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Press Bar owner sentenced to nearly 6 years after arson plea
Andrew Charles Welsh had earlier pleaded guilty to a federal arson charge for setting the fire that destroyed the iconic St. Cloud bar in February of 2020.
ST. CLOUD, Minn — Editor’s note: The video above first aired on Feb. 29, 2020.
The owner of an iconic St. Cloud bar will serve a sentence of nearly six years in federal prison after admitting to burning the business down in February of 2020.
Andrew Charles Welsh was sentenced to 71 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to a single count of arson that destroyed the Press Bar.
The 43-year-old Welsh was arrested in December 2020 on a federal grand jury indictment alleging arson, use of fire to commit a federal felony and wire fraud, following the total destruction of his business. Investigators say Welsh used gasoline to start a fire in his basement office early the morning of Feb. 17 and the flames quickly tore through the old building, leaving it a total loss. Adjoining businesses were also damaged.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota said that about a week after the fire, Welsh submitted an insurance claim for over $1.4 million in damages as a result of the fire. Prosecutors alleged that Welsh fraudulently claimed the “said loss did not originate by any act, design or procurement on the part of your insured.”
A number of employees told investigators that business at the Press was declining to the point that the bar had stopped selling tap beer and began reducing staff.
Court documents in a separate case also suggest Welsh was struggling financially. A contractor known as Elite Concrete Construction filed a civil complaint in Benton County Court alleging Breach of Contract, and seeking a lien on a property owned by Welsh due to an unpaid bill of $53,721.
In May of 2022, Welsh entered a guilty plea after striking a deal with prosecutors.
The Press Bar and Parlor was a mainstay of downtown St. Cloud for decades, a blue-collar spot that catered to town residents and college students alike.
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Police are investigating after three men were shot early on Saturday morning.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis police are investigating after three men were shot in the Ventura Village neighborhood early Saturday morning.
According to Minneapolis police, officers were called to the area around East 21st Street and South 15th Avenue around 5 a.m. Saturday.
Officers found three men had been shot. One of the men died and the two others were taken to the hospital with what police described as life-threatening injuries.
Officials said the shooting happened at a small homeless encampment.
Police have not announced any arrests as of Saturday morning.
KARE 11 will update this story as more information is made available.
This Halloween the chocolate shop is getting very festive.
MARINE ON SAINT CROIX, Minn. — A small sweet shop in a Minnesota river town has won some BIG awards for its chocolates.
St. Croix Chocolate Company in Marine on St. Croix has won national and international awards including Best of Show in this year’s America’s Division of the International Chocolate Awards.
Their chocolates are available at the St. Croix Chocolate Company kitchen or online.
This Halloween they are selling a Halloween Countdown Calendar that features 14 prize-winning recipes made into ghosts, bats, skulls and other spooky configurations. They also have a Boo Bag-handled tote that comes with their “best of” Halloween assortment.
Owner and Chocolatier, Robyn Dochterman, joined KARE 11 Saturday to share what St. Croix Chocolate Company has to offer.
MINNEAPOLIS — Making pasta at home is relatively simple, as long as you have the right tools.
October is National Pasta Month and Red Rabbit‘s Corporate Chef, Adam Lerner, joined KARE 11 Saturday to show us how to make homemade noodles in the confines of your own kitchen.
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