April 23, 1997 - The House Budget committee takes up the flood relief bill tomorrow. In Grand Forks yesterday, President Clinton expressed confidence that Congress would approve the extra 200-million he's requesting for aid to Minnesota and the Dakotas. That would bring the total federal package to 488-million dollars for the area. Governor Carlson, and State emergency director Jim Franklin head to Washington to lobby for the aid. 5th District Minnesota Congressman Martin Sabo is Minnesota's only member of the Appropriations committee. He expects other members will approve Clinton's request. Fifth District Congressman Martin Sabo, Minnesota's representative on the House Appropriations Committee.
April 23, 1997 - The first area of Grand Forks to be flooded was the Lincoln Park area bordering the Red River, where floodwater gushed over dikes and literally forced homes off their foundations. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum talked to three people from the Lincoln Park neighborhood, and has their stories... Pat Moen knows her home is ruined - she says she "used to live" at 501 Lincoln Drive. She hasn't been back since she was forced to evacuate last week, bu
April 23, 1997 - Pronouncer = STAUSS = rhymes with house The mayor of East Grand Forks now says it could be a month before city residents can go back hom. He says sewage in the flood waters has contaminated their homes. That was tough news to more than two thousand flood victims who have come to stay temporarily in Bemidji. East Grand Forks Mayor Lynn Stauss (stouse) travelled to several northwestern Minnesota towns where flood victims have congregated, as Minnesota Public Radio's Christina Koenig (KAY-nig) reports. Several hundred of the flood victims gathered Bemidji State University's Hockey arena to hear the mayor. Lynn Stauss told his fellow flood victims
April 24, 1997 - The National Weather Service is taking some heat over its failed Red River crest prediction. Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports: The Mayor of East Grand Forks is blaming the National Weather Service for failing to give residents along the Red River "adequate warning" to prepare for this spring's massive flooding. Mayor Lynn Stauss told a group of flood victims staying in Bemidgi it wasn't their fault they did not buy flood insurance or protect their valuables. Stauss says residents trusted the weather service and its 49 foot flood crest prediction: STAUSS: "They not only missed it, they blew it big. Now they expect that everybody should have flood insurance or they're not going t
April 24, 1997 - Even though the public's attention is focused on the devastating flooding in the Red River valley, it wasn't long ago that places like Granite Falls and Montevideo in southwestern Minnesota were the center of attention. The clean-up is well underway in those cities overrun by the Minnesota River earlier this month. Busloads of Twin Cities residents have been making the daily trek to help area residents for more than week...and will continue to do so until they're no longer needed. Minnesota Public Radio's Perry Finelli went along for the ride...and has a report... 8505 sfx...bus rider commenting on what he sees as the bus travels through Montevideo...
April 24, 1997 - When the water recedes from Grand Forks and other flooded towns, residents and business owners will find their homes and stores covered in an unpleasant, stubborn sludge. And they will find legions of volunteers and government agents offering relief from misery. For a peek at what might be in store for the people of North Dakota and Minnesota, Minnesota Public Radio's Jon Gordon talked with victims of recent flooding in Kentucky. Here's his report. On the first day of March, heavy rains caused the Ohio River and its tributaries to swell far beyond their banks. Thousands of Kentucky homes and businesses were destroyed. President Clinton declared much of the state a disaster area.
April 24, 1997 - For families affected by flooding in the Red River Valley, their first stop may be the Salvation Army's disaster headquarters in Fargo. A vacant building near the West Acres shopping center has been converted into a makeshift supermarket with emergency supplies. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports... (nat) A f
April 25, 1997 - (to run out of Koenig piece) I'm Laura McCallum in Moorhead. There's an on-going "reunion" of residents of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks taking place in the Moorhead State University ballroom. Evacuees can watch videos of their flooded town, have a cup of coffee, and check a wall covered by hand-written messages with people's whereabouts. A huge map of the community sits on an easel, and people who stop by mark the spot where their home is located. About thirty families from East Grand Forks, and nearly
April 25, 1997 - One of the biggest challenges for people who left the Red River Valley because of flooding has been getting information about their homes, towns and loved ones. Communication for evacuees who fled in every direction has been set up through the internet, ham radio, cellular phones, videos and teleconferences. We have two reports on communication efforts. In a moment we will hear from Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum about a grass roots communications center, but first Minnesota Public Radio's Christina Koenig looks at a high tech approach to disaster communications.
April 25, 1997 - A fundraiser organized by Twin Cities radio stations brought a flood of donations this morning in Minneapolis. More than 20 semi-trailer trucks filled with soap, towels and other goods are headed for people in the Red River Valley affected by floodwaters. Organizers estimate money raised from the event will top half a million dollars. The money will be split by the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more. tape . . . sfx 9:00 help you unload? With the sun just peeking over the Minneapolis skyline organizers of the fundraiser got a hint of what they had created. A stream of vehicles grew into two lanes of traffic with volunteers racing to un