news

$100,000 scratch ticket sold in Decorah

Tuesday, November 19, 2024 7:50 pm

A Decorah woman is the second person to win a $100,000 top prize in the Iowa Lottery’s “Snowfall” scratch game.

All-State Music Fest Nov. 22-23

Tuesday, November 19, 2024 7:44 pm

Sixteen Decorah High School students have been selected as members of the 2024 All-State Music Festival, following auditions in late October. The weekend festival is Nov. 22 and 23 on the Iowa State University campus in Ames.

Sheriff’s Office issues warning of scam calls

Sunday, November 17, 2024 7:13 am

Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office has issued a release involving a scam in the area.
The release states local residents have reported receiving phone calls claiming to be Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office staff or representatives.

Festina wastewater treatment facility project complete

Saturday, November 16, 2024 10:01 am

Tom Madden of SEH, Inc., the St. Paul, Minnesota engineering firm contracted to do the work for the county, announced a Nov. 6 completion date during Monday morning’s Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors meeting.

Petersburg announces resignation after 17 years on Decorah School Board

Saturday, November 16, 2024 9:41 am

Decorah School Superintendent Tim Cronin said the first step in filling Petersburg’s seat on the board will be publishing notice of the board’s intention to fill the vacancy by appointment. That notice is expected to appear in today’s Decorah Leader.

Driftless Home & Harvest: Decorah couple brings new life to one-room country schoolhouse

Friday, November 15, 2024 3:50 pm

The once abandoned schoolhouse is just off Locust Road north of Decorah, and the Dahlens have been working to revive it ever since they purchased the property in 2018. The former Clay Hill School No. 5 — also known as Matter’s Schoolhouse — has been painstakingly transformed into a quaint guest house/Airbnb.

Declining enrollment among Decorah School District concerns

Friday, November 15, 2024 10:10 am

Decorah expected to be independent athletic conference next year

Local group begins weekly Grieving for Gaza vigils in downtown Decorah

Friday, November 15, 2024 10:00 am

“I have a lot of Palestinian friends, and some of them have lost all of their family.”

Work progressing on WinnMed additions as winter approaches

Friday, November 15, 2024 9:54 am

Officials with WinnMed in Decorah say the hospital’s Transforming Tomorrow campaign is on budget as construction crews prepare for winter weather.

Court cancels suppression hearing as Nyanjenga pleads guilty

Friday, November 15, 2024 9:03 am

Court documents indicate a Decorah teen has pleaded guilty in a case stemming from several instances of local vandalism in September of 2023 — some of which were initially noted as hate crimes.

ISAA fashion show is more than fabric

Friday, November 15, 2024 9:00 am

“We all come from different backgrounds, different countries, different traditions,” said Pakistani student Sarab Aftab, vice president of ISAA. “The world is at war right now — a lot of our countries have economic and terrible conditions and are living through terrible times right now. What we are trying to do at Luther is bring our students from around the world and unite them on one stage and give them the opportunity to share their beautiful cultures and traditions, and that is what our goal for the fashion show is this year.”

Reports from the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office

Friday, November 15, 2024 8:23 am

A Postville man was cited with failure to yield and failure to provide proof of financial liability following a collision southeast of Decorah. A report from the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office said 51-year-old Dwayne Dean Lundtvedt of Decorah was approaching …

County Treasurer Kreitzer announces retirement

Friday, November 15, 2024 7:21 am

Winneshiek County Treasurer Brenda Kreitzer announced Monday she will be retiring Jan. 3, 2025, after having served Winneshiek County for the last 32 years. The announcement was made during this week’s meeting of the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors.

Luther political science faculty shed light on presidential election results

Thursday, November 14, 2024 1:31 pm

Multiple factors contributed to Trump victory

Precinct totals show Decorah voters leaned left, county fell right

Thursday, November 14, 2024 1:08 pm

Last week’s unofficial totals showed greater support for Democratic candidates among precincts in and near the city of Decorah, while other portions of Winneshiek County tended to support Republican candidates.

Actor Ray Carver in Decorah for ‘A Christmas Carol’ performance

Thursday, November 14, 2024 11:49 am

Something new has been added to the Winneshiek County Historical Society’s third annual “Dickens on Mill Street” celebration slated for Saturday, Dec. 7.

PHOTO GALLERY: Area communities host Veterans Day programs

Wednesday, November 13, 2024 3:36 pm

A number of programs and events were held earlier this week in recognition of Veterans Day. Community members and students attended programs at area schools, businesses and other gathering spaces. U.S. Census data showed an estimated 1,143 veterans called Winneshiek County home between 2018 and 2022 — about 6 percent of the county’s estimated total population.

Fravel guilty on all charges in Kingsbury murder

Wednesday, November 13, 2024 2:06 pm

According to testimony from family and friends, Kingsbury’s seven-year on-again off-again relationship with Fravel was beyond salvaging and she planned to move out of the home they shared in Winona, Minnesota. Kingsbury had found a new place to live and had a new love interest, but she disappeared Friday, March 31, 2023, after she and Fravel dropped their children off at day care and arrived back at their shared residence.

Jury selection begins in Jones arson trial

Wednesday, November 13, 2024 9:16 am

Jury selection in the upcoming arson trail against Mindy Jones was slow but steady Tuesday at Allamakee County Courthouse in Waukon. Jones faces charges of first-degree arson and misdemeanor animal abuse stemming from the fiery destruction of a Waukon commercial building in February of 2022 which caused the death of a family dog.

Reports from the Decorah Police Department

Tuesday, November 12, 2024 8:31 am

Jeremy James Behrends, age 40, of Waterloo was booked into the Winneshiek County Jail at 1:10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 10 on an arrest/bench warrant. Court records show Behrends was charged accused of third-degree theft at approximately 7:20 p.m. Thursday, July …