What if fraudulent absentee ballots were really counted in St. Louis County? The Coleman forces showcased 300 votes from DFL country; the PiPress' Jason Hoppin writes, "Curiously, some of the ballots appear to have been filled in by the same hand." Want to see for yourself? The indispensable Uptake has a video tour. Once again, the suspect votes are comingled and can't be fished out. But weren't all these ballots reviewed by both sides weeks ago? Coleman forces say such shenanigans should let other suspect votes in.

Related: The Strib's Kevin Duchschere notes a Coleman witness' testimony was tossed because GOP lawyer Tony Trimble didn't share communications with the court or Franken forces. The Minneapolis GOP judge was one of the few testifying about alleged double-counting.

Gotta love old-time reporting: The PiPress' Doug Belden stakes out the airport and finds St. Paul Superintendent Meria Carstarphen boarding a flight. The Austin, Texas, school board is announcing its superintendent finalist(s) this morning, perhaps by the time you read this. Carstarphen wouldn't talk to Belden, but will probably be glad to be rid of him. (Update: She's gone; let the national search begin.)

Citing the caustic mocking of James Lileks, Tom Petters lawyers want the alleged Ponzmeister's trial moved out of state, the Strib's Dan Browning and David Phelps write. Lawyers claim the paper's mega-coverage and promotion — including editor Nancy Barnes's writing — have prejudiced potential jurors. Barnes says that the state's largest fraud deserves large coverage from the state's largest paper. Fittingly, the story tops A1. The lawyers also blast the feds for unsealing search warrants, giving the jackals fresh meat.

A Minnesota male nurse will soon have a very bad day as authorities close in on him for encouraging the suicide of an 18-year-old Canadian, the Strib's Pam Louwagie writes. Authorities have chat transcripts of the suspect advising on the length of a rope, among other methods, and possibly pledging a suicide pact. Nadia Kajouji had a history of depression and eventually drowned herself in a river.

Authorities ruled Helmut Gutmann's death a homicide at the hands of Verne Gagne, but Gutmann's family doesn't want the Alzheimer's-suffering wrestling legend prosecuted. The Strib's Abby Simons says Hennepin County authorities will make that decision. The PiPress' Frederick Melo adds that the family wants better segregation of violent patients. Homicide is not synoymous with murder, it just means the victim "died at the hands of another."

The Strib's James Walsh chronicles a major drug bust that took 4 pounds of meth, 6 pounds of coke and a measly pound of pot off the street. Minneapolis cops say it will put a "major dent" in the local meth trade — I hope someone follows up in a few months to see. The PiPress' Mara Gottfried says 37 people were charged in the $42-million-per-year scam. The dealing ran from 2005 to last week. MPR's Jessica Mador notes this was part of a nationwide operation that nabbed $60 million in cash and 23 tons of drugs.

AP's Steve Karnowski writes that the Austin, Minn., meatpacking workers numbed by aerosolized pig brains are recovering. Still, all still have symptoms and some experience mild pain. Steroids did the trick for many; overall, immune therapy improved 12 of 17 workers markedly. The piece is based on a study; no workers are interviewed.

Both papers editorialize in favor of judicial election reform. To avoid potential politicization following a free-speech ruling, contested elections would give way to "retention" balloting where voters decide if a governor-appointed jurist stays or goes. The move would also lengthen judicial terms from six to eight years, which seems weird to me if judges are getting more protection. (Can you imagine having to wait two Presidential terms to oust a rogue jurist?) The Strib notes district judges don't like the idea — why? — so perhaps start with appelate courts.

MPR's Tom Robertson says heating assistance requests are up 10 percent this year; 140,000 Minnesota families are getting aid. Lower prices have helped cut bills but the credit crunch has cut incomes. The state has more than twice as much cash to dole out after last year's panic.

After a Minneapolis choir director was charged with statutory rape, some say churches need to do mandatory background checks. KSTP's Mark Albert says says his station's check on Gregory Washington took 60 seconds; the choir leader was a registered sex offender. Still, Albert acknowledged not knowing if the Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church did such a check and let Washington work anyway. He's charged with having sex with a 15-year-old.

Talker: Prompted as much by cost as health, the Three Rivers Park District may stop selling pop, the Strib's Laurie Blake writes. Some are concerned about plastic bottles and high-fructose corn syrup, but the price has also skied since Pepsi refused to bid against Coke. The story folds in a Minneapolis parks debate from last October, but that never really went anywhere. I wonder if the current dustup will either, given the parks' pop profits.

Personal responsibility took a hit as a GOP legislator got her nose out of joint over a Bill Maher poster. Sen. Julianne Ortman said the illustration — "When you ride ALONE, you ride with bin Laden" — was "an insult to every person who drives a car," according to the Strib's Jim Foti. The takeoff of a World War II conservation poster notes oil bucks fund Middle Eastern terrorism. Even some Republicans say that! Driving has its pluses, but let's be honest about the minuses.

Nort spews: I witnessed three-and-a-third quarters of close basketball before the Utah Jazz crushed the Wolves 120-103. SOTC's Britt Robson praises the effort but says Minnesota just has too few bodies to sustain a fast-paced Al Jefferson-less offense.