PEQUOT LAKES — The head of a Pequot Lakes dog rescue organization and her husband are facing multiple felonies for filing false income tax returns and failing to pay their taxes.
The Crow Wing County Attorney's Office filed charges against Shannon Steele and her husband Russel Steele for tax years 2017 through 2021.
According to the complaints, Shannon Steele was the only person with access to Northern Lakes Rescue's bank accounts.
She allegedly withdrew thousands from the nonprofit's accounts for personal expenses such as including airfare and jet ski rentals.
Collectively, the couple avoided paying taxes on more than $300,000 in taxable income, the charges say.
Shannon Steele also faces a probation violation as part of a previous theft by check conviction.
In that case, while working at a painting business in Garrison, Steele wrote checks to herself totaling $62,000 and charged more than $16,000 in unauthorized purchases to company credit cards.
Agreement to prevent plastic pollution in the Mississippi River
Mayors from numerous states and tribal leaders from Northern Minnesota gathered in Bemidji last week to announce a first-of-its kind partnership to protect the Mississippi River.
KAXE/KBXE Reporter Larissa Donovan found out how these partners intend to take action.
White Earth water regulations
The White Earth Band is one of a growing number of Native American tribes exerting their authority to protect reservation water reserves.
In the wake of a recent New York Times story highlighting the overuse of groundwater in Northern Minnesota attributed to agriculture, a new report from nonprofit news organization Circle of Blue highlights White Earth's regulatory efforts.
Band leadership are in the midst of developing regulations and a permitting program that sets mandatory standards of environmental performance for farm operations.
White Earth recently set a two-year moratorium on the development of large livestock and dairy operations within the reservation boundary.
A second ordinance establishes a tribal review and permitting process for high-capacity water wells.
Tribal Chairman Michael Fairbanks says the state of Minnesota's own practices around groundwater protections do not go far enough to prevent negative impacts, in the band's view.
Circle of Blue says the tribal rules are a clear rebuke to farm states and the federal government, which have advocated voluntary participation in pollution prevention and water conservation programs that have cost taxpayers billions of dollars.
Tree debris drop off site to remain open two extra weeks
The tree debris drop-off site opened by St. Louis County following the powerful windstorm that knocked down hundreds of trees in and around Gilbert, Aurora and Hoyt Lakes will remain open through Oct. 9, two weeks longer than originally announced.
The extended schedule is to assist residents still cleaning up following the Sept. 5 storm. The South Gravel Pit in Makinen is open from dawn until dusk, seven days a week.
The county is not offering curbside pickup of debris.
-
The soft launch of the Minwaadizi Project's new space, which aims to be an "un-boarding school" community center, included a round dance and potluck. -
A new statewide research project created by the Legislature is connecting the dots in trying to make health care affordable for everyone. -
The Minnesota State Patrol reported the driver was not wearing a seat belt. -
The Beltrami County Sheriff's Office reports the driver veered off-road through a yard before entering the Mississippi River southeast of Bemidji. -
The proposal creates a statewide framework to evaluate whether suicide prevention measures are necessary when new bridges are built and when existing bridges are repaired. -
Current state law prohibits these facilities from serving alcohol without a license or permit, but the process of getting the licenses can be time-consuming, expensive and redundant. -
One would prohibit local governments from entering into NDAs with private companies. The other would require two public hearings and disclosures like the company behind the project, size and potential impacts. -
The bill limits permitted uses of AI to services such as transcribing and documenting sessions. A human therapist would then have to review the documents created by AI. -
AirCorps Aviation plans to invest nearly $1 million into an expansion project that is expected to create 14 new manufacturing jobs. -
And: Bemidji's Aircorps Aviation receives MN DEED grant; and Beltrami County seeks feedback for safer roads planning.
