Southeast Minnesota wells face contamination risk, MDH warns

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is urging private well owners to test their water regularly during National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 8-14, to ensure its safety. "Testing your drinking water is the only way to know how safe it is," MDH Water Policy Manager...

Houston County Residents Submit Petition to Board of Commissioners

At the March 3 meeting of the Houston County Board of Commissioners, a petition with 245 signatures was submitted to the board concerning amendments made to zoning ordinance sections 27.3 and 27.815 in March 2025. The signers of the petition are requesting that the amendments be reverted to their original form as intended when the ordinance was adopted in 2014. According to the petition the changes made last year “effectively removed all provisions that limited mine density.”

Impact of Medicaid freeze on Winona County

On February 26, 2026, Vice President JD Vance announced that the federal government would “temporarily halt” some Medicaid funding to the state of Minnesota. It was noted that this is being done because of “fraud concerns.”. As of February 27, 2026, at 1 p.m., Winona County’s Department...

Tomah VA Medical Center Begins Infrastructure Upgrades

Tomah VA Medical Center announced it has begun infrastructure upgrades to ensure safe and effective patient care. These projects are part of a record $4.8 billion in nationwide VA spending to modernize, repair and improve department health care facilities in fiscal year 2026 via the Veterans Health Administration’s Non-Recurring Maintenance program.

Groundwater Atlas of Houston County released, public workshop offered Feb. 25

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently published “The Groundwater Atlas of Houston County.” The report covers groundwater flow, groundwater chemistry and the pollution sensitivity of aquifers. It also expands on the geologic atlas previously produced by the Minnesota Geological Survey by: Identifying viable drinking water sourcesSupporting sustainabilityGuiding decisions on well and septic system constructionInforming wellhead protection efforts for public water suppliesHighlighting regional recharge and groundwater movementAssessing aquifer pollution sensitivity and possible contaminant migration In Houston County, pollution sensitivity information is especially important because much of the area’s landscape features karst. Karst is a distinctive type of terrain that forms when precipitation and groundwater dissolve underlying carbonate sedimentary rock. Sinkholes, fractures and voids in karst mean water can rapidly move from the surface to underlying aquifers. This increases the risk of common surface pollutants contaminating groundwater in shallow aquifers. Deep aquifers tend to be protected by bedrock layers, which slow the movement of groundwater, resulting in older, more pristine waters. Public workshop The DNR will share details on the Houston County atlas’ contents and its use during a public workshop from 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25. Join in-person in Conference Room EOC at the Houston County Criminal Justice Center in

St. Claire Health Mission moving to new clinic

LA CROSSE, Wis., (WLAX, WEUX) – A health care clinic in La Crosse looks to continue providing accessible healthcare to the community while also meeting demand. The St. Claire Health Mission will soon be moving to a new clinic to improve healthcare options in the area. The $3.2 million clinic is mostly paid for by […]

Mayo Clinic in La Crosse closes historic chapel after 46 years

The Brief

Rep. Jill Billings on getting water contamination alert bill passed in Legislature, which wraps up for year in February

Wisconsin State Rep. Jill Billings stopped in studio for La Crosse Talk PM on Tuesday to discuss how Republicans who control the Legislature hope to be all done with their work for the year by the end of February. Billings also discussed the loss of funding for WisconsinEye — the...

Emplify reaches $5.2 million fundraising goal for Wisconsin's first EmPATH unit

Town of Campbell receives $40 million federal investment for new water system

The Brief

Caledonia Convenient Care continues growth

With the closing of Caledonia’s Mayo Clinic, residents were left scrambling to find local care. Enter Amanda Middendorf, who opened the Caledonia Convenient Care clinic earlier this summer. “It's all been a happy accident. I think it's more of a God thing, because I have faith there's something bigger than ourselves here,” she said. “The amount of people that have supported me thus far and come in for appointments, or just been very positive, is overwhelming.” Middendorf began another company, Traveling Health LLC, to provide support to different facilities across the tri-state area before renting her room in Caledonia in October. “I started seeing a few people within the community, and I was just getting more calls like, ‘Hey, would you come see my 90 year old grandma who can't leave her house? You're licensed, right?’” she said. “I can take any Wisconsin insurance, now I have all Minnesota insurance and I will eventually have Iowa, but we're still working on that.” Caledonia Convenient Care is located in the “smooth toe” building at 405 S. Highway 44/76. Middendorf said she originally rented the space to take telehealth calls. “After I rented this office, I found out Mayo Clinic was closing

Commissioners finalize tax levy for 2026

The Houston County commissioners finalized the Tax Levy Resolution for 2026 at their Dec. 31 meeting. The board heard from Spring Grove Mayor Bryan Wilhelmson at the beginning of the meeting about the city’s request to decrease its law enforcement contract for next year. The mayor originally wasn’t on the meeting’s agenda and he said he was planning on speaking during the open forum, but the board amended the agenda to include Wilhelmson. “We’re now at the situation where we’ve got to catch up. We did raise our levy by 7% this year," Wilhelmson said. "It has nothing to do with the service we’re getting from the Houston County Sheriff’s Department. It’s not been a lighthearted decision to go this way, but we’ve got to do something.” Despite the idea of the law enforcement budget being reduced to zero getting tossed around in the past, both Wilhelmson and the commissioners agree a police presence is needed in Spring Grove. “My biggest concern is the safety of the people in your community. My bigger concern is your school,” commissioner Kurt Zehnder said. “Having a school in town and not having a steady police presence is a huge concern, not only as

New report shows health care costs overwhelming Wisconsin teacher salaries

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — A new state report reveals significant disparities in health insurance costs for teachers across Wisconsin school districts, raising concerns about the financial pressures driving educators away from the profession.

La Crosse demonstrators rally for ACA subsidy extension

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- Demonstrators gathered in La Crosse to rally support for extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, directly appealing to Congressman Derrick Van Orden to back the extension when it comes to a vote.

Cities adapt to Mayo Clinic closures in rural Minnesota

SAINT PETER AND MONTGOMERY, Minn.- The deadline arrived for six Mayo Clinic Health System campuses and an Albert Lea surgery department to close on Dec. 10, as part of an ongoing consolidation effort by Mayo on its rural campuses. Mayo announced back in September it would be closing Mayo Health...

Violence to health care workers discussed in La Crosse at Gundersen program

A nationwide concern about violence occurring at hospitals and other healthcare facilities inspired a panel discussion Monday at one La Crosse hospital. Medical professionals and law enforcement officials talked about how healthcare workers can better deal with patients threatening violence, and help police and the courts keep the community safe.