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• Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora guitars auctioned at SART fundraiser
• Hudson -- Hessler suit moves to federal court
• Hudson -- Cameron wins judge post

'Spirit of Music,' the St. Croix Valley Sexual Assault Response Team fundraiser, is planned from 5 p.m. to midnight, April 19, at the Hudson Golf Club.

Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora each donated an autographed guitar to be auctioned on Ebay and also at the event.

Live entertainment includes Walden Pond, a classical-to-contemporary group, and Steve Clayton and Jake Pavek, a guitar and piano duo.

The HeBeGBs, a local classic-rock group, will play from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Vikings tickets, St. Croix River boat rides, and Minnesota Twins tickets will be some of the live auction items.

SART is a nonprofit organization that provides free comprehensive services to victims of sexual assault.

Cost is $50 per individual; $400 for a table of eight. Ticket price includes a filet mignon and chicken breast dinner, door prizes, live and silent auctions and musical entertainment. April 11 is the deadline for ordering tickets.

For information, visit the Web site www.stcroixvalleysart.org/events

The wrongful death lawsuit brought against St. Croix County by the family of a New Richmond man who died three days after being booked into jailed has been moved to federal court.

Attorneys for the county Sheriff Dennis Hillstead and several jailers named as defendants in the suit have sought to move to case last week to federal court in Madison from Eau Claire County Circuit Court where the estate of Brandon Lee Hessler filed it earlier this year.

The county will defend against the suit's allegations of deliberate indifference by jail staff to Hessler's "obvious physical symptoms of distress," observable when he was brought to jail on March 15, 2007 for bail jumping and resisting arrest.

Hessler, 28, was under the influence of a controlled substance when he was picked up and taken to jail by New Richmond police for allegedly violating the bail condition of absolute sobriety, according to the criminal complaint.

For a complete report see the April 3 edition of the Star-Observer.

Library referendum passes overwhelmingly

By Doug Stohlberg

hsoeditor@rivertowns.net

St. Croix County's new Branch 4 Circuit Court judge will be Howard Cameron who edged Mark Gherty 5,058-4,751 in Tuesday's spring election. The race was close throughout the evening, but Cameron was declared the winner when the final precincts were tallied at about 10:30 p.m.

"I'm humbled by the support I received," Cameron said. "I couldn't have done this alone, however, I had a lot of workers." Cameron complimented his opponent.

Mark ran a very gentlemanly campaign and we both ran on our records," Cameron said. "Mark is a wonderful attorney; he and I were friends before the campaign, we were friends during the campaign and we'll be friends in the future."

He said Gherty had name recognition, but he thought he was able to overcome that with an aggressive mail campaign in addition to his appearances at numerous events around the county and door-knocking. His campaign manager was town of Troy resident Clare Zajac, an attorney with Health Partners.

"Voters also liked my ideas about bringing in programs being used in other counties," Cameron said.

He will be sworn into his new post Aug. 1 and begin taking cases Sept. 1.

"This campaign was quite an adventure," Cameron said. "I met a lot of nice people throughout the county. Now I need to tie up some loose ends on my current job (public defender) and maybe get a little rest."

Library vote

The advisory library referendum to purchase the Nuclear Management building and make it into a library passed overwhelmingly in Hudson area municipalities. The total in the four municipalities in the local library district were 3,153 in favor and only 1,347 opposed. The town of Troy had a slightly different question, but also passed the idea of a new library 311-264.

The library question passed in the city of Hudson 1,523-512; village of North Hudson 482-170; town of Hudson 751-353 and; town of St. Joseph 397-312.

School Board

The Hudson board of Education will have two new members among the three elected Tuesday night. Incumbent Dan Tjornehoj was re-elected with 2,388 votes, but incumbent Erika Cherrier was last in the field of five with 1,261. Challengers Barb VanLoenen (2,138) and Lynn Robson (2,319) finished ahead of Cherrier and challenger Phillip Kotoski (1,498).

Hudson area election results

Circuit Court (Branch 4)

Mark Gherty, 4,751

Howard Cameron, 5,058

Board of Education

(top three vote-getters elected)

Daniel Tjornehoj, 2,388

Barb VanLoenen, 2,138

Erika Cherrier, 1,261

Phillip Kotoski, 1,498

Lynn Robson, 2,319

Library Referendum

(advisory)

City of Hudson, 1,523 (yes)-512 (no)

Village of No. Hudson, 482-170

Town of Hudson, 751-353

Town of St. Joseph, 397-312

Town of Troy, 311-264

City of Hudson

Mayor

Dean Knudson, 1,556

Todd Erskine, 226

Adlerperson, Dist. 3

Lori Bernard 325

Dave Selissen 191

Village of No. Hudson

Trustee

(top three vote-getters elected)

Daniel Ortner, 263

Jim Thomas, 353

George Klein, 377

Sandra Whalen, 358

Town of St. Joseph

Supervisor 1

Dan Gavin, 361

Lloyd Dahlke, 257

County Board

District 17

Chuck Struemke, 95

Lorin Sather, 129

District 27

Ken Kolbe, 135

Ron Raymond, 117