BEMIDJI — A Bemidji woman with a profound impact on community organizing for social justice issues died at the age of 54.
Simone Senogles was a Red Lake band member with given names of Chinoodinikwe and Miskomakwakwe. She was the operations director for the Indigenous Environmental Network, a global organization that organizes campaigns around environmental justice.
She was also one of the founders of MMIW 218, raising awareness and building community for families of missing and murdered Indigenous relatives in the Bemidji area.
Among her many tributes Monday, Sept. 23, MMIW 218 said Senogles “reminded us that violence on the land and violence on our bodies are connected, and she stood boldly to protect both.”
Senogles was featured on KAXE over the years to discuss this connection, including in this excerpt from 2018.
“If you want to disempower a people, you attack the women, and I think Indigenous women have been dealing with that and are still dealing with that,” Senogles said.
A wake for Senogles will begin Thursday evening at the new Red Lake Center, with traditional services to follow Friday morning. There has been a Go Fund Me site set up in her honor.
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And: A rural Orr man was arrested for allegedly shooting a firefighting plane; the Legislature passed a bonding bill; and filings open for public office Tuesday. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEIn their final hours before the session ended, lawmakers passed a county hospital bailout, an infrastructure bill and small cuts to car tab fees and property taxes. -
Contributed/Ellen Schmidt / MinnPost / CatchLight Local / Report for AmericaHere’s what made it into the Legislature's infrastructure package and what lawmakers and others had to say about it May 17, 2026. -
Contributed/St. Louis County Sheriff's OfficeFirefighters responded to a wildland fire between Orr and Crane Lake on Friday, May 15, 2026. After returning to the airport, it was learned a bullet appeared to have struck one of the planes. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEEvacuated homeowners will be able to return to their properties for the day, Monday, May 18, 2026. Crow Wing County declared a local emergency, the first step toward state disaster aid. -
This is the Up North Lookback, where we’re digging into the local news archives from 50 years ago — the year KAXE was born. It’s the week of May 18.
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As next steps for a proposed data center are considered, Liz Schwab from Google addresses some of the concerns raised at a recent Hermantown City Council meeting.
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Contributed/Doug MitchellWildland firefighters are working on containment and mopping up hot spots for a wildfire that began Saturday afternoon, May 16, 2026, southeast of Crosslake. -
Plus: Minnesota partners want you to help track wildlife collisions; and DNR upgrades four fishing piers in Northern Minnesota.
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Contributed/Screenshot of St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay Facebook pageSt. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay said the fire was one of at least a half-dozen blazes in the county as high winds, low humidity and drought conditions persisted.
