Roseville Week in Review: Frick Memorial, Bakdash Verdict and Wrestler Results

In case you missed it, here are some Roseville news highlights from the past week:  

• Timothy Bakdash, the Roseville native who fatally struck 23-year-old University of Minnesota senior Benjamin Van Handel with his car last April, on Tuesday, March 6 was After a night of drinking at the Library Bar and a parking lot dispute on April 15, Bakdash drove his car into a group of U of M students, killing Van Handel and injuring three. Judge Daniel Mabley instructed jurors to convict Bakdash of second-degree murder if they thought he “believed that his act would kill” but if his actions fell short of premeditation.

• Gordmans, a niche low-price department store operator, debuted its new Roseville store Thursday. A grand opening weekend celebration is slated March 16. The Omaha-based retailer is opening its new 65,000 square-foot store quarters on the lower level of the Crossroads of Roseville shopping center, 1663 County Road B2 West. for Gordmans, which is an apparel and home fashions retailer.

• Roseville Patch on Friday declared Cafe Zia the winner of our ", outpacing big-name rivals with 69 percent percent of the votes cast.  2723 Lexington Ave. North, captured 141 out of  202 votes submitted in our poll. Coming in second place was J. Arthur's Coffee, 2441 Rice St., with 23 votes or 11 percent of all cast. Third place was  with 10 votes or 4 percent of ballots cast.

• It was a time for tears and laughter when family, friends and classmates gathered at a memorial service Sunday afternoon (March 11) to remember Claire Frick, a Roseville High School student who died earlier this monthafter a nearly two-year battle with a rare childhood cancer. Hundreds of people packed the Roseville High School auditorium as they remembered Frick, 18, in song, word and prayer.  "Claire is remembered as a smart, talented and passionate young woman," her memorial bulletin said. "She involved herself in choir, plays and musicals, the speech team and various art classes. Her kind personality and great sense of humor made her easy to love.

• Teacher pay rates in Roseville Area Schools will stay virtually frozen through 2013 after the teachers union, Education Minnesota, reached an agreement with the district following contract talks that began in April 2011. approved by the Roseville Area Schools’ board at its Tuesday meeting, comes at a time of economic turmoil for the state.

• Two Roseville High School boys wrestlers emerged with All-State honors from theMinnesota State High School League's Class AAA individual  wrestling tournament last weekend. in the finals of the 195 weight division. Meanwhile junior David Johnson competed at the 220 weight division and placed sixth to gain all-state honors. A third Rosevile High School wrestler, Brandon Comisky, competed at the Class AAA state tournament in the 182 weight division. He lost a tough first round match 5-0 and did not get the opportunity to compete further.