WASHINGTON, April 18, 2006 -- Southern Minnesota's member of Congress, Gil Gutknecht, has accepted campaign contributions tainted with roots in disgraced Washington influence-peddler Jack Abramoff, records show. Besides a direct $250 contribution from Abramhoff in 1996, Gutknecht received $5,780 in campaign funds from the political action committee Americans for a Republican Majority, which was founded by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and which took in Abramhoff money. Gutknecht also has accepted contributions from House Speaker Dennis Hastert's Keep Our Majority political action committee, which was a beneficiary of Abramoff gifts. This information is in documents filed by Gutknecht, as required by law, with the Federal Elections Commission. MORE Many members of Congress who received money from Abramoff or from DeLay's ARMPAC returned the money or contributed it to charity after Abramoff was charged with trying to buy influence with lavish wining and dining and foreign golf trips for members of Congress. Many of these members of Congress, up for election in November, as is Gutknecht, have publicly and explicitly distanced themselves from Ambramoff. In January Abramoff pleaded guilty to corruption, embezzlement and bribery charges. In March he was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison. DeLay, meanwhile, has stepped down as House majority leader following his indictment on money laundering and conspiracy to engage in money laundering charges. He is leaving Congress. MORE According to Federal Election Commission documents, Delay's ARMPAC donated a total of $5,780 to the Gutknecht campaign. The donations included $3,500 on Oct. 20, 1994; $6.79 on Oct. 14, 1994; $14.87 on July 29, 1994; $258.05 on Oct. 12, 1994; $1,000 on Sept. 26, 1996 and $1,000 on March 30, 1998. MORE Because of how money is passed around among political action committees and election campaigns, tracking is dificult. Tracking is additionally complicated by how candidates and political parties at the national and state levels shift money among one another. Federal Election Commission documents are clear, however, that Abramoff and groups he represented made contributions to political action committees including: $19,000 to DeLay's ARMPAC, from which the Gutknecht campaign accepted the $5,780. $54,500 to Keep Our Majority political action committee, wich was operated by Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., from which the Gutknecht campaign accepted $10,000. MORE In addition, the Gutknecht campaign accepted $17,000 from The Freedom Project, a political action committee sponsored by new House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, who has been under scrutiny for Abramhoff connections. GIL GUTKNECHT Aide says money is already spent JACK ABRAMOFF Reach of his money included Minnesota congressman MORE Gutknecht's campaign manager in Rochester for the congressman's re-election to a seventh term, Nels Pierson, relayed requests for an interview about the Abramoff-linked money to Gutknecht in Washington and came back that Gutknecht has already said he all he has to say about Abramoff money. Online searches, however, identified no Gutknecht statements on the subject. MORE Acknowledging the direct $250 contribution from Abramoff in 1996, Pierson said that Gutknecht has no plans to return any of it. "That money was spent," said Pierson, noting that the contribution was a long time ago. About Abramoff money that came to Gutknecht through political action committees, Pierson was asked whether Gutknecht might follow the lead of other members of Congress who donated their tainted to charity when the scandals broke, Pierson said that Gutknhect already contributes to charities and shouldn't be forced to give more. MORE Pierson defended Gutknecht's overall record in accepting campaign contributions. "The congressman won't accept contributions from the tobacco companies," he said. Gutknecht is a member of the House Agriculture Committee and has declined contributions from the Altria political action committee, according to Pierson. Altria is the parent company of both Kraft Foods and Phillip Morris companies, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes. MORE Pierson said that Gutknecht tries to keep campaign contributions from political action committees to less than one-third of the total he raises. "The congressman wants most of his contributions to come from individuals," Pierson said. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Gutknecht is mostly on rack with his goal of a 2:1 ratio for contributions from individuals. Since 1989, according to center data, he has raised $5.7 million with $1.8 million, roughly one third, from political action committees. MORE Although the taint of Abramoff money has threatened the re-election prospects of many members of Congress, new efforts at campaign finance reform have hit a brick wall. On March 30, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., introduced a resolution requiring an ethics investigation of House members involved in improper conduct related to Abramoff. Republicans, including Gutknecht, voted 216-193 against the resolution. The Republican majority, with the exception of six crossovers, in effect killed the Pelosi resolution by tabling it. Reporter: Chad Larimer Background: Races campus people are watching

