GOVERNMENT

WINONA, MN – Friends, it’s that time of year again when we dust off our stars and stripes, fire up the grill, and celebrate the birth of our great nation. Here in the heartland, Independence Day isn’t just a holiday – it’s a way of life. We are the heart of America, after all. I’m firing up the ol’ grill at home here in Winona, Minnesota as I type this to you.

In another step toward a new joint law enforcement center downtown, the Winona City Council approved 165 West Second Street as the site for the next phase of design work on Monday. City Manager Chad Ubl said city staff will continue working with the state to release funding for the project, as well as reconvene the city-county task force to narrow the scope of the project before the city enters an agreement with architects for more detailed design work in the coming months.

The Lewiston-Altura (L-A) School District’s potential $20 million referendum this fall would include the creation of secure school entrances and parking lot safety improvements, as well as gym upgrades. The L-A School Board is expected to vote this month on whether to hold the referendum this November. After a...

Singers, musicians, comedians, and entertainers of every age are encouraged to put their talents before a live audience by taking part in the open-class talent show to be held at the 2024 Winona County Fair at St. Charles. That event will be on Saturday, July 13, at 7 p.m. in the fair’s entertainment tent.

WINONA, Minn. – Among residential property sales outside Winona logged by Bob Bambenek, county recorder, in June:. Lewiston: 95 Tews Avenue, Hohensee to Lager, $320,000. St. Charles: 30248 Highway 74: Meyer to Fast/Martin, $669,000. St. Charles: 306 Sweetwater Court: Hancock to Perkins, $475,000. St. Charles: 528 Birchwood Court: Jensen...

Residents and businesses in the 507 area code, which includes cities like Rochester, Faribault, Owatonna, Mankato, and Winona, will need to switch to 10-digit dialing starting July 30th. This change is necessary because the 507 area code is projected to run out of numbers by early 2025, prompting the addition of a new 924 area code.

WINONA, Minn. – When Gene Pelowski was first elected in 1986, he was at a retreat for freshmen state legislators. Among speakers was a veteran Minneapolis Star Tribune political reporter who recommended keeping a daily journal for, if nothing else, helping family see what it’s like being a state tepresentative. Pelowski, age 34, liked the idea. He bought his first pre-bound Stanley journal, the classic product for journaling. Now after 39 years in the Legislature, Pelowski has 7,000 pages in 30 Stanley volumes. He’s carried them into every committee hearing while a state representative from Winona, albeit supplemented in the 21st century by an iPad. The collection has turned into more than a family artifact. The journals have been used as a reliable contemporaneous source for legal research on how legislation was developed, passed or rejected. They’re more, much more, than colorless official minutes. Twice the Legislature’s legal research office has drawn on Pelowski’s record to interpret legislative intent when a bill was first created. What to do with the journals now that he’s retiring? Pelowski is taking pleasure in reviewing his chronicles and reflecting on his record of public service. About what else to do, he’s unsure and in no rush to decide: “There are some things in those journals that people don’t need to read for a while,” he said.”We can let them calm down a little bit before people take a look at it.”

ALTURA, Minn. (WKBT) -- Ron Ruhoff and his wife grew up in Altura. For more than 60 years, they've called it home. They're concerned how the EMT staffing shortage will impact response times.

Sophie Ehlo was recognized as the Winona County 4-H Youth Representative for the month of June. She is the daughter of Suzie and Andy Ehlo and member of the Winona River City 4-H Club. Sophie will be a senior at Winona Senior High School this fall with plans to head to North Dakota State in 2025, majoring in veterinary technology with a minor in large animal science.

WINONA, Minn. – The Minnesota Hospital Association has singled out Winona Health for innovation with artificial intelligence and robotics to enhance workforce efficiency, sanitation practices and infection control. In announcing the Environmental Services Award, the association noted Winona Health’s 2020 response to the CoVid pandemic. The response included:

The Minnesota Marine Art Museum (MMAM) in Winona held its first concert in the 2024 Mississippi Sippin Series on Thursday, June 27. The Mike Munson Trio was the featured music group, and the group played a live set outdoors along the riverwalk. With over 250 people in attendance, the light rain did not stop the attendees from enjoying the concert and the view of the Mississippi River.

>Winona Lawmaker Says “No” to Special Session for MN Flood Relief. (Winona, MN) – As officials continue assessing flood damage to public infrastructure, State Representative Gene Pelowski from Winona says a law the legislature passed earlier this year enables a total of 76 million dollars for the state’s Disaster Contingency Account without the need for a special session. He predicts there will not be a special session, and that “the $76 million will be enough.” Pelowski indicates that if anything more is needed, hopefully, the legislature will then be back in session next January. But state Senator Grant Hauschild (HOSS-child) from Hermantown says a special session limited to disaster assistance plus “a Bonding Bill to address critical infrastructure needs, including disaster mitigation, just makes sense.” Bonding bill negotiations between Democrats and Republicans fell apart in May during the closing hours of the 2024 regular session.