Allegiant drops 324 MSP September lights
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The budget airline Allegiant, which specializes in vacation destinations, is cutting 10 flights a day from its Minneapolis schedule in September. These flights earlier were operated by Sun Country, which Allegiant acquired in January. Allegiant blamed a pilot shortage for the cuts. Also: Allegiant said it needs to shift aircraft to its growing cargo business. For September there will be 324 fewer MSP flights. The airline said it hopes to expand MSP service eventually.
Craig, Flanagan pour millions into TV ads
ST, PAUL, Minn. — The Democratic primary for the U.S Senate in Minnesota is shaping up as one of the most expensive history. And the primary election is still 3-1/2 weeks away. Both Congresswoman Angie Craig and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan want the seat, which is being vacated by the retirement of Tina Smith. Since the start of June, more than $11 million has been spent. Most of the money has gone into louder and louder negative television ads. Flanagan claims that corporate donors want to elect Craig to do their bidding if elected. Craig’s campaign has criticized Flanagan for accepting outside support from Big Tobacco and Big Oil when she previously chaired the national Democratic Lieutenant Governor’s Association. Candidates are required to file periodic pubic reports on sources of their campaign funding, but millions of dollars in so-called “dark money ” is channeled into political action committees, which aren’t required to report their sources.
Money in and out
These are candidate campaign reports filed June 30 by leading U.S. Senate candidates on Minnesota‘s August primary election ballot:
Democrats
Angie Craig: Total received, $11.9 million; spent far, $6.9 million; remaining war chest, $5 million.
Peggy Flanagan, who holds the state party’s convention endorsement: Total received, $6 million; spent so far, $4.5 million; remaining war chest, $1.5 million
Republicans
Adam Schwarze, who holds the state party’s convention endorsement: Total received, $1.4 million; spent so far, $1.3; remaining war chest, $200,000.
Michele Tafoya: Total received, $4.7 million; spent so far, $$2.6 million; remaining war chest, $2.1 million.
Craig. In U.S. House since 2017.
Flanagan, Lieutenant governor since 2019.
Who’s leading
These are the July 14 weekly updates on Minnesota’s U.S.Senate race by the leading nonpartisan services:
Cook Political Report: Likely Democratic, unchanged for four weeks.
Inside Elections: Likely Democratic, unchanged for four weeks.
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Likely Democratic, unchanged for four weeks.
Stockton Hill being resurfaced: Expect delays
WINONA, Minn. — Commuters iver Stockton Hill in and out of Winona will find U.S. Highway 14 reduced to a single lane starting Monday. The road is being resurfaced. Flaggers and a pilot car will guide traffic. The project is expected to take to the end of September.
Judge stalls Paramount-Warner merger
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — A federal judge threw cold water on the pending Paramount-Warner mega-media merger — at least for the time being. Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin granted a 14-day restraining order after hearing the case against the merger from a coalition of states. Minnesota’s attorney general, Keith Ellison, was in the 12-state coalition. Judge Martinez-Olguin could extend the delay to six weeks if she needs more time to consider the pros and cons. The restraining order is the latest victory for Ellison, who has participated in a series of multistate coalitions opposing President Trump policy preferences. Trump favored the merger, which was engineered by Paramount’s Larry Ellison, a major political campaign donor. The state coalition claims the merger would violate federal antitrust law and lead to higher prices for access to media content and also less choices.
Earlier: Minnesota objects to scheme to tame CNN
.
Notable journalism
Jennifer Benderly (HuffPost, June14, 2026): “ICE-Ravaged Minnesota:\ Now Roiling in Democrats’ U.S. Senate Race”
Gabriel Hathaway (Winona Post, July 15, 2026): “Initial Vote Supports Shelter at St.Paul’s Church”
Derek Sullivan (SouthernMinn,com, February 22, 2013): “Blooming Prairie Awseome Blossoms Go for Most Unique Mascot Title”
Man sought in Lewiston domestic case
LEWISTIN, Minn. — A Lewiston woman called deputies that she had been slapped in the face during an argument with a man whom she knew. The man was gone when deputies arrived. This on First Street South about 5:10 p.m. Deputies issued a bulletin for the man to be picked up. Deputies logged the call as domestic abuse.
