Gov. Dayton names Richelle Wahi district judge in Hastings
Wahi replaces Judge Mary Theisen, who has retired.
Joe Kimball
Joe Kimball is a longtime journalist and author of the book, “Secrets of the Congdon Mansion: The Unofficial Guide to Glensheen and the Congdon Murders.”
MLK Day includes festivities and tributes
A major breakfast event in Minneapolis and a family celebration in St. Paul were among the features of today’s holiday.
Candidate forums scheduled in search for new St. Paul police chief
Chief Tom Smith is stepping down; city officials will hold the forums and use a 32-person search committee to help select a new chief.
Books for Africa Founder Tom Warth to lead fundraising walk across Zanzibar
Warth, who is turning 80, will lead a group to raise money for the program, which has sent 34 million books to 49 countries in Africa since 1988.
Former Duluth Mayor Don Ness will work with the Tunheim public affairs firm
Ness didn’t seek re-election last year. In addition to working with Tunheim, he’s starting another firm to handle business opportunities in the Duluth/Superior area.
State Rep. Carly Melin, a rising DFL star, won’t seek re-election
The 30-year-0ld lawmaker was elected in a special session five years ago and had been considered headed toward leadership.
State Rep. John Lesch leaves St. Paul City Attorney’s office to open law firm
The seven-term legislator had been a St. Paul city prosecutor for 15 years and now has his own criminal defense firm.
Former Prairie Island Tribal Council President Sonny White has died at age 69
White was a former Tribal Council president and general manager of Treasure Island Resort & Casino.
Author and speakers to discuss homeless LGBT youth at Jan. 30 Minneapolis event
Author Ryan Berg will read from his book, “No House to Call My Home,” at the event at Shir Tikvah Congregation in Minneapolis. State Sen. Scott Dibble and others also will speak.
Forum will look at current law on police body-cam video
The Jan. 19 event in St. Paul is sponsored by the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information.
Ten St. Paul finalists named in Knight Cities Challenge contest
The Knight Foundation funds the contest, providing $5 million to implement the winning ideas in cities where there have been Knight newspapers.
DFL would make history by winning 2018 governor’s race sans Dayton
The DFL has never won back to back governorships with different nominees.
DFL state Sen. Jim Metzen gets challenge from Matt Klein
Klein, a physician and school board member, says he’ll take on Metzen, who’s been in the Legislature for four decades.
Funding committed for environmental assessment of second daily train to Chicago
A study last summer estimated that many people would ride a second daily train between the Twin Cities and Chicago; now several agencies are putting up some money for the environmental assessment of the proposal.
State awards $6.2 million for pollution cleanup at 14 redevelopment sites
The DEED awards will help clean up or investigate sites around the state, to help prepare them for redevelopment.
Gustavus Adolphus first in Minnesota to get ‘Fair Trade College’ designation
The college in St. Peter will “use responsibly sourced products and make them available in its dining facilities, book store, and for use in offices and departments across campus.”
With only 1 DFL candidate left in 2nd District congressional race, party cancels forums
Dr. Mary Lawrence and Roger Kittelson withdrew from the race, leaving Angie Craig the only declared DFLer in the running for the open seat.
Trista Harris of Minnesota Council on Foundations named to ’40 under 40′ philanthropy list
Harris, 38, is president of MCF and was called “a rock star working across generations and across diverse communities to shape the future of philanthropy” by the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Former state Rep. Joe Radinovich to run Nolan’s 2016 re-election campaign
Radinovich, who served one term in the Legislature, is now an assistant commissioner of the IRRRB.
County board chairs elected: Reinhardt in Ramsey and Callison in Hennepin
County board members select a chair at the start of each year.