The St. Louis County Board on Tuesday gave its blessing to a new DWI court aimed at getting repeat drunken drivers off the road and into treatment.
The board didn't approve any money for the new program, although their formal vote was a condition of an $80,000 federal grant that will pay for the program's startup.
State District Court Judge Shaun Floerke asked for the board's support, saying the mission is to pressure repeat DWI of-fenders toward treatment and recovery "until they decide sobriety is easier than fighting with us.'' Floerke said studies show that 90 percent of repeat DWI offenders are chemically dependent.
St. Louis County is Minnesota's fourth-most dangerous county for DWI offenses, the judge noted.
The program will cover only southern St. Louis County to start, but Floerke said he hopes it will expand to the entire county in coming years.
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Commissioners also approved support, but again no money, to a youth homeless shelter in Virginia called the Youth Foyer Project -- a 15-unit home for homeless youths from age 16-21. The project, which is estimated to serve 40-100 people per year, will be paid for by federal and state grants.
In other actions the board voted for Commissioner Mike Forsman of Ely as county board chairman and Dennis Fink of Duluth as vice chairman.