Southeast College honchos to national roles
WINONA, Minn. —Two administrators at Minnesota State Southeast have been appointed to commissions of the American Association of Community Colleges. To three-year terms:
> Steve McNaughton, vice president of strategic initiatives, to the Commission on Institutional and Financial Resilience.
> Ashlesha Pawar, institutional effectiveness officer, to the Association’s Commission on Research, Data and Strategic Narrative.
Whence will go Blooming Prairie’s mascot?
BLOOMING PRAIRIE, Minn. — Sportscasters may lose their favorite team nickname — the Awesome Blossoms of Blooming Prairie. The school boards in Blooming Prairie and Hayfield voted to merge their football teams. Unsettled is whether the nickname Awesome Blossoms will survive. Or Hayfield’s Vikings. The enrollments:
> Blooming Prairie: 380 (Grades 7-12).
> Hayfield: 306 (Grades 6-12).
Toponymical origin. An Austin sportswriter called them “the awesome blossoms” 100 years ago. It stuck.
Amtrak eyes new one-level passenger fleet
WINONA, Minn — The national rail passenger service Amtrak unveiled drawings of new single-level cars to replace the Empire Builder’s double-deck Superliners through Winona. The Superliners, introduced almost 50 years ago, are nearing the end their useful life. The plan is 800 new cars to begin service in 2030. The Superliners have been limited to long-distance western routes out of Chicago, like the Empire Builder. At 16 foot-2, Superliners are too tall for eastern lines with low clearances. A single-level fleet will give Amtrak more flexibility in assembling consists. The new cars, each with fewer sseats than the double-deckers, will require extending depots at man stops.
Superliners Too tall. Too old. Sunsetting soon.
Preium seagug. Sme bonpsleepercars yibhave 2/1 seayubgPremium seating. Some coaches to have cushier 2-1 seating with more legroom. Club cars have more spacious feel.
Lindell not a Minnesota registered voter
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Responding to news media inquiries, the Secretary of State’s office reported no record of Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Linfell as a currently registered Minesota voter. The question arose after a Minneapolis Star Tribune investigation found Lindell registered to vote in Texas. The last few years Lindell has lived in Lufkin in east Texas. He left Minnesota after his MyPillow bedding business kn Chaska went belly-up due to managerial inattention as he roamed the country as conspiracist for Donald Trump. Lindell retrned to Minnesota last fall, which means he already has missed the one-year residency requirement to vote in the upcoming August primary. Meanwhile, he remains on Texas voter rolls. The Star Tribune also reported that Lindell has property in Lufkin valued at $600,000. Meanwhile in Minnesota he is delinquent i\on property taxes by 48,000.
Driver eases through red light, nicked as drunk
WINONA, Minn. — A Wisconsin driver, apparently impaired by alcohol, failed to make a complete stop at a red light.She was leaving downtown onto Huff Street. A deputy pulled her over. Her blood-alcohol level tested on the spot at 0.15%, almost double what’s allowed. The deputy took Katie Lynne Curtis, age 35, of Sparta, to jail. This was about 1:10 a.m. The stop was where Huff takes a right-angle turn into Riverview Drive.
News summary at week’s end: July 18, 2026
POLITICS: Ex-governor: Yea to Johnson, nay to Finstad
POLITICS: Musk guilty of Wisconsin vote bribery?
POLITICS: The Lindell saga
ACCIDENT: Airport Lake drowning victim from Cities
ACCIDENT: Two teens hurt in related ATV crashes
AVIATION: Rubber residue marks road after plane crash
ENVIRONMENT: Misery in the afternoon: Smoke, humidity, heat
ENVIRONMENT: Up North wildfires thickening our air
CRIME: Warrant out for Red Wing antiques caper
CRIME: These creeps must hate democracy
CRIME: Man accused of boy sex: 50-plus incidents
WILDLIFE: Rattler radar /2: Apple Blossom Drive
SPORTS: Cotter athlete to Big 10 coaching job
GOVERNMENT: How they voted: On daylight savings /1
These creeps must hate democracy
LEWISTON, Minn. — Yards signs for Winona County sheriff candidates were yanked up and hauled off overnight along U.S. Highway 14 between Lewiston and Stockton. Authorities began a door-to-door search for surveillance video to identify the miscreants. Of a dozen signs, most were for John Hazleton although at least one was for Charles Rolbiecki. Both are deputies in campaigns to replace Sheriff Ron Ganrude, who is retiring. Minnesota Statute 609.595 specifies as much as five years in prison and a $10,000 fine for desecrating a political sign.
