wcallogotnThe day after the Minnesota Independent contacted Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge David Minge about his assignment to a case involving his alma mater, St. Olaf College, Minge recused himself. He was replaced on the three-judge panel by retired Judge James C. Harten — another Ole (Class of ‘57), who also promptly recused himself. Third time’s a charm: Judge Francis J. Connolly was educated at Columbia and Georgetown universities, a safe distance from Northfield, Minn.

The case under appeal comes from SaveWCAL, a group that contends St. Olaf owned former radio station WCAL-FM as a charitable trust, and as such should have gotten a court’s okay before selling it to Minnesota Public Radio to create The Current, 89.3 FM. Oral arguments in the appeal are set for Oct. 27, with a ruling due by early next year.