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St. Louis County To Pay $23,500 For Trespassing

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) -- St. Louis County has to pay $23,500 to settle a case of trespassing.

In 2008, the county approved Lake Country Power's request for a permit to bury an electrical cable to residents who had built a home outside of Floodwood.

But the land was owned by Chester and Robin Cullens and they took the matter to court.

St. Louis County Assistant County Attorney Tim Lee says the court found that the county shouldn't have given the permit.

The county thought the road belonged to them because it maintained it years ago but records didn't show any recent maintenance and therefore it was considered abandoned.

The Mesabi Daily News reports that Lake Country Power had to pay for the easement and the settlement covers the cost of its damages.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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