June 27 is National HIV Testing Day, and St. Louis County is working with community partners to share the message about the importance of getting tested, as well as treatment options that can be successful for anyone who tests positive.

St. Louis County - specifically Duluth and a 30-mile radius around it - has been experiencing an outbreak of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) since 2019. Prior to that, the county saw between zero to five newly infected individuals in a year. However there have been 37 individuals newly confirmed to be infected in the last five years. Of those, 27 are in Duluth and 10 are in the surrounding region.

On June 23, 2023 at 1617 hours, area first responders received a 911 call for a structure fire in the 3900 block of Crosby Road in Solway Township. Upon arrival by first responders, it was determined that no one was inside of the residence and the residence was fully involved.

At 08:12 AM on Wednesday, June 21st, 2023, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a report of a plane crash near the 8300 block of Pequaywan Lake Rd in unorganized township 54R13. The state duty officer received a call from Air Force rescue of a registered aircraft beacon that had been alarmed. A spotter plane in the area observed possible wreckage on the ground. Upon arrival, deputies located the crash site in a wooded area to the West of Pequaywan Lake Rd. Both the pilot and passenger were found to be deceased.

On Tuesday, St. Louis County leaders honored the more than 350 people who served at COVID-19 testing events, vaccine clinics and other crucial roles that helped protect people during various stages of the pandemic. Over the course of the pandemic, St. Louis County Public Health held 550 testing events and distributed more than 13,000 test kits. Additionally, Public Health hosted more than 640 COVID-19 vaccine clinics and administered more than 48,000 doses of vaccine. 

On 06-17-23 at approximately 1112 PM, area first responders and law enforcement were dispatched to the report of a structure fire in the 8900 block of Highway 73 located southwest of Cook, MN.

It was reported that a lawnmower had caught fire inside the garage. The homeowner was transported to the Cook Hospital and later Duluth for treatment of what are believed to be non-life-threatening burns to their arms.