St Croix River

Velure pleads in RF shooting

By: Jon Echternacht , Hudson Star-Observer

A River Falls man charged in the shooting death of a friend pleaded innocent to two felony charges Friday afternoon in St. Croix County Circuit Court.

Anthony Palmer Velure, 26, faced one count of a first-degree reckless homicide and one count of homicide by intoxicated use of a weapon, a charge that was added just prior to the 1 p.m., arraignment hearing July 22.

Judge Eric J. Lundell set a pre-trial hearing for 4 p.m. Aug. 24. Assistant district attorney Frank Collins is prosecuting the case. Hudson attorney Mark J. Gherty is defending Valure.

The criminal complaint alleged Velure shot and killed Joshua R. Kurer, 24, with a .410 round from a multi-caliber handgun that he thought was empty during an incident at a River Falls apartment June 27.

Velure, who had served with Kurer in the Armed Forces, admitted to police he had several drinks before he came over to Kurer’s apartment at about 10:30 p.m. with the intent to go downtown with his friend.

During the course of trying to persuade him to go out on the town, he took the hand gun that was in the apartment, assumed he emptied all six rounds into his pocket, pointed the gun at Kurer and snapped the trigger on an empty chamber, the criminal complaint said.

He repeated the action when a shotgun round went off and hit Kurer in the chest. He was declared dead when police arrived. Velure told police he and Kurer had both pointed firearms at each other in the past when the firearms were empty and had pulled the trigger at least “half a dozen times.”

The court continued a cash bond of $10,000 and signature bond of $10,000 and approved several new persons, relatives and a long-time friend, one of whom he must be in the company of to leave his parent’s house in River Falls where he currently resides.

Velure is seeking counseling from the Veterans Administration either at Ft. Snelling or St. Cloud, Minn., according to court testimony. His father may have to undergo surgery in St. Paul and Velure was granted a request to visit him if the situation arises under the new bond modifications.

Canoers paddling length of St. Croix River

STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) -- A group of canoers are paddling the length of the St. Croix to raise awareness of the scenic river on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border.

Some 60 paddlers set off down the St. Croix last Tuesday on a 17-day, 180-mile trek from Solon Springs, Wis., to Prescott, Wis., where it empties into the Mississippi River. They aim to finish by July 22.

The expedition was organized by the St. Croix River Association to mark the group's 100th anniversary.

The St. Croix Falls, Wis.-based nonprofit says far too many outdoors enthusiasts overlook the opportunities of the St. Croix, especially in the pristine upper reaches. Although the Lower St. Croix is well-known for motorized action, the upper St. Croix boasts wilderness campsites and a host of outfitting services.

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