Man drives into Gilmore Valley guardrail
WINONA, Minn. — A Nebraska driver struck a cable guardrail up Gilmore Creek beyond Saint Mary’s University. His injuries were minor. More serious may be that Davide Demonte, age 26, is charged with drunken driving. Police said he smelled of alcohol, his eyes were bloodshot, and he failed roadside sobriety tests. A breath-checking device found his blood running 0.16% alcohol, double what’s allowed. The accident was about 4:45 a.m. on County Road 21 near Wildwood Drive, a straight stretch before the climb up the coulee.
Demonte.Ffrm the Omaha, Nebtaska, suburb of Gretna.
GOP chief foresees doom if Lindell doesn’t quit
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota’s Republican chair Alex Plechash, called Mike Lindell politically problematic on the state GOP landscape. Lindell, a.k.a the “MyPillow Guy,” risks dragging down the rest of the party’s ticket by persisting with a maverick candidacy for governor, Plechash said. Although Lindell failed to win the state party’s convention in May, he has not withdrawn as a candidate in the August primary election. Plechash predicted that Lindell will fizzle jnheborimary against Kendall Qualls, who is the party-endorsed candidate. In a written statement, Plechash questioned Lindell’s commitment to ijnnesota by noting that Lindell moved to Texas when his MyPillow bedding business collapsed. “When the going got tough, Mike Lindell left Minnesota for Texas,” Plechash said. “Now he wants Minnesota Republicans to overlook his serious financial baggage, public records showing tens of thousands of dollars in delinquent property taxes, significant electability concerns, and unanswered questions surrounding his running mate.”
Earlier: Qualls to Trump: Why not butt out
Earlier: Lindell: I earned, didn’t seek Trump support
Earlier: Trum Earlier: p to Minnesota Republicans: Vote Lindell
Plechash. Elected Minnesota GOP chair in 2024. Former City Council member in west Minneapolis suburb of Wayzata.
MiEnergy co-op’s 2006 projects; data center pending
RUSHFORD, Minn. — The MiEnergy utility co-op brought its 23,000 customers up-to-date with a list of current electrical projects:
> Kingsland and Wilder substation: Being retired for more efficient service through Spring Valley and Cherry Grove substations.
> Caledonia Substation Feeder 3: Upgrading 3.4 miles of line between Caledonia and Spring Grove substations.
> Saratoga substation Feeder 1: Rebuilding one-half mile of line.
> Lime Springs Substation Feeder 4: Rebuilding 1.5 miles of line to Upper Iowa Beef ‘s butchery.
In progress but not listed were negotiations for a small-edge data center outside Harmony.
Why did he park mid-intersection? Cops: Drunk
WINONA, Minn. — A Winona man who inexplicably stopped his car mid-intersection at Huff and Fifth streets was arrested as drunk at the wheel. Officers said the car smelled of alcohol: Akso his eyes were bloodshot. This was about 1:15 a.m. Devyn Thomas Turkowski, age 18, didn’t do well on roadside sobriety exercises, officers said: At jail de declined testing for his blood-alcohol content. The refusal was added to an impaired driving charge. Because he resisted being cuffed, Turkowski also was charged with obstructing police.
Turkowski. Odd parking choice not unnoticed.
Notable journalism
Briana Bierschbach (Minesota Star Tribune, July 17, 2026): “How a 2016 Meeting with Donald Tdump Launched Mike Lindell on His Political Journey”
Allison Kite and Sydney Kasiwagi (Minnesota Star Tribune, July 13, 2026): “Unknown Donors Pouring Millions into What Could Be Minnesota’s Most Expensive Senate Primary”
Bob Timmns and Kristoffer Tigue (Minnesota Star Tribune, June 14, 2026): “Boundary Waters Evacuation Plan: Eight Rangers. Four Canoes and 1 Million Acres to Paddle
Street scuffle ends in out-of-towner’s arrest
WINONA, Minn. — As police pieced together what happened in a Far Erast End disturbance, two men got into an argument. A gun threat ensued. Then it spilled into the street and became a minor brouhaha. Arrested was Dean Anthony Pena II, age 38, of the central Minnesota town of Glencoe. Police said there was no gun, as much as they could determine, but that Pena had punched the other guy. Police said Pena denied striking anyone but couldn’t explain the other man’s bruises. This was about 5:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of East Fifth Street beyond the Mankato Avenue hogline. Police said four witnesses helped them reconstruct the episode.
