HBC TV 25 News

Round six of the Great Lakes Watercross 2010 Tour Season Championship Race is coming to East Lake Winona this weekend. Races will begin at 9:30 a.m. and are free. Concessions will be available. The event features both closed course and freestyle racing with jet skis reaching speeds of 70 mph. For more information, go online at: www.Greatlakeswatercross.com

Family heirlooms can be priceless and fascinating for future generations. But how do you go about preserving those treasures? The Winona County Historical Society will be sponsoring a workshop to help get you on the right track. "Preserving Family History: Minnesota's Greatest Generation" will be presented Thursday night at 6:30.

Winona based Boelter Industries recently announced it has achieved certification to the independent Sustainable Forestry Initiative chain–of–custody standard. In a press release, President Dennis Boelter said the certification demonstrates Boelter Industries, Inc. corporate social responsibility and commitment to sustainability. He said the designation of SFI certification demonstrates Boelter's ongoing focus on acquiring raw materials from known, reliable sources that promote sustainable forest management.

Two filmmakers will show a movie documenting their trip down the Mississippi River in Winona this week. Filmmakers Ryan Jeanes and Phillip Hullquist paddled the entire length of the 2340–mile river, from Lake Itasca to the Gulf Of Mexico, and made their adventure into a movie. Winona will host a free showing of the 90–minute adventure documentary on Thursday, August 26 at 8pm at Lake Winona (east of the bandshell). Bring your chairs and blankets. The River is Life, is the first ever feature–length film about a real–life adventure down the Mississippi River.

Bankruptcy filings rose 20 percent in the 12–month period ending June 30, 2010. Statistics released recently by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts show a total of 1,572,597 bankruptcy cases were filed in federal courts in that period, compared to 1,306,315 bankruptcy cases filed in the 12–month period ending June 30, 2009. This is the highest number of bankruptcy filings for any period since many of the provisions of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 took effect.

The Winona County Board holds its regularly scheduled evening meeting Tuesday. Commissioners will consider the appointment of an interim county attorney. The position has been vacant since Chuck MacLean left to take a teaching position August 6. In other matters, the board will consider expanding the role of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee. If approved, the committee will also address matters regarding Winona County's Farmers and Apple Blossom Drive Parks in addition to environmental issues regarding open burning, water quality and sustainability.

As one project ends, another is set to begin in Winona County. The Winona County Highway Department Maintenance Superintendent Tim Fort said Winona County Road 17 in the area of Witoka Hill from the Intersection with County Road 15 in Witoka to approximately one mile north at Cowboy Lane will be closed for three days beginning at 6:00 tomorrow morning as road crews replace a culvert. Crews will also conduct ditch cleaning and tree removal operations. Motorists are asked to plan alternate routes during the closure.

The Winona County Sheriff's office continues to investigate a number of car and garage break–ins from late last week. Chief Deputy Ron Ganrude said in addition to four incidents from the Spring Brook area, located south of Winona on County Road 17, they are also investigating an incident in Twin Bluffs. In each case, vehicles were left unlocked or were parked in unlocked garages. In Utica, Ganrude said two storage units had been entered. In both cases, padlocks were cut off to gain access and then replaced with new padlocks.

A Winona man, upset over his job and his life, was ticketed after he placed several disturbing calls to a Winona church. Sergeant Chris Nelson said 44–year–old Terry Allen Oldham has been ticketed with harassment and disorderly conduct. Nelson said phone records obtained during the investigation showed Oldham placed calls on three separate occasions in recent months to St. Martins Lutheran Church. In two of the calls, Oldham said he was going to blow up the "House of God." He also stated he was unhappy with God.

City leaders from across Minnesota crowded into the new Winona County History Center to hear two gubernatorial candidates square off. The only chair left empty in the room was the one reserved for Republican Tom Emmer. Emmer announced earlier that he would forgo the debate to attend a fundraiser. DFL candidate Mark Dayton and Independence candidate Tom Horner, spent more than an hour answering questions from a moderator. Candidates gave their views on what it will take to fix Minnesota's economy, budget crisis, unemployment and taxes.