THE ABRAMOFF STORY In college Jack Abramoff was smitten with politics. From his base at Brandeis University, Ambramoff rallied Massachusetts college students statewide for Ronald Reagan's presidential bid in 1980. Reagan took the state in an upset. On to Washington, Abramoff rose quickly in the national College Republicans, moving the organization into right-wing activism. MORE Not all went well. The College Republicans vastly overspent their budget with a poorly conceived direct-mail campaign in 1982. The party elders threw out the free-spending Abramoff. Unsuppressible, Abramoff found a spot running the privately funded Citizens for America, which campaigned for conservative causes. Under the group's banner Ambramoff organized some audacious projects. His climatic accomplishment -- a convention in a remote part of Angola for a motley bunch of anticommunist guerrillas from disparate Afghanistan, Laos and Nicaragua. The project was costly. The sugar-daddy who financed Citizens for America fired Abramoff for too many liberties with the group's $3 million budget. MORE In all this, and in a checkered resume of more Republican-related jobs, mostly in Washington, the young, energetic Abramoff made contacts. His reputation grew rapidly as one of most influential lobbyists on Capitol Hill and in numerous executive-branch agencies. MORE By 2000, with Republicans controlling the federal government, Abramoff had amassed the biggest lobbying portfolio in Washington. For the right ambiance to make pitches to members of Congress and top aides and also to acknowledge favors, Ambramoff opened two posh restaurants down the street from the Capitol. He bought a fleet of casino boats. He leased four arena and stadium skyboxes. He sponsored golf outings to exclusive St. Andrews in Scotland and to the South Pacific. MORE The party began imploding in 2003 with revelations by Susan Schmidt of the Washington Post. Schmidt tracked $45 million in lobbying fees from Indian tribes that were desperate to protect their casino revenue from possible taxation. There were iregularities galore, including massive overbilling. Abrfamoff told one aide, for example, to find some way to bill a Choctaw band $150,000 one month: "Be sure we hit the $150k minimum. If you need to add time for me, let me know." The aide responded: "You only had two hours." Abramoff fired back: "Add 60 hours for me." MORE An avalanche of other revelations followed in what became one of the biggest congressional corruption scandals in history. Abramoff went jail. The scandal is sure to be a centerpiece issue in the 2006 elections, as many members of Congress and their aides squirm for accepting Abramoff's largesse. Extracted from a forthcoming book, "The Media of Mass Communication," eighth edition update, by Winona State University journalism prof John Vivian and to be published by Allyn & Bacon.

BASEBALL (MEN'S) St. Thomas 7, SMU 1 St. Thomas 5, SMU 4

GOLF (MEN'S) Maverick Invitational (second day): North Dakota 634 (1st), MSU-Mankato 639 (2nd), Southwest Minnesota State 650 (3rd), Nebraska-Omaha 655 (4th), Augustana 660 (5th), South Dakota 662 (6th), WSU 672 (7th), Upper Iowa 680 (8th), St. Cloud State 754 (9th).

Warriors seventh at Marshall invitational

Civil liberties scholars due at WSU

WINONA, Minn., April 14, 2006 -- An authority on civil liberties and censorship, Roger Newman of the Pulitzer School of Journalism at Columbia University will speak at Winona State University on the federal government's response to the Sept. 11 attacks and its consequences on civil liberties. Newman is the editor-in-chief of a four-volume encyclopedia, The Constitution and Its Amendments. His biography of Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black won the Scribes Book Award. The book was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. The Newman speech: Date: Wednesday, April 19 Time: 7:30 p.m. Place: Stark Auditorium Cost: Free MORE The Newman speech is among final programs this spring in the political involvement American Democracy Project at Winona State, said coordinator Matt Bosworth of the political science faculty. Also scheduled is a speech on historical and recent challenges to freedom of expression in the university setting by First Amendment scholar Donald Downs. Downs is the author of "Restoring Free Speech and Liberty on Campus." At the University of Wisconsin Downs is a professor of political science, law, and journalism. He also is president of the university's Committee for Academic Freedom and Rights. The Downs speech: Date: Monday, April 24 Time: 3:30 p.m. Place: Stark Auditorium Cost: Free MORE The American Democracy Project, a national university initiative, earlier included a candidate fair at Winona State. Participants included Ford Bell, a Democrat for the U.S. Senate; Mark Kennedy, a Republican for the U.S. Senate; Tim Walz, a Democrat for Congress; and state senatorial candidates Steve Drazkowski, Brenda Johnson and Sharon Ropes. "The idea is to try to increase civic participation," Bosworth said.

ROGER NEWMAN Constitutional scholar DONALD DOWNS Academic freedom author

BASEBALL (MEN'S) WSU 20, UM-Crookston 0 WSU 23, UM-Crookston 1

Yikes! Warriors sweep Golden Eagles with 43 homeruns

WSU gays seek funds for Day of Silence ad

Jury finds Gordon guilty in assault trial

WINONA, Minn., April 14, 2006 -- In his first of a series of scheduled jury trials, Paul Allen Gordon was found guilty on pistol-whipping a cocaine-addict customer over a $150 drug debt in 2004. The jury deliberated 5-1/2 hours, returning the verdict at 4:40 p.m. Judge Jeff Thompson scheduled sentencing for June 1. In the meantime, attorneys are working on the other pending trials, including the finale this summer for the brutal strangulations and rape of Winona State University student Stacy Smith and her 10-year-day daughter, also in 2004. MORE For the assault verdict, Gordon was brought from jail, where he's held in lieu of $2.2 million bond. After hearing the verdict, Gordon, still in dress clothes from the trial, shook hands with his public defender, Sam Jandt of LaCrescent, Minn., and was escorted by a bailiff back to jail. Jandt said he was disappointed but prepared for the verdict. There are options, he said, without detailing them.

PAUL ALLEN GORDON Coming up: Trial for murders of WSU student and daughter JEFF THOMP- SON Judge sets June 1 sentencing date

SOFTBALL (WOMEN'S) WSU 9, South Dakota 1 South Dakota 5, WSU 4

Warriors win opener 9-1, then falter

WSU seeks one-year temp as vice president

WSU gay-marriage advocate sees long road ahead

WSU students to beef debt-tallying website

WINONA, Minn., April 13, 2006 -- To increase awareness of the debt that Winona State University students are incurring for their education, the Legislative Affairs Committee of the Student Senate plans improvements on its debt website, which was created last year. Business Sen. Richard Howden, committee chair, said the site looks good, but he wants to add graphs and charts for a stronger a visual representation of how much debt students are piling on. As of April 11, the total was $4,508,050 with 132 entries, an average of $34,000-plus, Howden said. "Students are walking away with a minimum of $30,000 of debt after college, and that is outrageous," he said. MORE The site, called You Bet We're in Debt, allows students to calculate how much they will be paying after graduation. An additional purpose of the site, Howden said, is to make legislators aware of the enormous debt students are carrying. Howden blamed much of the growing debt on the Legislature's abandonment of a policy to pick up 67 percent of students' cost. This year the state percentage is down to roughly 50 percent. Speaking at a Senate meeting, the university's student activities director Joe Reed, said that even though many people blame student debt on credit cards and frivolous spending, most of the debt actually is because of growing tuition. MORE To use the site students, enter their major, hometown, graduation date and an estimate of their debt at graduation. Data entries are based on an honor system with no mechanism for verification. Students may include their name and a personal story. The site: You Bet We're in Debt

RICH HOWDEN Business senator

WINONA, Minn., April 13, 2006 -- Acrimony between the Winona State Student Senate and university President Judith Ramaley over her failure to consult with students on policy changes didn't flare at a Meet and Discuss meeting because Ramaley and student President Ryan Flynn had smoothed things over in advance over coffee. Meet and Discuss meetings can be confrontational showdowns, but several days earlier, Flynn said, he and Ramaley sat down at Mugby Junction and informally hashed through the issues. These included her administrative restructuring plan and the raising of honor-graduation requirements, both of which she had done without consultation. Ramaley was apologetic about her failure at communication, Flynn said. MORE Ramaley said at the Mugby summit that she was concerned with the disappointment in her that has been voiced by student senators, including a formal complaint to the chancellor in St. Paul. Flynn said Ramaley, new to Winona State, told him that she was not used to the consultation process and didn't realize the level of consultation that is supposed to occur at Winona State. In effect, he said she had not read MnSCU Regulation 2-3, in which the state colleges trustees require university administrators to run policy changes by student leaders on issues affecting students. MORE Ramaley explained that the changes to honors requirements for graduation had orginated with the deans of the university's five colleges and that she had not known the change needed to be sent out for review prior to receiving her approval, Flynn said. Flynn quoted Ramaley that she was "deeply sorry" and she reassured him that communication would be better in the future. MORE Flynn said that Ramaley said she would not implement parts of her administrative restructuring, including the student affairs vice presidency, for another year so she can consult with next year's Student Senate. Ramaley was not willing, however, to rescind the new cum-laude graduation requirements. The changes will go into effect as planned in 2008, Flynn said. Ramaley said that students achieving junior status next fall would be allowed to fall under the old honors system, he said.

JUDITH RAMALEY Coffee in hand RYAN FLYNN Found Ranmaley contrite

SMU cadet to Army course at Fort Lewis

WINONA, Minn., April 13, 2006 -- A St. Mary's University student in the Army officer training program, Bridget Kingsley, has been selected to attend a 32-day leadership training exercise at Fort Lewis, Wash., this summer. Kingsley is among nine cadets chosen for the training from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse unit of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, said Lt. Col. Stewart Fearon, unit commander. Winona State cadets in the unit completed the course last year, Fearon said. The exercise, known as Operation Warrior Forge, comprises activities designed to build cadet confidence, technical skills, physical agility and endurance, and leadership. The exercise includes M-16 familiarization and marksmanship, land navigation, confidence training, water survival, hand-to-hand combat, security operations, first aid, and individual and group tactical training, Fearon said. Cadets also spend 10 days in field conditions with problems devised by soldiers with Iraq and Afghanistan experience, he said.

CONFIDENCE BUILDING. A cadet last summer twists through a Fort Lewis obstacle course as part of training.

USA Today proposes a kinda "free" read

BASEBALL (MEN'S) WSU 19, UM-Crookston 2 WSU 10, UM-Crookston 5

No contest as WSU bests UM-Crookston

BASEBALL (MEN'S) SMU 7, Luther 4 SMU 6, Luther 4

SOFTBALL (WOMEN'S) WSU 9, North Dakota 3 North Dakota 5, WSU 4

Warriors split with North Dakota

SOFTBALL (WOMEN'S) SMU 5, St. Benedict 2 SMU 3, St. Benedict 1

TENNIS (MEN'S) SMU 8, Maryville 1

Court-watcher: Doom ahead for abortion reform

Ex-addicts relay pistol-whipping details

WINONA, Minn., April 13, 2006 -- With a witness brought to court from prison and three other witnesses, the prosecution painted a picture of drug-dealer Paul Allen Gordon as a violent underworld businessman who would pistol-whip a cocaine customer who was behind in his payments. Timothy Paul Schmalenberg, 41, testified that he was awakened when Gordon showed up one night to collect a debt, apparently $150. As Schmalenberg and the other witnesses reconstructed the incident, Gordon demanded the money and hit Schmalenberg in the head with a handgun and then unloaded and reloaded the clip. Schmalenberg's womanfriend persuaded Gordon to back off, according to testimony. MORE Schmalenberg said he was a coke addict who regularly purchased from Gordon, who was 21 at the time. Schmalenberg, himself now in prison for cocaine dealing, was subpoaned to the Gordon trial. MORE Gordon's attorney, Sam Jandt, objected to the reconstruction of the incident, as put together by assistant county attorney Tom Gort, because none of the four witnesses could identify the exact date. Jandt said Gordon could not be expected reasonably to come up with an alibi if nobody could be sure whether the incident was Dec. 6 or 7 or 8 or some day in that vicinity. Jandt said the incident "simply did not occur" and asked for acquital. Judge Jeff Thompson ruled that the jury would decide whether the incident occurred. MORE Jandt was hard on Pamela Sue Cox, an admitted coke addict, who was the third pary at the incident alleged by the prosecution. To whether she was high at the time of incident, Cox said: "Probably." She said he regularly bought from Gordon. Jandt noted that Cox variously has decribed the time of the incident as 7 and 8 p.m. and 1 and 3 a.m. and decribed the gun as black or silver or maybe black and silver. MORE Gordon, who has pleaded innocent, did not testify. MORE Cox testified that the incident occurred at her place near West Fifth and Sioux streets. Cox said she answered a knock and let Gordon in. She said that Gordon asked for Schmalenberg, who was Cox's boyfriend; pulled the handgun from his waistband and said he wanted to teach "Timmy" a lesson; and sat down on a coach while she went to wake Schmalenberg in the next room. Gordon had the handgun in his lap when Schmalenberg came into the room and stood up. Cox said. Other witnesses, Mike Dzwonkowski and Scott Strong, quoted Gordon as saying he had wanted to "tune up" Schmalenberg and command respect. Cox said that Gordon left the place after Schmalenberg promised to pay soon. On his way out Gordon apologized for disrespecting her home, Cox said. She said he once had lived in the house briefly. MORE Schmalenberg, Cox, Dzwonski and Strong all testified they have overcome their addictions. There were surprising revelations about mores in the Winona drug crowd. Said Schmalenberg: "Just because he pointed a gun at me doesn't mean I don't like him. When you're in the field of drugs, that kind of thing happens." Cox said she still considers Gordon a friend. Dzwonkowski and Strong said they were friends with Gordon. The prosecutor in the case, Tom Gort, called all four courageous for telling their stories. MORE Gordon's public defender, Sam Jandt, challenged the witnesses' accounts. He said that Schmalenberg, who is white, hated black people (Gordon is black) and that he didn't like it that Cox, his womanfriend, who is white, had a friendship with Gordon. Jandt noted too that Dzwonkowski and Strong were long-time friends of Schmalenberg. To the jury, Jandt said: "These people are lying." MORE The incident as described by Schlmalenberg and Cox occurred a few days before the murders of Stacy Smith, 29, and her daughter Nicole, 10, at the Sugar Loaf Apartments. The murders were the night of Dec. 16. Gordon goes on trial this summer for the murders. The current trial is on charges of second-degree assault with a firearm, harassment with a dangerous weapon, terroristic threats, and illegal possession of a firearm. Because of a Michigan conviction for a drive-by shooting when he was 12, Gordon is barred by a court order from having a gun. MORE The trial is an outcome of the investigation into the Sugar Loaf murders. After the murders, police were interviewing anyone they figured might know about them and ran across information that Schmalenberg had been pistol-whipped. An arrest warrant for Gordon was issued for the assault, which gave U.S. border agents cause to arrest him 2-1/2 weeks later at the Mexico border.

PAUL ALLEN GORDON First trial is for assault Separate trial this summer for strangulations, rape of WSU student and daughter

BASEBALL (MEN'S) WSU 8, St. Cloud State 5 St. Cloud State 6, WSU 4

SOFTBALL (WOMEN'S) SMU 2, Augsburg 1 SMU 7, Augsburg 1

TENNIS (MEN'S) Maryville 7, SMU 2

Hyle back as WSU guy on profs' contract team

Jury pool 41 for first Gordon trial

WINONA, Minn., April 13, 2006 -- The first of three trials scheduled for Paul Allen Gordon, who is accused in the 2004 Sugar Loaf Apartments murders, opened Wedensday morning with jury selection. Forty-one jurors, all white except for one Asian, were present for jury selection, which began at 9 a.m. Race has been an issue for Gordon's attorneys on the murder charges, who note that Gordon, who is black, would have an unfair additional burden in overwhelmingly white Winona. The first trial, however, is on lesser charges stemming from an incident in which the prosecution alleges that Gordon pistol-whipped a man over an unpaid cocaine bill several weeks before the murders. The charges in the first trial against Gordon, 22, are second-degree assault, possession of a pistol to commit a violent crime, aggravated violence, and making terroristic threats. MORE Judge Jeff Thompson expects the jury for this first trial to be selected by Thursday. Thompson said the trial should be completed Friday. For the courtroom Wedensday, Gordon wore black dress pants, a black belt, a white long-sleeved dress shirt, and a gray tie. Gordon's attorney for these charges is public defender Samuel David Jandt. MORE Security was tight at the courthouse. Two security guards searched through purses and bags. There was a walk-through metal detector, new to the courthouse. MORE In the more serious case against Gordon, the strangulation of Winona State University student Stacy Smith, 29, and the rape and strangulation of her 10-year-old daughter, the trial is expected during the summer at the soonest. MORE The jury for the first trial comprises eight woemn and four men, all white, except for one Asian male. To narrow down the jurors from the pool of 41, names were drawn out of a container at random. Of 20 remaining potential jurors, Gordon's attorney and the prosecutors had asked questions to narrow down the jury to 12. MORE Samuel Jandt, representing Gordon, was first to question the potential jurors. He started with a story about cauliflower: When Jandt was a child, his family didn’t have a lot of money, but they did have a garden. One vegetable that he did not like was cauliflower, even the word made him cringe. Later on in life, Jandt and his wife went on vacation where they did not speak the language. At a restaurant, they had the waiter help them order their meals. On the fourth day, Jandt asked the waiter what the special was and he replied something with cauliflower. Jandt cringed at the thought. After the story, Jandt went on to ask jurors if there is a word that makes them cringe, like cauliflower makes him. He said the word could be something like drugs. No jurors responded. How about race? Some said racism is widespread, but none said it would affect their deliberation. MORE Jandt then asked if stereotypes or racism could effect a trial. One juror responded that racism is everywhere. Another juror said, "I don't know if you can avoid it." Another question from Jandt was, What if a juror was using stereotypes? One juror said she would bring it to the judge’s attention. MORE Jandt asked what the most important decision a potential juror has ever had to make. One juror said the most important decision she had to make was just last week, when she was serving on a jury for a different trial. She said she and the other jurors worked well together and would point out things that she didn’t see. One juror responded that his church recently made a decision to buy property across from it. He said it went well and they discussed the possible options. He said he expressed his opinion and, :if outvoted, that’s the way it is." MORE Next prosecutor Thomas Gort had his tgurn. Gort started by asking if anyone had seen the previous night's Minnesota Twins game. Three jurors raised their hand. One juror said the score was 6-4 and the thing that stuck out the most was a three-run-homer. Another juror said that the homerun was the thing that stuck out the most to him as well. When a third juror was asked if she knew the count when the three-run homerun was hit, she said no, she didn't know the count because she was thinking about something else, she said. When Gort asked two other jurors if they knew the score of the game, they both replied that they did not know. One juror even admitted she didn't know because she was thinking about something else when Gort was asking the question. She said she didn't like baseball. MORE Gordon's trial will continue at 9 a.m., Friday.

