Chris Rogers

4 days ago | winonapost.com | Chris Rogers

by CHRIS ROGERSTwo of Winona’s five Roman Catholic parishes will close this summer, the Diocese of Winona-Rochester recently announced. St. Casimir’s on West Broadway and St. John Nepomucene on East Broadway are slated to close in mid-July. Vicar General Will Thompson said declining attendance and limited numbers of priests spurred the decision. The same factors have led the diocese to close other churches over the past decade.

1 week ago | winonapost.com | Chris Rogers |Gabriel Hathaway

by CHRIS ROGERS and GABRIEL HATHAWAYBetter together — that’s the premise of the city of Winona and Winona County’s plans for a new joint police station for the Winona Police Department (WPD) and Winona County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO). A joint facility may offer a better bang for the buck in construction, a better chance of winning state funding, and maybe better ways of sharing space and streamlining operations, too, city and county officials have said.

2 weeks ago | winonapost.com | Chris Rogers

by CHRIS ROGERSWhat’s in your water? Last week, the Winona County Board debated proposals aimed at giving homebuyers and renters more information on private wells they are or might soon be drinking from. Commissioner Chris Meyer proposed requiring water quality testing when properties with private wells are sold and requiring landlords to test private wells and disclose the results with tenants.

2 weeks ago | winonapost.com | Chris Rogers

by CHRIS ROGERSFor decades, Winona County’s Sentencing to Service Program (STS) has given low-level offenders a chance to work off fines or a portion of their jail sentence while helping the county mow parks, clean up roadways, and maintain public buildings. However, amid a state budget deficit and utilization of STS declining, some Minnesota lawmakers have proposed scrapping the program.

1 month ago | winonapost.com | Chris Rogers

by CHRIS ROGERSAfter years of planning and a successful state grant application, Winona County shelved its plans to build a pavilion at Apple Blossom Park because construction bids came in significantly over budget. In their efforts to salvage the project, county officials floated the idea of the city of La Crescent taking over the county park, but it’s unclear whether that is possible or whether it would enable the pavilion project to be completed.