Jury finds Albert Lea business owner guilty of violating emergency powers

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – A Freeborn County jury has found an Albert Lea business owner guilty of violating emergency powers. Lisa Hanson, the owner of The Interchange Wine and Coffee Bistro has been sentenced to 90 days in jail for refusing to close her restaurant down during the peak of COVID-19.

This was against Governor Walz’s orders.

Hanson was facing eight misdemeanor charges of violating emergency powers as well as one misdemeanor public nuisance charge.

After her arrest at an AirBNB in Clear Lake, Iowa earlier this year, her restaurant posted this on social media: