West metro briefs: 28 years since 13-year-old Maple Grove girl disappeared, police seek out any info

Police are seeking anyone who might have information about the disappearance of 13-year-old Amy Sue Pagnac of Maple Grove, who went missing 28 years ago Saturday.

Pagnac vanished on Aug. 5, 1989, after a trip to her family's Isanti County farm. The case received little attention until May 2014, when police, FBI and state investigators converged on the family's home with a sealed search warrant and conducted a six-day search of the home and backyard. A month later, authorities did a four-day dig at the family's 140-acre farm.

Police haven't yet disclosed what prompted the searches or whether anything was found. But Capt. Adam Lindquist said this month that the case is still under investigation. There's no suspect or evidence of a crime, and police say that Pagnac, who would now be 41, could be alive or dead.

Pagnac went to the farm with her stepfather, Marshall Midden, to harvest trees and farm vegetables. About 5 p.m., they were returning home when they stopped, he said, at a gas station in Osseo to use the bathroom. The car was empty when he returned.

Pagnac's mother, Susan, said Amy was prone to seizures and wandering off. They reported her at the time as a runaway.

Maple Grove police are asking anyone with information about the case, or the whereabouts of her biological father, to call 763-494-6100.

Kelly Smith

Cooper began working for Hennepin County in 1985 as a detention deputy with the Sheriff's Office before rising through the ranks of corrections. He will begin his new job Sept. 3.

Cooper is the third new county administrator in the office of County Administrator David Hough since last year.

Jennifer DeCubellis was promoted to deputy administrator of health and human services and given some responsibilities that handled by Rex Holzemer, the assistant county administrator of human services who is retiring in early 2018. Carl Michaud, assistant county administrator of public works, was appointed to the job in 2016 after leading the environmental services department.

Kelly Smith

As part of a pilot program, St. Louis Park has opened three drop sites for people who live in apartments or condos to participate in organics recycling, better known as composting.

Organics recycling is a voluntary program where the city collects materials such as food scraps and paper and turns them into compost used in various city projects.

Residents interested in using the drop sites can sign up online at bit.ly/2tnrbIw. They will receive compostable bags and a guide of acceptable materials that can be collected.

The pilot program is set to run until mid-October, although the city intends to continue it if participation is strong.

Residents can learn more by contacting Emily Barker at ebarker@stlouispark.org or 952-924-2187.

Miguel Otárola

The tours, hosted by Braemar General Manager Joe Abood and golf course Superintendent Tom Swenson, begin at 9 a.m. and are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9 and Oct. 7.

Crews began construction of Braemar's new 18-hole course in October. It will replace the park's existing 27-hole course and open up about 10 acres of park grounds.

"Things are going extremely well with the construction project, and the excitement is building," Abood said. "We want to share what's going on and some of the behind-the-scenes workings of the construction."

Those interested in signing up for a tour can e-mail Abood at jabood@EdinaMN.gov. Meanwhile, the city is looking for feedback on what features should be installed in Braemar Park. Comments will be accepted online at bit.ly/2tz9eek until Aug. 30.

Miguel Otárola

The fence was built to keep pedestrians from entering the Riley Creek corridor, but fans turned it into a memorial after Prince's accidental overdose death on April 21, 2016.

Among the graffiti left on the pavement were the words "Boycott Mayte," apparently a reference to Prince's first wife, Mayte Garcia.

Chanhassen Mayor Denny Laufenburger announced on his Facebook page that the fence would be repaired and the graffiti painted over. "We will not interfere with the public expression of sentiments regarding Paisley Park and Prince, unless they become offensive and a threat to the general public," he wrote.

The policy also applies to messages left inside the Riley Creek tunnels, which lead visitors from Lake Ann Park under Hwy. 5 to the gate outside Paisley Park. Graffiti memorials there are left untouched unless they "become violent, offensive or threatening," Laufenburger said.

Prince's untimely death drew fans from all over the world to the complex's permanent fence around the grounds, a separate structure from the one vandalized. People paid their respects by leaving photos, paintings, signs, flowers and other items. Some of those mementos are preserved for visitors inside the museum.