency medical calls plus 14 fire calls in recent days:
> Tuesday, September 2: 9 medical calls plus 2 fire calls.
> Monday, September 1: 13 medical calls plus no fire calls.
> Sunday, August 31: 8 medical calls plus 2 fire calls.
> Saturday, August 30: 5 medical calls plus 3 fire callw.
> Friday, August 29: 6 medical calls plus 3 fire calls
> Thursday, August 28: 6 medical calls plus 1 fire call.
> Wednesday, August 27: 8 medical calls plus 3 fire calls.
Earlier: Emergency, fire crews make 53 calls
Houston school buses running again
Marking the season. Labor Day has passed. Classes are back in session. And the seasonal reminders have been rotated on this oak on State Highway 16 between Houston and Hokah. Looks like the buses have a fresh coat of paint. Image: Mike Beckman
Walz seeks bipartisan support for gun limits
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Governor Tim Walz has been in deep discussions with his staff and Democratic leaders in the Legisiatuee about beefing up state gun restrictions. The next step is consulting with Republicaans, the Democratic governor said. Walz was clear that he’s open to GOP suggestions before drafting a proposal for new limits. He repeated he is committed to calling a special one-topic session of the Legislature to get something done. The time seems right for firmer gun restrictions after the mass shooting at the Annunciation Church by a shooter armed with three weapons and firing 116 shots. Since the shooting there have been calls from state Democratic leaders for an outright assault weapons ban. Walz seems leaning that direction, sources said. After speaking to a back-to-school student assembly in Eagan Tuesday, Eagan, Walz said:
“We’re going to have to talk about these types of weapons of war. I have always been one that feels very strongly about this, and we’ll see how the Legislature feels about this.”
Long-haul mail truck’s trailer catches fire
ORONOCO, Minn. — A semi-trailer carrying U.S. mail caught fire on U.S. Highway 52 near the four-lane bridge over the Lake Zumbro bridge. The driver detached his cab from thr burning trailer and drove to safety. This was about 2:25 a.m. The U.S. Postal Service did not respond immediately about the fire — First-class mail? Packages? Cargo? Destination? The semi-truck rig was southbound toward Rochester. The fire erupted in rear brakes, firefighters said. The fire crews spent an hour extinguishing the flames from outside the sealed trailer. There was fire and water damage inside. U.S. Highway 52, a trunk connecting Rochester and the Twin Cities, was closed briefly.
Quick-thinking. The driver unhooked burning trailer, climbed back in cab, drove off. Just north of the Fifth Street bridge. Images: Oronoco Fire Department
College scores
Soccer (women): UW-LaCrosse 6, UW-Superior 0
Minnesota prep
Tennis (girls): Lake City Tigers 7, Winona Cutter Ramblers 0
Volleyball (girls): Winona Cotter Ramblers 3, Rochester Lourdes Eagles 0
Wisconsin prep
Volleyball (girls): Melrose-Mindoro Mustangs 0, Mauston Golden Eagles 0
WSU student berated as “retard,” slapped down
WINONA, Minn. — Fellow students came to the rescue of a Winona State student, a woman, who had been rudely insulted, then slammed to the ground outside the Sheehan freshmen dorm. The guys pinned the assailant to the ground. Police were called. They found Mac Stephen Thiesing, 18, of Minneapolis, who by then was hiding behind a building. He was arrested. Witnesses gave this account, which police said was confirmed by surveillance video:
> Campus security guards confronted Thiesing about being intoxicated. He was belligerent.
> The woman, frustrated at the situation, tried to return to her dorm, but Thiesing grabbed her access card so she couldn’t get in.
> Thiesing repeatedly berated the woman: “You dumbass. You’ll be dead, retard.” He pushed her to the ground.
The woman told police she had back pain but declined to go to the hospital. Her clothes were embedded with grass clippings from the fall. The incident was about 9:25 p.m. in the 250 block of West Mark Street. Thiesing was jailed on these charges: Threatening and committing assault, disorderly conduct, damage to property, obstructing police, and under-age alcohol consumption. His blood-alcohol level tested at 0.15%, almost twice the legal threshold for impairment.
Thiesing. Irate at being jilted.