PAUL ALLEN GORDON Accused in Winona strangulation murders JEFF THOMP- SON Winona judge in cocaine bust trial

BASEBALL (MEN'S) Augsburg 13, SMU 11 Augsburg 11, SMU 1

WINONA, Minn., April 11, 2006 -- Responding to growing criticism that she's aloof from students, Winona State University President Judith Ramaley promised student leaders she will do a better job of consulting them in the future about policy changes. Ramaley made the commitment at a mandated showdown meeting Tuesday with elected student leaders. The students had complained to state Chancellor Jim McCormick that Ramaley failed to touch base on decisions affecting students, including stiffer standards to graduate with honors. MORE At the meeting with members of the Student Senate, a so-called Meet and Discuss that is required once a semester, Ramaley blamed a "comedy of errors" for sparking tensions over revising the graduation honors policy. Ramaley said that the policy got tangled in the winter holidays, which led to the changes not coming to student attention until March -- almost four months after she approved them. Ramaley, now on the job 8-1/2 months, said that the experience taught her a lot. She suggested increasing the frequency of the mandated Meet and Discuss meetings with student leaders, which now occur twice a year. She also suggested less formal discussions over coffee and forming committees to keep everybody better informed. MORE On a second issue that rankled students, Ramaley's reorganization of her cabinet, she assured senate senators that she "didn't select students for special unattention." She went onto say she didn't consult anyone except her administrators. MORE Explaining the reoriganization, which includes her vice president of student affairs, Ramaley said that she wanted to bring related functions together. She praised Cal Winbush for wearing two hats, as vice president for both student affairs and facillities but said the odd combination of duties was also an example of a need for administrative restructuring. Ramaley said she recognized student concern about the creation of a modified vice presidency for student life and development but announced the plan isn't going into full effect immediately. Ramaley said that there will be a one-year interim vice president to replace Winbush, who retires this spring. It will take two years to get the reorganization in place, she said. MORE Ramaley arrived at the student meeting 10 minutes late, explaining that she had een detained at a meeting in Rochester. Clearly out of breath, she collapsed into a seat next to student president-elect Carl Soderberg. Panting heavily, Ramaley laughed when Student Senate recorder Erin Feger humored, "Take a breather. MORE On the consultation issue, Ramaley proposed having Meet and Discusses every four to six weeks. Student President Flynn and Soderberg, who takes over the presidency this summer, endorsed the idea. Ramaley also proposed informal coffee meetings and mentioned discovering that she and Soderberg share a love for coffee. Soderberg nodded yes. Also in the pipeline, Ramaley said, is an all-university committee on reform, but she offered no specifics except that students would be represented and that the committee could be in place by fall. Ramaley said a Senate problem is that student representatives on all-university committees don't have a clear path to get messages back to their constituents. This problem, she said, needs to be addressed to avoid repetition of the events of the past few months. MORE Students had placed tuition debt on the agenda. Ramaley said she undestood that 66 percent of students burrow to pay for college but that she needed more research before discussing how to tackle issue with students before it gets out of control. "I like not to be caught flat-footed," said Ramaley. MORE Ramaley thanked the Senate for its part in her inauguration last week. She was still recovering, she said. Ramaley singled out Flynn and quoted alumni who were very impressed with his part in the inauguration.

