Minnesota News Briefs: St. Paul poilice investigate overnight murder

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(St. Paul, MN) -- St. Paul police report no arrests in the overnight murder of a 57-year-old man.

Officers responded to reports of gunshots at the rear of a residence in St. Paul's Frogtown neighborhood near the State Capitol. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. His name will be released by the medical examiner - perhaps later today (Friday). Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact the St. Paul Police Department.

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Minneapolis police are investigating a crash that killed a 92-year-old woman. Officials say the accident near Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue may have happened when one of the vehicles made a left turn. The woman, who was a passenger, died at Hennepin County Medical Center.

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South St. Paul Police are asking for the public's help locating a man they say abducted a 12-year-old girl Wednesday afternoon. Authorities say the victim was waiting for a bus when the man lured her into his vehicle. Investigators say the girl lost consciousness and came to in south Minneapolis and was able to escape and call 911. The man is described as five-foot, nine-inches tall with a medium build and brown hair. He also has a tattoo of a woman on one of his forearms and a mole or pimple above his lip. He was driving an older four door Toyota. Investigators say the girl wasn’t physically harmed, but was very upset. A composite of the suspect is available through South St. Paul Police.

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A former assistant girls basketball coach in Blaine is charged with having sexual contact with a 14-year-old female player. Twenty-three-year old Jenessa White of St. Paul was charged in Anoka County court Thursday with criminal sexual conduct. White is accused of sexual activity with the girl in a car parked in a Blaine park Tuesday night. According to the criminal complaint, a police officer approached the car and found White and the girl inside in a compromising situation. The 14-year-old told the officer the two were dating.

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Republicans in Minnesota’s seventh congressional district open a two-day convention today (Friday) in Alexandria. They are expected to endorse a candidate to run against incumbent Democratic Representative Collin Peterson next November. Lee Byberg of Willmar, who lost to Peterson in 2010, is running against State Senator Gretchen Hoffman of Vergas. There also selecting delegates to the Republican National Convention.

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An Olivia man will be sentenced today in the death of his girlfriend's 18- month-old daughter. 21-year-old Sergio Turrubiates faces up to 20 years in prison. Renville County Attorney David Torgelson says Turrubiates entered a plea agreement, but the child's mother would have probably liked to have seen even a greater penalty. Turrubiates claimed the toddler struck her head on a table when he was bouncing the child on a bed. But a surgeon who later operated said more than that amount of force would have been necessary to cause the infant's fracture and related injuries. And the medical examiner said nothing in the apartment could have accidentally caused those injuries.

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A Babbitt man charged with wounding a three-year-old girl with a knife is scheduled to make his first court appearance today (Friday) in Virginia. Twenty-seven-year-old Derek Klingfus faces both first and second-degree assault charges stemming from the incident last January 24th. Klingfus was shot and wounded by a Babbitt police officer before being taken into custody.

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A Crookston farmer is reminding others not to take workplace safety for granted. On Monday, Bob Cournia's ankle and foot was torn up in a grain bin drag auger. Luckily, Cournia was able to free himself and call for help. Cournia did end up in the emergency room and had to have surgery. With the planting season here, farmers are encouraged to be aware of what is happening around machinery and to be sure to keep their cell phone handy when they are working alone.

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The maple syrup harvest in Minnesota this year was little more than a drop in the bucket. Unseasonably mild March temperatures are to blame for the small quantity and poor quality of sap. Minnesota Maple Syrup Producer's Association President Stu Peterson says his personal harvest was less than 20-percent of normal. Meanwhile, Peterson says the maple syrup harvest in Canada will determine what happens to prices.

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Today (Friday) is the state-imposed deadline to redraw county commissioner district lines in all 87 of Minnesota’s counties. The new districts will reflect any changes in population distribution as determined by the 2010 U.S. Census. Any population change exceeding five-percent in a district will require that an election be held in that district in November.

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The recent shooting death of a Minneapolis cabdriver has prompted a move to better protect those who drive taxis for a living there. Minneapolis City Council member Gary Schiff is proposing a change in a city ordinance that would require that every cab in Minneapolis be equipped with either a surveillance camera or a protective shield between drivers and passengers The current ordinance also allows the option of having just a GPS system, but Schiff contends that such devices do not help deter crime.

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The first annual Minnesota Crossword Tournament is being held today (Friday) in St. Paul. The participants will tackle four original crossword puzzles created by Will Shortz, the crossword puzzle editor for the New York Times. Individuals and teams of up to four players are competing and the winners will receive trophies. The tournament is sponsored by the organization “Friends of the St. Paul Public Library.”

