Star Tribune
Washington County Historic Courthouse in Stillwater reopens after renovation
The Washington County Historic Courthouse in Stillwater reopened to the public March 18 after a $5.2 million renovation that included structural repairs to the 154-year-old building, along with extensive work on its roof, dome and cupola.
The cupola, the structure that sits on top of the building’s distinctive dome, was removed for restoration and will likely be reinstalled next month. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the courthouse is the longest-standing courthouse in Minnesota. It was in dire need of restoration when the work began and had to be closed to the public in 2022 after the discovery of a fractured truss, one of four that support the roof. The building was fully closed for renovations in June 2023.
During the renovation, crews installed a new zinc-coated copper roof with partial roof decking replacement, repaired deteriorated bricks and mortar, waterproofed the foundation and installed new downspouts, among other updates. The project was paid for with county funds and $54,500 from the Minnesota Historical Society. More information on the renovation can be found on Washington County’s project website.
The courthouse is now open Wednesday through Sunday for guided and self-guided tours. The county plans a grand reopening celebration June 8.
LAFAYETTE, Wis. — About 25 children and adults were injured Wednesday when a wagon carrying them overturned at a western Wisconsin apple orchard.
The children, parents and chaperones were on a field trip to the orchard in Lafayette when one of two wagons being pulled by a tractor turned sideways and rolled over, Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes told reporters. Hakes said the tractor was traveling at a low speed when the wagon rolled over while going downhill.
Three people suffered critical injuries, while injuries to five others were considered serious. Authorities didn’t say how many of the injured were children.
The elementary school-age children attend a school in Eau Claire. Lafayette is northeast of Eau Claire.
After about five minutes and several warnings that students participating in the protest would be suspended,, the protesters exited Northrop and Cunningham continued her speech. They later gathered outside on the mall afterwards to shout, “Cunningham, you will see, Palestine will be free.”
Cunningham recounted the story of Norman Borlaug, the U alumnus and agronomist whose research in wheat saved millions from starvation, and said she would prioritize keeping a college education affordable for students.
Cunningham actually took over presidential duties on July 1, replacing Interim President Jeff Ettinger. She oversees a budget of more than $4 billion to run the university’s five campuses, which enrolled more than 68,000 students and employed 27,000 people during the last academic year.
She was chosen for the job last winter over two other candidates: Laura Bloomberg, president of Cleveland State University and former dean of the U’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and James Holloway, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of New Mexico. She is the U’s second woman president, following Joan Gabel who held the office from 2019 to 2023.
Cunningham will be paid more than $1 million per year — about $975,000 in base pay and an additional $120,000 in retirement contributions. The compensation puts her in the top quarter of Big Ten university presidents.
Sgt. Gordon Blackey, once a security guard to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, allegedly admitted to tracking the woman’s movements in her vehicle, according to a criminal complaint.
Read the original article