JUDITH RAMALEY "A comedy of errors"

Michigan ends Coca-Cola boycott

WSU rehab prof Miller retiring

Nursing prof links suffering, literature

Northern Sun lauds WSU softball player

Chvala "Flying Foot" troupe at WSU

Bye, bye, Carol Blumberg

GOLF (MEN'S) Maverick Invitational: WSU 304, Upper Iowa 304, MSU-Mankato 304 (1st) (tie),

Duke athletes cite DNA in denying rape

WSU club lauded for birthday cakes

GOLF (MEN'S) Minnesota State Invitational (second day): MSU-Moorhead 611 (1st), WSU 615 (2nd), nine others

Jacob seethes still at CyberIndee coverage

WINONA, Minn., April 10, 2006 -- A Student Senate veteran at Winona State University, Jon Jacob, who was defeated decisively in simultaneous bids for student president and for a liberal arts Senate seat, blamed negative media coverage. Many students perceived him to be "spend-happy" after former business Sen. Mick Reis, writing on the CyberIndee, criticized Jacob's voting record on student fees. In a post-election interview Jacob ackowledged making "controversial decisions" but added: "There is logic to why I've made some of those decisions." As during the campaign, Jacob did not squarely address specifics of Reis' criticism. MORE Also, Jacob aggressively denied a CyberIndee report that linked one of his supporters who, with explicit malicious intent, tried to plant a story on rival presidential candidate Melinda Schuck and an eating disorder. Jacob directed his anger at the CyberIndee, not the leak. About the e-mail message that was sent to a reporter on condition of not being named in a story, Jacob said: "The story said that it came from my camp, but I don't even have a camp," said Jacob. He denied again any knowledge of the-mail: "I don't know where the message came from, but I've been helping her (Melinda Schuck) deal with her eating disorder." MORE In the election, Jacob finished dead last for both the presidency and the liberal arts seat. Jacob received only 106 votes for president, almost 400 behind winner Carl Soderberg. For the two open liberal arts seat, Jacob finished with 114 votes, good enough only for fourth. MORE Despite his displeasure with the CyberIndee, Jacob had positive things to say about the election. "I am happy to see the great turnout," he said, referring to the record 1,304 voters. "I hope voters weren't drawn in by catchy one-liners even though I'm guilty of it myself," said Jacob. He added that he hoped students paid attention to real issues. MORE Jacob's political future could include seeking an at-large Senate seat in fall elections or perhaps a Senate vacancy that may occur between now and then. He did not comment on the possibilities.

