Thursday, November 14, 2024
Vol. 159, Issue 46 www.decorahleader.com
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Precinct totals show Decorah voters leaned left, county fell right BY SETH BOYES NEWS EDITOR County officials on Wednesday reviewed totals from last week’s general election as part of an official canvass of votes cast in Winneshiek County. 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. About 80 percent of the county’s 15,194 registered voters cast ballots this cycle, totaling more than 12,000 votes locally, according to totals from the Winneshiek County Auditor’s Office. Precinct
Luther political science faculty shed light on presidential election results Multiple factors contributed to Trump victory BY ZACH JENSEN STAFF WRITER
2 in northeastern Winneshiek County recorded the highest voter turnout per capita with 86 percent of its 1,733 registered voters participating in the election — Precinct 2 has the second highest number of registered voters in the county, behind Precint 11, which has 2,142. Incumbent county supervisors held majorities in each district’s precincts Incumbent Winneshiek County Supervisor Shirley Vermace’s reelection was the only Democratic victory among the local contested races. She was favored over Republican candidate Dan Hovden for the District 3 seat on the local board of supervisors. Vermace was the victor in
Two members of the college’s political science department, Orçun Selçuk and Aime Rovelo, said Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss to former President Donald Trump during the Nov. 6 presidential election wasn’t a surprise in some ways. Selçuk and Rovelo, along with department head Carly Foster, presented “Making Sense of the Presidential and Congressional Elections” the night of Nov. 7 in the college’s Center for Faith and Life’s recital hall — each of them offering different perspectives on Trump’s victory. “Donald Trump was the winner in 2016, and he almost won in 2020,” Selçuk said. “So, in that sense, I don’t find it very surprising. It happened because a significant majority — a significant portion of Americans — are not happy
all three precincts which fall within the bounds of the district. She topped Hovden by more than 35 percent in Precincts 6 and 7 in northern Decorah, but the Republican challenger was only six percent — or 47 votes — behind Vermace in Precinct 8, where he resides. Republican Dan Langreck was also successful in his bid for reelection to the Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors, overcoming no-party candidate Cheryl Wieseler in both of District 4’s precincts. Langreck was most successful close to home, earning about 78 percent of the vote in Precinct 10 — the southeastern
Precinct totals
continued on page 12
with the current administration, and they voted against the incumbent.” Selçuk explained that one major contributing factor in Trump’s win was polarization — surrounding oneself only with others who agree with each others. “If you are a college student (and a) Democrat, probably 80 or 90 percent of your friends are also Democrat — especially on a college campus like this,” Selçuk said. “If you’re a Trump supporter, you probably live in some zip code that predominantly also supports Trump.” Selçuk went on to say Trump’s supporters
Faculty sheds light continued on page 12
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David Kingbury, Madeline Kingsbury’s father, embraces a family member outside the Blue Earth County Justice Center shortly after Adam Fravel was found guilty of murdering his daughter. (Photo by Denise Lana)
Local group begins weekly Grieving for Gaza vigils in downtown Decorah
Susan Herndon holds a sign reading “Choose Peace, Speak Out” during a Grieving for Gaza vigil held Saturday at Water Street Park. Also pictured are Carolyn Corbin and Hailey Abbey. See article inside. (Photo by Zach Jensen)
Fravel guilty on all charges in Kingsbury murder
BY DENISE LANA STAFF WRITER A jury found 30-year-old Adam Fravel guilty of murdering his ex-partner, 26-year-old Madeline Kingsbury. The 12
jurors reached their decision on Nov. 6 after nearly 11 hours. Fravel now stands convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. The multiday trial was held in Blue Earth
County, Minnesota, following a change of venue for the high-profile Winona County case, and included testimony from friends, family, investigators, neighbors and others who knew Kingsbury and Fravel.
According to testimony from family and friends, Kingsbury’s seven-year on-again off-again relationship with Fravel was
Fravel guilty
continued on page 9
Declining enrollment among Decorah School District concerns Decorah expected to be independent athletic conference next year
BY ROZ WEIS STAFF WRITER As Decorah School District officials celebrate the recent passage of a $38 million dollar bond referendum, they may
VOTE DEC 10 A voice for the people that listens to the people Paid for by Klocke for Decorah Committee
also be faced with some looming budgetary challenges. A comparison of certified enrollment for 2024 released during Monday night’s monthly school board meeting indicated there are approximately 66
fewer students attending Decorah Community Schools than there were during the previous school year. Enrollment is now at 1,398 compared to 1,465 a year ago. Declining enrollment affects
the district’s budget, and DCSD Superintendent Tim Cronin said some of the decline can be attributed to approximately 23 students in the northern part of the county attending Mabel-Canton School in nearby
Minnesota. He also cited an increase in the number of students studying in virtual classrooms across the region. He
School Board
continued on page 6
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