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A Mankato first-grader's bid for sandwich fame has come up short Sullivan Jacobs was one of five finalists in Jif Peanut Butter's Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest. He called his entry the Blue Monkey Pita. However, the winner is the P-Nutty Barbecue Chicken Quesadilla submitted by a girl named Mallory R. from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. She will receive a 25-thousand-dollar college fund. As one of the four runners-up, Sullivan Jacobs wins $2,500 for college.

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Cottage Grove-native Seann William Scott has the leading role in a new movie about minor league ice hockey that opens in theaters nationwide today (Friday). Scott plays a bouncer-turned-enforcer who can barely skate in the film entitled “Goon." He’s best known for his appearances in the “American Pie” film series.

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Thousands of demonstrators turned out at a Minneapolis rally last night to protest the killing of an unarmed teenager in Florida. Many of them at the University of Minnesota held signs and banners with messages such as "Justice for Trayvon Martin" and "Stand together against injustice." Many also wore hooded sweat shirts. Seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin was wearing a hoodie the night he was fatally shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida.

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Two people were arrested Thursday after a synthetic drug bust in St. Paul and officials say a four-year-old girl was taken into protective custody. The Ramsey County Sheriff's office says the girl was later taken to a hospital to be tested for possible ingestion of chemicals associated with the drug lab. Police arrested a 32-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman, and charges are pending.

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Minnesota Department of Transportation officials announced eight flood mitigation projects to be built over the next five years. Mn-DOT says the projects total $30 million and are part of a $50-million flood mitigation program. The projects are funded through existing bonding authority.

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The state's largest utility will be allowed to boost electricity prices by two-point-seven-percent. But with the vote by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Xcel Energy is being allowed less than half what it was looking for. That means residential customers will get a refund because they have been paying higher interim rates. Reports say the average customer will get back about $30.

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History buffs with deep pockets have something to get excited about. The Minnesota Historical Society is auctioning more than 15-hundred letters and manuscripts -- many bearing famous signatures from presidents and literary figures. Officials say there's high-profile material from the American Revolution, including letters from George Washington and Benedict Arnold. The Historical Society's Jennifer Joes says the documents are from a donated collection. About ten percent relate to Minnesota, and those will not be sold. The auction is April 17th in New York and some items may fetch bids in the five figures. Proceeds from the auction will go back into the Society's endowment fund.

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Flu cases are peaking across the state, according to the Minnesota Health Department. The latest report shows two deaths, 61 hospitalizations, six outbreaks at nursing homes and five at schools. So far this season, 14 people have died due to complications from influenza and more than 400 have ended up in the hospital.

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Wait -- there's still some winter left in far-northern Minnesota. The National Weather Service reports five-inches of snow fell in International Falls overnight and a wintry mix of precipitation will keep driving on the slow side this morning over much of the Arrowhead. A winter weather advisory remains in effect until 10am.

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The Minnesota Senate is set to debate and vote this afternoon (FRI) on Republicans' $500-million bonding bill for state public works projects. The dollar figure is nearly one-third less than Governor Dayton's request. The governor says although his plan would create more jobs, quote, "we'll take what we can get." The House bonding bill is smaller than the Senate's by about 200-million dollars and the two chambers will have to work out their differences. Among the many questions: Will money be included for convention center upgrades in Rochester and St. Cloud?

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Minnesota's Republican-controlled Senate is scheduled to take up a controversial bill that would phase-out the statewide business property tax. It also reduce the Renter's Property Tax Credit. Governor Dayton has proposed instead a one-time, three-thousand-dollar tax credit for businesses that hire returning veterans, unemployed Minnesotans or recent college graduates.

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Lottery machines will likely be working overtime today (FRI) across the state, in anticipation of tonight's Mega Millions jackpot drawing. Minnesota State Lottery executive director Ed Van Petten says it's a world-record jackpot of 540-million dollars if the annuity is taken. Cash value would be a little over 389-million. Van Petten calls it "a pretty good chunk of change." He says this week is the first time Mega Millions sales surpassed Powerball. Folks have until 9pm tonight to purchase a ticket.

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Here are the winning numbers from the Minnesota State Lottery for Thursday, March 29th, 2012. The Daily Three: 6-6-4. Northstar Cash: 6-12-14-24-30.

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