JON JACOB Still simmering at CyberIndee

TENNIS (MEN'S) SMU 5, William Jewel 4

TENNIS (WOMEN'S) William Jewel 9, SMU 0

SOFTBALL (WOMEN'S) WSU 5, Concordia of St. Paul 1 WSU 3, Concordia of St. Paul 0

Judge: Impartial local jury possible

WINONA, Minn., April 10, 2006 -- The man accused in a brutal 2004 slaying of a mother and daughter can get a fair trial in Winona, Judge Jeff Thompson ruled. Thompson added, however, that he would reconsider arguments for moving the trial of Paul Allen Gordon elsewhere if empaneling an impartial jury becomes problematic. Thompson's decision ends months of arguing over whether Winona was so incensed at the crimes that a fair trial would be impossible locally. Gordon's public defenders argued that Winona was largely white and Gordon black and that the community had a prejudice against outsiders. Gordon had been in Winona only few months before the slayings. MORE Gordon, now 22, is accused of strangling a pregnant ex-womanfriend, Stacy Smith, 29, who was an on-again, off-again Winona State University student, and then raping and strangling her 10-year-old daughter Taylor Swanson. The charges also blame the loss of Smith's unborn child on Gordon. MORE Judge Thompson ruled also that statements Gordon gave to police when he was arrested in San Diego, Calif., will be admissible at trial. Thompson also ruled that DNA evidence taken from Gordon will be admissible unless the defense mounts a further challenge. MORE Gordon was in court Monday for jury selection on unrelated charges involving a cocaine bust, but Judge Thompson delayed the trial. Thirty jurors were in the courtroom but then excused. Gordon's attorney in the cocaine case, Rich McCluer, came prepared for trial. McCluer's Gordon file was massive, in a large yellow and black plastic tote on wheels that surprised the prosecution. For the jury Gordon was dressed in a light gray-blue long-sleeved dress shirt with color-coordinated tie dress pants. In earlier court appearances Gordon has been in a jail-orange jumpsuit. MORE Gordon is being held on $20 million bond on the murder charges and $200,000 bond on the lesser charges. He has been in jail 16 months, since his capture in California a couple weeks after the murders. MORE Security was unusually tight at the courthouse Monday. One security guard looked through purses and bags. Another watched people walk through a giant metal detector. People entering the courthouse were asked to take electronic gear, including cell phones, cameras and MP3 players, back to their car or check them with the court administrator.

PAUL ALLEN GORDON Accused in Winona strangulation murders

GOLF (MEN'S) WSU 303, UM-Crookston 320

WSU men golfers continue on roll

GOLF (WOMEN'S) Riverport Classic (second day): WSU 641 (1st)

Warriors win Riverport Classic

Soderberg couldn't contain a shout of joy

TENNIS (MEN'S) WSU 8, Southwest Mississippi State 1

Gould, Zilka pair for WSU doubles win

BASEBALL (MEN'S) WSU 8, Northern State 3 WSU 6, Northern State 0

MSUSA seeks 10% student fee hike

HOMETOWN FINALE Record-scoring basketball guard Dave Zellmann and Winona State University President Judith Ramaley embrace the trophy from the Warriors' Division II national championship. Coaches and teammates shared in the glory, with no one more enthusiastic than Mayor Jerry Miller. The presentation followed a victory parade down Huff Street. MORE TOM BROWN Assistant coach for eight years MIKE LEAF Head coach also for eight years MORE DAVE ZELLMANN 6-2 guard ZACH MALVIK Also a 6-2 guard

SOFTBALL (WOMEN'S) WSU 10, Bemidji State 2 WSU 8, UM-Crookston 3

Noble, Ewing pitch for two WSU victories

Naked profs on parade?

Geoscience proof opposes giant hog farm

WINONA, Minn., April 8, 2006 -- A Winona State University expert on kasrt geologic formations cautioned Winona County commissioners against authorizing a 2,400-hog factory in Wiscoy Valley. Toby Dogwiler, a geoscientist, said the farm would have "a catastrophic impact on the surface and ground water resources of the valley" if hog manure were accidentally released. Dogwiler the proposed site is full of sinkholes. He said that county commissioners Marcia Ward and Dave Stoltman, who have supported the plan, should reconsider: "Many of our commissioners, including the two most staunchly behind this proposal, claim to be 'pro-agriculture.' Permitting this feedlot would demonstrate they actually are anti-family farm and pro-corporate agribusiness."

TOBY DOGWILER Piggeries smell bad too