Pena. Booking chagre: Disturbing the peace.
Qualls to Trump: Why not butt out
MEDINA, Minn. — The gubernatorial candidate who won the state Republican convention’s endorsement for governor, Kendall Qualls, shrugged off President Trump’s intrusion into the primary election. Said Qualls:
“This race won’t be won by national endorsements. It will be decided by Minnesota Republicans.”
This week Trump threw his weight behind election conspiracist Mike Lindell of MyPillow fame. Trump called Lindell “one of America’s greatest and most hard-working patriots” but offered no supporting rationale to vote for him for governor. Lindell has no experience in public office. In business he drove MyPillow into bankruptcy. There is some irony that Qualls, like Lindell, has been consistent in supporting Trump. In responding to Trump’s decision, Qualls struck tones of betrayal. He said that Minnesota Republicans have spoken through their state convention and that Trump should respect their choice.
Earier: Lindell: I earned, didn’t seek Trump support
Qualls. Retired health insurance executive.
Man accused of boy sex: 50-plus incidents
LACROSSE , Wis. — A suburban Onalaska man was accused of 50 sexual encounters with an underage boy over four years beginning in 2018. Named in a criminal complaint was Spencer L. Vrieze, 39. The victim’s mother went to the sheriff’s office in April, which precipitated an investigation. The boy he felt he could not say no because of Vrieze had anger issues and drug addiction. The boy recounted more than 50 incidents. The mother said she had confronted Vriese, whom she said expressed remorse. Conviction could mean 40 years in prison and $100,000 in fines.
Vrieze. Preliminary hearing in mid-August.
Warrant out for Red Wing antiques caper
RED WING, Minn. — Police began looking for a woman suspected of burglarizing coins, jewelry and sports cards from an antique shop. A criminal warrant claims Judie Lynn Kotek, age 55, hid in a furnace closet about closing time. She then roamed display cases and drawers and stuffed a sack with goodies, then leaving through a fire door, according tio the ciort docuent. This was July 9. With an arrest issued Friday, deputies went to Kotek’s apartment. She wasn’t home. The haul was valued at $2,600.
Kotek. Court record for thievery convictions going back to 2020..
Laptop filched from HBC rest area, recovered
WINONA, Minn. –— A laptop computer disappeared from an employee picnic tazble outside the HBC cable company headquarters. An employee explained he had left the laptop momentarily. When he returned, it was gone. Police reviewed HBC surveillance video and recognized the thief. This was downtown in the 50 block of Johnson Street. A couple hours later on the Far West End, an officer spotted Kasey William James Joihnnson, age 35, of Winona. He was on foot with a laptop. The machine was valued at $1,500.
Johnson. Booked for felony theft.
Car rolls on West Burns route, driver survives
WINONA, Minn. — A Rochester driver survived the crash of her rolling car a third of the way up West Burns Creek from Winona to Witoka. Deputies said Chelsea Marie Hatwood, age 19, was unstable and showed signs of impairment. A roadside breath test showed her blood was 0.18% alcohol. Nothing more than 0.08% is allowed for driving. The accident was on a relatively straight stretch of County Road 17 near Cobblestone Lane.
Airport Lake drowning victim from Cities
GOODVIEW, Minn. — The man who drowned Thursday night at the Airport Lake quarry was Michael Oluwaseun Ogunbayo, age 22, of the east St. Paul suburb of Woodbury. The Winona County sheriff’s office released the name after the family was notified. Three women on a swimming outing with Ogunbayo called 911 about 8 p.m. Thev said hat he had grabbed the rope hanging from an iconic tree and swung out over the water — a thrilling leap that hundreds of Airport Lake swimmers have experienced for decades. He resurfaced, then disappeared, the women told first-responders. The body was located by sonar within 20 mutes or so and retrieved. There was no visible trauma, first-responders said. A small puncture wound in an ankle was attributed to the recovery process. Ogunbayo was a recent graduate of Metro State Unversity, There was no indication of alcohol or drug involvement, deputies said.
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