Recently in Notable Category

Gov. Tim Pawlenty named an assistant U.S. attorney to fill the vacancy on the Ramsey Country District court Thursday, according to the Pioneer Press.

Robyn Millenacker, 48, will replace Judge Michael Fetsch who retired in October, according to the Star Tribune.

"I'm really honored," Millenacker said Thursday. "It's going to be a job with a lot of serious work to do for the citizens of Ramsey County."

Millenacker earned her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Minnesota. She served as a law clerk and worked as an associate lawyer before she her position as an assistant U.S. attorney, according to the Pioneer Press.

The Minnesota Northfield school board voted to terminate Susan Mukuhi Mwarabu after she bit off part of a man's ear, according to the Pioneer Press.

Mwarabu, 30, plead guilty to the third-degree felony assault Wednesday, according to the Star Tribune.

Since the incident on March 14, Mwarabu has been on paid administration leave. She will remain on paid leave until her contract is terminated in June, according to the Pioneer Press.

Mwarabu, the night of the incident, was at the Uptowner, in St. Paul at 4:00 a.m. She was with a group a three women, according to the Pioneer Press.

A man made a comment to Mwarabu's table, which prompted an apparently drunk Mwarabu to approach the man. She lean down, licked his face, and bit off a part of his ear, the complaint said according to the Pioneer Press.

Riverside Plaza will undergo major renovations this fall to make the complex more energy efficient, according to the Minnesota Daily.

The renovation will include an upgrade of mechanical and electrical systems, replacement of roofs, windows and patios and a possible paint job on the building's facade, according to the Minnesota Daily.

The project, which includes refinancing the buildings existing mortgage, is estimated to cost $90 million, according to the Minnesota Daily.

The renovation is an effort to preserve the 1,303 apartments, as replacement costs would be significantly higher, according to the Minnesota Daily.

Fredda Scobey, the executive director of the Riverside Plaza Tenants Association, said the renovations will be beneficial to both residents and owners, according to the Minnesota Daily.

A lower bail was set Monday for a North St. Paul man accused of murdering an infant from $350,000 to $10,000 under the condition that he have no contact with any minor, according to the Pioneer Press.

Louis D. Jones, 26, charged with unintentionally killing his girlfriend's baby, has been held in custody since he was arrested March 5, 2009, according to the Star Tribune.

Jone's case resulted in a mistrial Saturday where the jury could not reach a verdict after deliberating for 15 hours. His new trial date is set for April 19, according to the Star Tribune.

Jones was the sole caretaker of the child, according to trial testimony, while the baby's mother was at work during the day.

The mother called several times during the day while at work, and on February 27 came home to see the baby having difficulty breathing.

The baby was rushed to the hospital where it was determined the swelling in her brain was caused from non-accidental abusive head trauma.

Defense witnesses testified that the baby had a chronic brain bleeding caused by a birth injury.

Ramsey Country District Court will decide the verdict Friday of a second degree murder case involving the death of a 9-week-old baby, according to the Pioneer Press.

Louis D. Jones, 26, was the father figure of the infant and though she was not his biological daughter, Jones had promised to raise the baby as his own, according to the Star Tribune.

Prosecutors say the baby's brain swelling and bleeding that cause her death was due to abusive head trauma, according to the Star Tribune.

Defense attorneys for Jones say the baby was not a victim of child abuse, and instead may have had chronic subdural hematoma cause by birth trauma. The defense also noted that there were no external injuries associated with abuse.

"Louis Jones loved and still loves Rhania Jones. He lost a daughter and he lost a family," defense attorney Carole Finneran said.

A 38-year-old, St. Paul man could be charged with the death of his bother, the St. Paul Police Department reported Sunday.

Brain Orloske, 40 of Houlton, Wis., was shot in the head with a shotgun Saturday night, and his brother, Eric Orloske, is the only suspect in the case, the Star Tribune reported

Police found the Wisconsin man dead when they arrived at 11:30 p.m. at the home in the 1300 block of Reaney Avenue, the Star Tribune reported.

The two brothers were the only ones in the home, the Star Tribune reported.

Police spokesman Paul Schnell said there is no clear motive yet but the brothers both had been drinking and had earlier in the evening fought, the Pioneer Press reported.

Orloske made his first court appearance Monday on the charge of second-degree murder without intent while committing or attempting to commit a felony, the Pioneer Press reported.

St. Paul's asphalt plant plans to open several weeks early Monday to begin patching potholes around the city.

The plant uses a "hot mix" that relies on higher spring temperatures to bond tighter than the winter cold mix that ran out earlier this winter than expected.

According to the Star Tribune, St. Paul used one-third more "cold mix" this season than it would in a normal winter.

For many drivers this has been the worst pothole season in memory, the Star Tribune reported.

The snowstorm, rain and deep freeze that occurred late December is thought to be the reason why this year seems particularly worse, the Pioneer Press reported.

"As soon as they tell us the mix will be coming out of the hopper, we'll be over there," Mike Kennedy, director of transportation maintenance and repair, said.

Abortion opponents and fiscal conservatives remain the the two blocs within the Democratic party needed to pass the heath care bill.

Based off the bill President Barack Obama unveiled before a bipartisan health forum last week, Democrats are now drafting new plans to solidify the party's stance further in order to gain enough votes, the New York Times reported.

On the other side of the aisle, Republicans continue to be uncooperative, the Christian Science Monitor said.

Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma said in the Republicans response to the bill Saturday, "By an overwhelming margin, the American people are telling us to scrap the current bills, which will lead to a government takeover of healthcare, and we should start over."

According to the Christian Science Monitor 51 votes are needed to effectively bypass the 41 vote filibuster.

DNA evidence solved a 1972 murder mystery of a former St. Paul woman killed in Boston.

According to the Star Tribune, Ellen Rutchick, 23, had been raped and killed in her Boston apartment 38 years ago.

Boston police say her killer has been identified as Michael Sumpter, who died of cancer in 2001 while in prison for another Beacon Street rape in 1975.

The case had been reinvestigated after Rutchick's family contacted Boston police to review potential leads, the Pioneer Press said.

The case was sent to a lab specializing in DNA analysis after evidence had been collected.

Cori Rutchick, Ellen Rutchick's sister, said it was difficult to hear the details about what happened. "But there is also a comfort in knowing," she said.

Minneapolis police have arrested two men suspected of shooting a University student outside Centennial Hall.

According to the Minnesota Daily, the 16-year old and 21-year-old were arrested and have been charged with a string of crimes that happened before the shooting.

According to the Star Tribune, police say the two men robbed three students on two separate events before shooting 19-year-old Timothy Scumacher in the chest.

Gregory Hestness, university police chief, says they have been actively questioning suspects and the more work is to be done, the Star Tribune reports.

Police have been tracking the suspects since Wednesday using GPS technology in one of the victims' cell phones, the Minnesota Daily reports.

Police are still trying to find the third man, the driver, connected with the crimes.