On September 13th, 2021 at approximately 1:28 PM Saint Louis County Sheriff's deputies responded to a dump truck crash that occurred on Spirit Lake road near the Virta Road West intersection in Clinton Township.  The dump truck was traveling north bound on Spirit Lake road when it went off road to the east and rolled over.  The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle a 38 year old male was pronounced dead on the scene.  The driver will be identified after family has been notified.   

Area first responders were dispatched to the 7200 Block of Bug Creek Rd. in Cotton Township, after receiving the report of a male being injured after crashing his dirt bike in a gravel pit, located on private property.

The dirt bike driver, identified as Keith Levings, was airlifted to a Duluth area hospital with unknown injuries.

On 09/10/2021, at approximately 9:15pm, the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office was notified by NERCC of an inmate whom had fled on foot from the facility into the woods.  Branden Russell King had been sentenced to NERCC for prior domestic assault convictions and was determined to be missing during a headcount at the facility.  Review of video surveillance showed King going into the woods outside the facility at approximately 7:28pm.

 

NERCC escapee Branden King was taken into custody, without incident, at approximately 6:40 AM by St. Louis County Deputies. A deputy had received information from an off-duty police officer, that a male matching Kings description was walking on the Midway Rd near the St Louis River Rd in Hermantown.

The St. Louis County Board has given preliminary approval to appoint Kim Maki as St. Louis County Attorney. Current County Attorney Mark Rubin has announced his retirement effective September 30. Maki's appointment would be for the remainder of Rubin's term, which runs through the end of 2022.

 

An Iron Range native, Maki has worked in the County Attorney's Office since 2011, following a decade of work in private practice. She has led the Civil Division since November 2012, providing legal advice and support to County commissioners and all County departments.

The St. Louis County Board has given initial approval for the 2022 maximum property tax levy in the amount of $156,496,531. Factoring in the 4.25% growth in the property tax base, St. Louis County property owners will see an average increase of 1.69% on the county portion of their property tax bill.