Winona County election officials say the recount is going smoothly so far, and they don't predict any problems other counties around the state have faced, such as missing ballots, and counts that don't balance with the precinct. More than 28,000 ballots are being recounted. Officials they should be able to wrap things up today. Winona County is on the back–end of this statewide recount which will conclude Friday. The state canvassing board is scheduled to meet December 16. Both Coleman and Franken campaigns have disputed thousands of ballots.

Over 150 high school students from seven area schools are in Winona to take part in a Model Legislature at Winona State University's Tau Center. Students will spend two days serving as members of the House of Representative, State Senate and Governor's office. This year's model legislature's Governer is Ethan Costello. Shay Thompson will serve as Lieutentent Governor. This morning, they said they were both excited to get the session underway. The model legislature will be in session until 3:00 today and on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

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Winona District Court Judge Jeffery D. Thompson rescheduled the sentencing date of a Winona man who failed to show up for a second time. Thompson reset Brett John Dennis' sentencing for December 11. According to his attorney, Dennis was unable to make to Winona from Rochester due to car trouble and his inability to find a ride to court. Dennis missed his last sentencing date in October. An arrest warrant was issued and he was arrested by Rochester Police after he was caught rummaging through vehicles in Rochester.

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A Winona woman will not have to spend Christmas in jail. 21–year–old Katelyn Appelwick was sentenced to serve three years probation and 30 days in jail over the Christmas holiday after she seriously injured two people in a car crash in 2005. Yesterday, Judge Jeffery Thompson stayed her sentence for this year. In making her request to skip her jail stay, her attorney said Appelwick had stayed out of trouble and had been doing well in school.

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The Winona County Auditors office is closed today and Thursday while officials recount the votes cast in the 2008 U.S. Senate race between Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken. At the beginning of the day, Franken still trailed Coleman, but the challenger did catch a couple of breaks Tuesday. As Ramsey County wrapped up its recount, officials there discovered and tallied 171 ballots that weren't counted on election night. Franken gained 37 votes on Coleman's lead. Coleman led by 215 votes out of 2.9 million cast before the recount.

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The Winona City Council will meet for an information session regarding a new Highway 43 bridge Thursday night. Council will meet at Lake Park Lodge at 5:00 p.m. to hear a short presentation by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. A question and answer period will follow the presentation. Mn/DOT officials will explain the process for replacing the existing bridge. The pre–design phase of the project begins in 2009. Thursday night's meeting is open to the public.

Old man winter has begun to flex his muscles, leaving several inches of new snow in his wake overnight. Accumulations of around 3–5 inches of snow were common across the region. The new snow did make some area kids happy as well. Most schools in the area, including Winona, started two hours late while plows worked to clear and sand roads.

The Winona County Board will cautiously move forward on plans for adding an addition to the county annex. The board voted 3–2 to hold off on building a $5.5 million addition to the Winona County Annex building and proceed with the design portion of the project only at a cost of $350,000. In voting to delay the complete project, Commissioners Marcia Ward and Jim Pomeroy argued that the county should wait until they know the extent of the state's budget shortfall and what effect it would have on state aid.

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The Winona County Board voted to table discussion of making three county positions appointed, rather than elected. Commissioners were to consider a resolution at their meeting Tuesday morning that would make the county positions of treasurer, auditor and recorder appointed rather than elected positions. Commissioner Jim Pomeroy he preferred to send the item back to staff for more research and said the intent is not to replace the persons in those positions, but to put the best person possible in each position.

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The Winona City Council says "Let it snow!" On an unanimous vote Monday night, council members will provide the Nordic Ski Club with around 500,000 gallons of water to make snow for the public ski trails located at St. Mary's University. City staff will also help with the snow making process. St. Mary's is providing trail grooming equipment towards the effort to improve the trails and increase their use.

Students from seven area schools will converge on Winona State University's Tau Center to take part in a Model Legislature. 150 high school students will spend two days serving as members of the House of Representative, State Senate and Governor's office. State Representative Gene Pelowski of Winona said during the session, the students will face challenges similiar to those faced by his peers at the statehouse. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie is scheduled to swear in the student legislators and deliver the sessions keynote address.

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The Winona Police department has announced the hiring of a new patrol officer. Deputy Chief Paul Bostrack said Officer Bridget Joyce was sworn in Monday, bringing the total number of officers on the force to 39. Joyce has spent the past two years with the Deep Haven, Minnesota police department. Bostrack said Officer Joyce will now undergo 10 weeks of field training and upon completion will work the night shift on patrol. According to Bostrack, Joyce's hiring fills the vacancy left by the death of Investigator Art Petroff. Bostrack said Joyce was selected from among nearly 50 applicants.

Several Winona County Sheriffs deputies and City of Winona Police officers are participating in a special training course today and tomorrow on how to search for and locate lost persons with autism, Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder. Officer Bob Parrott of the New Brighton Department of Public Safety is conducting the training on behalf of Project Lifesaver International. Project Lifesaver uses special radio technology to track individuals through a personalized bracelet the client wears.

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Merchants Bank's yearly food collection to restock the shelves at Volunteer Services, is officially underway. The 20th Annual "10 Days of Giving" was kicked–off this morning in the Merchants Bank Downtown lobby when the first gifts of food were presented by area school children. Volunteer Services Executive Director Sandra Burke said they have definitely seen an increase in use of the food shelf during the course of the year. With the nation in financial crisis, many fear this year's giving may be down from previous years.

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Black Friday shoppers are lining up outside stores in Winona this morning in the unofficial first day of holiday shopping. Bargin hunters were reportedly lined up outside the doors of Shopko, Menards, Target and other local retailers early this morning waiting for the doors to open and get a jump on gift purchasing for Christmas. Yet many avoided a shopping excursion today in hopes retailers will make deeper price cuts in the coming days and weeks.

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The shipping season for the Port of Winona has come to an end for 2008. Wednesday night the Angela K. picked up the remaining loaded barges from the Winona Harbor and headed downriver with a total of 12 barges in tow. The Upper Mississippi River will become closed to all shipping next week. Eight of 13 locks and dams will be closed for the winter season on Sunday according to the Corp of Engineers. The remainder will close next Friday.

The Winona City Council kicks off the month of December with its regular meeting. Among agenda items is a request from the Winona Nordic Ski Club to help with development of the public ski trails at St. Mary's University. The group is purchasing snow making equipment and is asking the city to allow them free access to city water. The club is also asking for the help of city staff during the snow making process. St. Mary's University has already committed to covering electrical costs and donating the use of trail grooming equipment.

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A project overview meeting regarding a new Winona Interstate Bridge will be held next week. On Thursday, December 4, officials with the Minnesota Department of Transportation will hold a short presentation and then answer any questions people may have concerning the project. The meeting will begin at 5:00 p.m. at Lake Park Lodge. Pre–design work on a new bridge span is scheduled to begin in 2009.