With the death and the retirement of judges in the First Judicial District, people in four counties will see new faces on the bench.

This is because two present judges have requested transfers to Carver and Dakota counties, which means the two new judges, who are to be appointed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, will be placed in Le Sueur and Scott Counties instead.

The vacancies came about from the March 25 death of Carver County Judge Jean Davies, and the recent disability retirement of Dakota County Judge William Thuet.

The Carver County Attorney’s Office recently hired three new prosecutors: Melissa Jacobsen, Jennifer Stasney and Dawn O’Rourke.

Travis Franklin Juno, 23, of Cologne, was recently arrested on felony drug charges.

The investigation was conducted by agents of the Southwest Metro Drug Task Force including Carver County Sheriff’s Office deputies, according to a press release from Sheriff Bud Olson.

On June 27, officers stopped Juno in Chaska. Juno was allegedly in possession of over one ounce of powder cocaine, eight grams of methamphetamine, 18 grams of marijuana and one tablet of suspected ecstasy, a digital scale and $759 in U.S. currency, according to the press release.

The Minnesota Supreme Court has voted to deny a request by Grant Everson for a new trial.

Ryan Carl Lindeen, 44, has been charged with five felonies in the May 1, shooting in Watertown Township, according to a press release from Carver County Attorney Jim Keeler.

Lindeen was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of first-degree burglary and two counts of second degree assault for the shooting that occurred in the early morning hours of Thursday, May 1, the press release stated.

Carver County Judge Jean Davies died March 25 from surgical complications, according to family members.

Davies, a Chaska resident, was appointed by Gov. Arne Carlson in 1993 and was elected in 1994, 2000 and 2006.

Her current term was set to expire in 2013.

More information will be in Thursday’s print edition.

It was the early morning of Feb. 25, just over a year ago, that Sean Humphrey was found lying intoxicated and unconscious, partially frozen to the pavement of Geske Road.

Humphrey, 19, who had been at a Chaska party earlier in the evening, was brought to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he later died.

Four people were later charged with crimes in connection with Humphrey’s death.

A lawsuit brought by Carver County Commissioner Tom Workman against the Chanhassen Villager was settled out of court, according to a statement issued by the newspaper and Workman this week.

“Red Wing Publishing Co., owner of the Chanhassen Villager weekly newspaper, and Carver County Commissioner Tom Workman of Chanhassen have settled a defamation suit that was pending between the parties for several years,” according to the statement.

A Chaska woman pleaded guilty to a money laundering scheme in U.S. District Court today. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office, Molly Heise, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of "engaging in a monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity."

Heise was indicted last June for the alleged theft of more than $2.5 million from the clients of a real estate closing company.

Richard HappBy Mark W. Olson

Richard Happ, 39, who stabbed his Waconia parents to death in 1999, was recently transferred from a maximum security hospital to a non-secure treatment facility.