Walz to reconvene Legislature for gun control
ST.PAUL, Minn. — Governor Tim Walz will call legislators back to the Capitol for a special session to consider gun control. His announcement came less than a week after a mass shooting of school children at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis. Two children died. The governor’s announcement also followed the June assassination of Minnesota House leader Melissa Hortman and her husband and the wounding of a state senator and his wife. The Legislature has been in adjournment since May. The special session could be as soon as later this week, Walz said.
Mold persists in Plainview school; pupils moved
PLAINVIEW, Minn. — Because of black mold in a Plainville grade school, Superintendent Courtney Frie has rescheduled back-to-school activities elsewhere. Two weeks ago some carpets were found infected and cleaned. That, Frie said, was insufficient. Further tests still found elevated mold levels. A professional firm, Clean Response Restoration, was called for a thorough scrub-down. The school, with 435 pre-kindergarteners through third-graders, is at 500 West Broadway Street. The next-door high school was not affected. Nor were the district’s two other schools five miles away in Elgin.
Iowa man, age 108, hurt in truck-pickup wreck
LAKE CITY, Minn. — A 108-year-old Iowa man was hospitalized after the collision of a semi-trailer rig and the pickup in which he was riding. Robert Allison Mason, 102, of Odebolt, Iowa, was in stable condition at the Lake City hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police said both vehicles were heading north out of Lake City on U.S. Highway 61. This was about 7:35 a.m. at Staehli Park Road. Unhurt was the driver of the 2022 Freightliner, Joseph Richard Lynch, 59, of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. The driver of the pickup, a 2020 Ford F-150, was John Michael Mason, age 76, of Ida Grove, Iowa. He was unhurt. His passengers, besides Robert Allison Mason, were:
> Anthony Michael Mason, 52, of Odebolt, Iowa, who was unhurt.
> Cade Anthony Mason, 21, of Ida Grove, Iowa, also unhurt.
Everyone was wearing a seat belt, Lake City police said.
Winona home sales in August 2025
WINONA, Minn. – Among residential property sales logged by Bob Bambenek, county recorder, in August:
24141 East Burns Valley Road: Stevens to Streelow, $710,000.
1432 Highland Drive: Russell/Precour to Beyerstedt, $585,000.
70 College Road: Kortman to Kenitz, $535,000.
71 Forest Oaks Court: Rondeau to Blumentritt, $500,0000.
328 Wilson Street: Carroll to Golden, $470,000.
1368 Crestview Drive: Littlejohn to Beyerstedt, $550,000.
117 West Wabasha Street: Durfrey to Sinnng, $390,000.
492 Kerry Court: Thomes to Schultz, $387,000.
551 East Fifth Street: Ryan to Patton/Fucciolo, $359,000.
Earlier: Winona home sales in July 2025
Winona County home sales in August 2025
WINONA, Minn. – Among residential property sales outside Winona logged by Bob Bambenek, county recorder, in August:
Goodview: 4419 Seventh Street: Johnson to Miller, $389,000.
Goodview: 1430 48th Avenue: Blank to Strobush., $300,000.
St. Charles: 25905 County Rod 37, Troyer to Detweiler, $700,000.
Winona County commercial sales: August 2025
WINONA, Minn. – Among commercial property sales in Winona County logged by Bob Bambenek, county recorder, in August:
Winona: 157 Gould Street: Winona State University to Cotter Schools, $1 million.
Brownsville driver off road near Iowa border
RENO, Minn. — A Brownsville driver, alone in her vehicle, was injured when she ran off County Road 14 from Houston at the intersection with State Highway 26. Jinette Jo Marie Adamson, 39, was taken 22 miles to a LaCrosse hospital with sustainable injuries. The accident was about 11:55 p.m. six miles downriver on the Mississippi from Brownsville. Adamson was driving a 2015 Nissan Rogue with her seatbelt fastened, said Houston County deputies.
Biker cashes Harley off I-90 near Eyota
EYOTA, Minn. — A motorcyclist from Fountain, Daniel Allen Parker, 57, was hurt when his 2019 Hog ran off Interstate 90 near the Eyota exit. His injuries did not seem life-threatening, but he was sent 14 miles by ambulance to a Rochester hospital, first-responders said. The crash was about 10:20 p.m. He was wearing a helmet, said first-responders.
College scores
Soccer (women): Saint Mary’s 2, UW-Platteville 1
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