HBC TV 25 News

Winona Health has joined the list of health care organizations limiting hospital visitors to slow the spread of the flu. Winona Health announced it is limiting visitors to immediate family only. This includes the hospital, Emergency Department and Lake Winona Manor. In addition, Winona Health staff requests that family members who are coughing or experiencing other respiratory symptoms not visit until they have been symptom–free for 24 hours. This will help prevent exposing people who may already have weakened immune systems to cold and flu viruses. Get the facts on the flu.

This summer's drought not only created hardships for area farmers, but also the businesses that serve them. The Small Business Administration says disaster loans have been made available in some eastern Minnesota counties because of the drought that began earlier this year. The affected counties are Winona, Wabasha, Goodhue, Carlton, Chisago, Pine, St. Louis and Washington. Those counties are eligible because they're next to Wisconsin counties where the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a disaster declaration.

The Winona Area Public Schools board will be discussing the use of district buildings on weekends. The board is looking at ways to trim costs and had district administrators calculate the financial fisability of building use by district groups due to the high cost of custodian overtime. A move to curb weekend use of buildings could affect everything from sports tournaments to pancake breakfast fundraisers. The school board will also receive additional information on how shifting enrollments among existing buildings could benefit the district.

A local bartender is being referred for charges after police say she served beer to three under–aged men. Facing possible charges is Lauren Elizabeth Steffen of Winona. Winona Police Chief Paul Bostrack said three men, aged 18 and 19, were sent into the Athletic Club bowling alley as part of a routine compliance check Saturday night at around 10:30. Bostrack said none of the men were asked for ID and each was served beer. He said his officers will continue to conduct random checks throughout the city with a goal of having at least one compliance check at every establishment.

Three Jefferson Elementary fourth–graders spent some anxious moments stuck in an elevator Tuesday morning. The Winona Fire Department responded to the school after one of the trapped boys called 9–1–1 call from his cell phone. Officials were able to free the boys after about 45 minutes. Two of the boys had been assisting a third who was on crutches.

Winona Police have identified the man killed by a train Monday morning as 51–year–old Bruce "Ernie" Streng of Winona. Streng was a long–time employee of the Coca–Cola Bottling plant in Winona, serving as a quality control technician. He was walking across the tracks at Johnson Street when police say video from a camera on–board the locomotive showed Streng trip and fall. Winona Police Deputy Chief Tom Williams said the train operator did see Streng, but that he could not stop in time. Investigators have referred the case to the county medical examiner.

The Winona City Council has asked city staff to take a closer look at items included in the latest draft of a bluff land protection ordinance. Council did unanimously vote to approve the draft document presented at last night's meeting and voted to keep the public hearing open until the council's November 16 meeting to allow staff the opportunity to look closer at issues like slope percentage, agriculture land concerns and the definition of a bluff top.

If developers want to build a new senior housing facility in Winona, they will have to do it without a tax break. Last night the Winona City Council voted 5–2 to deny a request for tax increment financing from St. Cloud developer, Trident Development. Trident is proposing to build an 80–unit assisted living facility next to the Walgreens store on Mankato Avenue. The company had requested $640,000 in TIF financing to assist with construction costs.

No one was seriously injured when a car crashed into a school bus Monday afternoon. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the accident happened at 4:00 at the intersection of Homer Road and Highway 43. Reports indicate the car was southbound on Homer Road and hit the bus as it was turning from northbound Homer Road onto Highway 43. The car's driver and a passenger were treated and released at Winona Health. None of the 15 kids on the bus were hurt.

Law enforcement is again reminding people to be aware of several financial scams currently operating. Winona County Sheriff Dave Brand said his department was recently notified of an attempt to take money from a 71–year–old man. The complaintant told authorities he received a phone call from a man who said he was his grandson. The caller told the man that he had been in a car accident and needed $3000 wired to his checking account. The complaintant told the caller he needed to do some checking first and asked the man to call back later. He did not.